Friday Distractions: CR At The Track

Comics has a lot in common with horse racing in that both were way more popular six to seven decades ago and there are large factions within each community that can't quite get over that fact.

Here is my short list of horse betting and general racetrack guidelines for those of you that can't be bothered to learn how to read the racing form and/or plan on spending your time at the track at some level of marginally functional inebriation. They are applicable to the various races in horse racing's Triple Crown -- the Kentucky Derby (tomorrow), the Preakness Stakes (two weeks from tomorrow), and the Belmont Stakes (three weeks after that).

1. The Kentucky Derby tends to be much more wide open than the odds reflect. Plus, as the last genuinely popular race, a lot of people bet that don't bet on other races. This means favorites tend to be bet on more than they should, driving down their value. I think the best value is to find one or two horses you like that are going off as moderate long shots (8-1 to 30-1) without being extreme long shots.

2. If you're betting at your local track on the same day as one of the Derbies and want to bet on some local races, pay more attention than usual to the jockey's record. There's a greater disparity in skill at that level, and the winning jockeys seem to get the better rides with much greater regularity than they do at the elite levels.

3. At the Preakness, look at horses that run locally but first check the Kentucky Derby winner to see if they go off at more than 6-1. A lot of experts will stick to their Kentucky Derby choice to save face, and run down what they feel is a fluke Derby winner. This means that these horses can be undervalued.

4. At the Belmont, look at the horses that won the Illinois and the Arkansas Derbies. It's also a fun race to bet long shots.

5. If you like a horse, back up your bets by betting them across (win, place and show) rather than simply to win. If you're smart enough or have a good enough hunch to pick a 65-1 shot to run a good race and they run so well they manage to lose by just a couple of inches, you deserve to be rewarded.

6. Mint juleps are nasty.

7. If you've wondered about it for even a second, yes, you're too old for the infield. Even if you never thought about it at all, you're 99 percent likely to be too old for the infield.

8. The most unfortunate yearly image in all of televised sports is the film they show of the owners and their families cheering on their horses. No one cares if rich people are rewarded in one of their extravagant hobbies.

9. It's fun to sing My Old Kentucky Home.

10. Gambling is an addictive activity, so be careful. Stay addicted to comics.

I haven't yet looked at most of the horses, but I liked Scat Daddy, Cowtown Cat and Teuflesberg when I took a brief peek earlier this week. It feels like a year for favorites, I have to admit, but I'm sticking with my general principles.
 
posted 3:30 am PST | Permalink
 

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