The Winning Pick-3 Ticket which is a Loser for Harness Racing

The third race Pick-3 at Mohegan Sun Pocono Downs paid a whopping $2.40 as three 1-9 shots crossed the finish line first three consecutive times in a row in the Bobby Weiss late-closing series   Shame on Pocono Down for scheduling these three divisions of the Weiss consecutively.  If they cared about their horse racing gamblers, they never would have run them in the order they did.  If you were a bettor playing this Pick-3 and cashed a ticket, shame on you; why are you investing your hard earned money to earn $2,40 on a three horse exotic.

As a side note, could you see one of these winners telling their friends they hit the Pick-3 which paid $2.40?   And we wonder why we can't attract newcomers to the sport or reacquaint ourselves with lapsed horse players?


If you like or don't like Jeff Gural, you will find this interview by Dave Briggs in Thoroughbred Racing Commentary interesting.  What is amazing is when he discusses trainers being banned, he for the most part never hears from owners asking why their trainer is not allowed to race at the Meadowlands.  I suspect if they don't ask, it's because they know.  I guess the trainer could be telling the owners why they have been excluded and if that is the case, why are they sticking with the trainer?  It's all about the dollar which makes a good case for showing owners the door as well.

I can see a time, depending on the outcome of the casino selection process in  the Southern Tier and if a casino comes to the Meadowlands under Gural's control, when Gural may put the harness racing world upside down by 'employing' trainers at his track and require any owner who wishes to race at one of his tracks to chose a trainer from one of his approved trainers; stakes races included (something which has been employed in the Orient).


There should be no excuse for Meadowlands Racing Secretary to have to struggle to put two racing cards on next week.  The Meadowlands debuts 'The Spring Preview', races for three year olds who are non-winners of 1 or 2 parimutuel starts.  Yes, there is a $500 entry fee, but where does this class race for $15,000 the first week with the top money earners returning for estimated $30,000 or $35,000 finals (as long as 18 horses enter each class).  A great opportunity for green horses to learn as they earn.