First Post: Thursday, October 20, 2016

Boys & girls! If you thought the races were 100pc crooked, would you wager on them? Or else you drive by a casino, and the sign says ‘Loaded Dice’, ‘Tight Slots’ etc. Do you go in and throw your shekels down? Probably not. But you know what’s worse than that? Complaining the stuff is rigged and then continuing to play anyway! That takes a certain kind of — fill-in-the-two-blanks — privilege! Hoo-boy.

Actually, the jai alai at Newport, R.I., and Tijuana and just about everywhere else was notoriously shady. The bookies are right: Never take part in a game in which all the participants are human beings. Unfortunately for your arena of political racing, it’s all human beings. Oh, well.

Free ones: Rundown…

Belmont 6, 9
Calder (a k a Gulfstream Park West) 2, 5, 6, 7
Santa Anita 2, 6

Pay-side (Weekend/Weekday): Today…

Golden Gate 3, 6, 7
Hawthorne 2, 6, 8, 9
Keeneland 1, 6, 8
Remington 4, 5, 6, 7, 9

Today’s Stakes Pageantry: Keeneland 8 on the pay-side.

Yesterday’s Activity:

Track (Win Mutuels $20+/Gettable)

Belmont (1/1) — The finale was ridiculously contentious, plenty of firsters, one of them being debutante Kim Royale, Fair Odds of 5-1 and possessing a slashline/connection-line readout of 25pc/12pc/17pc; she went gate-to-wire to win by 6¼ at $79-even. Good work.

Calder (0/0) — Zika testing urged for all pregnant women in Miami-Dade.

Chas. Town (1/0) — GOP legislative candidates decline NAACP invitation.

Delta (2/1) — The opener was contentious, and all eligible players — Old-School Champeens, High-Octane Chancers, Progressive-Minded Eggheads — had a bead on Awesome Dancing, Fair Odds of 5-1 and a field-best number on the LifeLiner Spread Column analysis; but he had to rally like mad before winning by 1¼ at $20.60. Good work.

Finger (0/0) — Victor roadwork takes a bit out of business.

Hawthorne (4/1) — Race 5 was contentious, and Dual Qualifier Nowthatsalady (83, 88) was acceptable by the High-Octane Chancers and Progressive-Minded Eggheads alike; Old-School Champeens had no truck with her. ’lady went gate-to-wire to win by 2 at $47.20. Good work.

Indiana (4/0) — Kokomo officials condemn ‘KKK’ graffiti on Dem. signs.

Keeneland (2/0) — 4th suspect charged in the death of Trinity Gay.

Meadowlands (2/0) — Baroni says Kelly took a lead role in Bridgegate.

Mountain (0/0) — Traffic-stops net 2 more drug arrests in Wheeling.

Northlands (1/0) — Edmonton Catholic Board votes ‘no’ to porn on TV.

PennNat (0/0) — Lancaster Co. sawmill fire reaches 3 alarms.

Remington (1/0) — Okla. Tpke. Authority to test all-electronic toll in Jenks.

Woodbine (0/0) — Host Blue Jays blanked by Cleveland, 3-nil, and eliminated from further postseason participation; Jose Bautista had 2 hits for Toronto, including the team’s only extra-base hit.

WMF Report:

Early
Finger 6f
PennNat 6f

Nocturnal Submission: Sifting through the wreckage…

Thank you. Best wishes. Goodbye. Troll safely.