Who is betting Del Mar?

[Indulto]

I'm trying to get some idea of what percentage of players have no concerns at all about surface issues and -- whether or not they do -- what percentage of them are betting on Del Mar's synthetic main track.

[cj's dad]

anyone with a sense of discipline is betting other tracks; IMO.

[Onion Monster]

I dipped my toe in and got bit.

[Indulto]

Apparently there was a delay between the appearances of the initial post and the associated poll questions. Please take the time to vote if you can.

Thanks,
I

[riskman]

I do not bet races on a synthetic surface but will wager on Turf races at the synthetic venue.

[CBedo]

I don't "restrict" my wagering due to any surface, but I do adjust my wagering strategies depending on the track surface (dirt, turf, or synth). I do recognize that for me, Del Mar & Keeneland's poly seem to be harder to get a handle on--more uncertainty. This means that I must demand more wager value since my hit rate will be somewhat lower, but I don't shy away completely.

Keeneland this year is a perfect example. My "normal" (whatever that means) manual handicapping has pretty steadily over the last couple years given me about a 28% win rate. At that strike rate, I need better than 3/1 odds to show decent profitability. At Keeneland this year, my hit rate was only about 21% (yuck), which meant that if I'd have known that going in , I would have needed about 9/2 instead of 3/1 to get the same level of profitability, and in reality, I got better than that. Since I was pretty selective, I actually had my best Keeneland meet since I started keeping good records.

So in summary, I look for value on whatever surface I can find it, but I am smart enough to know that I'm not smart enough to figure out some of the uncertainty, so to compensate, I demand bigger odds.

[Greyfox]

I dipped my toe in and got bit.

Toe? Get over it. Del Mar is very playable. I luv it.

[positive4th]

We go to DMR regularly, sit in the Diamond Club, and bet other tracks most of the time ;)

[jonnielu]

anyone with a sense of discipline is betting other tracks; IMO.

I'll bet any and all surface with no restrictions and/or recognition of so-called variant, bias, or major differences. Each has its general characteristics that should be known and considered, but those characteristics are consistent throughout the country.

I might be in the top 2 in discipline.

jdl

[LottaKash]

California decided to change the face and scope of racing as we once knew it, without the input, consent or approval of the "very" participants that it affected the most, namely the players, then thumbed their noses at the same group with their recent signal fiasco, conseqently, I will not support any track from that state...Don't need them....It would be hypocrisy, on my part, to do so.....

best,

[Exotic1]

Top 2 when sorting in ascending order?

Just joking...

[senortout]

Return on investment since Jan. 1, 2009
Aqueduct -0.15....per dollar wagered
Bel..........-.0.05
Arlington -0.16 play both surfaces
Evangeline -.0.03
F.Grounds -0.08
Gulfstream -0.17
Hawthorne -0.38 small sample
Hollywood...dead even play both surfaces
Santa Anita.-0.15
Del Mar -0.19 (small sample so far) play both surfaces
Churchill -0.08
Delaware....-0.13
Keeneland +0.02 play both surfaces
Laurel -0.07
Mountaineer -0.11
and numerous other tracks where the samples are quite small

Overall this year.....-0.11 per dollar wagered....suggesting that if the playoff were lowered a bit across the board, I might attain a small profit.

[larman]

Between the short fields and horse breaking down, Del Mar has plunged
to the bottom. too bad, I remember looking forward to this meeting.

[DanG]

Del Mar is very playable. I luv it.

Agreed.

[fmolf]

i was torn between 4 or 6 and chose 6 because i do not wager any money on tracks that have synthetic tracks.I wish other horseplayers would follow me in this endeavor,but i understand it is strictly a matter of personal preference.

[11cashcall]

My problem is not the surface nor the product....but the stewards!

[bettheoverlay]

I have always done best wagering-wise in Southern Cal, pre and post poly. My software factors for the last Hollywood meet were as profitable as any track I've ever done. I would assume other software had similiar results. Maybe alot of dirt mixed in with the pro-ride.

Delmar was always quixotic. I have some good numbers for the poly. Which is better, a 14 horse field at Evangeline with 2 contenders, 3 with ESP, or a 6 horse field in Southern Cal with 4 contenders? Good weather and classy horses.

[trying2win]

I've just crossed Del Mar off my play list. :ThmbDown:

T2W

[owlet]

Saturday 8/1 was the worst weekend card I have seen in 40 years of playing Del Mar.

Hollywood Joe better do something or this thing will go straight into the tank.

[andymays]

Is this what it's come to at Del Mar?


Del Mar racetrack holds contest for Miss Cougar

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/aug/03/1m3b2briefs233719-short-takes/?metro

Excerpt:

Women who consider themselves “cougars” are invited to apply for the crown of Miss Cougar Del Mar 2009.
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, which operates the horse races, announced the new contest to promote the Cougar II Handicap, the longest race of the seven-week meet at 1.5 miles.

[Fingal]

Toe? Get over it. Del Mar is very playable. I luv it.

Adapt
Improvise
Overcome

Like most, when Del Mar 1st put in the Poly I was mortified by the slower fractions & final times than what I was used to out in Cali. But then I figured out that the velocity between point A to B was correspondingly the same. The "old" dirt 44 half minus a 22 quarter was 23 seconds & that was the same as the "new" Poly 46 half with a 23 quarter. A good track profile with the energy & velocity numbers between the fractions goes a long way.

[Bison]

Adapt
Improvise
Overcome
The "old" dirt 44 half minus a 22 quarter was 23 seconds & that was the same as the "new" Poly 46 half with a 23 quarter. A good track profile with the energy & velocity numbers between the fractions goes a long way.

Wrong! I think your math says it all. 44-22 =????

[WinterTriangle]

If a horse or trainer I've been watching, who I have tracked and believe are on the improve, and they run at Delmar, and have a good chance of winning, then I play the track.

There is no track I will avoid IF I see a what I think is going to be a winner at good odds.:confused:

[trying2win]

Would using this item help get some winners at Del Mar?

[trying2win]

Okay, if regular handicapping isn't working to get winners at Del Mar, and gazing into a crystal ball isn't your style, how about using this object?:

[DeanT]

I don't "restrict" my wagering due to any surface, but I do adjust my wagering strategies depending on the track surface (dirt, turf, or synth). I do recognize that for me, Del Mar & Keeneland's poly seem to be harder to get a handle on--more uncertainty. This means that I must demand more wager value since my hit rate will be somewhat lower, but I don't shy away completely.

Keeneland this year is a perfect example. My "normal" (whatever that means) manual handicapping has pretty steadily over the last couple years given me about a 28% win rate. At that strike rate, I need better than 3/1 odds to show decent profitability. At Keeneland this year, my hit rate was only about 21% (yuck), which meant that if I'd have known that going in , I would have needed about 9/2 instead of 3/1 to get the same level of profitability, and in reality, I got better than that. Since I was pretty selective, I actually had my best Keeneland meet since I started keeping good records.

So in summary, I look for value on whatever surface I can find it, but I am smart enough to know that I'm not smart enough to figure out some of the uncertainty, so to compensate, I demand bigger odds.

Great stuff. :ThmbUp: