The Chicken 4th at Churchill

[Thomas Roulston]

Scratches reduced the field for the fourth race at Churchill Downs to three starters, meaning that only win betting on the race was offered.

Most tracks observe the following official rules for these types of situations:

In races with five (5) or more betting interests, the Association shall conduct win, place, and show pools;

In races with four (4) betting interests, the Association shall conduct win and place pools, and may at their option conduct a show pool;

In races with three (3) betting interests, the Association shall conduct a win pool, and may at their option conduct a place pool; and

In races with two (2) betting interests, the Association shall conduct only a win pool.

In today's fourth race at Churchill, the three horses had win odds of 4-5, 9-5, and 2-1. Therefore the chances of a minus place pool were as near as makes no difference to zero.

Monmouth Park, just to name one track, generally conducts a show pool in a four-horse field, and generally conducts a place pool in a three-horse field. These scenarios most commonly arise when a race originally scheduled to be run on the turf is switched to the main track.

[ScottJ]

It is beyond comprehension how anyone can question the lack of place pool wagering in a three horse race; rather than quoting random rules, let's consider the State Regulations from Kentucky.

https://casetext.com/regulation/kent...ution-of-pools

Section 3. Pools Dependent Upon Entries for Live Horse Races.
(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, when pools are opened for wagering all associations may:
(a) Offer win wagering on all races with four (4) or more betting interests;
(b) Offer place wagering on all races with five (5) or more betting interests;
(c) Offer show wagering on all races with six (6) or more betting interests.
(d) Offer Quinella wagering on all races with four (4) or more betting interests;
(e) Offer Exacta wagering on all races with four (4) or more betting interests;
(f) Offer Trifecta wagering on all races with five (5) or more betting interests;
(g) Offer Superfecta wagering on all races with six (6) or more betting interests;
(h) Offer Big Q wagering on all races with three (3) or more betting interests; and
(i) Offer Super High 5 wagering on all races with seven (7) or more betting interests.

[Someday Silent]

How many horse players want to make 20 cents off a place bet in a 3 horse field.