UPDATED Dec. 1st 10:22am: Please note that the Longshot Play of the Day was SCRATCHED. Since no other top pick qualifies (5-1 or more) to be a Longshot Pick, unfortunately there will be none documented today.

On Wednesday the boards of directors of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (MTHA) and Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA) approved the framework of a deal to govern racing in Maryland for the coming decade, according to numerous sources. The framework reportedly is largely identical to a term sheet supported by the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC), which owns Pimlico and Laurel Park. Lawyers for all sides are crafting the final legal document, and some details remain to be worked out.

If and when it is finalized, the long-term agreement will stand in stark contrast to the year-end battles that had characterized track-horsemen negotiations in recent years. Its 10 year term, perhaps the first such deal in the country, is expected to provide stability to an industry gradually regaining its footing after a long period of uncertainty.

Under the deal, racing would continue in 2013 under the same provisions that govern it this year. That means a 146-day racing schedule, with horsemen, breeders, and the state providing subsidies of more than $10 million to eliminate the MJC’s losses.

In subsequent years, the MJC would guarantee a minimum of 100 live racing days; the horsemen and breeders could buy additional days at their discretion at a “true-up” amount designed to hold the racetrack financially harmless. For those additional days, the horsemen and breeders would bear any losses beyond the true-up amount and retain any profits generated. With slots subsidies, Maryland racing could thus maintain a 146-day schedule while providing record-high purses.

The deal also calls for the closure of the Bowie training center, with Pimlico to reopen for training. Pimlico and Laurel would be open for training and stabling year-round at no charge to horsemen. The framework calls for the MJC to maintain a minimum of 1,600 stalls, including 300 new stalls at Pimlico, some of which would replace dilapidated structures slated to be torn down.

The MJC also commits in the framework to making capital improvements to Laurel and Pimlico. Additionally, the horsemen would retain full control over simulcast signals, as provided in federal law.

Tom Bowman, president of the MHBA stated, “As far as I’m concerned, the fact that we can hang our hat that live racing will continue for at least a decade is essential,” he said. “This would give Maryland stability it hasn’t had in a long time.”

If you plan on playing the ponies Saturday, my opinions on Laurel Park’s card is on the next page.

Thanksgiving is the one day set aside for families to reflect on the past year and be thankful for ones health, happiness and prosperity. This year I’m thankful for the invitation to become a contributing member of the Horse Racing Nation (HRN) family. It was through the wonders of social media and this blog which caught the attention of a partner at HRN who recognized the need for a Maryland based blogger/handicapper.

As a kid growing up in northeast Baltimore, Thanksgiving Day was much like any other household in the United States. Wake up by 9:00 am to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, go outside for a quick pickup football game with whoever may show-up, return home in time to watch the early NFL game from Detroit and then…

Well, as I grew older it became apparent to me that my family’s Thanksgiving Day tradition took a small detour from the majority of Americans. That most families dinner commenced around 3:00 pm, give or take an hour. Not so according to the Quill family Thanksgiving tradition. We could watch the Dallas football game until about halftime which was about the time my Pop-Pop Quill and great-uncle Ray would arrive at our house from a day at the track. Priceless!

That was back in the 60’s and early 70’s. I miss those days… and my Pop-Pop and Uncle Ray, who have long passed. And with their passing, so did the Quill family Thanksgiving Day tradition. My Dad and I are still able to enjoy a day at the races from time to time, but never on Thanksgiving Day. The Quill family is now scattered throughout our great country and over the past 20 years I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve been together on Thanksgiving Day. Be thankful if you can spend this Thanksgiving Day with your entire family and think about what tradition is special to you on the fourth Thursday in November.

Laurel Park has its own Thanksgiving Day tradition which they started 25 years ago, in giving away either a pumpkin or apple pie (after the 5th race). First race post for the nine-race card is 11:05 a.m. with the $100,000 Geisha Stakes as the feature. Pies will be available at both Laurel Park and Pimlico. For those who wish to arrive early to handicap the card, free donuts with coffee or cider will also be available from 9:30 to 11:00 am. And if you get a call from home telling you they have burnt the turkey, invite them to meet you at Laurel’s terrace dining room for a traditional Thanksgiving buffet for $24.99.

Friday will be “Guys Day Out” free admission and live race program for Laurel’s nine-race card for all men at Laurel Park and half-priced draft beers. In addition, patrons will have a chance to win tickets to their favorite sporting event including the 2013 Preakness!

The holiday weekend of racing in Maryland concludes on Saturday featuring the $100,000 Gin Talking Stakes for 2 year olds going 7 furlongs on the main oval. First post for Friday and Saturday will be 12:35 pm EST.

If you are playing the ponies today, my opinions on Laurel Park’s card is on the next page. Best of luck and hope you have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

PINO HONORED BY THE MARYLAND JOCKEY CLUB

LAUREL, MD. 11-10-12—The Maryland Jockey Club honored jockey Mario Pino, who moved into the top 10 on the all-time win list earlier this fall, with a winners’ circle presentation Saturday afternoon at Laurel Park.

“It’s a great honor and I am very grateful,” Pino said. “Maryland has been great to me, riding here for 30 years, seeing people come and go. I set a goal to be in the top 10 though before I ever won a race I remember reading the Racing Form about a rider who just reached 5,000 and thought how tough that had to be.”

