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...

Western Hanover versus Artsplace versus Cam Fella

There are 3 dominant top lines in Standardbred pacing plus a solid range of prominent outcross line:

Dominant Lines:

Western Hanover
Artsplace
Cam Fella

Outcross lines:

Abercrombie
/ Dontgetinmyway
/ Life Sign - Real Desire - Tell All

Matts Scooter
/ Mach Three - Somebeachsomewhere
/ Royal Mattjesty

Tyler B
/ Dragons Lair - Dragon Again

French Chef
/ Beach Towel - Jennas beach Boy - Quik Pulse Mindale

Bret Hanover
/ Warm Breeze - Falcon Seelster - McArdle

No Nukes
/ Jate Lobell - Electric Yankee

Big Towner
/ Apaches Circle - Apaches Fame

Regarding these above, the true value and longevity of the Mach Three - Somebeachsomewhere line will not be estimable until Beach has a couple of years of offspring on the tracks. It will likely become at least the premier outcross line, and more probable would be the line's elevation to the top tier.

Let's examine the dominant pacing lines, those being Western Hanover, Artsplace and Cam Fella.

All 3 of the dominant pacing stallions descend from Hal Dale, as follows:

Hal Dale - Dale Frost - Meadow Skipper - Most Happy Fella - Oil Burner - No Nukes - Western Hanover

Hal Dale - Adios - Henry T Adios - Silent Majority - Abercrombie - Artsplace

Hal Dale - Dale Frost - Meadow Skipper - Most Happy Fella - Cam Fella

Here are each of the 3 dominant pacing sire lines with prominent sons and grandsons featured:

Western Hanover sons / grandsons:

Western Ideal
/ Rocknroll Hanover
/ Allamerican Ideal
/ Amrbro Deuce


The Panderosa
/ Panspacificflight
/ Ponder
/ Shadow Play

If I Can Dream

Well Said

Badlands Hanover

Western Terror

Allamerican Ingot

Jeremes Jet

Western Maverick



Artsplace sons / grandsons:

Art Major
/ Art Official

Modern Art

Real Artist

Artiscape
/ Yankee Cruiser

Astreos

Grinfromeartoear
/ Mister Big



Cam Fella sons / grandsons:

Cams Card Shark
/ Bettors Delight
/ Four Starzz Shark
/ Shark Gesture (gelding, but what a racehorse!)
/ Whitefish Falls

Camluck

Cambest
/ Blissful Hall
/ Lis Mara

Pacific Fella
/ No Pan Intended

Presidential Ball
/ Allamerican Native

E Dees Cam


All 3 of the dominant pacing lines continue to show strength, which means that if Somebeachsomewhere and his sons are to crack the Breeders Crown stallion rankings with significant prowess, they may possibly turn the Standardbred pacer breeding world upside down. Look for sons of Beach out of mares by Western Hanover, Artsplace and Cam Fella sons to dominate the track and the shed.

Peace 2 All,

Joe Trainor