Where if horse betting headed? Today we will attempt to predict the future of horse betting and how we expect online wagering to change in 2014 and moving past this year. It is clear that horses and racing have been a popular past time and sport for many years. The beauty and speed of the animals is a link to an elegant past that should be treated with respect and adoration. But with a dwindling fan base and apathy from the public, it is a more complex issue today. The new generation wants the ease and speed of everything instantly, including horse wagering. Let’s face it racing is a slow sport. Nine or ten races a day at the track with plenty of wait time in between each race, is not action-packed enough for the jet set and youthful gamblers who want big payouts without studying the Daily Racing Form.
Couple the above with greedy horse breeders and owners who abuse breeding by promoting the weak traits that ultimately kill the horse such as internal hemorrhaging, or deciding in favor of speed over stamina and calculating that horses are more valuable to them as blood stock rather than breeding for racing. A horse that wins the Kentucky Derby, or perhaps a couple of wins at a Belmont or Preakness race, can bring in much more money today for the owner as a stud, without the animal ever doing another thing at the track. This is a fast way to kill the sport of horse racing.
There are several solutions that are being bantered about. Make the horses the stars of the sport as some have suggested. There is still hope that the public will be captivated by another Citation, Seabiscuit, or Man o’ War. Encourage horse owners to run the horse past the three year old season. Or open up racing to a league concept to build public enthusiasm and to encourage owners to keep their horses running for longer term profits rather than short term gains.
The idea here is that throughout the year, point standings in each racing division, and for the jockeys and trainers, could be maintained and publicized, sort of like NASCAR does, so fans would know where their favorites rank, and what they need to do to win a championship. Incorporating owners, trainers, jockeys, and handlers into a division concept would give them a mission and stake in the outcome – and might even keep the “Sport of Kings” as glorious as it has been with the horse being the star!
This year, November 1st and 2nd, 2014, the Breeders Cup will again be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The annual event attracts the best horses from around the world and includes 15 races with purses of more than $25 million over the two days. The Breeders Cup World Championships mark the year’s end to the racing seasons across the country.
The Breeders Cup has been celebrated for nearly 30 years and Santa Anita Park has showcased the winning jockeys and their mounts seven times already. The inaugural Breeders’ Cup of 1984 was held at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles and consisted of seven races competing for a $10 million in prizes. The highlight for the day was the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Classic that pitted the favorite Slew o’Gold, against Preakness winner Gate Dancer and a 31-1 longshot named Wild Again.
What a race that was with a 68,000 person crowd in attendance. Suddenly, the crowd went wild when a steward’s inquiry flashed across the tote board. An agonizingly long wait of ten minutes took place. You guessed it, the longshot was officially declared the winner and the crowd truly went “wild again” forgive the pun!
Black Chip Stable’s 4-year-old colt Wild Again was a real winner in that wild climax to the first Breeders’ Cup Classic. He bravely held off a furious challenge from Preakness hero Gate Dancer to win by a head under jockey Pat Day. After scrutinizing the photos, Gate Dancer was disqualified by the stewards and placed third for multiple brushings with favorite Slew o’Gold in the stretch. To say that in a horserace anything can happen is surely the understatement for the first Breeders’ Cup!
Whether or not one can actually attend any of the famed races such as The Kentucky Derby 2014, Preakness, or Belmont Stakes it is fascinating to see the numbers of how many people actually do. The fondness for racing and betting on favorite horses or jockeys, for that matter, has become so popular that many make a day of it and bring the family and a picnic lunch to the infield. The kids play Frisbee and watch the beautiful horses as they come on to the track.
My own childhood was full of many of those days when my folks took us to Hollywood Park, also known as the Track of the Lakes and Flowers. My brothers and I would count the number of swans floating around the officially designated beauty contest winner called the “Goose Girl” as she was rowed around the lakes by a couple of handsome fellows with strong arms. The magnificent landscape around the track rivaled Versaille in my eyes, and my father always told us about the huge number of different flowers that were planted for the racing season in keeping with the theme for that year.
It is no wonder that much effort and money is spent on the beautiful tracks. Not everyone can be a winner in every race, but everyone can enjoy the beauty of the setting! Check out these numbers of paid admission entries at the various tracks: Just last year, Kentucky Derby attendance was 165,307. In 2007 the highest ever attendance at The Preakness Stakes was 132,221 people, while Belmont’s highest attendance was 120,139 in 2004.
Sometimes the weather has a significant influence on attendance and of course, the economy does matter. As a bit of insider information from a social perspective on racing, beginning in 2009 the Maryland Jockey Club banned the bringing of any alcoholic beverages into the infield. A significant decrease in attendance was the abrupt result. The rule was modified the very next year for the 2014 racing season!
The history of horse racing goes back to very ancient times prior to it’s throttle in the United States of America and what it has evolved into in 2014. The Greeks, Babylonians, Egyptians, and Syrians all seem to have had horses that were trained for running – whether it was from the enemy or for the amusement or sport of the people.
