John Berry: One simple question spawns’ idea

In our last Mane Attraction, we answered some questions from the “e-mail” harness racing bag.

We could only get to a few of the many that are received but one new question, in particular, has spawned a novel idea to save our sport by injecting a whole new concept of betting.

Yes, racing needs a “shot” of a different sort—in the arm—to create a renewed interest in harness racing…and all forms of pari-mutuel sport.

This question received had to do with larger fields—like those overseas or down-under—that create so much interest.

First of all, we have had large fields here in the U.S.A.—the 1953 Hambletonian had 23 starters with three tiers of 10-10-3.

And, back in 1974 at Sportsman’s Park, they had two races—one with 18 starters and the other with 16, which garnered intense interest in Chicagoland and the entire industry.

Both of those were carded at 1 3/8 miles.

(Of course, north of the border, Georgian Downs became famous and got plenty of “black ink” hosting their X-treme nights—races a short as an eighth-of-a-mile and as epic as five miles.)

From a betting point-of-view, the only drawback at “SPk” was that the tote-board couldn’t accommodate each betting interest singularly and, in the 18-horse field, there were nine separate betting “entries” with eight separate betting entities in the 16-horse field.

A Thursday crowd of over 12,000 were in attendance and they bet over $1.1 million!

And that was the “trigger” to this Mane Attraction…

Months ago, our Mane Attraction column asked the question “Is pari-mutuel wagering about to become obsolete?”

Now, more than ever, with field sizes shrinking and the speed factor having its effect—whether it be from stardom at ages two and three or stress from the speed wars thereafter—some tracks have so many races that the last race is near midnight…and those BDHC (Broken Down Horseplayers Club) faithful now in their (g)olden years have been fast asleep for hours.

(And don’t forget about the SEND IT IN ARMY gang!)

Wagering on our sport absolutely must catch up to the times and the way to do it is for pari-mutuel wagering to expand their current tote-board accommodating 10 horses or expand the tote-boards (like Churchill Downs with 20 going to the gate on Derby Day) or adopt prop betting and make it the new, modern rage at the track.

First, a new normal should be no more than nine races on any racing program.

Second, race sizes should have anywhere from 12 to 18 starters.

Third, all races should be carded at 1 3/8 miles to 1 1/2 miles. (For those of you that think that is insane because of speed these days, horsemen better learn to rate a horse a “bit” better with more reasonable times, say, around 2:38-2:42 for the shorter distance and 2:52-2:56 for the longer 1 1/2 mile distance.

Fourth, last post no later than 10:30!

There could be races carded under saddle and the traditional way…but here’s the deal…

NO MORE $2.40 WIN PRICES…

NO MORE $4.60 EXACTAS…

NO MORE $6.80 TRIFECTAS..

Members of the BDHC are tired of the value—or lack of value—betting on what once was a spectator sport of harness racing—now it’s just an “insiders sport” and have fled the scene because there’s no value in wagering with short fields and shorter prices.

But the kicker is this…

Harness racing needs “lottery like” payoffs and, with a 16 or 17 or 18 horse field—even 13, 14 or 15 is probably good enough—every single item on the wagering buffet from “single horse” betting to exacta to trifecta to the superfecta would offer viable returns for the punters 20 cent or $2.00 investment.

Pick-3, Pick-4, Pick-5 and Pick-6 betting numbers would offer some astronomical payoffs.

And, to top things off, a Pick-8 with a carryover could grow to have a “jackpot” in the area of any of our largest lotto offering—yes, in the hundreds of millions of dollars with rollovers.

Impossible, you say?

Millions of hopeful’s plunk down millions and millions of dollars every week in search of a $500,000,000 lotto prize (or more) —-with odds against pegged at somewhere around 302 million to 1 in some cases—with a “bite” of around 50%-55%.

Even a 20% takeout on the “Pick-8 Bonanza” would offer an opportunity for all participants in the sport.

Half the races—double the purses—all horses get paid for showing up.

There could be two weekly “Bonanza” events—one on a Wednesday and the other on a Saturday—on a host track that is 7/8ths of a mile or larger. (The Meadowlands, Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Hawthorne, Cal Expo, Vernon Downs, The Red Mile…maybe even Colonial Downs?)

The Wednesday event could be a “Perfect Pick-6” with the player selecting the first six in the order of finish.

Minor monetary awards would be offered for those that select the first four or first five.

The Saturday “Bonanza” would be a “Perfect Pick 8”—the first eight in the order of finish.

Again, similar awards would also be given to those that pick the first five, six or seven in the exact order of finish.

The field size would be between 13 and 18, meaning that the number of combinations is in the many millions with prizes justifiably increasing with carryovers.

Can’t be done?

Right at this very moment, there’s a win and exacta pool for NEXT YEAR’S Kentucky Derby with 38 horses on the list…PLUS ALL FILLIES FOALED IN 2022…PLUS ALL OTHER COLTS AND GELDINGS FOALED IN 2022!

(By the way, East Avenue is the favorite at 10 to 1 with two others at 12 to 1. Another 15 horses are 90 to 1 or higher.)

Who would bite at something this outrageous, you ask?

One of my BDHC members answered…WHO WOULDN’T?

This could be handled by any of the prop bet companies or, if they could adjust to the times, the pari-mutuel industry, itself.

Special Pick-8’s could be offered!

A Pick-8 with all 12 horse fields could produce odds of 429,981,696 to 1.

Eight races with 15 horse fields would put the prize in the billions.

This could be seeded with a $5,000,000 prize to start with minor awards for those that select five, six or seven winners.

Even a Pick-6 with 12 horses per race would produce odds of almost 3,000,000 to 1.

There is some precedent here as we have early pools for the Little Brown Jug and Hambletonian…but a bi-weekly event would breathe new life into a sport that needs all the oxygen it can get.

Today, literally, millions of people pour their hard-earned dollars into a dream of winning a half-billion dollars with a 15 second drawing of a few numbers…many of them requiring no brain power with the words’ QUICK PICK!”

Here, we present a reason to use one’s handicapping power with the spotlight on harness racing and the excitement building with the jackpots.

Again, for those that say it can’t be done…well, that’s the reason and attitude that we, as harness racing enthusiasts, are in this predicament right now!

May The Horse Be With You!

by John Berry, for Harnesslink