(This is the time of year when the horse racing season for the Ivory Pine Syndicate is winding down, but the soccer season for the Rosevelt Soccer Club is gearing up. Here's a 90-day glimpse of the day in the life of a horse racing managing partner and soccer club administrator.)
Awoke, 5:56a
Worked at Westbrook High School, 7:30a-2:30p
Watched Crimson Pine's race, 3:30p-4p
Since we bought our first pacer Sixby Hanover in April 2022, probably the two biggest things we've learned as owners is the important role class and post position play in a likely outcome in a race on a week-to-week basis.
At Plainridge Park in Plainville, Massachusetts, the first three rungs on the class ladder are maiden races (i.e., non-winners), NW1 races (i.e., non-winners of more than one race), and NW2 races (i.e., non-winners of more than two races). Crimson Pine cleared the first rung of that proverbial ladder when he broke his maiden in a $10,000 race on September 30. But instead of being placed on the next rung of the class ladder where'd he'd be racing against non-winners of more than 1 race, racing officials are counting a $200 win in a "Learn-and-Earn" race in Maine back in June 2023. It seems unfair and counterproductive, considering the intent of the "Learn-and-Earn" races is to give owners of 2-year-old pacers and trotters the opportunity to give their horses' racing experience in low-stakes races.
Besides being placed in a higher class than we think we should be placed in, the other obstacle we've encountered this year is consistently tough post positions. As the graphic above shows, there's a strong bias at the track against outside positions 6-8, and Crimson Pine has drawn one of those outside posts in 11 of his 14 starts so far this year.
All of this is a long-winded way of saying Crimson Pine struggled in his race again today, in large part because of the tough level of competition and tough post position.
Listened to Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, 5p-6p
This podcast consistently has the most interesting topics, and today's podcasts was about the changing economics and organizational structures of college sports, especially college football.
Watched Barbados vs. Bahamas CONCACAF Nations League game, 8p-8:30p
CONCACAF after dark.
Asleep, 9:46p
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