Various kinds of horse racing has led to different kinds of horses as well. Breeds that may be great for flat racing on a level ground would be horses such as thoroughbreds and quarter horses, while harness racing requires breeds such as trotters and others. Steeplechase racing is a third form of racing that requires other than pure bred horses and is eagerly followed in Europe more so than the United States.
We can easily imagine that some ancient Roman soldiers placed bets against each other’s chariot horses, or some Arabs gambled on whose sleek steed was the fastest. Traditions begin this way what makes part of the Kentucky Derby 2014 so darn interesting for all Americans, not just horse betting enthusiasts. The thoroughbred racing tradition began as the “Sport of Kings” in Europe. First used for jousting tournaments, the early European horses had to endure being weighted down with the metals uniforms of the Knights as well as their own cumbersome coverings. Once the Crusades were over, three founding sires of the thoroughbred breed were mated with English racing mares – these produced the thoroughbreds as we know them today.
Thoroughbreds are measured in hand height – four inches to the hand. A typical thoroughbred can be as small as 15 hands or over 17 hands. These kind of horses are very fast for medium distances and are bred for speed and endurance. But each thoroughbred must trace their pedigree to one of the three founding sires: the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin, or the Byerly Turk. Each of the three horse types was named after his owner, Thomas Darley, Lord Godolphin, and Captain Robert Byerly. Captain Byerly was the first to capture a stallion from the Turks and brought it back to England. The last of the three was the Godolphin Arabian born in Yemen and given to the King of France as a gift. The second Earl of Godolphin came into possession of the horse and bred him in England. Amazingly, their progeny are alive and well…and running strong!
With Kentucky Derby 2014 just less than two months away we take a moment to remember the oldest living Kentucky Derby winning horse, Sea Hero.
He is adored even though there may be a little gray around his muzzle and at 23 years old, Sea Hero still likes a lump of sugar and a carrot occasionally. He was born in Virginia and is an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He won the 1993 Kentucky Derby as an almost 13 to 1 longshot. When it comes to Kentucky Derby online betting you won’t see much better odds than 13 to 1 for a Kentucky Derby winner which is what makes the story of Sea Hero so interesting amongst Kentucky Derby bettors.
A ride on Sea Hero also marked the first Kentucky Derby win the same year for All American Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey and for 71-year-old trainer MacKenzie Miller who died at nearly 90 years old in 2010. It was also the first Derby win for Rokeby Stables’ 85-year-old billionaire owner Paul Mellon, who became the only person to ever win the Kentucky Derby, the Epsom Derby, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, having captured the Epsom and Prix with a horse named Mill Reef in 1971. Paul Mellon died in 1999 at the age of 92.
Following his Derby win, Sea Hero won the prestigious Grade I Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. He was retired after racing at age 4 without scoring another major win. After standing at stud in the U.S., in 1993 he was sold to the Turkish National Stud in Turkey. He is the sire of fifteen stakes winners. Not too bad for having retired at 4!
In the paddock at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, and circled by the saddled horses going to post for each and every race, stands a bronze statue of Sea Hero. Not too many horses have a bronze statue in their honor.
In 2011, Sea Hero became the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner. And who says that horses don’t keep their owners and trainers living a long time too!
The 2014 Kentucky Derby race is just around the corner and there is no better time than now to bring your liver up to speed and start practicing how to make a mint julep now!
The Kentucky Derby seems like it is as old as time itself, and so too does the Mint Julep share the same history. Just like the Kentucky Derby 2014 has evolved, so has the official Kentucky Oaks and Derby drink. So when you sit down to place your Kentucky Derby online betting picks, remember to treat yourself to a special drink to calm your nerves first.
For just about one hundred years now, the mint julep has been the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. Nearly 120,000 of these drinks are served annually during the two-day racing event at Churchill Downs. It all began by being a very sweet and sticky kind of drink loaded with French brandy or rum with little ice to be had. It has evolved into the iconic drink of Derby Day.
Today’s version going into the 140th Kentucky Derby is a sipping sort of drink, very bracing but if made correctly, very enjoyable. Take the liquor for instance: Kentucky bourbon is the preference of choice. No Southern gentleman of old would have his lips taste Eastern whiskey, and this adage still applies today! The bartenders at the Derby have practiced making these legendary drinks for a long time and they know all about the preferences of the ladies and gentlemen in attendance.
If you want to make your own homemade Mint Julep just before post time, here is one from a bartender at the Kentucky Derby himself: Have on hand plenty of finely crushed ice – kind of like the ice used in a slush that you would create for kids on a hot summer day. Keep a little dish of fresh mint leaves and some superfine sugar at the ready and start the process of building your Kentucky Derby Mint Julep. First, place five or so fresh mint leaves in the bottom of a very chilled glass. Sprinkle a heaping spoon of sugar onto the leaves and mash them slightly with a wooden spoon or muddler. Pack the glass with crushed ice. Pour in three ounces of Kentucky bourbon. Stir until the glass becomes frosty. Add a little more ice and serve with a short straw to inhale the heady aroma of the mint.
Take a couple of sips just before you bet on the longshot of the day if you happen to be at Churchill Downs or simply sit back and enjoy the derby from your living room seats and root for your favorite steed.