On September 18 at Presque Isle Downs, Pino moved into sole possession of 10th place on the all-time win list with a victory aboard Incredibly Smart. The win was number 6,471 for Pino, one more than Hall of Famer Earlie Fires. Pino currently has visited the winners’ circle 6,484 times. His first winner was with Ed’s Desire on Jan. 16, 1979 at Bowie Race Course when he was 17 years old.

“I just tried to go to work every day and be as consistent as possible. When that happens, you get an opportunity to ride good horses and win races,” said Pino, who has eleven 200-win seasons and had at least 150 victories 28 times. “I love to ride and love to cross the finish line first.”

Consistency helped Pino establish a record for most victories on the Maryland circuit with 4,958 winners at Pimlico Race Course, Laurel Park, Bowie, Timonium and Marlboro. Though he rode in the shadows of champion riders Kent Desormeaux, Edgar Prado and Ramon Dominguez, the 51-year-old ranked in the top five of the state standings for 25 straight years from 1979 to 2003.

“When I first started here it was Bill Passmore (3,531 wins), Vince Bracciale (3,545) and Chuck Baltazar (2,912),” added Pino. “Riding with the likes of Prado and Desormeaux, I think I learned from them to become a better rider. I wanted to be leading rider but as time went on I realized these guys were Hall of Famers. To be second to them was no disgrace.”

Pino, who was inducted into the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame Thursday evening, became the 15^th jockey in North America to win 6,000 races when he rode Pass Play, a horse trained by his brother Mike, to victory at Laurel Park on Nov. 7, 2007.

“I don’t get very emotional but I did at the Hall of Fame ceremony and when I won 6,000 almost five years ago to the day,” the 51-year-old said. “I want to thank all the trainers who let me ride their horses. They helped me raise my family here and to be able to sustain a career for this long by trusting me.”

Pino plans on taking the winter off but expects to ride next year at Presque Isle Downs, where he finished third in the 2012 standings with nearly 100 victories.

“I’m not going to retire but I may never ride again here at Laurel Park or at Pimlico,” said Pino, whose horses have earned more than $119 million, 34^th in the all-time standings. “I am going to take the winter off and go back there to ride in May. I’m going to miss the post parade, the riders in the room and the fans here. These are the best fans in the world.”

Nine of the 10 riders ahead of Pino, including all-time leader Russell Baze (11,765 wins & counting), are members of Racing’s Hall of Fame. Other immortals to reach the milestone include Laffit Pincay (9,530), Bill Shoemaker (8,833), Pat Day (8,803) and Chris McCarron (7,141).

“I look at those names and to be in this select company is surreal,” Pino said. “These are the best jocks to ever ride. To be in the sentence is a dream come true. Maybe one day I’ll be considered.”

ADDITIONAL MARIO MILESTONES

• one of the principle players in the 2007 Triple Crown as the rider for Hard Spun with an exciting second place finish in the Kentucky Derby and a respectable third in the Preakness Stakes. The duo completed a fantastic campaign with a game second place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
• became the 18^th rider in history to win 5,000 races and did it on his 41^st birthday (September 8, 2002), riding Outdone to victory on the grass at Delaware Park
• ranked in the top 10 nationally in victories for four consecutive years beginning in 1999
• top rider in Maryland in 1999 (247 wins) and 2002 (227 victories)
• tied with Edgar Prado for second on Maryland Million Day with 16 victories
• earned the first G1 score with Wildcat Bettie B in the 2006 Prioress at Belmont Park
• has three victories in the G2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap (1992, 1995 & 1999)
• won a career-best seven races at Colonial Downs on July 7, 2002
• rode six winners in Maryland on May 11, 2002 (Pimlico) and October 25, 2003 (Laurel Park)
• runner-up for the 1979 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey

·        finalist for the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award given to the jockey whose career and personal character reflect positively on the sport in 2003, 2007 and 2008

On Saturday Laurel Park is holding its Fall Festival of Racing featured by the DeFrancis Dash and five $150,000 stakes races on the turf… the Laurel Futurity for 2-year-olds, the Selima Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, the Laurel Dash, the Lady Baltimore Stakes for fillies and mares and the 1-1/2 mile Laurel Turf Cup.

Introduced in 1990, the De Francis Dash is one of the elite six-furlong sprints in the country with four of the 20 winners-Housebuster (1991), Cherokee Run (1994), Smoke Glacken (1997) and Thor’s Echo (2006)-earning Eclipse Award honors for champion sprinter.

The first 4,000 fans receive a complimentary Laurel Park sports cap. Post time for the 11-race card will be 12:35 p.m.

FACT: The average purse for the 11 race card at Laurel Park on Saturday is $127,270 with an average field of 10 horses. In comparsion, Saturday is Closing Day at Keeneland. They have a 10 race card with a mere $54,500 average purse also averaging a field of 10. It’s amazing what 7% of the slots revenue has done for Maryland racing. And you wonder WHY a vote FOR Question 7 is so important to the economic health of one of Maryalnd’s leading industries?!

Recapping this brilliant performance at Laurel Park from Saturday, October 20th had 6 winners from 11 races (1 Top Selections; pay-offs shown in BOLD type) having $2 WIN pay-offs of $2.60 (2nd race), $5.60 (4th), $4.40 (6th), $16.20 (7th), $4.00 (8th), and $11.40 (9th).

