I thought this was an outstanding read http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse...to-i-lied.aspx it is a follow up to an article Kev posted for me a couple weeks back.

I don't remember what site I snagged that pic from but, it's something a spend a few hours a week doing. I love collecting racing photos and have hundreds in my Webshots folders.

Check out this video guys..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsmUz...layer_embedded

Thanks Kev,now a 1st time reader to our thread can see how cool it is to be a capper,LOL.....Your a weird sob Kev,and i dig that about you man.

Some news for our NY friends in the thread http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-return-to-nyc

Just a reminder that the Showvivor contest starts tomorrow,so if your not registered you need to do so before 1st post monyana for a chance at the free 5k in prizes. You can register at santaanita.com. Good Luck,and lets all have a profitable new year.

Also remember that California horse racing takeouts go up today.
Handle at SA is down around 20% over the first week due to this and the full fields of 5.
The official boycott begins later in the month but many seem to be switching over to Tampa Bay already (Wednesday, for maybe the first time ever, TB had a larger handle than SA).

http://blog.horseplayersassociation....1/jan-1st.html

Ya Mike,i wrote about the takeout hike a few months back,and i wasnt happy then,or now. I saw a bloodhorse article,and i wished i would of posted it now here because i was so ticked when i read it. It was the SA president talking about the new increase in takeout,and said basically SO? Where else are you California cappers going to go,NY, FL,KY.....Then he said not that we take our cappers lightly.....What a joke,and a dik! He said it right the 1st time,what you going to do about it? I agree with a boycott for the day,and will do so myself today. I do have my showvivor pick in though.

The people running horseracing in California are a joke,and horseracing is the last thing they care about with their political agenda. 3 different surfaces in 4 years,wonder who is paying for that? Thats right us cappers in increased takeouts. Glad you got me started Mike,LOL

Santa Anita - Race 8

#3 Sirocco Strike (10/1 ml)

Not sure where this price is coming from. This horse has run extremely well in all four of his turf sprints, most recently a very good 4th in the extremely tough (and fast) Caracortado race, from which 3rd-place finisher Amazombie returned to win his next start, then subsequently missed by a nose in a main-track race earlier this week. Also, 5th-place finisher Stoneside (right behind Sirocco Strike) returned to miss by a head yesterday over this same downhill course. And as you know, Caracortado returned to finish a very sharp third in the Grade 1 Malibu on opening day. Back to Sirocco Strike, he then emerged from the Caracortado race to run a close second behind the afore-mentioned Amazombie, who incidentally looked great in that one while overpowering the solid frontrunner El Scorpio. As for today's race, Sirocco Strike figures to get a good trip here by sitting off the Dance With Gable (who may be dealing with Regally Ready if that one gets sent), and there's absolutely no reason he shouldn't be a major factor here despite the tough field. Excellent value on a major contender here.

Race #9 Santa Anita

Superfecta 3-11-12-4 Paid $184,319.60

WoW! Someone has a big smile right now

The pool was $92k so one winner shipped the entire pool.

Not $184k but, still a wide smile I'm sure!

$120k P6 Carryover today at Santa Anita

happy new year all. out of town, so still waiting to go to first SA meet of '11. will chase carryover from a distance:

4) 3,8,10,11
5) 2,5
6) 7
7) 4,6
8) 1,3
9) 6,9

$0.25 -> $16

Thanks Kev,thought it seemed a bit much,i was checking bowl game spreads so i guess the source doubled it for some reason,but yes still

GL on the PK6 Vet.

In Memoriam: The horses we lost in 2010.

http://www.drf.com/blogs/memoriam-horses-2010

Seeing the ones that broke down is really depressing - it affects me completely differently than one like War Pass, who died really young but of natural causes.

Staying on the theme of horses in that article...if anyone has never watched these two races, they're two of the all time best...
-Youtube search for 'Personal Ensign Breeders Cup' (context is that it was going to be her last race and she had a chance to be the first major undefeated horse in 80 years)
-Youtube search for 'Flanders Serenas Song Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies' (context is Flanders was unbeaten going into the race, but broke her leg partway through and had to be retired afterwards).

A couple of things here quick,the good,the bad,and the ugly we will call it. The good is SA and its new surface. It appears to be fast, fair,and safe,and oh ya GoGo is back in SoCal! (my fav jockey). I am impressed with how well the track held last week from mother natures butt kicking it threw there way. Seemed like everyday they got 10 inches of rain there last week,so well done everyone involved in the maint part of SA. Tomorrow's weather at the track is suppose to be 63 degress,but a chance of fowl weather late.....wait,thats for Arkansas,my bad.....

