Since we are getting closer to the Derby, thought I would start a thread for handicappers. Rebel Stakes today at Oaklawn, but I have not looked at the form yet.
I did have a question about how I played a race yesterday at Turfway. I bet a race where a friend had an entry, which ran like crap, naturally, so the scenario below remains a hypothetical.
Horse was 15-1, in an 11 horse field. Initially, I played a $20 win ticket, assuming if I won, would make $300. But then, I cancelled, and took the same $20 and played a $2 exacta, my horse on top of the rest of the field, thinking it was more likely than not that if my horse won, the exacta would pay more than $300 on the straight win ticket, maybe a heck of a lot more if another longshot ran second. There was no overwhelming favorite in the field, so almost all the exacta payouts were pretty good.
I looked at the exacta odds before the race, and from what I could tell, seems like the exacta was the better play, but wondering if any of you guys have a different thought on how to play that type of situation.
I did have a question about how I played a race yesterday at Turfway. I bet a race where a friend had an entry, which ran like crap, naturally, so the scenario below remains a hypothetical.
Horse was 15-1, in an 11 horse field. Initially, I played a $20 win ticket, assuming if I won, would make $300. But then, I cancelled, and took the same $20 and played a $2 exacta, my horse on top of the rest of the field, thinking it was more likely than not that if my horse won, the exacta would pay more than $300 on the straight win ticket, maybe a heck of a lot more if another longshot ran second. There was no overwhelming favorite in the field, so almost all the exacta payouts were pretty good.
I looked at the exacta odds before the race, and from what I could tell, seems like the exacta was the better play, but wondering if any of you guys have a different thought on how to play that type of situation.
