Ron Crockett, track president at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington, held an on-line Q&A at the Seattle Times yesterday afternoon. During the hour-long session, he was asked about the possibility of adding a $0.50 Pick 5 to the menu, given the bet's popularity at places like Gulfstream, Monmouth and Churchill. His response:
Ron Crockett: On the 50 cent Pick 5, we're waiting for the next commission meeting to ask for approval to add one to our betting menu. I'm sure it will be approved.
Personally, I really enjoyed adding the Pick 5 to my play at Gulfstream this winter. The $0.50 price allows players to get into the mix without spending a small fortune (something very hard to do with a $2 Pick Six), and the payouts can be decent to very nice.
There is no word on whether the bet at Emerald would include a carryover or what the take would be.
You can check out a transcript of the entire chat at the Seattle Times.