Handicapper’s Double Header This Anniversary Weekend at Arlington Park

 AHC Handicapping Contest Saturday, Visiting Expert Sunday, with Handicapping Seminars

This weekend marks the 20^th anniversary of the opening of the "second" Arlington Park, hailed as The Most Beautiful Racetrack in the World."  The original Arlington Park was destroyed by fire on July 31, 1985.  By 1989 the present facility was built and opened on June 28.

As part of the celebration, Arlington Park has scheduled two popular functions for handicappers.  On Saturday Arlington will offer the fourth in the summer, 2009, series of handicapping contests known as The Arlington Handicapping Challenge (AHC) series.  On Sunday Arlington will present the second installment of the re-born Visiting Expert Series, a popular guest-expert series that originated in the "old" Arlington in 1983 but went away with the devastating fire.

Both events will be preceded by a handicapping seminar beginning at approximately 11:45 AM and hosted by this correspondent.  With the admission gates opening at 11:15 AM, fans should be able to assemble in the Starting Gate Theater on the second floor in plenty of time to register for the afternoon's drawings and stake out a seat at a table for the afternoon's activities.

The AHC offers weekly prizes as well as the ultimate opportunity to win trips to Las Vegas to play in The Coast Casinos World Series Handicapping Tournament to be held next February.  Every week the top three finishers win Twin Spires Club points (from 250,000 down to 100,000).  They also win the right to play in the AHC finals on September 26 where the top five finishers will win, among other prizes, trips to Las Vegas to play in the World Series.  Did I mention that the top prize in the World Series is estimated to be $300,000? 

But contest players who do not finish 1-2-3 in an AHC qualifier, like the one this Saturday, have a second chance.  If one's cumulative total over the course of the summer series is in the top 125, after subtracting out the weekly winners, one also earns the right to play in the finals. 

Here's the best part.  Each AHC qualifier is free to enter.  One puts up a starting "stake" of $100 which establishes his contest account for the day, and simply makes contest wagers using the account card issued to him/her.  All monies in the account remain the property of the fan.  You can't lose, but you can't win unless you get in.  To sum it up, if you are in position to wager at least $100 on Saturday afternoon, you should play in this contest.

For complete contest information including dates, rules, prizes, and more, click here.

Sunday's guest in the Visiting Expert Series is an old friend of mine, Bill Finley.  Bill has written a very timely and very good book, Betting Synthetic Surfaces, Conquering Racing's Newest Frontier. 

I will interview Bill starting at 11:45 AM.  There will be a question & answer session so that fans can ask any questions they may have.

Following the interview Bill and I will handicap the afternoon's races. 

Following the handicapping portion of the presentation, Bill will be available to sign copies of his book which will be on sale for the discounted price of $15 for TSC members.  That's a 40% discount off the cover price of $24.99.  If you have already purchased Bill's book, he has graciously agreed to sign your copy, as well.  The book signing will continue into the race day if necessary as Bill and I will remain on hand to answer questions and talk about racing and handicapping.

Here are some of the topics will be discussing:

   *  Handling surface switches:  dirt-to-synthetic and vice versa, plus turf-to-synthetic and vice versa.

   *  Track bias on synthetic surfaces.

   *  Is artificial-surface breeding evolving?

   *  The future of synthetic surfaces, turf as well as main track.

   *  Whatever else comes up, from us or from the fans.

Be sure to sign up for the afternoon's drawings.

Block out this weekend on your calendar and plan to be with us.  It can only help your handicapping performance.

M. Scott McMannis