Mainstream Media, in racing, wants you to bet, just like the NFL wants to sell you food.
Matthew McConaughey should get an Oscar for this:
These racing shows want you to wager, their whole idea of picks and tickets are to sell you on wagering on their platform. They are promoting the backbone of the game, and that is the mutuel handle.
''Feed me more''
No handle, no purses, no purses, no racing, no racing, no breeding. It's the circle of life.
Wagering is the pride rock of the industry.
Horseplayers get a lot of messages, bells and whistles directed at them, and at times, even for me, it can be overwhelming.
"Pancake blocks, turnovers....''
We have to navigate the amount of information shoved in our faces, with bells, and whistles.
Handicapping for me is about picking the winners and building it forward from there.
"Winner, winner chicken dinner"
For some handicappers its value, if a horse looks good at 20-1, to them, that's the play, they would rather go down swinging at 20-1 then like a horse at 9/2 whom has a much better chance.
I have to make a case for the horse, not like a horse because of the odds and then make a case for it.
Making a case for the horse means actually doing the work, the investigation into why this horse fits in this race, is the best part of the process.
Most handicappers refer to stats, for example, a first time starter, for most, needs to be accompanied by a favorable stat for the trainer, to move forward in a cappers mind.
The look on Christian McCafferty's face when told the NFL is trying to sell you food by Matthew McConaughey is the same look I get from some when I like a horse that is trained by someone without the accompaniment of stats to back up claim, but that's how some operate and function.
As an handicapper you are being tossed picks, stats, and as always the most overused question in racing "Who's going to get the lead''.
There is an obsession with who's going to get the lead, who is the controlling speed, and that is, most of all, in the eye of the beholder.
For example, The Breeders Cup at Del Mar speed was not the dynamic style you wanted per say. Speed, race after race, being run down, despite an elder capper prognastication of a 'golden rail'.
Off the top of my head, only two actually went wire to wire, correct me if i am wrong, but after each main track race, the words uttered by Joe Tout, was 'who is going to get the lead'?
Just like 'Refrigerator Perry wasn't his real name', 'Joe Tout' can describe about anyone on TV trying to 'sell you food' [making a wager]
I muted the telecast a number of times when the conversation went silly or off the rails, for example, after number of main track races, and speed fading in almost each and every one, "I think the track has been playing fair'', said one TV host. What races was he looking at? Muted.
I believe just like on the NFL pigskin prognastication shows, I am conviced that most of those prognasticators are not watching the games, as some of the 'Joe Touts' are casually watching and retaining little of whats in front of their own very eyes.
This game is in the eye of the beholder, we see things on a vastly different scale, where the most spoken words publicly after a race are 'impressive', we have the power to disagree.
We as handicappers and equine prognasticators we must learn to call bullshit.
I have a number of times have thrown the bullshit comment when the situationm arises, I disagreed when the mute button was off, but I have yet to blurt out 'Bullshit' or disagree with the mute button on, and its oodles better for my own blood pressure.
I like a well thought analysis without having to deal with feeling like I am being sold food or to make a wager.
The bottom line is to dangle the bait, or throw chum in the water to attract a wager, or making you think about food. The power of suggestion is powerful, like Jerry's eating Rice.