Gambling versus entertainment, drawing the line

The past few months featured some job uncertainty for me, and I left one place of employment to begin a new opportunity at another. During the stress of this transition, I theorized (am really good at self-delusion...) that turning handicapping into a part-time job could be a benefit to myself and my family. Well, after a couple months of researching and trying different things, I have come to the conclusion that I may be too emotional to do this properly. Somebody needs to be a machine to play a system, because a good one will always be counter-intuitive, and I'm likely not that guy.

I will keep studying standardbred breeding and racing with a passion, however I am taking some time off from actually betting on the races. Before my kids were born I went several times a month, and then after that usually only a few times per year. As my kids got older over the past decade, I started going to the track with my dad more often, and all of that will continue, love going to the races with family.

The thing that has changed is the web. Before, you either had to go to the track or to a Champions, whereas with the Internet, you can play every day from home, and that can be a time and money gobbler.

Gotta take a break...

Trotting Sire Lines: Valley Victory vs Garland Lobell vs Super Bowl

There are 2 dominant top lines in Standardbred trotting plus a 3rd prominent legacy line and a wide range of successful outcross lines:

Dominant Lines:

Valley Victory - Muscles Yankee

Garland Lobell

Prominent Legacy Line:

Super Bowl



Outcross lines:

Stars Pride

/ Hickory Pride - Yankee Bambino - Photo Maker - SJS Photo: Classic Photo, SJS Caviar, Pegasus Spur

/ Nevele Pride - Madison Avenue - Meadow Road - Primrose Lane - Kadabra


Speedy Crown

/ Sir Taurus - Taurus Dream
/ Speedy Somolli - Mr Lavec - Master Lavec


Arnie Almahurst

/ Arndon - Pine Chip: Dream Vacation, Chip Chip Hooray


Noble Victory

/ Noble Gesture - Balanced Image: Amigo Hall, Duke of York

The most dominant trotting line (Valley Victory) descends from Speedster and the other two major lines (Garland Lobell, Stars Pride - Super Bowl) come from Volomite:

Speedster - Speedy Scot - Speedy Crown - Baltic Speed - Valley Victory - Muscles Yankee

Volomite - Victory Song - Noble Victory - ABC Freight - Garland Lobell

Volomite - Worthy Boy - Stars Pride - Super Bowl


All of these trotting lines descend from Hambletonian son Happy Medium:

Hambletonian - Happy Medium - Pilot Medium - Peter The Great - Peter Volo - Volomite

Hambletonian - Happy Medium - Pilot Medium - Peter The Great - Peter Scott - Scotland - Spencer Scott - Rodney - Speedster



Here are the major trotting sire lines with prominent sons and grandsons featured:

Valley Victory sons / grandsons:

Yankee Glide
/ Glidemaster
/ Ken Warkentin
/ CR Excalibur

Muscles Yankee
/ Tom Ridge
/ Muscle Hill
/ Mutineer
/ Deweycheatumnhowe

Victory Dream
/ Self Possessed - Cash Hall
// Cantab Hall - Explosive Matter

Donerail
/ Jailhouse Jesse

Valley Victor

Lindy Lane
/ Oaklea Julian

Berndt Hanover


Garland Lobell sons / grandsons:

Conway Hall
/ Windsongs Legacy

Andover Hall
/ Donato Hanover

Angus Hall
/ Cincinnati Kid

ABC Garland



Super Bowl sons / grandsons:

American Winner
/ Credit Winner: Chocolatier, Here Comes Herbie, Crazed

Supergill
/ Striking Sahbra
/ Malabar Man
/ Keep It A Secret

Royal Troubador
/ CR Commando


This post will be updated in coming weeks and months, with emerging sires being added regularly!

2010 Top Trotting Stallions - Muscles Yankee versus The World!

With Muscle Hill continuing his freak of nature athletic prowess and competitiveness, the dominant sire line in standardbred trotting has a legendary racer heading to the shed. If you own a well bred trotting mare, here are some top standardbred trotting stallions to consider breeding to (if this list exceeds your budget, look for sons of the names on this list):

Valley Victory / Muscles Yankee Line

Muscles Yankee

Muscle Hill

Yankee Glide

Cantab Hall

Self Possessed

Valley Victor

Glidemaster by Yankee Glide

Like A Prayer

Tom Ridge

Jailhouse Jesse

Ken Warkentin



Garland Lobell Line Stallions

Angus Hall

Conway Hall

Broadway Hall

Andover Hall

Donato Hanover



Superbowl / Supergill line Trotting Sires

Credit Winner

Striking Sahbra

Malabar Man

Chocolatier (by Credit Winner)



Outcross Trotting Sire Lines

Kadabra (Primrose Lane)

SJS Caviar (SJS Photo)

Dream Vacation (Pine Chip)