… the number of people betting on sports and the volume of wagering across the United States quickly surpassed horse racing’s totals and continues to grow.

Paulick Report – The Friday Show Presented By Icon Global: Merging Sports Betting With Horse Racing

How will horse racing attract new customers when a new customer looks at sports betting and sees a fairly level wagering field with fixed odds with a small vig (takeout) and then looks at horse racing where the tracks themselves provide better information and easier ways to bet for a preferred class of customers, the  CAWs, the takeout is usurious and the CAWS get a rebate that’s pretty close to the vig in sports betting.

To quote Craig Bernick – Good luck.

There is always room for losers in the football business. They are the mother’s milk of gambling, and why not? Somebody has to do it, or there won’t be any winners.

Hunter S. Thompson

Phil has a question:

When will Alberta have sports betting terminals in every lounge that has VLTs.

When will the sports betting terminals in every lounge that has VLTs have horse racing available.

What does the Undertaker do besides gaze out his window.

Phil’s not archaic. Phil understands that most people in Alberta sports bars bet on their phone, tablet or laptop on a grey area site that pays nary a nickel of taxes to the province of Alberta.

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ESPN – McMahon – Spurs’ Gregg Popovich calls for gun control in U.S., criticizes lawmakers

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This Week’s Race on the Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby 149

Apr 15, 2023

Keeneland

Lexington 20-8-6-4-2

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Opening Day/Kentucky Derby Party Experience

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Phil’s Drink ‘n  Flick

Greek Salad

Zorba the Greek

I Came To Dance

And wit only sounds like wit when there’s someone around to appreciate it.

Philip Kerr

Polygon – Allen – Why are movies so dark these days?

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Phil’s reprising these articles.

According to Cummings’s research, in the past two decades, adjusting for inflation, total betting on US horseracing from the general public decreased 63 per cent. Betting from CAWs, meanwhile, increased 150 per cent. Cummings called Gulfstream Park, the track I went to with McKeever, “ground zero” for the computer groups. “Horseracing is not in a position to reject customers. Yet we have accepted and embraced these whales, with little to no consideration of the damage that they do if left unchecked,” Cummings told me. “It’s not a good thing to be losing Joe Q Horseplayer, and we’ve lost a lot of them.”

McKeever, for his part, sees himself on Joe Q Horseplayer’s side. His team of 13 full-time employees and contractors at EquinEdge wanted to do its own CAW wagering. But McKeever refused. “I am for the small guy, that’s what I’m pushing for,” he told me. “I give them every bit of information that I have, everything we develop, all of our technology. Everything I do is for the little guy. The big guy thinks he knows it already. It’s the little guy I want to take care of.”

Financial Times – Roeder – I used AI to bet on horse-racing. Here’s what happened

Phil has a question:

Are McKeever and the rest of the CAWs willing to give their rebates to the little guys.

How will horse racing attract new customers when a new customer looks at sports betting and sees a fairly level wagering field with fixed odds with a small vig (takeout) and then looks at horse racing where the tracks themselves provide better information and easier ways to bet for a preferred class of customers, the  CAWs, the takeout is usurious and the CAWS get a rebate that’s pretty close to the vig in sports betting.

Paulick Report – The Friday Show Presented By Icon Global: Merging Sports Betting With Horse Racing

To quote Craig Bernick – Good luck.

There is always room for losers in the football business. They are the mother’s milk of gambling, and why not? Somebody has to do it, or there won’t be any winners.

Hunter S. Thompson

Horse Racing Insider – Pricci – GIVEN REBATES AND COMPUTER-ASSISTED ARBITRAGEURS, PARIMUTUEL WAGERING IS A BAD BET

No business can change what it does not measure. Racing’s public measurement of support, via wagering, hides serious issues.

TDN – Letter To The Editor: Craig Bernick

That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach.

Aldous Huxley,

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Bloodhorse – America’s Best Racing – Pedulla – ABR Interview: Loveberry Talks Two Phil’s, Derby Dreams

Bloodhorse – McCeoskey – Sagans’ Two Phil’s Restores Faith in the ‘Little Guys’

Two Phil’s ($150,000 KEESEP) has appeal as a 4-for-8 blue-collar closer/stalker whose strengths are versatility and adaptability. He’s won sprinting and routing over fast dirt, the Churchill Downs slop, and now the Tapeta surface at Turfway, where he uncorked an eye-opening 101 Beyer Speed Figure. His racing resume includes wins well off the traditional Derby path at tracks like Colonial and Canterbury, and he’ll train up to the first Saturday in May at Hawthorne for connections (jockey Jareth Loveberry, trainer Larry Rivelli, and co-owners Patricia’s Hope LLC and Phillip Sagan) who have no Derby experience among them.

TDN – Thornton – The Week In Review: Opposites Attracting Attention

Paulick Report – ‘I Hope It Rains On Derby Day’: Rivelli Plans To Train Two Phil’s At Hawthorne Before Shipping To Churchill

Kentucky Rain

DRF – Russo – Two Phil’s will train at Hawthorne before heading to Churchill Downs for Kentucky Derby

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Horse Racing Nation – Report: Turf Paradise is on verge of sale; racing is uncertain

Polygon – Carpenter – Why teens are suddenly obsessed with chess

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Pagones – ‘I’m a lot older now than when I started!’ – interview with record-breaking trainer Kathleen O’Connell, still going strong after 2,386 wins

Paulick Report – Road To The Kentucky Derby: Who’s On The Bubble?

