Weak move by NYRA
 

I realize they wrote an open MSW race for 2yo's on Whitney day ... but they should have made an effort and used the race.

Instead they used two maiden claiming races, a maiden turf sprint, and a 35K claimer.

They've used a 2yo MSW race on the Whitney day card every year since 2000. Look at some of the winners...

2000: Evening Attire wins with 83 Beyer

2002: Sky Mesa wins his debut with 92 Beyer

2003: Birdstone wins his debut with his debut with 99 Beyer

2007: War Pass wins his debut with 84 Beyer

2008: Munnings wins his debut with 90 Beyer


Five major horses winning that race in the first nine years of the decade should have made a 2yo MSW race a fixture on the card ... regardless of the fact a maiden turf sprint and a pair of maiden claimers are all sure to attract bigger fields.

Some pretty decent horses have also been defeated in the Whitney day's 2yo MSW race ... Breeders Cup Sprint winner Silver Train for example.

And?

I think the enitre Saturday but, except 3 races is horrible. I just did not want to post it again, for the 10th time.

I'm wondering why Michelle Nihei chose Saratoga over River Downs. She has to be bangin' some dude up there or something.

I just spit my cereal all over the computer screen!!!!!!! I was thinking the same thing.

Tough to know how many that they had for Saturday, but they brought the race back on Sunday as an "extra" with an 11 horse field.

I think it is in effort to create a big weekend of racing instead of just the big Saturday of years past. Which may be a smart business move but, personally I dont like it. When you have a family its hard to get away the whole weekend to go to the track or OTB.

It's simply a function of field size generating more handle. They would rather have a full field of claimers going 5.5F on turf than an eight horse MSW race for 2YOs. And that's why the race was probably put over from Saturday to Sunday (when they had 11 entries), not a desire to bolster Sunday's card.

Quality does not drive handle, quantity does. The exception to this rule being major stakes. A 6 horse Travers will outpace a 12 horse maiden. But a 6 horse open 2-year-old maiden will never outpace a 12 horse claimer.

Here's an example. Below is an Excel chart I made when analyzing our handle after last season at Louisiana Downs. It shows the impact of field size on average race handle. An R value of 0.9048 is pretty strong.



Also notice the bumps around 6,7 and 8 horses which are cut-offs for trifectas and supers, and are a good minimum number for decent wagers in those categories.

Is that a fat chart?

postgraduate studies version

I wish it held that high a stature.

No kidding.

I still think you card the race Whitney day .. stall the grass sprint or one of the two maiden claiming races over to the next days card.

Hard to say by looking at firsters on paper...but Sundays race doesnt look to have any Champs.

Impossible to draw this conclusion without knowing the facts as to how many entered to run Saturday.

I thought at a quick glance at the early entries, the Monday 2 YO MSW for Fillies looked like it had a chunk of talent.

But I agree, wish they had one of the vintage MSW's on the card tomorrow.

Absolutely should be Whitney day. Its not that bad of a card though. Tough , competitive , good old fashioned betting races. Bombs away! I will be there, wouldn't miss it.