Delaware Park.....any comments

[JustRalph]

Looking for a track to play over the next 4-6 months....... noticed Delaware Park is open and runs through October.........any comments? Any tips on playing Delaware Park ?

[castaway01]

Looking for a track to play over the next 4-6 months....... noticed Delaware Park is open and runs through October.........any comments? Any tips on playing Delaware Park ?


I've always done well at Delaware. They had some real problems with short fields in recent years but things improved last year with the new racing secretary and some new barns. I noticed they were able to start the meet running a full 10-race card instead of seven races like they had in recent years, so that's a good sign. I don't know what effect the big Monmouth meet will have on field sizes. Hopefully once turf racing starts in a couple weeks racing will still be good, but we'll see.

However, if you do decide to play...
1) It's a speed track and the rail is excellent. If you watch Philly Park and Delaware on an average Tuesday, you'll see the big looping turn moves on the dirt at Philly, everyone all over the track in the stretch...at Delaware you're rarely going to see that move and duelers on the rail hold well (until everyone starts gunning and four horses duel of course). Give extra credit to horses you like that have speed and can get that rail position. I know, that's true for a lot of tracks, but pronounced at Delaware, especially in the hot days of summer---respect the rail and the speed.

2) It's a trainers' track. For whatever reason there's usually a trainer or two that wins 35% for the meet. One year it was Larry Jones (retired). One year it was Michael Gorham. Anthony Dutrow does it most years. Bruce Levine doesn't run many but is always dangerous. Pletcher is overbet but wins a high percentage too. Watch out for any barn that starts winning early and give all their horses a close look during the hot streak. If you look up and the barn is 10/20, it's too late because everyone is on the horses now.

Other trainer stuff...Brad Cox has a stable here now; he's great off the claim. Gorham is good 2nd off the layoff at Delaware. Two years ago (it might be 3 or 4, I'm doing this from memory) Jonathan Sheppard won everything on the turf, last year here was ice cold. He has to be respected and if he gets hot, be ready. A few years back Steve Klesaris won over and over in sprints off layoffs, last year not as much. If he starts winning with those again, then be ready. Use the rolling doubles and Pick 3s to make the 2-1s into 5-1s.

One drawback is when five of these trainers are in the same race...then it's a crapshoot or you hopefully have the ability to pick out the winner by other means. At least you have a chance to get a decent price.

At Delaware, horses from the top barns tend to keep grinding out good efforts. I've read that the medication rules are not well enforced, but I don't want to get into that. When the hot barns go cold, then you can make money betting against.

3) Personally, I don't do well here in the slop, like today probably will be. Also, one thing to consider in the summer is that they'll schedule late turf races and then a big thunderstorm will hit, taking everything off the turf and messing up the Pick 4. Keep an eye on the weather, especially those humid 90-degree days. Another race-scheduling quirk---the card often ends with one or two Arabian races. Lynn Ashby dominates these, but good luck getting a price on her horses. I don't bet these races because I just don't know anything about them.

4) If you like rolling doubles, Delaware offers them. Sometimes bettors seem to jump hard on the favorites and I think these bets can be a good way to make money betting against favorites you don't like, though the pools are smallish, especially on the weekend. If you're betting $20 doubles, it should be okay.

5) I personally think Jeremy Rose is the best rider at the track, but with me and jockeys it's usually who rode the last winner I had. I will note that Shane Sellers is here to ride this year and he should be getting a lot of good mounts and will definitely get bet. He might dominate or he might just get overbet and be a good bet-against prospect---time will tell. Rosie Napravnik does well here and gets some decent prices.

Best of luck,
Jerry

[rispa]

Great Post!

[post time]

THANKS GOOD INFO

[point given]

" I've always done well at Delaware. They had some real problems with short fields in recent years but things improved last year with the new racing secretary and some new barns. I noticed they were able to start the meet running a full 10-race card instead of seven races like they had in recent years, so that's a good sign. I don't know what effect the big Monmouth meet will have on field sizes. Hopefully once turf racing starts in a couple weeks racing will still be good, but we'll see. ...............""

While I don't follow Delaware regularly , you are right on in your post. I think on May 22nd when Monmouth opens , things will change alot. They will most likely load up on Monmouths dark days (mon. - thurs) when they card races. Also, watch out for horses cross entered for other races at other tracks, particularly during July/August when stakes races run on the weekends, there are just too many races and trainers can pick and choose and that 10-12 horse turf race gets scratched down to 6-8 at Delaware.

[castaway01]

Good points Point Given---sometimes the turf races look really inviting (oh wow, 11 horses and wide open) and the cross-entered horses come out and it's a 6-horse field. As you said, it's worse on the weekend. I hope Delaware does well but we'll have to see what effect Monmouth has.

