Belmont Fall SHOWdown

[cj]

It costs $10, didn't this used to be free?

CJ

[rrbauer]

Yep. It used to be free. Now there's a nuisance charge...or, a charge to get rid of the nuisances', depending on your perspective.

[GR1@HTR]

Yeah, but now there is a bigger money pot. It's up to $13K now, bet it will end up around $20K plus or so...And that is all fine w/ me...

[Suff]

A couple of Comments on the Challenge... First of all if You followed the last two... about 5000 entered and after two weeks it was down to 1000... after a month it was down to 150... Halfway through the meet it was over... and the last few weeks it was down to 20 people.... I've correspondeded with Bruno (the webmaster) and I'm not sold on that guy. First of all... If your like me and you go out of town often... You lose out... Because you have to make a selction everyday.... I'm not hot enough on it to go into a KINKO's and get internet access JUST to make a "BELMONT SHOWDOWN" selection....

Remember the contest he held last year at Belmont.. select 20 horses.. 5 trainers and 3 jockeys and you get points each time one runs in the money.. Not a bad contest... BUT... I selected a few HORSES that NEVER RAN... So I sent him an e-mail asking if he perhaps had polled the HORSEMEN to get an idea of who was planning on running before he put up the 80 or so horses he PUT up?... and if not... it appeared the contest benefitted people with access to the BARNS and had a greater knowledge of who was gonna run.. once twice or three times... Well basically he told me the contest was free... therefore fair...so OK... he can keep his contests...

and one other item... why is his Picture on the WEB site? Do we need a Picture of the WEBMASTER on the first page of the NYRA site? Been to all major tracks WWW sites.. HAVE YET to see a Picture of the Webmaster,,, let alone on the first page... I think BRUNO thinks alot of BRUNO

[Suff]

CHECK THAT,,,,,,,,,, over 7000 people entered in the last showdown... less than two weeks later... exactly 14 days... There were 49 people competing... Good CONTEST BRUNO....

[justin]

"CHECK THAT,,,,,,,,,, over 7000 people entered in the last showdown... less than two weeks later... exactly 14 days... There were 49 people competing... Good CONTEST BRUNO...."

And this is a bad thing because....? Most people tend to pick whomever looks to be the heavy chalk in the feature, or the heaviest favorite of the day. When so many do this, it's no wonder the competition starts dropping like flies. I think it just shows how hard the contest can be despite how easy it appears. My only beef with the contest is that you can't make an alternate selection in the event that your horse scratches. Good luck to anyone from here who enters.

Justin

[MikeDee]

my guess is that this change has made this contest illegal in states that have laws forbidding internet gambling. When the track puts up the prize money, and entry is free this is one thing ....sorta a sweepstakes. But when the contestants put up the prize money and the results are based on horse racing selections.....well this is gambling.

[Suff]

And this is a bad thing because....?

The contest is good right. Its a nice thing NYRA does for its fans. Its paid for by the takeout of our wagers. I just think it would be better if 10 days in to the meet, more than 100 people would still be "Enjoying it"

[justin]

Mike:

I was wondering the same thing, but under the guise of a contest, maybe they're trying to slip it under the radar?

Sufferin':

I like a good challenge, which this contest certainly is, and think whatever money they may use from their take to finance it is so miniscule as to not matter in the grand scheme of things. I'd rather money taken off the top of my wagers on NYRA racing go to something like this then a commercial or a free giveaway. If you want to try a free contest where contestants are in for the long haul, check out the one at:
http://www.publichandicapper.com

Justin

[Suff]

By the way... I'm home Today and tommorrow.. I have all my charts spread on the Kitchen Table.. got Today's and tommorrow's DRF under my Microscope, I have my xpressbet.com account queued up... Got a few bucks in there and I'm firing at Pimilco and LA downs.. if you wanna look at race let me know.. I'll Crank out a CAP on it.

[MikeDee]

I'm all for the contest and will play for the $10 fee. I just wonder if they have crossed some line out there in internet land.