Random Thoughts on the last day of 2010
by Matt Gardner on Dec 31, 2010 6:46 PM EST
in Ramble On
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- Since the conclusion of the Breeders' Cup I've placed nary a bet on a race, something that will change as soon as the calendar flips over to "2011". I'm playing in the NTRA Tour handicapping contest on Sunday and then Gulfstream begins on Wednesday. I am more than ready to start attacking the GP Pick 4 and, possibly, the $0.50 Pick 5 with the 15% take. Although, I have enough trouble hitting a Pick 4 that I'm not sure I need to up the ante with a Pick 5.
- I don't know how many of you like to put a little something on college football games, but I do, and I'm getting absolutely crushed this bowl season after doing quite well during the regular season. Perhaps March Madness will redeem me.
- If you missed it, community member Lucky Duck wrote a nice FanPost on the "nemesis horse" that can be found here. You guys always come up with some great posts for conversation.
I'll expound a bit more on this in a few weeks when the site celebrates it's 1st anniversary, but I'd like to thank all of you that have read and contributed over the past 11 months. I'm grateful for anyone that has taken the time to be a part of this site. - There is a lot of talk on horse racing sites around the 'net about the raise in takeout in California and a boycott of the state's races by the Horseplayers Association of North America (HANA). I'm not sure what to make of that as of yet because as much as I agree that the take hike in California is bad, there are other states that still have a higher take than the new percentages in California. It seems to me that if the goal is to have take reduced at all tracks that you can't just single out California. While California has made the poor choice of raising takeout it seems a bit hypocritical to simply ignore those tracks that take more, and have done so for a longer period of time.
I don't play a ton of races in California during the year to begin with (probably 70% of my play during the year goes to Gulfstream, Keeeneland and Emerald Downs, with the other 30% split between Derby week, Saratoga/Del Mar, and the Breeders' Cup) so it's not a huge impact on me. At the same time, Santa Anita's handle performance could be very telling in terms of the impact of rate hikes (or cuts) on future growth. It's early in the meet, but already Santa Anita has had two days where handle was 20% less than the corresponding day from 2009. - There's a movie house in the Central District of Seattle (Central Cinema) that shows a random assortment of films from the last fifty years, flicks like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Casablanca, Ferris Beuller's Day Off. They have theme nights, "Salute to X" weeks, etc. The best part is the theater serves beer, wine and food at your seat throughout the show and the late show is sans children, which is nice for some of us.
I was checking their website today to see what movies they had coming up when I discovered that their December parade of Christmas movies included a showing of Die Hard. And I missed it. I can't describe how disappointed I am at missing the opportunity to see Die Hard on a big(ger) screen with beer and pizza brought to my seat. Maybe next year. - Is anybody else finding this to be the worst cold and flu season? I am suffering through what seems like my fourth or fifth cold since the beginning of November. In fact, it's bothering me so much that my New Year's plans are pretty much going to entail me sitting on the couch with my fiancée and my basset hound while watching the fireworks at the Space Needle on TV. It doesn't get much more exciting than that!
- Finally, a Happy New Year to everyone that has taken the time to stop by to read and/or comment during 2010.
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Happy New Year to you as well
I’m a member of a smattering of internet communities (mostly sport and film related), but I definitely include this one as one of my favorites. Glad I found the site back in June.
Hope you had a good one
And I’m glad you, and others, have found this site enjoyable.
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
by Matt Gardner on Jan 1, 2011 10:20 AM EST up reply actions
Happy Belated New Year...!
Yes, on the sickness thing. Twice already, including New Year’s Eve, where I pretty much got up at 11:57 to watch the ball drop with the wife and kids, and then went back to my lonely, sickbed.
I had a horrible year in college football, but have done alright in bowl season and very well in pro’s. Not to shamelessly plug, but I post all my picks at pennywisepicks.com. All picks, no frills site my wife and I have run since 2004. Check it out, if you want…
Keep up the good work! I can’t believe it has been less than a year! 2011 has got to be a better year than 2010 was. Speaking of, I went o-fer in the NHC contest today. My bride scored 10 bucks. Chalk all day, pretty much, but it looked like you could have strung together a good total with seconds….You know it is bad when $74.80 wins the thing.
Now is the time boys to make a big noise.
No matter what the people say,
For there is naught to fear, the gang's all here,
So hail West Virginia, hail.
New Year So Far So Good
Happy New Year to All.
I played the NHC contest as well. Didn’t get shut out like JP, but 4 winners just didn’t get it done, especially at Fair Grounds where I batted .0000 Oh well, next time
Good way to start the year otherwise. Early Pick4 at Santa Anita Sunday hit on all tickets and was actually a very easy ticket to pick.
O-Fers Never Bother Me...
…it usually means you are playing correctly. It just isn’t your day.
Now is the time boys to make a big noise.
No matter what the people say,
For there is naught to fear, the gang's all here,
So hail West Virginia, hail.
I missed the NHC contest due to this cold...
I pulled the PPs, went through them once, and then this cold medicine I’m taking took over. I slept most of Sunday. Ridiculous.
Looking forward to kicking off 2011 with Gulfstream on Wednesday.
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
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