How often has this happened to you?  A horse pops-up in your Stable Mail on a Saturday when you have an afternoon golf game; or a Sunday with a big family outing planned; or a workday that you're slammed and can't get to a computer; he's 12-1 in the ML; you bet him W&P that morning, in advance, then check the results that night, only to discover that he paid $7.20 to win and $3.80 to place!  Or worse: that he ran up the track @ 5/2, odds so low you never would have bet him in the first place, and you feel like a complete idiot.

If the folks at Twinspires.com can work-out the kinks, those days could be gone forever.

My buddy Mike Berry, owner and managing partner of Acclaimed Racing Stable, was one of several Twinspires.com account holders chosen to participate in a unique pilot wagering program that would allow customers to place advance wagers with an odds-based, "go - no go" condition.  The program's primary beneficiary are the thousands of regular horse players who hold-down 9-5 jobs, place bets before they go to work, then check the results when they get home.

In simplest form, the program gives the account holder the option of canceling the wager if the horse's actual odds one minute before post are below his acceptable minimum, as set by the bettor at the time of the wager.  For example, if the horse is 10-1 in the ML, and you think anything less than 5-1 makes him an underlay, you can instruct the computer to "no go" the bet if the horse's odds are below 5-1 with one-minute to actual post time.  The computer simply cancels the bet, and returns the wagered amount to your account.

Since virtually all tracks these days post "probable" payouts for exactas and DDs, the program even will allow the bettor to determine in advance his minimum acceptable payouts for those wagers based on their prices one minute prior to post.

Presumably!  Ergo, the current test marketing, and already my buddy "The King" had a problem yesterday with an advance wager he made as part of the study.  Hopefully, the company will manage to work through the kinks in the software, and soon will be able to offer this unique option to its clientele.

Rave