Time to face facts Rockets fans. Despite what almost every one of the Local media columnists are writing, Jenny Dial Creech, Jerome Solomon, and Brian T Smith as three examples, The chances of Lebron James wearing a Rockets jersey for the 2018-2019 season are slim to none, and slim just left town with today's news that James is opting out of his player option with Cleveland to become and unrestricted free agent.
His most likely landing spot is the Lakers, which makes sense because he's already got a second home in LA, and visions himself a movie mogul and mover and shaker in the NBA when his playing career is done. Few teams have been more willing to let former players take the reigns than have the Lakers.
Sure, some dominoes have to fall. Kawhi Leonard being traded from the Spurs to the Lakers would help, as would Paul George signing a free agent deal with them. Once that happens it's a fair bet that Lonzo Ball gets dealt away, no way Mr. James wants to be attached to the Lavar clown show. But the odds on money is LA.
What this likely means for the Rockets is that next year is going to be a mirror image of last year. A team that wins a ton of games but whose playoff hopes rely on the health of an aging player (Chris Paul) with a troubling history of soft-tissue injuries. That's assuming Paul doesn't take a discount himself to play with the Lakers and join up with his friend LeBron. Stranger things have happened in the NBA. At least Daryl Morey didn't show up at LeBron's front door begging this time around.
It's hard to fault Morey though, he's working with limited resources in a city that's generally unattractive to many of the league's best players. Houston is hot, humid, has little in the way of actual attractions and is a great place to work, but an increasingly crime-riddled and expensive place to LIVE. It doesn't have the best schools for LeBron's kids, and his wife would most probably be bored out of her mind.
But Morey, for all of his brilliance, has not been able to push this Rockets team over the top. They get close, achingly close, before falling just short. There was the Dwight Howard mess, then the San Antonio dud, then last year the 0-27 historical run of 3-point shooting futility. James Harden has proven himself one of the better, regular season players in the NBA, when it comes to the playoffs however he's returning Houston to Choke City more than reviving the Clutch City vibes. He's the Dan Marino of the NBA. Not that Marino is a bad person to be compared to but he never won any championships, which appears to be the fate of Harden unless he changes the results.
He'll have to do so in 2018-2019 with, presumably, almost the same supporting cast.
Whatever voodoo Tillman Fertitta can bring over from Lake Charles to bless Chris Paul's muscles, tendons and ligaments had better be shipped in now. Otherwise we'll be writing the same eulogy for next year's team that we did for this year's:
So close, yet so far away.
Friday, June 29, 2018
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
2018 Queen's Plate: One of the Toughest Handicapping Races of the Year.
This Saturday is the 159th running of the Queen's Plate at Woodbine. Not only the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the oldest continually ran race in North America but also one of the toughest races to handicap that you'll find all year.
There are two things that make this race difficult to figure out. First, it's ran on a Tapeta surface, something a lot of horses in America aren't used to, and 2nd, it's limited to Canadian-bred 3 year old horses only. This means that you get a wide array of horses with varying levels of experience competing.
At times, even past performances and speed figures aren't much help because horses improves, like/hate the synthetic surface their first time on it or just didn't travel well. Unlike the KY Derby, there's no prep-race season to really fall back on.
There are, however, usually favorites to win, and you can make money if you can either look past them and pick another winner OR, figure out the exotics.
Here's the field with post positions, M/L odds and comments:
1. Boyhood Dream (30-1) - This horse has only won one time at the MCL $30,000 level but he is trained by Mike Maker and that should indicate that you don't totally ignore him. Compared to many in this race he's run, a lot, but he's not been all that successful doing it. IF he improves he could compete for the minor awards and wouldn't be a bad idea to throw in on the back half of your exotics. But even massive improvement probably doesn't get him to the level of the other horses.
2. Cooler Mike (30-1) - This horse won his first at 7f but then struggled in two races at this 1 1/16th distance before winning his last race at the same at Woodbine. His Grandpa is Giant's Causeway, which suggests that he should be able to make the distance. His win last time out included beating Neepawa, whose witting at much lower odds down the board. Might be worth a play, definitely worth looking at in the exotics.
