Best small track to bet?

[Valuist]

I know there's a lot of Mountaineer fans out there, but IMO, its Hoosier. No, it doesn't lend itself to monsterous 40-1 shots race after race. Its just very formful. The field sizes are solid. But speed is insane there. With Keeneland ruined by the addition of Polytrack, Hoosier might be the most speed oriented racetrack in North America.

[cj]

I like Hoosier for win and exacta bets, but the pools are too small for the P3s for my tastes. Still, a very good track in my opinion. Then again, I pretty much like them all.

[Valuist]

CJ-

How have your numbers been doing on the Polytrack? It seems to me the results are almost completely random. I haven't bet WO but I'm considering dumping Turfway totally.

The Hoo P3 pools are small but they've been getting bigger. Opening weekend they had about 2K in the pools but lately they've been closer to the 3500-4000 range.

[cj]

CJ-

How have your numbers been doing on the Polytrack? It seems to me the results are almost completely random. I haven't bet WO but I'm considering dumping Turfway totally.

The Hoo P3 pools are small but they've been getting bigger. Opening weekend they had about 2K in the pools but lately they've been closer to the 3500-4000 range.

Good to know about Hoo, I had given up after the first weekend. I didn't want to get excited taking a pool, then realize I netted only a grand.

The numbers on Polytrack this year have been much better in my opinion this year. Both WO and TP have had some crazy days, but overall I think speed is doing better than the previous TP meet. I think it is a case of the jockeys learning they must rate more on poly.

[1st time lasix]

Of course it depends on what you mean by "small track" ....As an exotic better i prefer larger fields. {nine plus entries} I see larger fields at Hawthorne, and Tampa on weekends. Most of the pools get late simulcast money so if you have a particularly local angle not readily observed in the form...you can score. On Saturday there were larger fields at Turfway and KY Downs.

[Valuist]

IMO, Hawthorne and Turfway are mid-level tracks. And probably Tampa now as well. Tampa was a lower rung track for most of its existance but the quality seems to have improved in recent years.

I would consider these as examples of smaller tracks:

AsD, Beu, Cby, CT,DeD, EmD, EvD, FP, Hoo, Ind, Mnr, Pen, PrM, RD, Ret, Suf, Tdn. I've know I forgot some but those are the type of tracks I was referring to.

[BIG49010]

Detroit Race Course, Aksarben, Birmingham, Hialeah, Balmoral (T-Breds), Sportsman Park 5/8.

[skate]

found a TRACK listed as GLD (the name of the track), anyone know about this track.?
a trainer listed as Steve Cholity works there.

[Nickle]

I like Penn National if that is considered a small track.

[46zilzal]

found a TRACK listed as GLD (the name of the track), anyone know about this track.?

Great Lake(s) Downs

[skate]

46;

thanks.
i guess that's lake Mich. has it been there long?

[46zilzal]

2000 and purchased by Stronach

Muskegon Michigan
http://www.greatlakesdowns.com

[arno]

Favorite Small Track to Bet in my order


1 Evangeline Downs big fields and nice prices.
2 Tampa bay Downs a track getting better each year.
3 Mountaineer nice sized fields good announcer but ignore jockey changes.
4 Emerald Downs pick 3 pool kind of small but pick 4 pool size fine.

Small Tracks I don't like

1 Penn National too many horses who don't figure who pay small.
2 CharlesTown jockeys ability more important than speed figures.
3 Turf Paradise not sure how to handle sub 21 first quarters.

CJ's figures at Turfway are much better this year than last.
Have not played Woodbine except for one day so jury is out.

[GaryG]

Runners from there ship pretty well into Chicago. Bobby Allen races there during the summer and has a barn full of ready horses at Tampa during the 1st month of the meet.

[harleyjoe13]

I love to bet Remington for the first month it opens. Great longshots coming from other tracks that really figure.

[blind squirrel]

LOS AL.....nothing like a good 870 yard race..uh,don't forget to bet
the early speed!

[dav4463]

I like Retama and Sam Houston.

[Jayhawk Fan]

It's Great Lakes Downs in Michigan

[Jayhawk Fan]

Another super-small track is the Woodlands in Kansas City. Big fields, where most races are won by Prairie Meadows horses, but you'll get the occasional bomb from Fairmount Park.

[46zilzal]

LOS AL.....nothing like a good 870 yard race..uh,don't forget to bet
the early speed!
unless they changed the rules, the AQHA doesn't recognize 870 wins for Q horses

[ratpack]

When I was using All in One I had great success at Hastings. That was in e 2005 so things may have changed and you need to watch the odds.

I had mentioned this in another post about the 40-1 opening line that went off the Favorite, so if you bet and leave be prepared for anything.

[Wickel]

Sunland Park, because it offers of ideal situations like sprinters honing their speed in 870- and 1,000-yard races, then moving up to thoroughbred distances. Knowing your local trainers and jocks is a huge advantage on this circuit, too.

[Tom]

Finger Lakes.
You can live well off of Finger Lakes.
Many resutls are obvious if you know what to look far, and they pay well.
They only race a few standard distances, all dirt, so your figures there can be very good. The conditions of the races invite hidden class horses.

[Tote Master]

It seems no one has mentioned my top choice.

