Feb 23 Venue Ideas . . . nothing much to look at?

[DonGuido]

Any ideas about something different. Gulfstream has 3 minor stakes but I'm getting tired of playing there? Is Kamloops running? Sam Houston? Sunland Park? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm???

[JolyB]

Don Guido, congrats on a very emphatic points win. I must confess that as I saw the scores unfold, I was very glad that it was you and not I who had the honor of selecting next Saturday's venue.

I don't think that any Derby qualifying points are on the line. As far as Gulfstream is concerned, it seems very likely that we will be there on March 2 for the stakes laden card that surrounds the Fountain of Youth (as I write this with sore arms and legs from spending the morning shoveling snow, I think fondly about the Fountain of Youth). Sam Houston has an evening card that does have a small stakes race; I think that the card at Sunland Park includes at least two quarter horse races. Still, if there was ever a time to pick a track that we seldom visit, this could be such a time.

I don't envy your choice, but will gladly sharpen up my handicapping pencil and try to figure out any venue you select.

[Plenilune]

If stakes races are not necessarily a consideration how about Golden Gate? We never play there.

[Roamin42]

Plenilune, that's a great idea. Not that it matters , I second the suggestion.

[cal828]

It's a tough choice for sure. Maybe you might want to get a look at the fields for whichever venue you are contemplating. I can't remember whether we have played at Oaklawn or not. Their stakes on Saturday is not too exciting. Arky bred f&m at 6 furlong, but they sometimes have allowances that are nearly stakes level so my guess is the rest of the card might not be too bad. Santa Anita of course we've played a lot and might be another place we wind up in the near future. Those are my thoughts, but wherever we end up is ok with me.

[DonGuido]

OK, let's do something completely different at Golden Gate Fields. Why isn't it Golden Gates Field is there another track there?

1. A track we seldom if ever play
2. A full 9 race card starting with the 1st race
3. And an all weather track, which I dislike immensely

This may be just what we all need to pull out of the points picks abyss we are in or perhaps make it even worse. We'll just see, won't we!?

[JolyB]

Nice selection Sir.

From the Golden Gate Fields website:

"If the horses don't take your breath away, our views will. That's because Golden Gate Fields rests right on the shore of the San Francisco Bay, which provides you with spectacular panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Mount Tamalpais, and the San Francisco city skyline. After you see it for yourself, you'll understand why it was famously said that the best view in the Bay Area is from ... the Golden Gate Fields Turf Club."

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by JolyB

Nice selection Sir.

From the Golden Gate Fields website:

"If the horses don't take your breath away, our views will. That's because Golden Gate Fields rests right on the shore of the San Francisco Bay, which provides you with spectacular panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Mount Tamalpais, and the San Francisco city skyline. After you see it for yourself, you'll understand why it was famously said that the best view in the Bay Area is from ... the Golden Gate Fields Turf Club."

Ahhhhh, yes now I understand. I'll try and imagine all those panoramic views and monuments as I handicap the card.

[cal828]

" all weather track, which I dislike immensely "


I wouldn't say I dislike it immensely. I still play Woodbine and Presque Isle, but I never even give much thought to it being a different surface.

I'm not sure I ever learned how to play poly track. As I understand it, it plays more like turf and turf runners sometimes do well on it. That's about all I know about it. It does seem like it's the opposite of natural dirt in that the closers have the advantage instead of the pace setters, but don't know whether the stats would support that.

Does anyone remember the old Pick 6 Challenge on the ESPN website? The last time I played in the challenge, I was in the top ten on the leaderboard and the last 6 races came up on a poly track. I didn't hit a single one. But of course, I'm a better player now. Ha Ha.

[JolyB]

Originally Posted by cal828

Does anyone remember the old Pick 6 Challenge on the ESPN website? The last time I played in the challenge, I was in the top ten on the leaderboard and the last 6 races came up on a poly track. I didn't hit a single one. But of course, I'm a better player now. Ha Ha.

Now that takes me back a number of years, Cal. My best recollection is that ESPN ran this contest for a number of months in 2001, with the object being to pick the winner of all 6 designated races with the lowest number of picks. I think that you received something like 15 maximum picks and could allocate them to the contest races in whatever way you wanted, but if more than one player hit all 6 races, the winner would be the one who used the fewest picks. Used to drive me crazy figuring how to allocate the picks and how small the number of picks could be.

As I recall there was also a grand prize for the entire contest which was very generous, possibly an all expense paid trip to the Kentucky Derby.

My wife and I spent the winter of 2000-2001 in South Florida and for the first month of the contest on Saturday mornings I would go to a local library to use their computer and submit my entry for that week before heading to Gulfstream for the afternoon's races.

Thanks for bringing back those memories.

[RUFFIAN]

DON WONDERS
“...Why isn't it Golden Gates Field is there another track there?”

AND THE ANSWER MY FRIEND
IS BLOWIN IN THE WIND

THERE IS ONE GOLDEN GATE {1} AND SEVERAL FIELDS

[cal828]

Originally Posted by JolyB

Now that takes me back a number of years, Cal. My best recollection is that ESPN ran this contest for a number of months in 2001, with the object being to pick the winner of all 6 designated races with the lowest number of picks. I think that you received something like 15 maximum picks and could allocate them to the contest races in whatever way you wanted, but if more than one player hit all 6 races, the winner would be the one who used the fewest picks. Used to drive me crazy figuring how to allocate the picks and how small the number of picks could be.

As I recall there was also a grand prize for the entire contest which was very generous, possibly an all expense paid trip to the Kentucky Derby.

My wife and I spent the winter of 2000-2001 in South Florida and for the first month of the contest on Saturday mornings I would go to a local library to use their computer and submit my entry for that week before heading to Gulfstream for the afternoon's races.

Thanks for bringing back those memories.

That was a fun contest. I can't remember exactly what the prize was either. I was thinking maybe a couple of grand, but that could be wrong. I think you have all the other details right.

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by RUFFIAN-333

DON WONDERS
“...Why isn't it Golden Gates Field is there another track there?”

AND THE ANSWER MY FRIEND
IS BLOWIN IN THE WIND

THERE IS ONE GOLDEN GATE {1} AND SEVERAL FIELDS

And I'm told the wind blows hard there in lieu of blow hards . . . just couldn't resist.

[RUFFIAN]

SANTA ANITA
Has better purses, better Jockeys and a stakes race as well

Just a PurrrIng Suggestion
In case your mind has not made a definite decision?

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by RUFFIAN-333

SANTA ANITA
Has better purses, better Jockeys and a stakes race as well

Just a PurrrIng Suggestion
In case your mind has not made a definite decision?

We're going to try someplace different. We'll have plenty of cards at SA over the coming months. Ruffian, I always thought you were a "Think out of the box" type of person. C'mon.

[cal828]

Originally Posted by RUFFIAN-333

SANTA ANITA
Has better purses, better Jockeys and a stakes race as well

Just a PurrrIng Suggestion
In case your mind has not made a definite decision?

Think of it as a challenge ma'am. One of these days, when you're playing in the NHC, you'll be glad Don gave us this challenge.