Enticing People Back; Xtreme Horse Power

Has a thoroughbred track come up with a way to get serious horseplayers back to the track?  Delaware Park in Stanton, DE will be offering a bonus to its on-track customers starting September 4 through the balance of the current thoroughbred meet.  The normal takeout rate on exactas at Delaware Park is 19%.  For those who wager on their races at the track, they will pay a 9% bonus, which results in an effective takeout rate of 10% for their customers, meaning an exacta which pays $100 to their off-track customers will pay $110 for their on-track customers.  If this bonus proves to be successful, the plans are to offer the bonus once again next year, possibly expanding it to other wagers.

While this bonus program will do nothing to attract casual fans to attend the races, it may draw interest from their local players who prefer sitting in front of their computer at home.  After all, a 10% takeout is a reasonable takeout rate which most horseplayers can accept.  Will there be a backlash from tracks and ADWs who take Delaware's signal?  Will off-track gamblers rebel against what they may perceive as a surcharge on their wagers if they find out about the bonus? Will this rebate prove to meet its intended goal by enticing the serious bettor back?  It will be interesting to see how successful this program is and what additional wagers may be included next year.   

Xtreme Horsepower returns to Georgian Downs this Saturday.  Xtreme Horsepower is an evening where races with different distances from 1/8 to 2 1/2 miles will be contested with fields consisting of nine horses for the sprints to eighteen horses for the distance events.  While I am not a fan of sprints, distance races are the future of harness racing in North America as they allow for a second tier of horses, which provides more wagering opportunities and bigger payoffs, as there is enough time for second tier horses to get safely involved in the races.  Of course, it will take more than a one night event to prove their worth to the standardbred industry; more of these races need to be carded. 

Never one to be afraid of a handicapping challenge, I have handicapped these races and am providing my selections here.  In events like these, it is very important to pay attention to the odds.  While I may be listing a favorite, rest assured if the horse goes off odds-on, I will be tossing them as you need value when you play events like this.  Want to handicap the card yourself?  Georgian Downs is providing the programs for free, just be aware in their program they do not list track sizes in their past performance lines (Georgian Downs is a 5/8 mile oval).

1st Pace - $15,000; Xtreme Rush - 3/8 mile
1 - Risky Rich  4-1
5 - Blissed Out   3-1
7 - Windsun Rachel  8-1
6 - Presidio  15-1

2nd Trot - $20,000; Xtreme Challenge - 1 5/8 mile
16 - Abigail Eden  8-1
  3 - Misstle T  3-1
10 - Maple Leaf Quix  2-1
  5 -  Full Volume  5-2

3rd Pace - $20,000; Xtreme Rewind - 1 1/4 mile (clockwise)
8 - Dimes Dividends  3-1
1 - Greystone Cash  5-2
5 - Countyline Cam  8-1
6 - Partytime  15-1

4th Trot - $20,000; Xtreme Shotgun - 1 1/4 mile (walking start)
4 - Dash Car  4-1
3 - Hall Of Wishes  3-1
6 - Americanadian  6-1
7 - Pricevalleyrevitup  6-1

5th Pace - $20,000; Xtreme Challenge - 1 5/8 mile 
  1 - Dash Away All  5-2 (POE)
15 - Ideal Match  4-1
17 - Finally Connected  8-1
  3 - JK My Way  30-1   

6th Pace - $15,000; Xtreme Sprint - 1/8 mile
8 - Red Star Volcano  4-1
5 - Awesum Best  3-1
9 - Red Star Killer  6-1
3 - Mathers Crombie 8-1

7th Trot - $25,000; Xtreme Classic - 2 1/2 miles
18 - Oblige AS  6-1
  6 - Winters Jewel  4-1
17 - Four Starz Kid  7-2
  2 - Wildcat Shoes  5-2

8th Pace - $10,000; Xtreme Battle (1st Elim) - 5/8 mile
8 - The Jay Rock  20-1
6 - Real Energy  5-2
3 - The Boss  6-1
9 - They Call Me Ted  12-1

9th Pace - $10,000; Xtreme Battle (2nd Elim) - 5/8 mile 
8 - Alikeable  20-1
1 - Rocky Bubba  5-2
6 - Orithyrie Semalu  10-1
9 - Brooklets Typhon  4-1

10th Trot - $20,000; Xtreme Rewind - 1 1/4 mile (clockwise)
2 - Unbounded River  5-2
6 - Abbey Road C  3-1
8 - Think Gold  4-1
7 - I Gopher Gold  12-1

11th Pace - $25,000; Xtreme Showdown - 1 7/8 mile
12 - J L Tiger  20-1
  3 -Pauls Pass  5-2
  6 - Inspired Art  3-1
13 - KG Kool 25-1  

12 Pace - $20,000; Xtreme Battle Final -  5/8 mile
Top four finishers plus one fifth place finisher from the 8th and 8th races return.