Small Tracks is Order of Preference:

Lone Star Park – nice size fields, and incredible prices particularly in the Exotics!

Evangeline Downs – always large fields with some great prices too!

Mountaineer Park – sometimes very erratic betting patterns, but when its on, its ON.

Delaware Park – most consistent betting patterns, but while the win frequency is high, more often then not the value is mediocre.

The top 3 tracks are always a challenge, and the rewards are certainly worth the effort.

Best of luck!

[dav4463]

Is Lone Star considered a small track? What about Hawthorne?

[Valuist]

IMO, definitely not. LS, Haw and Delaware are mid -level tracks.

[bullring]

does Tampa count??

[46zilzal]

does Tampa count??
I am beginning to really like that one

[Valuist]

does Tampa count??

I'm not sure on Tampa. It definitely would've been for most of its existance but the track seems to be drawing better stock the past year or two. Its really becoming more of a mid level track.

[John]

I guess I am the only one who plays Suffolk Downs, huh

:) :) :)

[Two-One Double]

I'm a Suffolk guy also.

[BlueShoe]

Just what class level a certain track fits in might make an interesting topic,has a thread ever been done on the subject?After the large SoCal,NewYork,and Kentucky tracks,all the rest would be intermediate or small.Or would they?Should Gulfstream be considered a class A major track?Oaklawn?Arlington?Some have even said that the winter Aqueduct meet no longer rates top status and should be considered class B,or intermediate.Purse values are helpful,but dont always tell the whole story.Example might be Charlestown,it spite of those big slot generated purses would have to be considered class C,or minor.At the extreme other end,Grants Pass or Ferndale would be class D,or sub-minor.

[JohnGalt1]

Hoosier. 7f track with only 10 alowed in the gate, usually 10 per race.

On track betting under 100k, all sources betting around $2 mil. on days when I check. Which means if you can figure out the track, you can beat it since most track's locals have an edge. At Hoosier few locals attend. (9/20 attendence was 497.)

Added attraction for me, I've had good '05 and '06 (so far) results.

[stu]

At the risk of being labeled as an advertiser, I might suggest that y'all consider Zia Park, in Hobbs, New Mexico. We are starting our second season tomorrow. We race Sat-Tue.

This season we have a Pick-4 on the last four races everyday. I believe that there will be a guaranteed pool on Mondays and Tuesdays while featured on TVG.

On this Sunday's card is the $150,000 Premiere Breeders' Cup Stakes going six furlongs. We have attracted twelve runners from Louisiana to California, including the Grade 2 winner, Rojo Toro.

Stuart Slagle
Assistant Racing Secretary, ZIA PARK

[Valuist]

Stu-

I see you are on the move again. How long has it been since your Motorola days? 10 years? Good to see you are getting work in the racing industry. You could be a spokesperson for a moving company.

[stu]

I left Motorola in 1997.

After that I was an IT consultant traveling every 3 months for a new assignment. Then three dot com start ups from 1999 to 2003 in San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties.

I quit IT to go full-time racing in 2003 and have moved every three months since. There is no need for a moving company. All of my big stuff is in storage in LA. Everything else must fit in the car for the next trip.

[Murph]

Thanks for the reminder Stu. I'll be following the race meeting at Hobbs, NM. You have an excellent schedule of stakes races posted. The mixed meeting with quarter horses looks to be very exciting and competetive.

You should tell everyone about your New Mexico Champions Day card on
Nov. 12th. $1.7 million in stakes purses will be awarded to the top NM Bred
runners for all quarter horse and thoroughbred divisions. You' ve put together an impressive schedule for the entire meeting.

You manage to finish off the final weekend with a bang too! I will be interested to see the nomination lists for the Zia Park Derby, The Zia Park Championship and The Zia Park QH Championship. Should be strong fields in all of these stakes. When do these nominations close?

Congratulations and may all the best come from your hard work on this race meeting. I'm sure many fans and horsemen alike are very much looking forward to this winter in New Mexico.

Here's the link for more racing info from Zia Park:
http://www.blackgoldcasino.net/page.cfm?content=7 (http://www.blackgoldcasino.net/page.cfm?content=7)

Murph

[twindouble]

Over the years I've encountered many players that make it known they love this track or that track and I would say for good reason. That would be they make money at them, others just what they have to offer. I will say this, I think most here if they took the time and patience they can adapt to most any track in the country, note I said "most" tracks. I have a tough time with east coast tracks but I'm not giving up on them. I got in my mind it's still horse racing and in time I'll figure it out but I'm treading lightly for now. I even give Fairplex a try on Wed, didn't win but that bull ring excited me, only because that's what I started out with.


Good luck,

T.D.

[LRL Racing]

It has got to be Tampa Bay due to large fields; turf racing and huge class edges in some races.

[jetermvpbaby]

The best small track to bet is the track where speed doesn't hold up. When closers consistently win, that means longshots are going to win and when longshots win, you have a fighting chance. I've found that in the dead of winter, Mountaineer is great for betting because there are some nights where speed horses stop. Handiappers can't adjust because they just have to bet down whoever looks good on paper. If a speed horse looks great on paper, thats when you step in and relieve the unsophisticated horseplayer of his disposable income.