The BEST BET of the Day (7 2-1-2) was sent-off the 7-2, got the early lead but was lightly pressed along the way, gave up that lead in mid-stretch but dug in gamely to salvage 3rd paying $4.00 to SHOW.

The LONGSHOT PICK (7 3-0-0) didn’t get close to the 20-1 M/L odds, but in a wide open betting race where the post time favorite went off 7-2 followed by a handful at 9-2, the longshot pick rated beautifully in mid-pack early, swung widest of all turning for home, hit the lead at the 1/8th pole and continued to widen her margin through the Finish. She won by 4½ lengths and returned $11.40 to WIN, $6.20 to PLACE and $4.60 to SHOW.

For Saturday races the weather forecast calls for Cloudy skies, but just a 10% chance of precipitation. So the MAIN TRACK should be FAST and TURF courses FIRM. Selections for the Laurel Park, Saturday, Oct. 27th are posted below. Selections posted were handicapped based on making multi-race wagers such as DOUBLE’s, Pick-3’s and Pick-4’s using all three (3) listed for each race in each leg.

1st race – $10,000 Maiden Claiming for 2 y.o. – 5½ furlongs
#7 – Snowball Fight (7-2)
#1 – Bump Draft (9-2)
#6 – Never Counted Out (6-1)

2nd race – $5,000 Claiming for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 1 mile
#4 – Lisette (5-1)
#6 – Latin Coast —- SCRATCHED
#2 – Andra (9-2)
#3 – Fredericka La Rose (5-2)

3rd race – $40,000 Allowance N2X for 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs on Turf
#7 – High Bar (10-1)
#4 – Dogwoods Lance (7-2)
#12 – Came Back (8-1)

4th race – $40,000 Allowance N1X for 3 y.o. and up – 6 furlongs
#3 – Avenged (5-1)
#6 – Brave Romeo (1-1)
#2 – Hard Line (7-2)

5th race – $150,000 Selima Stakes for 2 y.o. fillies – 5½ furlongs on Turf
#5 – Touring Hong Kong (10-1) $$$ LONGSHOT $$$
#3 – Heading to Toga —- SCRATCHED
#1 – Doubled —- SCRATCHED
#2 – Discreet Marq (5-2)
#7 – Hold Our Destiny (12-1)

6th race – $150,000 Laurel Futurity for 2 y.o.– 5½ furlongs on Turf
#3 – Hamp (4-1)
#11 – Lunar Rock (12-1)
#5 – Coach A.J. (6-1)

7th race – $150,000 Lady Baltimore Stakes for F&M 3 y.o. & up – 1 1/16 on Turf
#6 – Embarr (10-1)
#14 – Prize Catch —- SCRATCHED
#3 – Clare Skies Ahead (12-1)
#1 – Laughing (7-2)

8th race – $150,000 Laurel Dash Stakes for 3 y.o. and up – 6 furlongs on Turf
#5 – Jazzy Idea (6-1) *** BEST BET ***
#4 – Super Chunky (20-1)
#8 – Greek Warrior (20-1)

9th race – $150,000 Laurel Turf Cup for 3 y.o. and up – 1½ mile on Turf
#3 – Freud’s Honour (5-1)
#4 – Game Ball (15-1)
#13 – Concealed Identity (20-1)

10th race –$350,000 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash for 3 y.o. & up – 6f.
#6 – Sean Avery (5-2)
#11 – Alsvid (10-1)
#3 – Il Villano (10-1)

11th race –$25,000 Claiming NW2L for 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs on Turf
#8 – Honour Your Dreams (7-2)
#5 – Fear Nothing (3-1)
#7 – d’Oro Dancer (10-1)

GOOD LUCK!

Earlier this week tickets for 2013 Preakness day went on sale. For those who purchased reserved seating in advance this past year, ticket renewals will be mailed out on Monday, October 22nd. The 138th running of the Preakness® Stakes will take place May 18, 2013 at famed Pimlico Race Course.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Preakness ticket office (410-542-9400 or 877-206-8042) or by logging onto www.ticketfly.com. Ticketfly replaces Ticketmaster as the ticket sales and distribution company.

The partnership with Ticketfly, an end-to-end ticketing and marketing platform will help Preakness to streamline operations and build community. Preakness officials switched to Ticketfly for its innovative technology, including a socially-charged purchase experience that will help Preakness to more effectively reach and engage online audiences. For attendees, Ticketfly makes buying tickets convenient, quick and easy. Seating information and ticket reservation forms for Preakness 138 can be found at http://www.preakness.com/tickets. Just as in 2012, there will be three tiers of pricing, based on calendar days, for Infield and MUG Club tickets…

Until Dec 31, 2012: $40 General Infield; $60 MUG Club
Jan 1-May 11, 2013: $50 General Infield; $70 MUG Club
Preakness Week/Day Of: $60 General Infield; $80 MUG Club

Click here to view the 2013 Preakness promo video. It’s pretty cool.

Recapping this brilliant performance at Laurel Park from Saturday, October 13th had 6 winners from 11 races (2 Top Selections; pay-offs shown in BOLD type) having $2 WIN pay-offs of $2.60 (4th race), $8.40 (5th), $5.80 (6th), $7.20 (7th), $8.80 (8th), and $11.00 (11th).

