Notes - July 18

- First, a 4% takeout on Pick Four's at Ellis Park. Now, 10% takeout across the board at Laurel! Egads, what's going on here? Are tracks finally starting to get it? Laurel's meet is only ten days long, and while the promotion won't help lure horses from higher-purse tracks such as Saratoga or the Presque Isle Downs meeting which will commence shortly afterwards, it's a venture which, like Ellis Park's, deserves support from horseplayers. And, as Michael points out, the fact that it's a Magna track is a big thing, and a hopeful sign of more such reductions at their other tracks.

The only problem is that many of us horseplayers are funny in that we prefer to be able to watch the races on which we bet. For those of us with no access to HRTV or not signed up to the correct ADW, we can't see either Ellis or Laurel. (Ellis switched from TVG after its purchase from Churchill Downs.) And I wonder if the low takeout actually serves as a disincentive for a third party ADW to push the bet as opposed to their own tracks with a higher take?

- Tiago may be much improved, but don't expect to see him in the Travers. Michael Veitch of the Saratogian writes that [John] Shirreffs does not like the detention barn situation at New York Racing Association tracks. Indeed, he told the Form after the Belmont: "The detention barn is not in the horse's best interest."

Curlin is hopefully headed for the Travers, via the Haskell. He worked out on Tuesday at Saratoga, and turned in a bullet five-furlong work in 1:00 1/5, the fastest of 11 works at the distance. [Bloodhorse]

- ESPN is "stuck" with the CCA Oaks this weekend despite the defection of Rags to Riches. Still, it's an hour of national TV exposure, so the mythical Commissioner of Racing would certainly be on the phone trying to round up as full and competitive a field as possible. If he/she existed of course.

- Circular Quay is listed as the 5-2 favorite in the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs despite it being his grass debut. As I've said before, opposing horses such as this can be the best bet in racing. This will certainly be a race worth looking into.