Derick Giwner

In case you have been in a remote part of the world, trainer Lou Pena was hit with 1,719 violations by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board on Thursday, May 24.

Harness racing has seen some very good 3-year-old pacers over the last decade. Somebeachsomewhere stands out as possibly the greatest of a group that includes Rocknroll Heaven, Rock N Roll Hanover, and others. While there have been some standout performers, you would be hard-pressed to find more than one or two other top quality sophomore pacers during the years that the previously mentioned horses competed. Often enough one or two horses shine while the others simply play catch-up and hope to get an upset victory somewhere on the Grand Circuit tour.

One of the key handicapping angles that Standardbred bettors love is the “driver change” angle. However, I find that the basic principles behind the angle are often misused and players jump at changes that are irrelevant and miss out on opportunities that require maximum monetary output. Drivers often have difficult choices and it can be nerve-racking to be stuck between two horses while forced to choose.

Branch Rickey’s statement that “luck is the residue of design” is certainly true. If you prepare and develop a strong strategy, you are more likely to succeed. However, regardless of your skill and preparation, chance always has the final word in your final results.

As much as I believe that harness racing should be the dominant equine sport, even I have to yield when it comes to the Kentucky Derby. I’d like to say it is Graduate elimination night, but that just doesn’t have the same ring to it. A bunch of press releases hit my inbox yesterday and rather than just post stories that have at least as much fluff as practical content, I figured let’s cover it here with a bit of commentary. But before I get started one other item jumped off the page at me.