HARNESS HANDICAPPING CENTRAL

Handicapping Corner

with Steve M.

 Test Your Knowledge - of Garden State Park by answering the following multiple choice questions.

1. Which of the following are you most likely to hear during a race at GSP?
a) "the results of the 1st race are now official"
b) "They're off"
c) "gee ... look at all these closers winning tonight"
d) "stroke! stroke!"

2. Drivers at GSP in the stretch have been known to:
a) whip and slash through the wire
b) hand ride until the finish
c) drop their whip
d) drop their scripts

3. Which of the following is basis for a violation for going inside the pylons at Garden State:
a) glancing a single pylon
b) placing your entire wheel inside of one.
c) placing your entire bike inside the pylon
d) racing the entire mile on the inner turf track

4. As we switch over to the Meadowlands, which of these things are most likely to happen:
a) Luc Oulette sprints out to a big lead in the standings
b) David Miller is in the top 5
c) The three stooges are allowed back in
d) John Plutino has splinters in his ass until March.

5. Which drug may currently NOT be used in any form at Garden State:
a) baking soda
b) clenbuterol
c) fensperide
d)sulfuric acid

6. At Garden State, if the winner pays $28.80 and the place horse is 19-1, how low does the exacta need to be before the judges consider looking at the race?

a) $30
b) $20
c) $10
d) $3

7. What driver combo is least likely to run 1-2 in a race at GSP?
a)Dube and Pierce
b)Plutino and Jackie Mo
c)Luc and Birch
d)Campbell and Lachance

8. What is the lowest level from which a horse can ship in to Garden State and win the open wire to wire?

a) 50,000 claimers from Balmoral
b) 30,000 claiming from Yonkers
c) the open at Pocono
d) an Amish farm in Lancaster, Pa.

9. The top 3 drivers for the meet at Garden State will likely win about how many races added together, at the Meadowlands during the upcoming meet?
a) over 200
b) 100-200
c) 50-100
d) 5

10. The number of racing fans who actually show up for live racing at Garden State park is :
a) about as many as for a Ranger game
b) about as many as at the Meadowlands
c) slightly more than Pocono
d) enough to form a minion

11. At Garden State, what event usually takes place before the race?
a) pre race testing
b) post parade
c) pre race scoring
d) dress rehearsal

12. Which driver who had success at GSP will fare best at M(1)?
a)Daniel Dube
b)Bruce Birch
c)Mark Kesmodel
d)Jason Beatty

13. At the half, in an average 10-horse race at Garden, how many lengths are likely to separate the field from front to back?
a) 10
b)12
c)15
d) quarter of a mile

14. At Garden, a horse that comes first over before the half is likely to be:
a) parked for his lungs
b) stuck back in the pocket
c) blindswitched at the 3/4
d)disqualified for running over the money

 

15. the most frequent reason for a disqualification at Garden State is:
a) failure to follow the breaking rule
b) leaving the course
c) interfering with another horse
d) getting 3rd when the boys don't have you in the trifecta

16. If given the choice, which of the following would John Campbell be LEAST LIKELY to do:
a) jump off the world trade center
b) put a gun in his mouth and pull the trigger
c) have both arms and legs surgically removed
d) race on a weekday card at Garden State

17. At Garden you may only pull your horse first over if
a)you have enough horse left to win the race
b)you have enough horse to carry the outer flow into the race
c) you have enough horse until the 3/4 pole
d) you have your siren, hat and whistle ready to go.

18. After the meet ends, horses that race at GSP are most likely to be found:
a)racing at the Meadowlands
b)racing at Dover
c)racing at Yonkers
d)pulling a coach full of tourists along Central Park West

19. If your horse is 11-1 at Garden State with 2 minutes to post, what are the lowest odds that he can actually be expected to go off at?
a)9-1
b)5-1
c)3-1
d)2-5

20. Horses who raced in the Open at GSP will now be racing in what class at the Meadowlands:
a)open
b)winners over
c)high priced claimers
d)nw/$5000 in last 6 starts

21. Which successful horse at Garden should be feared most at the Meadowlands?
a)Barb's Diamond Gem
b)Tinted Cloud
c)Armbro Oliver
d)Craig Mark N

22. If a race goes in 151.2 at Garden State, the fractions will most often resemble:
a) 26.4.....55.3.....122.2....151.2
b) 27.1.....54........123.......151.2
c) 28.1.....56........125.......151.2
d) 29.3...100.2.....127.......151.2

23. In order to drive at GSP, you need:
a) an A license
b) a P license
c) a Matinee license
d) a taxi cab license

24. A sure sign that the sport of harness racing will soon be extinct is:
a) declining attendance figures
b) declining purses
c) declining pools
d) Hambletonian moving to GSP

25. Which of the following is the most important requirement for being a judge at Garden?
a)having watched over 1000 races
b)having worked at other tracks
c)having worked in the racing commission for 5 years
d)being able to see out of one eye.

26. The simulcast picture from GSP is broadcast via:
a) digital cable
b) satellite
c) advanced laser technology
d) shot through the rings of Saturn before returning to earth

27. The announcer at GSP, Larry Lederman, maintains his sanity by:
a) studying each race carefully
b) weekly visits to the shrink
c) allowing substitute announcer to call races periodically
d) a handful of Valium before each card

28. Watching GSP races on a nightly basis can best be described as:
a) very exciting
b) kind of exciting
c) not very exciting
d) cruel and unusual punishment

29. Legal experts are considering alternatives to the current death penalty. Among those being considered are:
a) Tar and feathering
b) stoning
c) castrating
d) mandatory viewing of entire GSP meet.

 

 

Copyright © Kimstarr Communications, 1999