Quote:
Originally Posted by ultracapper
The tracks are no longer souped up to the degree they used to be. Bottom level claimer running 1:08 and change or 14 and change isn't nearly as common as it was 10 years ago. I think they came to the conclusion that crazy times weren't as appealing to the fans as they thought they were, Frankly, they weren't attractive to the casual fan that didn't appreciate them anyway. Anyway, a fairer track will always be preferred by handicappers.
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This is a not-minor point. I don't know that they SHOULD be souped up, but regardless of that, you used to see a lot more wire-to-wire juiced-up types than today. Maybe it's good that there's less of that; but the game hasn't gotten easier to beat because of the way the betting landscape has changed.
But if you watch the average card of claimers 20 years ago and then today, there are a lot more slow-paced races, every jockey trying to be patient and wait. If you handicap these races like you did 20 years ago, you're going to get destroyed. It's a tendency I have to fight and actually keeps me from ever seriously wagering again. If my brain doesn't get me, the CAWs will.
