Granted I'm the original Pollyanna on topics like this, but the hand-wringing over field size is a lot of windmill-tilting. And given how good the overall action has been at Belmont (specifically) this spring, utterly misplaced. There's up and down days everywhere in regards to field size and you just have to pick your spots and play where you see opportunity. And frankly, some well-placed smaller field races mixed in to an otherwise challenging sequence with fuller fields can be welcome to multi-race players.
Hollywood has small fields for the early races most days and yet the P5 continues to pay exceptionally well generally. To wit...
THURSDAY: Fields of 5-7-9-8-6, P5 pays $1,768
FRIDAY: Fields of 6-7-6-6-5, P5 pays $1,078
SATURDAY: Fields of 6-7-5-8-7, P5 pays $346
SUNDAY: Fields of 5-7-5-8-9, P5 pays $4,762
THURSDAY: Fields of 5-6-6-8-8, P5 pays $94
__________________
All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind. ~ Joseph Conrad
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right. ~ Thomas Paine
Don't let anyone tell you that your dreams can't come true. They are only afraid that theirs won't and yours will. ~ Robert Evans
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. ~ George Orwell, 1984.
|