Flurry of late wagers drove down odds on Firenze Fire in Dwyer Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Twenty-one large individual win bets totaling $124,109 were placed on Firenze Fire in the last 28 seconds of wagering, prompting his odds to plummet from 5-1 to 5-2 in Saturday’s Grade 3 Dwyer, a race he won.

According to information provided by the New York Racing Association, there was one individual wager of $24,055, another of $11,596, one of $8,500, and a dozen of $5,000 made in the last 28 seconds before post. Other wagers ranged from $547 to $4,355.

Though NYRA would not supply information on where the wagers were made, it is believed that all came in via computer.

Odds change in 30-second cycles up until three minutes to post, then the cycles are reduced to 20 seconds. So, there could be a 19-second lag before the current cycle is reflected in the odds displayed on the tote board/television.

Those watching the Dwyer on TV saw Firenze Fire at 5-1 for nearly the first quarter of the race, then he dropped to 5-2. Mendelssohn, the favorite, drifted up from even-money to 3-2.

NYRA confirmed that no wagers on Mendelssohn were canceled, and that all wagering on the race stopped before the gates opened.