The bad,now i will link the article,but it does not suprise me any hearing any of this http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/nat...gliaferri.aspx The 1st time i saw and heard Michael Iavarone speak,my 1st thought was what a db. Maybe Kev may have some diff info on the guy being from his kneck of the woods or his job,but this doesnt shock me none.

The Ugly,well thats the picture Vet put up that i completely forgot to comment on that was funny as hell. It was the 1st BC race when Calvin B went ape-ship over something very minor from what i saw. Now i am sure everyone has been that mad at 1 point in their lives,me for example,if you say breakfast till 11,dont give me ship ordering it at 10:55,its available and you know it.....Ok sorry got me going there ....but that might be the only time i get that angry,LOL.....Anyways,funny picture Vet,i laughed pretty good.

On track breakdowns are down over the last two years according to a research article I read from 2.04 in 1000 starts to 2.00 seems like a minimal improvement, and that the number needs to be even smaller!

I cry everytime I see horse breakdowns!

Wednesday Gulfstream starts, I don't think I'll be doing any betting on this meet, but I will be buying the Form and doing some work on it.

I need to put together an Excel sheet to track my horse betting this year.

Super excited, in February we are going out to see the horses in Yakima, before they are shipped over to the track.

Harbor the Gold a stud based out of Oregon (who is the sire of Noosa Beach and several other horses that have done well at EMD over the last couple years) had his stud fee raised to 4,500$ for the upcoming year, and I heard he is already booked through. He had the 5th best third crop on the west coast, with only 40 runners the horses ranked above him all had 70-80 runners. Furthermore, all the horses above him stand in California so most of there horses have higher purses to race in.

From what I've been able to gather Atta Boy Roy, will still be racing in the Midwest to start the next year, and if he struggles he might be brought back to Emerald Downs. Could make for a very competitive older division with Noosa Beach, and Assessment.

Reba is Tops finished third in the Monrovia G3, and moved up to 37th on the all time list of Washington Bred Runners, Now I read this so I was like ooooh I want to see this list, but I still can't find it ><!

Anywho I'm super excited for the upcoming year! Good Luck everyone .

Stilgar i know your from WA state,but i believe you can still download say a Twinspires wagering account,just cant use it for gambling i believe. Anyways,you can keep all info there as to ROI,and following horses etc...may be a little better off than excel would be. As for crying when the horses break down,i guess thats a personal thing. I am as big a horse fan as anyone,but i understand it will,and does happen,and is part of the game. I have no problems if a horse is well maintained,fed,and trained properly and it breaks down,it died doing what it loved,and we should all be so lucky. Its the storys you read about the neglect,and purposely or blatent disregard for a horses well being on/or off track that t's me off to no end.

Ok,survived the weekend in the ShowVivor and am in 201st place out of 2,148 remaining. My selection today is in the #6 horse in the 2nd Takethemoneyandrun. I havent been capping to much of late because my son is home from college,and he is not interested in horses or poker like his dad. Good luck to anyone in the thread still alive in the contest,and wagering today.

Horse was done at the start,and im out of ShowVivor...Pooof!

tough luck honcho, almost went with him, took lichtenstein instead. faded the giant favorite last sunday (even ML, went off 4/5) and he finished about 10-12 lengths behind but sadly that wasn't enough to knock him out of 3rd

SA late p4:

5) 3,4,5,7
6) 4,7,8
7) 4,6,7,8
8) 6

$48

weird. would've been SA p6 carryover for any other last-leg horse except the 9-1 #5

Ya Vet,P.Val rides a donk ride for me and knocks me out of ShowVivo in the 2nd race,and a whole heck of a lot of others out of the carry. Thanks Val,go grab a beer....wait,bad advice for you. It is the 1st time my picks been eliminated,usually i forget to enter my selection. It was a nice payout to the late PK4 of $5,145.40,and was rooting for you after you snagged that $45 dollar horse in the 1st leg.

hahahah

uhh $100 WPS on #6 Hot Citizen in SA's 5th, appears she's gonna go off at 9/1. probably my favorite play in a long long time.

edit: ^ lol

Penn National 5th race tonight.
One minute before post time a message appears on the screen " there will be a slight delay before todays fifth race"
20 minutes after that we have a few late changes: 4 late scratches in a 9 horse field and 3 jockey changes.
WTF is going on here? Or is this standard?