Bettor’s Edge #70: Proudest Moments & Why We’ll Soar in ‘24

More than ever, this column in 2024 will help you become a more confident, more successful bettor. These aren’t idle words. Looking back at 2023 you’ll see this column had its proudest moments that were based on decades of race analysis and “rule” development. Namely:

This column told you how to apply betting rules to win the superfecta in the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, at Fort Erie in September. If you boxed the five most-likely horses in a 20-cent superfecta box at a cost of $24 as indicated in this column, you collected $404. If you bet a $1 box, your pick-up was $2,020.
In the Breeders’ Cup, it seemed almost unheard-of that a $2.40 outlay for a 60-cent pick-5 wheel on the first five races on Breeders’ Cup Saturday actually won and returned $152. Players in the Race Book at Assiniboia Downs laughed uproariously when I showed them the measly ticket which was purchased to prove that rules developed for Breeders’ Cup play can work so well, a big investment is often unnecessary.

Why shouldn’t this continue? As co-host of a betting group at ASD on Saturdays my objective is to help the group win a couple pick-6s at Santa Anita — and why can’t you share, too?

If you want a Canadian connection down in southern Cal, leading Woodbine jockey Kazushi Kimura is riding there through the winter.

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But the reason for concentrating on Santa Anita has to do with the consistency of the classy horses racing there and the fact there aren’t many invaders. And my betting partner and I think DRF track handicapper Brad Free is the best in the business. His Pro Picks are required reading. Period.

When my betting partner and I spent $100 on a pick-5 that paid $10,000 a couple of years ago, Brad Free’s comments on a couple of races helped seal the deal.

Also, turf racing is a huge element in my handicapping because analyzing closing fractions in turf route races works so well. There’s exceptional value in that approach too, because most players can’t or won’t wrap their minds around that betting angle so the payoffs are higher than they should be. Even a one-fifth-second difference between one horse and another is sufficient at Santa to prefer one horse over another because of the stature of horses there.

Although this column won’t be exclusively about Santa, it will certainly be the main attraction and why shouldn’t we all benefit?

Another theme will be the countdown to the Kentucky Derby. You’ll have an opportunity, of course, to bet the Kentucky Derby Future Wager a few days each month so perhaps this column will be able to offer a clue on a colt or filly that merits your serious consideration.

Alright, let’s soar — and make more — in ‘24!

BETTOR’S EDGE will return in April at the start of Woodbine’s 2024 meet.