Calder to offer pick five with 12 percent takeout

MIAMI - Continuing a horseplayer-friendly trend, Calder Race Course will have an industry-low takeout of 12 percent on its late pick five during the 2011 meet, which opens on April 25, the track has announced.

Gulfstream Park offered a 15-percent takeout on the pick five during its 2011 meeting, only to be trumped by Hollywood Park, which will have a 14-percent takeout on its pick five when its meet opens next week.

The new Calder pick five will have a 50-cent minimum wager, as does the pick four there. There will still be a 10-cent minimum bet on superfectas.

Calder’s pick five will carry over 75 percent of the pool should nobody select all five winners, with the remaining 25 percent paid back as a consolation to ticket-holders with the next largest number of correct selections.

Calder will have a new post time for its 40th anniversaty in 2011, with first post set at 12:30 p.m. daily. Calder also has converted its tote system to United Tote, which like Calder is a Churchill Downs Inc. company.

The 101-day Calder session continues through Sept. 30, with the 45-day Tropical session opening the next afternoon and running until Dec. 2.