I love the cross country Pick 4. Think it's a great idea. I also understand that it plays a part in where races are placed on a given card. My question is, why does it matter where the races are placed for a pick 4 at multiple tracks? Does it really matter if they run these races in sequential order? Why not run the two races at Aqueduct and then run the two races at Santa Anita later on? Maybe that keeps players at Aqueduct after the live racing is done. I don't know, maybe that's impractical.
I also get why the three stakes were placed earlier in the card due to weather concerns but I think that's silly. Control what you can control, which is the configuration of the card, not the weather. Weather is a variable all outside sports must endure.
My gripe with the configuration of the card is a selfish one. It's not that I think a 16K claimer is not a good betting race. In fact, in this case it was clearly the opposite. It was too good a betting race. I don't have time to wade through an eleven race card anymore. I don't have time to follow along all levels of the sport, especially low level claimers. I have to choose a group and stick to them. For obvious reasons I choose to follow stakes horses or horses thereabout that caliber. I look forward to days like these because I'm hopeful the Pick 4 (which is my favorite bet to play) will consist of at least three of these stakes races. Today was disappointing because the late Pick 4 basically consisted of one stake race. While the filly grass race was a fantastic betting race it was not one of the higher end races of the day. It makes it hard for me to bet confidently because I don't know these horses. I have way too much other stuff going on in my life to spend time following so many horses. I know that's my problem but, as a customer, I'd like to think it is also the tracks problem since I chose not to play the late Pick 4 today.
I apologize for my ramblings. I don't normally post here as I am very much a novice horse player but this has been bothering me for some time. I should probably be more frustrated that a race like the Triple Bend drew such a small field but field size has never really bothered me. I think it would have been great to see the Triple Bend-Kilroe-San Felipe-Big Cap. And I think that could've happened despite weather concerns and the cross country Pick 4. Or, maybe be a bit creative and have a non-sequential on track Pick 4. That'd be cool but maybe logistically difficult. I don't know.
Despite all that I did think it was a fun day and don't mean to be overly critical as I love Santa Anita and think it is the greatest place to watch races in the country. One of the best corned beef sandwiches around too.
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