The BEST BET of the Day (6 2-1-1) was sent-off the 3-1 second betting choice, dueled for the lead throughout the first 5/8 mile but tired badly in the stretch to finish last (6th).

The LONGSHOT PICK (6 2-0-0) turned into a no play as Nokaze was a scratch.

For Saturday races the weather forecast calls for sunny skies, with just a 10% chance of precipitation so there should be a FAST MAIN TRACK and FIRM TURF. Selections for the Laurel Park, Saturday, Oct. 20th are posted below. Selections posted were handicapped based on making multi-race wagers such as DOUBLE’s, Pick-3’s and Pick-4’s using all three (3) listed for each race in each leg.

1st race – $16,000 Maiden Claiming for 2 y.o. fillies – 7 furlongs
#4 – Shirts and Shoes (5-2)
#8 – The Tea Cups (10-1)
#2 – Bucaramanga (5-1)

2nd race – $15,000 Claiming for 3 y.o. OR 4 y.o. and up NW3L – 5½ furlongs
#3 – Spanish Officer (7-5)
#5 – Itsnottheright (1-1)
#6 – Sun Song (5-1)

3rd race – $25,000 Maiden Claiming for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 1 mile on Turf
#10 – Well Traveled (5-2)
#5 – Malibu Fever (20-1)
#9 – Lady Olivia (3-1)

4th race –$8,000 Maiden Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 1 mile
#4 – Light of Truth (6-1)
#6 – Joribe (2-1)
#2 – Elexagente (9-2)

5th race – $25,000 Claiming for fillies 3 y.o. OR F&M 4 y.o. and up NW3L – 5½ furlongs on Turf
#2 – Pyrite Storm (5-1) *** BEST BET ***
#1 – Simple Exchange (2-1)
#4 – Jungle Juice (10-1)

6th race – $5,000 Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 1 mile
#11 – Code Blue (3-1)
#1 – I Know Why (5-2)
#6 – Issues and Answers (6-1)

7th race – $40,000 Allowance N2X for 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/8 miles on Turf
#1 – Selection Sunday (4-1)
#10 – Averil’s Ring (12-1)
#6 – Lelaps (3-1)

8th race – $5,000 Claiming for fillies 3 y.o. OR F&M 4 y.o. and up NW3L – 1 mile
#4 – Tinderbox (4-1)
#6 – Cee’s Fast (5-1)
#5 – Shanfield (4-1)

9th race – $25,500 Alw Opt Claiming N2X for 3 y.o. and up – 5½f on Turf
#9 – Queen Chatanika (20-1) $$$ LONGSHOT $$$
#3 – Perfect Measure (8-1)
#11 – Heir Stream (2-1)

10th race – $25,000 Allowance N2X for F&M 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/16 mile on Turf
#1 – Table Three Ten (7-2)
#13 – Parting Words (8-1)
#6 – Zapparition (8-1)

11th race – $5,000 Claiming NW2L for 3 y.o. and up – 6 furlongs
#9 – Etarag (5-1)
#5 – No Conflict (4-1)
#1 – Bell’s Prince (4-1)

GOOD LUCK!

Last Saturday was a beautiful autumn day to spend at Laurel Park to celebrate Maryland thoroughbred horse racing… weather-wise. Now if you sat down and reviewed my selections for the Maryland Million Day 11 race card, the gambling term the comes to mind that is often used in a winter forecast would be “ice cold”.

My prognostications were so bad, it reminded me of one of the biggest gaffs in journalism history…

In today’s society, my performance would be labeled an, “Epic Fail”. Recapping this brilliant performance at Laurel Park from Saturday, October 6th had just 5 winners from 11 races (0 Top Selections) having paltry $2 WIN pay-offs of $4.40 (2nd race), $2.40 (4th), $5.20 (5th), $2.80 (6th), and $9.40 (10th).

The BEST BET of the Day (5 2-1-1) turned into a no play as Gin Sweep was a scratch.

The LONGSHOT PICK (6 2-0-0) was sent-off at odds of 12-1, didn’t get much pace to run at late, angled 5 wide entering the stretch, was game in the stretch but wasn’t fastest enough to hit the board, finishing 4th, but just over 2 lengths behind the 2-5 winner Ben’s Cat.

For Saturday races the weather forecast calls Partly Cloudy skies, with 0% chance of precipitation so there should be a FAST MAIN TRACK and FIRM TURF. Selections for the Laurel Park, Saturday, Oct. 13th are posted below. Selections posted were handicapped based on making multi-race wagers such as DOUBLE’s, Pick-3’s and Pick-4’s using all three (3) listed for each race in each leg.

