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http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2010/01/15/sports/horseracing/doc4b5004a01db28163786012.txt
Serling informs, aggravates at Aqueduct
By Nick Kling January 15, 2010

… Andy’s acerbic tongue and occasional wearing of a handicapping dunce cap set him apart in a pastime where many of the commentators are about as interesting as listening to white noise.

His unwillingness to pull his punches earned Serling the dislike of some backstretch personnel at NYRA tracks. Andy’s point of view was that of a bettor who expected a fair shake. That can be at odds with the racetrack tradition of treating horsemen, jockeys, et al, with kid gloves, while the customer gets the leftovers.

Few jockeys like to hear their judgment questioned if their mount loses. When one of them rides poorly, to Serling’s way of thinking, he delivers the message. Andy has toned down the rhetoric since he's gone to work for NYRA.

… Until Serling’s arrival the NYRA handicapping shows had been a rather perfunctory run-through of the contenders in a race. That’s not meant as a criticism of … others who served in the capacity, jut an acknowledgment of how it was done in most places.

… listeners and readers need to know an analyst’s philosophy — how they work. Not knowing can create issues like a misunderstanding of how to use the handicapper’s selections and cause bad bets to be made. …

… If I have one criticism of Serling it is how he describes some contending horses to his listeners. Andy sometimes appears to believe viewers of his show should play as he does. That doesn’t always work.

Here are some recent examples. …

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