So you have yourself a hankering for some Kentuckyderby online wagering, do you? Well, you are starting with the right site. The 140th running of the Kentucky Derby is 45 days away and many Americans are looking ahead at future odds to find ways on how to get the most bang for their buck. Our aim is to share with you our favorite Kentucky Derby betting picks and provide you with odds updates so that you have the best Kentucky Derby betting advantage.
Gambling using the Internet began in 1994. By 1998 gambling revenues had exceeded $830 million. In 2008, it was estimated that worldwide online gambling had reached revenues of $21 billion! That is a bunch of online gambling!
One form of Internet gambling is horse race betting online. It is one of the fastest growing and legal platforms on the Internet and is also a billion dollar world wide industry today. Horse racing betting online usually begins with the bettor having an Advance Deposit Wagering account system that provides legal, secure, mobile , and online horse betting at over 100 race tracks worldwide.
These online companies, and there are hundreds, are licensed, based, and regulated in the United States. They offer online horse racing betting on thoroughbred horses, harness racing, quarter horse racing, as well as greyhound canine wagering. Betting on horses comprises a significant percentage of online gambling wagers and all major Internet bookmakers, betting exchanges, and sports books offer a wide variety of horse racing betting platforms.
So now, let’s say you feel lucky and want to place an Internet bet on the first leg of the Triple Crown…at the Kentucky Derby. Remember that the second leg is called the Preakness Stakes, the third leg is called the Belmont Stakes. Online bettors typically lose interest in the Triple Crown and Belmont Stakes, the last Triple Crown event, if there isn’t a shot for a horse to win the whole thing. On the other hand, when one horse wins both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, popularity sky rockets going into the Belmont Stakes. This is probably the reason that the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown, can be the most anticipated race out of the three because of all the hype that always comes with the winner of the Kentucky Derby. Here’s hoping you catch all three!
In the day and age where everything sooner or later becomes collectible if not antique, it was not a surprise after checking out some web sites, that Kentucky Derby souvenirs and memorabilia can become high end commodities.
Take for example, a quick search on eBay where I found an old Kentucky Derby lead horseshoe paperweight souvenir from May of 1914! The price – a mere $175.00. Below that listing was a 1950s collector’s hat sporting a nice silkscreening of the photo finish that Derby year – cost was a respectable $110.00.
Not to be outdone, the Kentucky Derby Museum and Gift Shop had a most interesting item for sale. It was a framed photo of last year’s Derby winner Orb and placed next to it, was an entry ticket to the 2013 Kentucky Derby – to be had for $80.00.
One of the more interesting items and the most expensive I found in my preliminary searches was a pair of 1948 mint julep glasses on the Etsy site for $400.00. My personal favorite and from the same Etsy site, was the official First Day Cover envelope saluting the sport of horse racing, dated and stamped in the city of Louisville on May 4, 1974 and autographed by Eddie Arcaro! Autograph was authenticated by certificate. To be had for $200.00.
George Edward Arcaro was born February 19, 1916. He died on November 14, 1997.
His fame as a jockey was because he won more American classic races than any other jockey in history. Arcaro won his first Kentucky Derby in 1938 aboard Lawrin. He is tied with Bill Hartack for most Derby wins with five, and has the most wins in the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes with six. He won the U.S. Triple Crown twice – once in 1941 on Whirlaway and again in 1948 on Citation. His other Kentucky Derby wins were Hoop Jr (1945) and Hill Gail (1952).
Now how about you trying your own search, or looking closely at local garage sales and thrift shops – who knows, you too may find a racing treasure.
If you want to bet on the 141st Kentucky Derby which takes place on Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 at the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky then check out our review of the top online racebooks for both American and Canadian bettors. Click here for all you need to know to bet on the Kentucky Derby online.
As we get closer to the 140th Kentucky Derby we will take a look at the latest Kentucky Derby betting odds. The 2014 Kentucky Derby will take place at Churchill Downs on Friday, May 2nd with the Kentucky Oaks, and Saturday, May 3rd, 2014 for the Kentucky Derby. When it comes to horse betting and Triple Crown horse racing there are a lot of factors to consider before placing your Kentucky Derby bets. This is why we start looking at Kentucky Derby online betting odds well in advance of the big race which is the first leg of the Triple Crown.
It is never too early to think about the run for the roses because the first Saturday in May will be upon us before you know it. As horses are running Kentucky Derby qualifying races, it is important for you to pay attention and see if you can scout out the next Kentucky Derby winner.
One of the hot spots for the horse racing world is quickly becoming Southern California. Last year. I’ll Have Another shocked the horse racing world by winning the derby at 19-1 odds. This year, you can have that same kind of pay off if you do your homework and bet on another Doug O’Neill horse named Goldencents. Goldencents is likely to be a long shot to win the Kentucky Derby but if the horse can make the field, it is sure to be a contender. Many people consider Shanghai Bobby to the front runner of the Kentucky Derby this year. Although this horse may be the favorite, the favorites rarely win the Derby and you can see these records at online racebooks for horse wagering. If you are looking for future odds or betting odds for the Kentucky Derby, you can quickly sign up for an account at Bovada.lv and begin betting on this year’s Kentucky Derby.