1st race – $16,000 Maiden Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 6 furlongs
#5 – Lil’ Master Mason (3-1)
#4 – Succinct (5-2)
#8 – Don’t Rock Me (8-1)

2nd race – $10,000 Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 7 furlongs
#4 – Lastcallfordisco (4-1) *** BEST BET ***
#1/1A – Awesome Mitch / A Fleet Spirit (2-1)
#6 – Zarroc (7-2)

3rd race – $38,000 Maidens for 2 y.o. – 5½ furlongs on Turf
#12 – Bajan Rhythm (5-2)
#7 – Bee Rapid (9-2)
#5 – Greatful Nation (8-1)

4th race –$16,000 Maiden Claiming for 2 y.o. – 6 furlongs
#1 – Yankee Mickey (4-5)
#7 – The French Bear (15-1)
#2 – Some Way Some How (6-1)

5th race – $25,000 Claiming NW2L for 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs on Turf
#6 – Silent Tale (7-2)
#7 – Gottalovethedrake (7-2)
#3 – Crow Bar (20-1)

6th race – $12,500 Maiden Claiming for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs
#9 – She Is a Lioness (4-1)
#8 – Dottie’s a Hottie (7-5)
#5 – Smoky Opal (6-1)

7th race – $25,000 Claiming NW2L for 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/8 miles on Turf
#9 – Sharp Numbers (3-1)
#4 – Skiffs Brewmeister (6-1)
#1 – Prince Togiak (8-1)

8th race – $5,000 Claiming for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/16 miles
#3 – Calocagathia (4-1)
#7 – Missteria (10-1)
#1 – Run Mommy Run (9-5)

9th race – $7,500 Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs
#8 – Tommy V M (6-1)
#2 – Empedrado (8-1)
#6 – Pursuit Of Honor (3-1)

10th race – $40,000 Allowance N1X for F&M 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/8 mile on Turf
#12 – Nokaze (6-1) $$$ LONGSHOT $$$
#2 – Isla (5-2)
#4 – Youcancountonme (12-1)

11th race – $7,500 Claiming for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs on Turf
#8 – Emma’s Kiss (8-5)
#13 – Fancy Footsteps (8-1)
#2 – Ms Diller (4-1)

GOOD LUCK!

NOT ABROAD TRIUMPHS IN MARYLAND MILLION CLASSIC 

LAUREL, MD. 10-06-12—Jockey Nick Petro and his mount Not Abroad saw an inviting opening along the rail as they circled the far turn. They galloped through the gaping hole, came out the clear leader and drew off to win the $150,000 Jim McKay Maryland Million Classic at Laurel Park.

The Maryland Million is the most important racing day at Laurel Park with 11 races for runners sired by Maryland-based stallions for combined purses totaling $1.05 million. The 27th annual event drew a crowd of 18,420 on Saturday afternoon.

Trained by Petro’s brother Michael, Not Abroad is owned by Tim Cunningham and is a son of the Maryland stallion Not For Love. Regal Warrior, who led from the start, held for second while Tujoes rallied to finish third. The also-rans were Cactus Charlie (4^th), defending champion Eighttofasttocatch (5^th) and In the Juice (6^th).

“I was happy with his performance,” said jockey Petro. “Real early we got stuck on the inside and I wasn’t happy with my spot. But we got closer and closer and everything worked out. We figured there would be a few horses outside of us with speed so we went in thinking, ‘sit’. We did and it worked out great when it was time to go. He was good. Real good.”

Not Abroad finished second in the Classic two years ago and was third last year.

“We had been in this race the last several years,” said trainer Petro. “We felt coming in today that we had a very good chance to win. He has been doing very well lately and we looked forward to this race. We had a great race and at the 3/8^th’s pole everything opened up for us. My brother ran a very good race.”

This was his second stakes win of the year for Not Abroad after capturing the Jim French Memorial at Delaware in May. Not Abroad is an eight time winner from thirty-two starts and a winner of over $600,000.

Not Abroad paid $9.40. The exacta returned $63.80 and the triple paid $444.10.

Julian Pimentel (jockey, Regal Warrior-2^nd) said, “He broke good. No problems. He tried hard we just ran into a better horse, I guess. Just couldn’t keep up down the lane with the winner.”

Angel Arroyo (jockey, Tujoes-3^rd) said, “Good trip. Everything was fine. The horse finished up well.”

Shannon Uske (jockey, Cactus Charlie- 4th) said, “We were in a nice spot. He just didn’t fire down the lane. We had the trip we wanted. He just didn’t have the kick like we thought he would.”

Sheldon Russell (jockey, Eighttofasttocatch-5^th) said, “I was happy with the trip but disappointed when I asked him to pick it up at the half-mile pole. We were struggling and he never got comfortable today. It was not our day.”

Tim Keefe (trainer, (jockey, Eighttofasttocatch-5^th) said, “I am disappointed, obviously. I thought I had everything going in the right direction with him and said earlier in the week if he gets beat it would be by a better horse. Unfortunately he got beat by four better horses. I thought he would run a great race today. This was uncharacteristic of him.”

Wesley Ho (jockey, In The Juice-6^th) said, “He tried hard but he got tired at the end.”

Introduced in 1986, the Maryland Million has been duplicated by more than 20 other states. Hall of Fame TV Broadcaster Jim McKay originally proposed the Maryland Million concept and remained the Chairman of the Board until his death on June 7, 2008.

A recent Blood-Horse.com article proclaimed the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) gave initial approval for Exchange Wagering. Currently, there are only two U.S. states that have passed legislation authorizing exchange wagering on the ponies: New Jersey and California. It would be nice to see similar legislation get introduced in “The Land of Pleasant Living” (aka Maryland).

What is Exchange Wagering? “A form of pari-mutuel wagering in which two or more persons place identically opposing wagers in a given market.”

Gasp! You mean the horse racing industry wants to provide more ways for people to gamble way their hard earned money?!

