Off Track Betting – the Z Factor
Believe it or not, the owner in this game of racing is often overlooked by a racebook bettor and sometimes it can be a mistake.
Take, for instance, the King of Chicago Frank Calabrese. The owner has seen over 1,000 of his runners reach the winner’s circle at a near 30% clip in his lifetime and his runners have earned over $21 million in purse money.
This year alone he has won 138 races at a 34% clip and his trainer Wayne Catalano has the luxury of putting horses where they belong and where they will win.
Go to the West Coast now and focus on Arnold Zetcher. He recently ended his relationship with Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and has sent his runners to Bob Baffert and Mike Mitchell.
Lifetime Zetcher has won with almost 9% of his starters and that probably prompted the switch. And to be honest McAnally is not getting any younger, he’s very patient with his runners and in this day and age of instant gratification, his style doesn’t fit a lot of owners.
Baffert has most of his stock and he sent out his first stakes starter for Zetcher in Wynning Ride in the $100,000 Moccasin on November 16.
Horse bettors can look for several other Zetcher horses to run huge in the upcoming weeks.
One to watch is Chilean bred Budha. Group 1 placed in his native land back in the day, this guy has been overmatched most of his career in the states but did show signs of life in his return to action last spring. With time, Baffert will find a cheap spot for him.
The laugh will be on the rest of the field when Joking Sam returns. He has run 4 times, the Beyers have improved in the last 3 starts and he was over 6 lengths clear of the show horse in his Oak Tree finale.
By Johar, his dam is kin to $1.4 million earner Soviet Line and there are several multiple race winners in the family including multiple Graded winner and near $900,000 earner Gold Land.
A mile and a sixteenth on the grass is ideal.
Red Door Drive has been knocking on the proverbial door and he should blast it on down before the end of the Hollypark meeting.
Horse bettors should know he is fresh from a career effort when beaten a nose in his Oak Tree finale and although he fits in Maiden Special Weight land, if he drops in for a tag, bettors should triple up at the windows.
If looking for a longshot bomb to pay for those holiday presents, sports betting horseplayers should look no further than Mad for Candy.
By the brilliant Candy Ride, her unraced dam is kin to stakes winner and near $90K earner Sister’s Shamrock, who dropped near $100K earner Party of One.
Mad for Candy has sneaky speed, will appreciate an equipment change like blinkers and if the filly shows up in a maiden $25,000 seller, she’ll freak.
Often times in this game a slight change in a habit, like moving to a new stable, can do wonders for horses.