Also, I noted that the pools are smaller on the weekend...I think the Saturday and Sunday handle is roughly half the size of the Monday and Tuesday handle, or at least it was last time I looked. Usually better betting races during the week too, since they know the simulcast competition is much weaker on those days they try to present bettable races.

[InsideThePylons-MW]

It's hilarious hearing the analyst using the phrase "real dirt" to describe tracks with "real dirt" when discussing the horses in each race.

[Tampa Russ]

I had a great time at Del on opening day. Got there early for the "Breakfast at the Park" thing. Nice buffet, huge turnout. The place was alive. Sure the lines were long for food and drink, but it was great to see so many people having a good time at the track.

[point given]

Good points Point Given---sometimes the turf races look really inviting (oh wow, 11 horses and wide open) and the cross-entered horses come out and it's a 6-horse field. As you said, it's worse on the weekend. I hope Delaware does well but we'll have to see what effect Monmouth has.

Also, I noted that the pools are smaller on the weekend...I think the Saturday and Sunday handle is roughly half the size of the Monday and Tuesday handle, or at least it was last time I looked. Usually better betting races during the week too, since they know the simulcast competition is much weaker on those days they try to present bettable races.

They announced that for the next couple of monthes they will only be racing on Mon. Tues. Weds and saturday . So now we know how monmouths FSS schedule has effected them.
Pretty chalky today except that $100 piece.

[onefast99]

They announced that for the next couple of monthes they will only be racing on Mon. Tues. Weds and saturday . So now we know how monmouths FSS schedule has effected them.
Pretty chalky today except that $100 piece.
Pletcher had a drop down in todays 5th race, flyinglouy, Gorham claimed the horse who once sold for 135k at the OBS March 2009 sale and was in for 10k today, this horse never tried the dirt before and won very easily today. I'm sure Gorham will get the same results out of this claimer. Nice claim.

[DAT]

Pletcher had a drop down in todays 5th race, flyinglouy, Gorham claimed the horse who once sold for 135k at the OBS March 2009 sale and was in for 10k today, this horse never tried the dirt before and won very easily today. I'm sure Gorham will get the same results out of this claimer. Nice claim.

That drop really jumped off the page to me. Didn't seem like they gave the horse much chance. Have to imagine Gorham had to win a shake to get that one.

[JustRalph]

Thanks for the Input........ I guess I should look at Monmouth too huh?

[castaway01]

They announced that for the next couple of monthes they will only be racing on Mon. Tues. Weds and saturday . So now we know how monmouths FSS schedule has effected them.
Pretty chalky today except that $100 piece.

Well we know they're being careful but we'll see how the fields turn out. Hard to tell until turf racing and Monmouth both start.

[castaway01]

Today was chalky, but in my post I mentioned the rail and Cox off the claim...in the 8th his off-the-claim horse dueled outside but then got over to the rail in the stretch and repelled all challengers to hold on despite the duel...paid $6.20 so nothing special, but an example of two of the things I was talking about.

[onefast99]

That drop really jumped off the page to me. Didn't seem like they gave the horse much chance. Have to imagine Gorham had to win a shake to get that one.
Just made no sense dropping that far from a 35k md to a 10k maiden and never racing the horse on dirt beofre. Look at the Palm Meadows works all on turf.

[46zilzal]

Before re-configuration, Delaware Park had a unique steeplechase course that aligned itself at about a 45 degree angle to the main course......Wish I could have seen that designed by DuPont .

[onefast99]

Thanks for the Input........ I guess I should look at Monmouth too huh?
Yes.

[Tampa Russ]

Before re-configuration, Delaware Park had a unique steeplechase course that aligned itself at about a 45 degree angle to the main course......Wish I could have seen that designed by DuPont .

You may have already checked into this, but if not, here's a link, if it works.. I was wondering what I was looking at until I saw you're comment.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Newark,+DE&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=38.092988,78.662109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Newark,+New+Castle,+Delaware&ll=39.702985,-75.668271&spn=0.004523,0.01369&t=h&z=17

[therussmeister]

They announced that for the next couple of monthes they will only be racing on Mon. Tues. Weds and saturday . So now we know how monmouths FSS schedule has effected them.
Pretty chalky today except that $100 piece.

Same schedule as last year, I believe.

[JustRalph]

small pools........so far

[bbopjz]

With the season about to start i am wondering can offer some handicapping insight into the vagaries of this particular track, howard

[castaway01]

Same schedule as last year, I believe.

Dropping Sunday racing is a pretty significant change. Also their lowest-handle day, so a smart business decision.

[cosmo96]

I just won a nice rolling double at Delaware, very lucrative indeed.