Let’s not kid ourselves. Every working person gambles. Not I you say?! Do you have an IRA, 401k, 403b or individual investment account? If you said “YES”, then you gamble, because those accounts are filled with stocks, bonds and/or mutual funds. All which are “traded” between two or more parties. One would argue that when the stock market is involved, that’s investing, not gambling.

According to the Encarta Dictionary (via Bill Gates’ Microsoft Word)…

Gamble: to play games such as poker or roulette that involve risking money, or bet on horse races or other events, in the hope of winning money.

Invest: to use money to buy or participate in a business enterprise that offers the possibility of profit, especially by buying stocks or bonds.

So when you “invest”, doesn’t that involve risking money? Conversely, when you “gamble”, aren’t you doing so for the possibility of profit? So can we agree that we’re talking semantics here?! Invest… Gamble… it’s the same!

Here is a step-by-step walk through the execution of a simple trade on the NYSE.

1. You tell your broker to buy 100 shares of Acme Kumquats at market.

2. Your broker’s order department sends the order to their floor clerk on the exchange.

3. The floor clerk alerts one of the firm’s floor traders who finds another floor trader willing to sell 100 shares of Acme Kumquats. This is easier than is sounds, because the floor trader knows which floor traders make markets in particular stocks.

4. The two agree on a price and complete the deal. The notification process goes back up the line and your broker calls you back with the final price. The process may take a few minutes or longer depending on the stock and the market. A few days later, you will receive the confirmation notice in the mail.

Now let’s explore a step-by-step scenario for Exchange Wagering at the race track…

1. You tell the pari-mutuel clerk you are interested in placing a $100 WIN on #3 (let’s call the horse Acme Kumquats) in the 1st race at Laurel Park. The current betting odds on #3 is 9-5, but you want 5-2 or higher before you “invest”.

2. The pari-mutuel clerk contacts the Exchanging Wagering supervisor assigned to those betting windows and he/she relays the request to their clerk in the Exchanging Wagering department.

3. The clerk enters the request into the track Exchange Wagering system, which scans for “sellers” who are willing to give 5-2 odds or more on #3 (Acme Kumquats). That is, a patron who does not think #3 will win and wants to entice anyone who thinks #3 can win, to make the (exchange) wager with him/her at more attractive odds than what they would get by simply making a $100 WIN wager.

4. A match is found and to complete the deal, the “buyer” puts up $100 in hopes earning a $250 profit (i.e. 5-2) if #3 wins, while the “seller” puts up $250 for a $100 ROI as long as #3 does not win the race. The notification process goes back up the line and you receive a confirm ticket having the details. The process may take a few minutes or longer depending on the track. A few minutes later, you will either cash your ticket for $350 or tear it up and throw it in the trash, as the “seller” cashes his/her ticket for a $100 profit.

Exchanging Wagering can be another shot in the arm to the Maryland horse racing and breeding industry, just as the small percentage curretnly received from slots revenue.

Recapping Laurel Park selections from Saturday, September 22nd had just 5 winners from 11 races (2 Top Selection; payoffs in BOLD) having $2 WIN pay-offs being $4.20 (2nd race), $8.20 (3rd), $7.60 (5th), $6.00 (8th), and $10.60 (10th).

The BEST BET of the Day (4 2-1-0) was nearly ignored at the betting windows, probably due to Jessica Rice, a seldom used jockey in Maryland, but she recognized the lack of other speed in this field, sprinted to the lead and held on gamely to win, providing her backers a handsome return of $8.20 to WIN, $4.40 to PLACE and $3.40 to SHOW.

The LONGSHOT PICK (4 1-0-0) did a great impersonation of a turtle, moving oh so slowly early and did not finish the race. Something obviously went awry as he took action at the betting windows, being sent off 6-1, down from a 15-1 M/L.

For Saturday races the weather forecast calls Partly Cloudy skies, with just a 10% chance of showers, so I’m anticipating a FAST MAIN TRACK and FIRM TURF. Selections for the Laurel Park, Saturday, Sept. 29th are posted below. Selections posted were handicapped based on making multi-race wagers such as DOUBLE’s, Pick-3’s and Pick-4’s using all three (3) listed for each race in each leg.

1st race – $16,000 Maiden Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs
#3 – Love Hero (5-2)
#4 – Sandhurst (9-2)
#6 – Flattering (8-5)

2nd race – $15,000 Claiming for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs
#6 – Changinoftheguard (5-2)
#2 – Gina’s Propspect (2-1)
#4 – Gagne (7-2)

3rd race – $25,000 Claiming NW2L for fillies/mares 3 y.o. and up – 5½f on TURF
#10 – Great Motion (4-1) $$$ BEST BET $$$
#9 – All Mettle (5-2)
#4– Monster Sleeping (5-1)

4th race – $25,000 Maiden Claiming for 2 y.o. – 5½ furlongs
#3 – Petie’s Boy (3-1)
#4 – Cobbler’s Mark (3-1)
#6 – Proud Trick (5-2)

5th race – $38,000 Maidens for 2 y.o. fillies – 5½ f on TURF
#12 – Ephyra (5-1)
#13 – Chelsea Road (3-1)
#5 – Smart N Smokin (20-1)

6th race – $10,000 Claiming NW2L for 3 y.o. and up – 1 mile
#7 – Culpepper Colonel (2-1)
#4 – Aviation Show (9-5)
#8 – Scrap Dragon (5-2)

