Greyhound Racing

[westcoastinvader]

Originally Posted by Cardus

If I like a dog to win, I'll place my win bet as soon as the windows open for that race. The board will read "1/5," but it will scare people away from playing it. Its odds will float.

I have a left over voucher from my last trip to Orange Park. I'm returning to the area in September or October for a few months. I'll be there again.

Cardus, Interesting perspective, I never thought of that.


My favorite dog of all time was Derek's Cadillac. I was there for four or five of his 16 wins in a row some years back.

His Dad was Irish Cadillac. Irish Cadillac would pick a fight mid race and try to bite another dog...muzzle and all.....and still come back to win.

I spent a single New Year's Eve at the dog track in Hollywood FL.

The doggies came out in tuxedos before the feature race. No lie!

Those dogs have personality, and I DO love to watch them run.

Thankfully, there are groups working diligently to help guarantee a humane aspect to what has in the past been an ugly part of the sport.


I guess it's a good think Michael Vick has never owned greyhounds......

[bigjag0716]

I played it up in Reno a few times. The teller there told me not to even try to handicapp the race, just go by the odds. I usually just boxed 3 horses....oops, I mean dogs in the exacta.

[mes5107]

Originally Posted by Cardus

For the Wonderland Derby (3/8ths), the lead outs (?) all wore tuxedos! I loved it.

When I first started working at Plainfield, we had a couple of tuxedo races each year. I believe one was called the Blazing Red Memorial. I was 16 when I started working there and didn't really know much about it, but I ended up working there for 7 years and learned a great deal about greyhound racing as I moved up the racing official ladder.

As was mentioned before, the break and the run up to the first turn is key. Each track has its own post position bias. The stats are usually available on the track website. Most often, the 1 hole is best. I tend to give a good deal of consideration to grade drops, for example a dog who has been racing in C the past couple of races in now down in grade D against weaker competition. A double grade drop (A->C or B->D) is even better, though sometimes it is clear that the dog's ability is dropping as well. Times are good to look at, though the trip factors hugely into the final time. Replays are a very good handicapping aid, if available.

[mes5107]

Originally Posted by Cardus

I liked Plainfield a lot. The background was inviting (tree-lined). My brother and I made it to Plainfield to see prelims of one of the invitationals.

Yeah, it was definitely my favorite job ever. When I was real young, I remember my mother and I parking on top of the hill and peering through the trees to watch a race or two go off in front of thousands of people who came outside to watch from the apron. It was quite different the last few years of its existence. Very sad. Two of the largest casinos in the world coming to Eastern CT sealed PGP's fate.

I still like to play the puppies once in a while, but I wish Plainfield was still around.

[The Bid]

PBKC is really a very nice place. I dont know anything about dogs, infact thats my only experience ever being in a dogtrack, but it was a very nice place. I was also there for Gulfstream.

[SentToStud]

Originally Posted by The Bid

PBKC is really a very nice place. I dont know anything about dogs, infact thats my only experience ever being in a dogtrack, but it was a very nice place. I was also there for Gulfstream.

PBKC is nice, I agree. And they're making a killing there being just far enough away from Gulf to get the simulcast (Calder and Gulf don't take each others' signals). The handle on PB is as high or higher than Pomano, the harness track. PB is owned by the Rooney family who owns the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[djw]

I have not thought about some of the tracks that Cardus listed in a long, long time. When I was a kid, the Globe and the Herald used to cover the Wonderland Derby in a huge way, and I am sure the Record-American did before that. I am dating myself a little with theat reference. I have done all the NE tracks, thought Green Mountain was the most beautiful spot next to Saratoga to watch any kind of race. Dingy, but the surroundings were incredible. Shoreline Star - you still know you are in Bridgeport. Wonderland used to be the palce to be on a Saturday night. Most guys who grew up betting anywhere around Boston will laugh and smil when they hear "There goes Swifty.... and they're off!!!" Last point, I can't remember the other dog involved, but when Rosster Cogburn had a 3 race match race set up, you couldn't get onto the apron to see it the track was so full. Wonderland does not draw that may people (or teeth) now in a month's time. The power the Carney's have, and how they have used it to try and put Charlie Sarkis out of business, is unreal.

[Suffolk Shippers]

Originally Posted by djw

I have not thought about some of the tracks that Cardus listed in a long, long time. When I was a kid, the Globe and the Herald used to cover the Wonderland Derby in a huge way, and I am sure the Record-American did before that. I am dating myself a little with theat reference. I have done all the NE tracks, thought Green Mountain was the most beautiful spot next to Saratoga to watch any kind of race. Dingy, but the surroundings were incredible. Shoreline Star - you still know you are in Bridgeport. Wonderland used to be the palce to be on a Saturday night. Most guys who grew up betting anywhere around Boston will laugh and smil when they hear "There goes Swifty.... and they're off!!!" Last point, I can't remember the other dog involved, but when Rosster Cogburn had a 3 race match race set up, you couldn't get onto the apron to see it the track was so full. Wonderland does not draw that may people (or teeth) now in a month's time. The power the Carney's have, and how they have used it to try and put Charlie Sarkis out of business, is unreal.

The Carney's power in the Massachusetts racing industry is quite something. They pretty single handidly hold up simulcast bills every legislative year because they want more and more. They are doing it in their own best interest and the interests of their facility, which is commendable, but they should realize their hard line stances have ruined Massachusetts from a racing competitiveness stand point.