WAGER NEWS: .50 NYRA P4; GP .10 P6 dispersal 4/23; HOL adds .50 P5

[NTamm1215]

It will be interesting to see how it works out at HOL but putting it on the first five races gives them some leverage on 9-10 race cards. On a weekday card you could have a lot of people who are 2-2 in a Pick 5 and decide against playing the Pick 6.

Hopefully they opt against offering a consolation payout. I think that Monmouth did it best by not having a conso. It eats up too much of the pool and the reward for those going 5-5.

If you look at how Keeneland did this year on Blue Grass day vs. 2010 the numbers are as follows:

2010

All-Stakes Pick 4 (Races 6-9): $417,334
2nd Pick 4 (Races 8-11): $298,071
Pick 6 (Races 6-11): $37,239
TOTAL: $752,644

2011

All-Stakes Pick 4 (Races 6-9): $338,426
2nd Pick 4 (Races 7-10): $319,649
Pick 5 (Races 6-10): $180,513
TOTAL: $838,588

Clearly, for a place like Kee where Pick 6 handle was low, the Pick 5 was a great move. At a place where Pick 6 handle is regularly 30k on non-carryover days (NYRA) or closer to 100k (CA) the impact is unknown.