I have heard it too many times to count:
"I wish there was more horses you covered in the workout report''.
I have heard it for 30 years.
What comes out of the mouth of babes is always so special, as the reality is, there is no way to catch every single horse, the clocking staff with mutliple people on their payroll can't do it, so how am I, a single individual, accomplish that feat.
I catch a lot of volume and of course with that comes the task of Identifying every single horse of a 200 plus workout tab on a single day.
The fact of the matter, the ignorance is deafening.
Hear me loud and clear, horses don't work one at a time, they all work literally at once on a large percentage. I had 20 horses between 5f and the 1/8 pole the other morning, 20 or more.
In addition had three in the gate ready to go waiting for daylight to spring the latch.
Here in California, workout reports are very popular, a player may have all of them.
For starters, I caution you if you are one of those individuals, two of them don't like a horse, one didn't have it and one loved it. There you go, now make up your mind.
It happened at this meet, we had a filly we loved as we had read her trainers intention and the talent level of the horse, none of the other guys liked it. They competely missed the details that made a her a standout.
Princess Daddy was also featured on XBTV
On August 16, I had a visitor pop up to the grandstand where I clock, he owned a horse in the 3rd race.
After chit chatting he asked me ''do you like my horse in the 3rd''.
I told him I liked Princess Daddy, the Palma in the 6th.
I know this guy I know who he talks to, in reference to clockers, so I knew nobody else liked my choice. The looks on his face told me no one else had even mentioned that horse to him.
This guy is a bettor as well.
His horse didn't win, and I gander that he disregarded what I said and went with his trusted sources. That's fine, that's the beauty of this game.
The unsuspecting work reports aficionados got burned, we had it at Racingwithbruno, but the ones with those other reports in hand were clueless, that's parimutuel betting at its finest.
Quantity doesn't supercede quality.
You can have works of bullshit, nonsense, jibber, to make it look full, but as far as substance it will be sorely lacking, but there is also another sinister plot.
I have been approached a number by individuals, over the years, who wanted premium info, info I didn't publish. There is no such thing.
I have flatly refused numerous times as I don't want to touch that with a ten foot pole.
I bet my own monies and my business is centered around players buying the product, that's how I make a living and I am proud of that. I DON'T HOLD BACK ANYTHING.
In an industry where everyone thinks you're lying you might as well tell the truth.
I have fired or let go contractors that worked for us whom wanted to withhold info for their own benefit, or attempted to.
It is hard to find honest people who are willing to lay it on the line with their opinion.
Mike Miakisz at Saratoga, I identify all his horses, and write the workout reports off his notes. I have to tell him who the horse was he liked. I write all the works for Del Mar, Kentucky, off my WiththeWorks videos from Churchill and Keeneland.
Yes, all of them. That's me.
I may have to outsource at some point but trust me I go over every comment sent in and If I need to adjust.
As far as having premium customers, I have been that road when a couple of bettors would call me for my opinion with the promises of wagering for me. It's great at first, 'I only like two horses' I would say, and they were content for the time being.
You given them a couple of winners from those handfuls and now they want more. Every race, EXA, TRI and pick 4 and pick 5s, they want to know it all, my phone rung every 90 seconds, then comes 'why do you have to them on the sheet?' and now I know they want to own me. Fuck them!
I am not going to ruin my reputation or integrity on my product, my blood and guts of my existence to give some arsehole power over me, annoy me every single minute, and even hit on my girl when I went to the restroom.
I don't need that, I live a quiet life as I have squashed any tendencies from anyone calling 10 times a day with 'what do you like'. Fuyck that!
Every major event Breeders Cup, Derby, it was the same cast of characters, ''who you like?".
One guy, which I had know a long time, hit a giant pick six, after a long discussion and consultation with me about the ticket, moved to Vegas, bought a gas station, he did tell me after his six figure score "next time I see you I'll buy you a drink!"
He called me recently for a Derby pick, I told him it was on the sheet, and his response was flabbergasting "I don't spend monies like that, I don't buy sheets.'' Yes, the same guy whom I had given a new lease on life to. A hit that defined his moving to Vegas, buying a house, and a gas station.
It was the most disrespectful thing anyone ever said to me, as my hard work meant absolutely nothing. Fuck that guy.
I never spoke to him again, by my choice, 'lose my number' was my response as he was justifying himself for his callousness.
You see, I saw that with my dad, he worked his fingers to the bone, he believed people at face value, and he got forked over numerous times. Yet, he wanted to believe in humanity.
He passed away, on this date, Labor Day 2006.
I made a promise to myself, that no one and no one would ever use, abuse our good intentions.
My father Angelo had always good intentions. He was a saint.
I swore to him, his son wouldn't deal with such people.
One guy got me, from NY, we discussed a pick six, and he told he would put ticket in, the same guy who hit on my girlfriend at dinner, earlier.
The ticket hit for $275K.
He wouldn't answer his phone, didn't return the call for four days, and then when I did speak to him when he wanted know some info, he stuttered and tripped over his own tongue, saying he didn't put it in.
That's it! Done, I gave him nothing.
So, I learned my lesson and for those who want to play that game, be careful what you wish for as you are giving your life and serenity away.
Workout Reports are not about quantity they are all about quality, the quality of the information is paramount.
That's what you should be looking for.