Bloodhorse – Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen Incentive Program Back in 2023

Bloodhorse – Byron King – Santa Anita Purses Reduced From Classic to Spring Meet

TDN – Thornton – KHRC Rules Committee Recommends Tweaks to Partnership Requirements

DRF – Hegarty – McGee to begin new chapter as agent for jockey Joe Talamo

TDN – Bill Finley – McGee Leaves DRF to Become Jockey Agent

Paulick Report – Turf Champion Modern Games Returns To Keeneland For Friday’s Maker’s Mark Mile

Paulick Report – After Putting Woodbine On Path To Sustainable Future, Lawson To Step Down As CEO This Fall

The Ringer – Thompson – Americans Die Younger Than Those in Any Other Rich Country. Why?

Los Angeles Times – Annis – A rock star’s legacy lives on in Joshua Tree 50 years after his shocking funeral pyre

Ooh Las Vegas

Sports Business Journal – Saudi Minister of Sport addresses ‘sportswashing’ questions on ’60 Minutes’

Phil has a question:

When will the Saudis start women’s LIV golf.

Bloodhorse – Ehalt – Albaugh Family Has Bases Covered on Derby Leaderboard

National Post – Frank Stronach: Fixing capitalism by mandating profit sharing

Front Office Sports – Poindexter – Predators Sale Closing at Near-Record $880M

Paulick Report – Voss – Multiple Graded Stakes-Winning Quarter Horse Trainer Suspended 30 Days After Contraband Found In Kentucky

Garden and Gun – Rick Bragg’s Whiskey Blues

The Bitter Southerner – Adno – The Orchid Maker

Paulick Report – Pletcher Trio Emerge From Wood Memorial Efforts In Good Order, Gazelle Runner-Up Gambling Girl Moves Up On Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard

Paulick Report – Maryland Legislature Passes Bill To Create Racetrack Operating Authority

TSN – Valji – Flames eliminated from playoff contention after shootout loss to Predators

SportsNet – Francis – ‘What if?’: Flames dealt fatal blow with latest one-goal loss

The Ringer – Davenport – ‘Succession’ Season 4 Power Rankings: A Day for the Memoirs

Bloodhorse – McCroskey – Japan’s Derma Sotogake, Continuar Settle Into Churchill

Bloodhorse – Amestoys Look Forward to Derby With Practical Move

TDN – Betfred Named as Derby Sponsor

1970 Epsom Derby

Bloodhorse – Agent: Success May Cause Dettori to Delay Retirement

With A Little Help From My Friends

The End’ eventually became the encore at all of our big concerts. We would play ‘Light My Fire,’ and there would be this incredible Summer Of Love ’60s thing, and then we’d come out and bludgeon them with ‘The End.’

John Densmore

The Weight

TDN – Bill Finley – Trainer Faucheux Wins Fair Grounds Title and Walks Away

Paulick Report – Tired Of ‘Just Breaking Even’: Trainer Ron Faucheux Wins Fair Grounds Title Before Launching Jockey Agent Career

Bloodhorse -Gash – Lord Miles Gives Derby Dreams, Good for the Soul

DRF – Grening – Lord Miles, Hit Show headed home to prep for Kentucky Derby

Paulick Report – ‘Maybe She Shocks The World In Four Weeks’: Gazelle Victress Promiseher America Stamps Ticket To Kentucky Oaks

1972 Epsom Derby

The Weight

Sports Business Journal – Blue Jays unveil Outfield District renovations at Rogers Centre

Bloodhorse – Ehalt – New Format Puts Derby Hopefuls with 40 Points in Limbo

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Godfrey – ‘We’re going to the Kentucky Derby!’ – but Mandarin Hero not guaranteed a run for Japan

Paulick Report – On To Kentucky Derby For Santa Anita Derby Winner Practical Move; Connections Of Runner-Up Mandarin Hero Still Derby Dreaming, Cancel Flight Back To Japan

DRF – Free – Practical Move pairs 100 Beyers; Skinner, Mandarin Hero need defections for Derby berths

A Little Help From My Friends

Paulick Report – Derby-Bound Blue Grass Winner Tapit Trice To Ship To Churchill Next Sunday, Valiant Runner-Up Verifying Heads To Louisville Monday

Paulick Report – ‘I’ve Learned Just To Get There Is Good’: Joseph Takes Aim On Kentucky Derby For Third Time With Wood Memorial Upsetter Lord Miles

With a Little Help From My Friends

Paulick Report – Game Wood Memorial Runner-Up Hit Show To Leave For Churchill Downs Monday To Prepare For Derby

The Weight

Bloodhorse – Rollins – Tapit Trice Looks to Give Sire First Derby Winner

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Godfrey – Kentucky Derby no-go: Japan’s UAE Derby runner-up Dura Erede stays home – and Brave Emperor unlikely

Paulick Report – Kentucky Derby Notes: Travel, Workout Schedules Coming Together

Bon Appetit – Sommelier Tests 10 Wine Gadgets

With A Little Help From My Friends

FiveThirtyEight – Skelley – A Sex Scandal Tanked A Presidential Front-Runner In The 1980s. Why Not Today?

Somewhere Down The Crazy River

Sports Illustrated – McDaniel – Angel Reese Confirms She’ll Make White House Trip With LSU

Holiday in Cambodia

The Ringer – Schuster – The Winners and Losers of the 2023 Masters

FiveThirtyEight – Zatzman – It’s Rough Out There In Dallas. But It’s Not Kyrie Irving’s Fault.

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Phil M Stockmen