7th race – $25,000 Maiden Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 1 mile on TURF
#8 – No Delay (10-1) $$$ LONGSHOT PLAY $$$
#4 – Backdoor Strike (8-5)
#1 – Grand Manan (6-1)

8th race – $40,000 Optional Claiming N1X for 3 y.o.and up – 7 furlongs
#1 – Grain (9-2)
#6 – Talented Whiz (9-5)
#5 – Tiz Bobby (2-1)

9th race – $25,000 Claiming NW2L for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 5½f on TURF
#5 – Roxbury Rocket (4-1)
#6 – Greedy Daughter (2-1)
#7 – Merryland Moon (5-2)

10th race – $40,000 Alw N1X for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 1 mile on TURF
#5 – Thunderous Lady (7-5)
#4 – Tell Me Everything (5-1)
#10 – Lucky Holly (15-1)

11th race – $10,000 Maiden Claiming for 2 y.o. fillies – 6 furlongs
#3 – Put It On Me (5-1)
#5 – Plowshare (6-1)
#6 – Daba Daba Dew (15-1)

GOOD LUCK!

So what has been your typical Halloween night activities Strolling your neighborhood with your young ones as they beg for candy from your neighbors who you rarely even look up to to say “HI” to any other time during the year? Or do you drive your teenagers to the local haunted house or hayride? Or maybe you visit your favorite watering hole, dress-up as a character from one of your hidden fantasies?

Well the Maryland Jockey Club decided to host a Halloween Bash on the grounds of Laurel Park, referred to as “The Track of Terror”. Taking place on Friday, October 26th, this 21-and-over party is presented by Sam Adams Octoberfest and will feature a DJ dance party, $3.00 16 oz beers and of course – the most horrifying haunts in the region.

Ensuring that the Sam Adams “Track of Terror” Halloween Bash is top-flight, the Maryland Jockey Club has again partnered with Jeff Keiling of Brite Ideas to transform century old Laurel Park into what promises to be the most extravagant and memorable haunted house in the region. Mr. Keiling is a renowned House of Horror creator and brings over 13 years of experience from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Washington, DC.
“Last year’s event was off the charts,” Keiling said. “But even for the thousands who showed up last year, they won’t believe what we have in store for 2012.”

Aside from DJ music, dancing and the “House of Terror,” the event will feature premium beverages and appetizers and big prize giveaways for best costumes.

The party will kick into gear at 8 p.m. and last until 1 a.m., with taxi services on site from 11-1. Ticket prices are $25 ($30 at the door) and include unlimited entry into the haunted house and automatic entry into the costume contests, with food and beverage specials available. Conveniently located between both Baltimore and D.C., Laurel Park is a simple 25-minute drive from both major cities.

Recapping Laurel Park selections from Saturday, September 15th had 8 winners from 11 races (4 Top Selection; payoffs in BOLD) having $2 WIN pay-offs being $3.40 (1st race), $3.40 (2nd), $19.80 (3rd), $5.60 (4th), $9.40 (6th), $5.00 (8th), $3.80 (9th), and $3.60 (11th).

The BEST BET of the Day (3 1-1-0) made his 2 y.o. racing debut as the 1-1 betting favorite but failed to deliver a victory, being 2nd best as his jock had to urge him most of the way to get that, returning $2.80 to PLACE and $2.10 to SHOW.

The LONGSHOT PICK (3 1-0-0) got no respect at the betting windows, going off 8-1, up from his 6-1 M/L, but took advantage of a field loaded with early speed, and closed resolutely to get up in the final strides for the victory to pay $19.80 to WIN, $7.00 to PLACE and $4.60 to SHOW.

For Saturday races the weather forecast calls Partly Cloudy skies, with a 50% chance of showers, but those may hold off until late afternoon. So with that in mind, selections were made anticipating a FAST MAIN TRACK and FIRM TURF. Selections for the Laurel Park, Saturday, Sept. 22nd will be posted here on Saturday morning.

Selections posted were handicapped based on making multi-race wagers such as DOUBLE’s, Pick-3’s and Pick-4’s using all three (3) listed for each race in each leg.

1st race – $10,000 Maiden Claiming for 2 y.o. – 5½ furlongs
#7 – Cuidado Hermano (3-1)
#5 – Prince Conner (10-1)
#4 – Flattering (10-1)

2nd race – $7,500 Claiming NW2L for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 6 furlongs
#1 – Pretty Witty (4-5)
#4 – Brightcopperkettle (3-1)
#7 – Ottauquechee (10-1)

3rd race – $38,000 Maidens for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 5½ f on TURF
#5 – Make Em See Red (7-2) $$$ BEST BET $$$
#10 – Chanterelle (9-2)
#7– Clean Heir (4-1)

4th race – $18,000 Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs
#5 – Elexagente (4-1)
#3 – Crowder (5-2)
#7 – Joribe (8-5)

5th race – $5,000 Starter Allowance for 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/16 miles on TURF
#3 – Saintly Love (4-1)
#16 – Don’twait Toolong (7-5) SCRATCHED
#4 – Follow the Leader (8-5)

