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SORRY STILL NO DERBY ON IDABET.COM

We regret to inform you as of today it appears we will not be having wagering on the Derby, although we will have THE PREAKNESS and THE BELMONT on Idabet.com.  Churchill Downs reserves the right to determine what ADW’s (online or phone wagering companies) can take bets on their racetracks.  At this time, they prefer to get as many customers for their ADW.  We have made every attempt as well as others in the same boat as us for them to consider then interests of racing fans across the country, but to no avail.  As you may be aware, Churchill limits the tracks they offer.  Of course for most of your other wagers, we look forward to working with you.

FORT HALL CASINO TURF CLUG OPENS IN IDAHO FALLS

Idabet’s parent, IdaRacing is pleased to announce to the opening of their new Turf Club in the Fort Hall Casino.  The Turf Club offers racing simulcasting daily from 11am until 11pm.  You can watch and WAGER on the Kentucky Derby at our Turf Club Saturday with advanced wagering beginning Friday.  The Fort Hall Casino Turf Club is located at Exit 80 of I-15.  For more information call 208-237-8774.

LIVE GREYHOUND RACING LIKELY TO BE CUT IN FLORIDA

The Florida Senate has passed legislation that would significantly cut the amount of live greyhound racing in the Sunshine State.  Final aspects of the bill are now based on what kind of tax credits tracks will receive that continue to race.  Fan interest and wagering has dropped for years as players have moved to horses, casinos and poker.  All the dog tracks operate poker rooms and would be allowed to end all live racing but to continue to simulcast and offer their poker rooms.

Some tracks say they would cut their live days but continue to race.  Current law virtually requires tracks to operate nearly daily all year just to simulcast or run the poker rooms.  The owner of the former Flagler track now...

As expected FRANKEL took the early lead and went on to a six length victory in Saturday’s G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket Race Course in England.  The 3-year-old colt is now undefeated in six starts.  He is now listed as a  2-1 favorite if he goes postward in the G1 Investec Derby on June 4.  You can bet that Derby on Idabet as this colt goes for greater stardom.

Despite 13 days of rain over its 15 day meet, Keeneland wrapped up last week with the third largest attendance of a spring meet when over 240,000 fans poured into the historic track.  Once again, it proves quality meets with large fields can be most successful in today’s racing climate.

New York Governor Cuomo blasted a decision by the New York Racing Commission to farm out its online and phone wagering business to Twinspires owned by Churchill Downs.  Of course Twinspires currently prohibits many ADW’s including Idabet.com from taking wagers on the racetracks they own.  Those supporting NYRA’s decision say they are simply buying into an established system that will work for them while others question why the business cannot be operated in New York with employees living in New York.  The demise of the NYC OTB earlier this year prompted NYRA to make a move as it was not able to keep up demand with new online players.  Of course, Idabet.com says, If you want to bet New York or had a NYCOTB account, we are the friendliest and most caring service in the marketplace.  Just join us at Idabet.com

On the flip side, Finger Lakes will be forced to cut 9 of 13 stakes races this year as a result of lower income from the loss of the NYCOTB business.  That service provided Finger Lakes with its largest source of handle and so far has not been replaced resulting in the cut in stakes.  Once again, if you want in on the action at Finger Lakes, then head over to Idabet.com.

Parx racing has been shut down this week as live racing returns...

The Blood Horse reports today that Tom Durkin will no longer call the races for NBC, but will still remain active with the NYRA tracks through 2015.  I thought I use my time today reflecting on some of the announcers I’ve been associated with over the years.  Durkin of course is one of the best and hence that’s why he got a great gig on NBC.  Of course, prior to him, when ABC had the Derby and Preakness, it was the famed calls of Dave Johnson whose “Down the Stretch they come” is iconic to our sport.

The magazine reports the leading contender for the job is Gulfstream’s and Monmouth’s announcer Larry Collmus.  Like myself Larry is a Baltimore native and offers both a professional and entertaining racecall.  In my early years working at Laurel, I personally created the first Video Handicapping Library (until then we lived and died by the accuracy of chartcallers).  Though I had offered the idea to several others, it took the late genius Frank De Francis to implement the system for fans daily use.  Larry, still a teenager was hired to man the booth for customers to watch replays of previous races to enhance their handicapping.  Though it was last year’s crazy call of a couple of horses about the “two wives” that put him on the map.

As a kid, I grew up to the nasaly voice of Costy Caras at Charles Town for which I remember was adding the semi-word “ah” before basically every word.  “Ah number 5, Ah, two pounds, ah overweight.”  Since he was my first, I’ll always have a fond spot for him.  Working at the tracks by age 11 in Maryland brought me Dick Wolley.  Dick was as a clear as a voice as you will get.  He was far from exciting and his catch phrase unfortunately was “a gap of two” or “a gap of three” for each horse.  But he was a tireless promoter of Maryland racing and hosted numerous radio...

If you need to get up early to watch something British this week, forget the Royal Wedding.  Make it Saturday morning for racing from Newmarket and the season’s first classic race, the 2000 Guineas and you can bet it with Idabet.com.  The big story is that veteran trainer Henry Cecil says his colt “Frankel” is the best he’s seen in his 40-year career.  Frankel is a perfect 5 for 5 and local bookies are offering 4 to  7 odds at best.  Post time for the first race of this big day of racing is 8:55 a.m.  Now I know over in England you can bet on who is designing Kate’s dress, but come on, I think to see a possible superstar in the making is more fun.

Trainer Cecil has won 24 English Classics and 72 races at the famed Royal Ascot course.  Frankel is a somewhat fractious horse and unlike most of Cecil’s runners he has his collection of “devices” to keep him in check such as a special bit and harness.  But when he gets running in the past despite tight corners he finds his own way out of trouble and then explodes.  He is the most talked about horse in years over the pond and creating quite a stir among racing writers.  Be sure to Bet the 2000 Guineas on Idabet.com this Saturday.

There were 1311 winning tickets Saturday on Gulfstream Park’s Rainbow Pick 6 with each worth $3279.00.  The carryover had grown since early February and had a mandatory payout Saturday for the 10¢ wager.

The bet brought some needed excitement to day in and day out racing cards and offered players like you a real opportunity to make multiple selections at a very low investment.  More than $5 million was bet into the pool and helped busines soar 80% at the South Florida track proving there’s still plenty of excitement in racing.

$5 MILLION UP FOR GRABS TODAY….BET BY 4PM EDT (4/23)

Reprinted from the South Florida Sun Sentinel….Gulfstream will be the center of the racing universe Saturday, ironically the only Saturday of the season without a stakes race.

The attraction is the mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 pool, which has been building since last hit on Feb. 16 and will go into Saturday with a carryover of $1.4 million. As much as $5 million is expected to be in the pool by the approximate 4:15 p.m. post-time for the seventh race, the first of the Rainbow 6 races.

Multi-million dollar Pick 6 pools are commonplace, especially in California, where the bet is more popular than elsewhere. However, there is a crucial difference with the Rainbow 6. The minimum wager is 10 cents as opposed to $2. This allows bettors with limited bankrolls to participate.

A ticket with two selections in each race costs $128 at Hollywood Park. At Gulfstream, the same combination costs $6.40. Three horses in each race costs $72.90 instead of $1,458.