According to Woodbine Entertainment’s website this morning, I am the winner of the annual Media Handicapping contest, though that may be subject to argument and litigation. The Handicapping Challenge required us to pick ten horses on Saturday and ten more on Sunday and make mythical wagers of $2 win/place on each. Woodbine Media officer Adam Hickman kept track of all the submissions and calculated the final standings and here’s where it gets really weird. According to Hickman’s totals ( and the guy is always deadly accurate) the guy with the highest total was…..Adam Hickman.
Now do not get the impression that I’m suggesting Hickman stuffed the ballot box. He’s a pretty knowledgeable and skilled horseplayer and because he’s at the track every day, he’s as likely a person as anyone to hit a few winners. But as I understand it, as an employee of Woodbine Entertainment, he’s ineligible to claim the top prize (I’m told it’s a TV set or digital camera). Hickman is a non betting interest, so to speak.
This could drag on in the courts for years. There’s another problem. I e-mailed my picks, and the selections of Jim McKenny to Woodbine on Friday evening. But I had an annoying computer issue for most of Saturday and when I phoned Hickman on Sunday, he told me he hadn’t received my picks for Saturday until late Saturday evening. Still, he could see that I had attempted to submit them on time and promised they would count. I also assured him I had posted my picks in this blog early Saturday morning.
It’s interesting to note that McKenny’s selections came third – Jim has never in his life e-mailed anyone, so each year, I do this for him. Since Hickman’s totals don’t count, I’m claiming to have finished first and second among the 17 eligible members of the media. Considering my normal horse playing capacities, that’s one huge exactor.
I did do well with my picks on Sunday. I had a second in the third race, and just missed by a nose on 8-1 shot Panther Strike in the fourth, then connected on Glitter Rox, the 2.25-1 winner of the Belle Geste Stakes. I also had a 7-2 winner at Saratoga.
What I’m worried about is the fourth place finisher, Ron Geirkink of the Daily Racing Form. He could lodge an inquiry against each of the second and third place finishers, claiming that one didn’t file on time and the other didn’t really file at all.
I think I won a prize. I’m not sure I’ll ever see it.
Media Handicapping Totals:
Adam Hickman $115.10
Peter Gross $87.30
Jim McKenny $76.20
Ron Gierkink $74.80
Jennifer Morrison $74.50
Richard Mauntah $73.10
Cindy Peirson Dulay $69.00
Shirley Gill $68.00
Gregg Peacock $65.00
Bill Tallon $64.70
Klaus Ebner $57.50
Dan Loiselle $56.50
Chris Connor $52.80
Steve Roberts $48.30
Jeff Bratt $42.20
Joe Tilley $35.00
Chris Young $32.50
John Siscos $10.20
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