Del Mar adds head-to-head wager

[Calzone Lord]

By the way - a lot of nice oppertunities to "middle" horses would occur.

For instance - anyone with a set of pace figures knew that Zenyatta was going to get smoked in the first two furlongs of the BC Classic - and Smith was going to have to start riding her to try and stay close right away.

You could have bet against and given 2/1 or 5/2 BEFORE the race - and two furlongs into the race - you could have backed her at 8/1 odds from what I've heard.

Think about it - that's a pretty nice middle - giving away 2/1 and getting 8/1 on the same horse because you knew something the general public didn't forsee.

[miraja2]

I agree that there would be a lot of cool (and potentially profitable) things about it....I'm just wondering about the practicality of it. More money bet during than before seems unlikely, especially given the large number of races run at 6f or shorter.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by miraja2

More money bet during than before seems unlikely, especially given the large number of races run at 6f or shorter.

Virtually all of the pitfalls play out in the first quarter mile of a race.

The rest of dirt races are typically pretty much excuse free after that. Turf racing, is different.

Where mostly all dirt races are won and lost in the first two furlongs - A lot of turf races aren't won or lost until the far turn... some even further along than that.