Wednesday, June 27, 2012

MAKE THE RACING FORM EASY TO READ

They're in the Paddock.  Fifteen minutes 'till Post Time.  They've been preparing for this race. They walk their horse, Sorrowful, out onto the dirt Oval.
 
"I've got the bets down,"  says Calder, the Trainer.  "Morning Line has us at 45 to one.  I'm sure it'll end up a lot higher.  It worked last year.  Should work again."

 "We got this," says Hawthorne, the Jockey.  "Six races, I put him last twice, and 8th four times.  I had him first into the stretch five times, so I know he can do it.  Today's the day."

"Nobody knows but us.  The owners ain't got a clue. So I bet big."  says Calder.

"Good.  This time I won't hold back.  Hey, when you're pushing 50,  you need a big score, so you can retire with a few more bucks in the bank.  I can see what's happening.  Horse racing is slowly dying.  Scratch in The Triple Crown didn't help."

"Didn't used to be.  Used to be million dollar Stake Races every weekend.  Aqueduct, Santa Anita, Churchill Downs."

"It's  lack of TV," says Hawthorne. "They say we're losing fans at about 4% a year. Won't be long."

The Loudspeaker:  "Riders Up."

Calder takes Hawthorne's boot, and hoist him into the saddle.  He then mounts his own horse, and together they walk through the crowd, under the Grandstands, and out onto the Main Track.

"Nobody talks about Horse Racing, anymore," says Hawthorne.  "Baseball, Football, Basketball.  That's the problem.  They talk sports, but it's not Horse Racing."

Again the loudspeaker. "Ninth and final race of the afternoon.  Six and a half furlongs.  The track is firm.  Post time in ten minutes.  There are no scratches."

"You watch SportsCenter," says Hawthorne.  "There's hardly anything.  There's some talk about the Triple Crown,  and maybe the Breeder's Cup, but that's it.  Come on, Bowling gets more TV time than we do."

They gallop down the main stretch.  Sorrowful sees the crowd.  He hears the voices.  He senses it's his time.

"Owners should race their horses more often," says Calder. "Instead they save them for stud. Who can get interested in a horse when it only races 6 or 7 times and you never hear about him again?"

Hawthorne pats Sorrowful on the neck.  "Today's our day, Sorrowful. We  got them thinking you're a nag, my friend.  But we know better, don't we."  He pats the neck again. " Yup, today's our day."

"It's no secret." says Calder.  "We used to be the only legit way to gamble, except in Vegas.  Now, what do we got?  Lotto, Indian reservations, underground poker dens, computer betting.   The only thing holding us up is the online horse betting. TVG, ExpressBet, BetFair."

"And," says Hawthorne.  "Make the Racing  Form easy to read.  It's like printed in Chinese.  Who's going to learn all that?  Even I don't know all the symbols."

Calder looks over at him.

"Just kidding, but I'm just saying.  And the track's cut is so high.  Crazy.  Majority of bettors see that, they'll stop betting so much."

They get in line now for the walk to the starting gate.

"And when word gets out about Frog Juice...Dermorphine..."

"...Horse morphine......from the Monkey Tree Frog, South America..."

..Yeah, and now we got a doping scandal.  I'll Have Another's trainer has already been suspended for using it.  Not good."

"I never use those kinds of drugs," says Calder.  "Hurts the horse.  No, we're making money by the rules...sort of.  No telling how long it will take before we get another chance."

They get near the Starting Gate.  Calder peels off.  Hawthorne and Sorrowful go in.  The flag is up.  And, They're Off.

One minute, twelve and four fifths seconds later...

Again the loudspeaker.  "Ladies and Gentlemen.  I direct you attention to the Winner's Circle. Breaking his maiden, it's Sorrowful, a six year old bay gelding, the half brother of  'Feeble.'   99 to one long shot.  Who knew?  What a pedigree.  By 'Dreadful,' and 'Choke,' out of that multiple stakes winner, 'Disappointment.'   99 to one, who knew?"

Pictures snap.  Owners crowd around.  Hawaiian shirts, dark glasses, large flashy rings.  And a Jockey and a Trainer.
 
They look at each other, and laugh.   Hawthorne, pats Sorrowful's neck.  "We did it, Sorrowful."

"Yup," says Calder.  "We certainly did.  99 to one.  Who knew?"

They bump fists, grin big for the cameras, and wave to the crowd.
...........................................

Help comes from:
content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/06/substance
equibase.com/  readabilityformulas.com,   horsehats.com/horse-racing-records,
guelphmercury.com/news/canada/article/723496--ontario-horse-racing-crisis,

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