Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Proponents of pari-mutuel racing in Marion County might take heart based on the results of wagering on the first two races at the OBS Championships yesterday at the OBS Training Center. Granted, two races is not an objective sample with which to make a sound judgement, especially when one was a quarter horse race with just five entrants, but it has to be put in perspective.
The quarter horse race generated a win-place-show handle of $3,629, with another $1,744 in the exacta pool, and $1,818 in the daily double. The second race, the $50,000 OBS Sprint Stakes for colts and geldings, which drew a field of 13, generated $10,469 across the board and $5,892 in exacta wagers. That's a total of $23,552 for the two races, compared with $21,212 last year and less than $16,000 in 2014.
Using a little logic, one might expect that based on the betting on the second race, a full card of, say, nine races could generate an average handle of $18,000 to $20,000 a race and $150,000 to $200,000 a day. Of course, that depends on how many racing days a week the area could handle without customers losing interest.
Tampa Bay Downs, during the week, only generates $200,000 to $300,000 a day on-track, mainly because the per capita in the Bay area has always been unusually low. A per capita of $60 or $70 for 2,000 people adds up to less than $150,000. But the wonderfully appealing nature of the Tampa program, keyed by its superb turf course, makes it a welcome target for out-of-state bettors and the track regularly hits $4 million days.
The difference is that the Bay area people who can make it to the track in mid-week are retirees or the like, whereas OBS draws horse owners, breeders, farm workers and even the media, who are much more likely to send it in than their Tampa counterparts. The place was crawling with them yesterday.
THE RACES:
First - $10,000 quarter horse race. Won by Cootinks Flying Ace, who pays $4.80 as the 7/5 favorite. 440 yards in 22.029 - track record 21.860.
Second - $50,000 OBS Sprint Stakes for colts and geldings. Won by Danbury, a son of Ocala Stud's two-time leading sire Kantharos. Eddie Castro rides and the win payoff is $46. Drama Club, a son of Big Drama, finishes third. The 4/5 favorite, Pinstripe, with Eclipse Award-winner Javier Castellano,. gets in all kinds of early trouble and closes to be fifth. 6f - 1:10.40.
Third - $50,000 OBS Sprint Championship for fillies. Won by Social Butterfly, with Scott Spieth. One-half length behind is another Kantharos - Kandoo, who picks up $20,000 for second under Eclipse Award-winning apprentice Tyler Gaffalione. 6f-1:10.80.
Fourth - $100,000 OBS championship for fillies. Won by Vieja Luna, a Street Hero filly who goes wire-to-wire under Emisael Jaramillo and scores by 2 1/2. The $60,000 check brings her total to $122,098. 1 1/16 miles - 1:45.
Fifth - $100,000 OBS Championship for colts and geldings. Won by Whatawonderflworld, a Mark Casse-trained gelding by New York-bred Tiz Wonderful who outgames Two Step Time to the wire by one length in a driving finish under Jose Lezcano. The runner-up is by red-hot Two Step Salsa who collects $20,000 for owner Manny Andrade of Get Away Farm, where the stallion stands.
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