Favorite win percentage

[Calzone Lord]

Track with the highest % of winning favorites in 2011 (minimum of 300 races)

Thistle: Favorite won 454 of 1,017 (44.64 % wins) and $1.81 ROI

This had a lot to do with three things.

#1: The stall situation at Presque Isle. Even last year, less than 500 could be stabled on the grounds here. Jamie Ness and a few others couldn't get all the stalls they wanted and kept some horses stabled at Thistle. Because they had stalls there, they had to run a little bit there. Ness was especially murderous at TDN.

#2: They still card races for Ohio breds. These races often get 7 or 8 horse fields where half of them can't outrun a goat and the likely winner can be narrowed down to two or three horses a great majority of the time.

#3: Lower than average field sizes. Very few tracks average smaller fields. Only places like Golden Gate, Emerald Downs, River Downs, and Portland Meadows.

Tracks with lowest % of winning favorites in 2011 (min of 300 races)

Oaklawn Park 159 of 517 (30.75% wins) and $1.61 ROI

Del Mar 103 of 328 (31.40% wins) and $1.69 ROI

Arlington Park 273 of 852 (32.04% wins) and $1.60 ROI