Posted on 5/14/2008 5:11:59 PM

Betting on Horses Online - Emerald Isle

By Brian Mulligan

Sometimes horse bettors have to shake things up and go away from a routine and one way to do that is to get a fresh look at an entirely new venue and start betting on a different track.

The reality is that sometimes the day in and day out action at places like Belmont Park and Hollywood Park become stagnant. Maybe a certain bias is intact for weeks on end and it looks like each race is a parade or maybe a small group of riders or trainers are controlling everything.

Those searching for a super equine outlet will love the betting opportunities and the racing at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington.

Barely over a dozen years old, Emerald Downs offers players some outstanding situations that cagey horse bettors can take advantage of on a daily basis.

The oval is a flat mile; there are ‘rolling’ Pick Threes and Superfectas on every race with 8 or more entered and the takeout is 16.5% on straight bets and 22.1% on exotic shots.

Speed is dangerous at every track on every day throughout the country and the best horse bettors know that it can be very difficult to come from the clouds at Emerald.

If a runner doesn’t have at least tactical speed, that runner is usually behind the 8 ball turning from home.

The best players around also pay strict attention to the top pilots and who is giving them the hot mounts.

The boxing call heard round the world went something like ‘down goes Frazier’ when George Foreman decked the former champ but at Emerald the chant is ‘up goes Frazier’ as in Ricky, the rider who is attempting to defend his riding title this year.

As you would expect Frazier is in the top barns and his best asset is his ability to allow horses to settle just off the pace and still pounce.

One rider horse bettors can look to for value and quality is Joe Crispin. He won with 6 of his first 22 mounts of the meet and will be hard pressed to make the top 5 but when he gets hot, he sizzles.

A couple of seasons ago, he won 7 races on the same card at Portland.

They well all be chasing Tim McCanna for the training title but clever horse bettors can always look beyond the obvious and come up with some value conditioners.

McCanna does it with numbers as he’s won with 27% of his starters to kick off the meet and when he claims a runner or brings a runner back from a long layoff, sharp players take serious note.

Guys that horse bettors can look to for prices at Emerald include Nick Lowe and Rigoberto Velasquez.

Both are also super with runners returning off an extended layoff.

Another guy that also has to be followed is Mike Chambers. He came to the Northwest a bit late as he was trying to win the title at Turf Paradise but ultimately finished 2nd in the standings there just 5 off top guy Keith Bennett.

Go Northwest young man.

Horse racing with BetUS Racebook Online Racebook. We've got up to date lines and odds on 85+ racetracks. Join BetUS today to get in on the action.