6th race – $25,000 Maiden Claiming for 2 y.o. fillies – 6 furlongs
#7 – Bucaramanga (8-1)
#2 – Craftwell’s Belle (8-1)
#4 – Vielsalm (7-2)

7th race – $25,000 Optional Claiming N2X for 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/16 miles on TURF
#9 – Ever So Lucky (9-5)
#2 – Cherokee Artist (10-1)
#1 – Mr. Handsome (8-1)

8th race – $5,000 Claiming for 3 y.o.and up – 5½ furlongs
#12 – Inspeight (5-1)
#11 – Diner Gal (15-1)
#1 – Riley’s Rampage (5-2)

9th race – $40,000 Optional Claiming N1X for 2 y.o. fillies – 5½ furlongs on TURF
#4 – She’s All Scat (3-1)
#5 – Edolie (2-1)
#8 – Heart of Rome (10-1)

10th race – $40,000 Allowance N1X for 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs on TURF
#11 – Sky Above (9-5)
#1 – Speightful Kiss (8-1)
#7 – Monteagle (12-1)

11th race – $8,000 Maiden Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/16 miles
#3 – Buffy (15-1) $$$ LONGSHOT PLAY $$$
#5 – Kind Hearted Woman (7-2)
#6 – Imsobold (10-1)

GOOD LUCK!

The Mario Pino, push towards #10 on the all-time winningest jockey list continued this week, slowly but surely. In the nightcap (8th race) on Friday evening at Presque Isle Downs, Mario guided For the Effect to victory, recording his 6,470th career win to tie Earlie Fires for 10th.

On Saturday, Pino will attempt to grab sole possession of 10th place as he has five (5) mounts at Presque Isle Downs.

Recapping Laurel Park selections from Saturday, September 8th had 6 winners (1 Top Selection; payoffs in BOLD) having $2 WIN pay-offs being $5.40 (1st race), $6.00 (3rd), $6.00 (5th), $5.20 (6th), $6.20 (9th), and $9.40 (11th), as the rains came and turned the track sloppy for the final four (4) races on the card.

The BEST BET of the Day (2 1-0-0) cannot blame the sloppy track for the less than stellar showing by Adirondack King as the 3.40-1 3rd betting choice. He’s handled an off track in the past, but in here was wide, dropped back then rallied, only good enough for 4th, 3¼ lengths behind the winner.

The LONGSHOT PICK (2 0-0-0) got early support in the wagering, which usually is a good sign, but the trainer must have forgotten to tell his runner (Stone Maiden). She chased the odds on favorite and eventual winner through the first few panels, but was no match and tired to finish 6th.

For Saturday races the weather forecast calls Partly Cloudy skies, with just 20% chance of precipitation which should result in a FAST MAIN TRACK and FIRM TURF. Selections for the Laurel Park, Saturday, Sept. 15th posted below are after early scratches were announced.

Selections posted were handicapped based on making multi-race wagers such as DOUBLE’s, Pick-3’s and Pick-4’s using all three (3) listed for each race in each leg.

1st race – $16,000 Maiden Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 7 furlongs
#3 – Aviation Show (8-5)
#7 – Pounce Into Spring (10-1)
#2 – Cu Soonerthanlater (5-1)

2nd race – $7,500 Starter Allowance for 3 y.o. and up – About 1 1/16 miles
#4 – Tappintovictory (9-5)
#3 – Albrecht (3-1)
#1 – Smiling Jordan (5-2)

3rd race – $7,500 Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/16 miles on TURF
#4 – Unbridled Music (6-1) $$$ LONGSHOT PLAY $$$
#8 – Zurs (20-1)
#6– Zagarello (20-1)

4th race – $18,000 Claiming for 3 y.o. and up – 5½ furlongs
#1/1A – See I A / Graysonia (2-1)
#4 – Access Love (4-1)
#5 – Bellissima Luna (5-2)

5th race – $25,000 Opt. Clm N2X for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 5½f on TURF
#10 – Magical Merry (5-1)
#4 – Officer’s Holiday (20-1)
#1 – High Cry (3-1)

6th race – $38,000 Maiden Special Weight for 2 y.o. – 6 furlongs
#4 – Heat Press (4-1) $$$ BEST BET $$$
#5 – Love’s Not Fair (5-1)
#2 – Lunar Rock (3-1)

7th race – $25,000 Claiming for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 5½f on TURF
#8 – Simple Exchange (7-5)
#4 – Lucky Holly (8-1)
#1 – Calliope (12-1)

8th race – $38,000 Maiden Special Weight for 2 y.o. – 6 furlongs
#8 – Perilous Indian (5-1)
#6 – Indian Bucks (3-1)
#7 – D C Dancer (5-2)

9th race – $25,000 Optional Claiming N2X for fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 7f
#7 – Namaskara (7-2)
#1 – Brushed by Love (9-2)
#8 – Hurricane Girl (1-1)

10th race – $100,000 All Brandy Stakes for MD-bred fillies and mares 3 y.o. and up – 1 1/8 miles on TURF
#3 – Baltimore Belle (9-5)
#5 – Dream Louise (6-1)
#9 – Cross Mountain (20-1)

11th race – $38,000 Maiden Special Weight for 2 y.o. fillies – 1 1/16 miles on TURF
#3 – There Hearts (2-1)
#1 – Shirts and Shoes (8-1)
#2 – Being Frugal (10-1)

GOOD LUCK!