For all the things NYRA could do to gain goodwill & more betting dollars I think this falls far short of the mark. If you're going to offer an exclusive bet like this, I think you need to guarantee the pool level to some degree. Otherwise keeping takeout the same & having a smaller pool doesn't really benefit anyone. If they made this wager open to all places but said NYRA bets members get a percentage bonus for any winning wagers (none of this $100 cap garbage), then we're talking about something appealing. Or if they were going to keep this same model, why not shuffle the Bay Shore to one race later & at least offer an all-stakes pick 4 which at least has a little more pizzazz.
NYRA still has the HIGHEST takeout on their pick 3's & 4's of any major circuit in the country, they should have a fair amount of wiggle room to offer some better incentives for all bettors. Big
for the late pick 5's being back, that is the wager that deserves people's attention.
