notfrommensa:
So a freak of nature foal is not eligible to be a Kentucky Derby Champion? Even if he proves to be the best horse possible?
This is an objective competition. Fastest horse wins.
if we were talking about Humans, wouldn’t this be racist?
Requiring racehorses to be a result of live cover doesn’t seem to meet any of the criteria you just wrote.
I loves me some Keanland!
notfrommensa:
Just before the race, I noted the odds on each horse (by number):
P
1 … 24/1
2 … 40/1
3 … 11/1
4 … 9/2
5 … 11/1
6 … 5/1
7 … 38/1
8 … 12/1
9 … 43/1
10 … 13/1
11 … 18/1
12 … 55/1
13 … 29/1
14 … 14/1
15 … 8/1
16 … 28/1
17 … 37/1
18 … 36/1
19 … 14/1
20 … 53/1
This works to 18.8% Vigorish. Seems awfully high. Is that typical at racetracks?
Unless they changed it recently, standard takeout is 15%. The rest is rounding error. The posted odds are always an approximation in parimutuel betting, and they can even change slightly after the race starts as the final bets are tabulated.