Calder Raises Takeout Rates: What Imbeciles

It isn't too late to put your two cents in over at Pull The Pocket's blog regarding your thoughts about track takeout in Ontario. He is going to be at the Canadian Gambling Summit which runs next week in Montreal and he will present the comments to people who matter in the industry. There are over 25 comments there right now. Check them out.

Calder opens season without ADW/interstate wagering. Not that anyone will bet them anyways. In an absolute moronic move, Calder has raised their takeouts.

'The big news to specialty gamblers Monday was that Calder raised its takeout percentage on a few wagering options. The track will now take 27 percent out of Pick 3, 4 and 5 wagering (up 3 percentage points) and 21 percent from the Daily Double and Exacta bets (up 1 percentage point).'

I won't even watch a race at Calder, let alone handicap one for betting purposes, unless of course, they are offered on Betfair.

What is Churchill Downs (Calder's parent company) "thinking?"

Horseplayers Coalition formed Check out their web page at NTRA

Canadian multi-millionaire entrepreneur Calvin Ayres allegedly has left Bodog.
From his own blog:

You’ve likely heard the rumblings and rumors….and for once…..it’s true…I’m packing it in! Well who am I kidding, if you’re reading this now you know that for the past few years I’ve been pretty focused on jetting around the world to exotic places and filming crazy shit for this blog. I was really more of a brand ambassador for Bodog the past while anyway – but it was fun while it lasted.

In 2007 ownership of Bodog in North America was taken over by Alwyn Morris and Morris Mohawk Gaming Group, and starting in 2006, Bodog hired up a mostly European team to run their now solely non US facing operations so me retiring won’t have any effect operationally….the same great Bodog experience will continue exactly as it has in the past. I just won’t have cameras shoved in my face all the time and I won’t have to do all the grueling travel. My retirement also will not affect anything that you see or notice when enjoying the Bodog products and services.

To all the staff, vendors and advisors that have been part of the Bodog development I want to extend sincere thanks for not only the hard work and dedication but the lessons and good times I have experienced and can now take away with me. I wish you all continued success and if we bump into each other on a white sand beach or maybe the streets or bars of my home base of Antigua please come say hello.

I’m going to focus my time on a balanced private life and The Calvin Ayre Foundation which I am truly passionate about.

Point Edward casino shows increase while Sarnia down slightly

Woodbine Bias Report: Speed doing well so far. Trainer Sam Di Pasquale is on fire winning 3 of his last 6 races. Lots of ice cold trainers though: Michael Doyle, David Cotey, John Mackenzie, and Ashlee Brnjas are very cold right now. At $70 plus a day at Woodbine, you have to wonder why some of their owners don't consider moving the horses to a Fort Erie trainer at around $50 a day. Lots of empty stalls at the Fort. OK, Ashlee is pretty safe since her dad is her client, but then again, I doubt she is getting a standard day rate.
Belated congrats to Donnie MacRae for his 2 for 2 performance on Friday. Donnie is a very competent trainer. Not sure if he is based at the Fort or Woodbine this year.
The rail hasn't been very good. Average at best at Woodbine so far this year, except for Saturday and especially Sunday. Coincidentally, Kinghaven drew the one post in the Whimsical that day;) Didn't help Prophetically much though. She was in over her head anyway.

Horsemen Pitch Their Plan To Distribute Kentucky Derby signal
Horsemen should be seen and not heard. Horsemen and racing execs have made it easy for offshore bookies and rebate shops to flourish.