Stevens back in the saddle
Canterbury Hall of Fame jockey Scott Stevens, who broke his right wrist in a freak accident Aug. 9 following the Minnesota Derby, returns to riding Saturday at Turf Paradise. He has five mounts including one for Canterbury’s leading trainer Robertino Diodoro.
Portland Meadows Showvivor Contest begins Sunday
Many handicappers are not familiar with Portland Meadows. It simply is not on the radar. Longtime handicapper The Swami would be quick to point out that a 10 to 1 at Portland Meadows pays the same as a 10 to 1 at Del Mar. The racetrack, located in Portland, Oregon, opened in 1946. Jockey Gary Stevens was leading rider there in 1981-1982. There is some history and the racing, while not as glitzy as other venues, is very handicappable.
Opening day of the meet was last Sunday. This Sunday is the first day of the online free-to-enter $4,500 Showvivor handicapping contest.
The track races two days per week, Sundays and Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. The gist of the contest is to select one horse each race day that finishes in the top three. Those that do so move on to the next day. Those that do not are eliminated from play.
Canterbury handicapper Bruce ‘The Oracle’ Meyer captured the Showvivor title at Portland in 2012 .
Evidently he nearly broke the bank or at least some poor marketing director’s budget by doing so as at that time there was additional bonus money paid to anyone being the sole survivor through the entire meet. The Oracle ran the table, outlasting one foe on closing day. He was paid $10,000. That bonus vanished the following season! Read more about how he did it here.
“This is a great contest and a true Showvivor test,” said The Oracle, who also won a Santa Anita Showvivor contest before the rules of that event changed from sudden death to a variation too involved to describe here. “It’s just two days a week and when you miss you move along with the rest of your life. I got knocked out early last year but then played the Pick 5.”
Portland Meadows offers a 20 cent Pick Five wager with a low 15 percent takeout and a 100 percent carryover if there are no winning tickets. Last Sunday there were a few prices in the sequence and it returned $1,000 for 20 cents. On Wednesday there were no winners so Sunday the carryover is $3,855.
Showvivor. Give it a try and bet the Pick 5 at Canterbury Park.
Countdown to the Cup Contest: This Saturday Belmont Park. Entry deadline is 11:20a.m.
The free-to-enter Countdown to the Cup contest continues and the top prize of $1,000 is still up for grabs. Overall results have been chalky so there is no great separation amongst the contestants. Each week offers prize money so even if you have not taken part yet you can play Saturday and win a betting bankroll.
Last Saturday there was a lone long shot in race 8 at Keeneland when #9 You Bought Her won at 38 to 1 odds. Those that selected the filly received 976 contest points, quite a few when you consider winning scores the first three weeks of the contest were between 800 and 1,300 total. The winners, and several others, used the bomber that was only 12 to 1 on the morning line but ignored by the wagering public.
Good luck this week.
Get prepped for the BC
Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup take place Monday, Oct. 20 which means the Daily Racing Form Breeders’ Cup Advance past performances edition should hit newsstands Oct. 24. Keep an eye here and on Twitter for updates. Santa Anita hosts the Breeders’ Cup this year on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
Perfect Picks
The weekly pro football Perfect Picks contest will have a $1,000 prize pool Sunday as eight entrants aced last week’s slate and chopped the $3,000 pool. Entry deadline is noon and there is no charge to participate. You do however need to show minimum play on you MVP Rewards card to receive maximum payout should you win. Just bet $20 or more on horses, or play 20 minutes of table games or poker before 3:00 p.m.
Thumbs up to the Nacho Grande!
Sunday Food & Beverage Specials
Sundays 11 AM – 3 PM
Chili Cheese Dogs – $2.50
Nacho Grande – $2.50
16oz Domestic Tap – $3.00
16oz Premium Tap – $3.50