3. Inge (30-1) - This colt won his last race of 2017 at 7f but hasn't won since. He also hasn't finished outside of the top 5 but looks to be a little over matched here. He's a pure speed horse who should find himself up front but has a history of tiring and against horses of the quality he'll be facing I don't think he'll have the stamina to go the distance. In fact, I'm leaving him out of my exotics because I think he'll find himself way, way back.
4. Strike Me Down (10-1) - In every race their is a "sharp" horse that gets bet down to unusual levels and it's sort-of confusing as to why. IMO Strike Me Down is that horse for the Queen's Plate. For one, he's trained by Graham Motion, which always makes bettors happy and two, he's never finished lower than 3rd. This is an improving horse that might be peaking at just the right time. Two back he ran a game second to top contender Dixie Moon and he won the last time out at the same distance over the same track. Yes, he'll need to improve, but is there anyone better than Motion in this race to get him there?
5. Silent Poet (30-1) - Having Ghostzapper and Sunday Silence as granddads suggest that this hose has the pedigree for the distance but he's never shown the ability to get there in the past. He's won two sprints, and finished 2nd at Woodbine. I just don't see him getting the distance despite pedigree evidence he can do so. Not against this field.
6. Real Dude (50-1) - This horse has pedigree, and that's it. He's only ran twice, and came in off-the-board and 3rd. Against much worse company than this. It's possible that trainer Sid Attard and owner Frank Stronach know something we don't but they're going to have to prove me wrong here.
7. Dixie Moon (4-1) - One of the two fillies in the race that are in with a huge chance at pulling off the win. She's got three stakes races under her belt and a tough 2nd in a 4th. She's beaten the other filly in the race (Wonder Gadot) twice. She's a daughter of Curlin which bodes well for the distance, and her speed. I like this horse a LOT here. She's also never lost at 1 1/16ths or longer.
8. Alternative Route (20-1) - This is an improving son of Tiznow who won his best race on the synthetic track at Turfway Park. He's got the speed and distance in his pedigree to compete here but will need to improve significantly to pull off the win. But he's been targeted for this race by his trainer so I'm expecting to see his best on Saturday. Definitely a play in my exotics and probably my long-shot play for the win.
9. Say the Word (20-1) - The only reason that I can see to back this horse is that he's one of the two in the race trained by Graham Motion. Outside of that? He's a tough, grinding style of horse with a propensity to finish in the top 5, but rarely in the top spot. He'll be in the lower portion of my exotics but not much else. It would require a BIG jump for him to win this against these.
10. Telekinesis (5-2) - Trainer Mark Casse has three horses in this race and this is his best shot at winning. He's ran 4 lifetime, winning two, and never finishing out of the top three. He's a son of Ghostzapper which is a popular stud in Canada. He's got the tactical speed to stay on the lead but I do worry that a hot pace in this race might sink his stamina. I'll use him in my exotics, but he's not my pick to win.
11. Wonder Gadot (3-1) - This daughter of Medaglia D'Oro has ran eleven times and won twice. But in her non-winning starts she's finished either 2nd or 3rd behind some of the top fillies in the world 7 times. Her lone stinker race was the 2017 Breeder's Cup Juvenile Filly, where she ran 6th. She's also lost twice to Dixie Moon. But, despite that, I like her here. The hot pace is going to help and she has back-class that is unmatched against this field. This is my key horse in the race and will be all over my tickets.
12. Pawnbroker (50-1) - Pawnbroker is a horse that's in this race solely because of the unique restrictions for the Queen's Plate. He's a maiden (never won) who only has one start at the MSW level going 6f where he finished 4th against much lesser competition. If there was a bet for the horse that would finish dead last I would pick Pawnbroker. That doesn't mean that this son of Gio Ponti won't eventually develop into a solid horse, but he's up against it here.
13. Marriage Counselor (50-1) - Here's the BEST case that I can make for Marriage Counselor. In his five lifetime races his finish has been 12th - 6th - 3rd - 3rd - 1st. The last race was a MSW at Woodbine at the same distance, as with Pawnbroker however it was against much less than he'll face here. All of his pedigree screams sprinter. But I don't think he's got enough tactical speed to challenge for the lead against this group.
14. Neepawa (15-1) - This is a half-brother to Justify out of Scat Daddy but the similarities end there. He's a decent horse whose best days might be alter on running mile races in Class II or III Graded stakes. I just can't see him being too much of a factor here as a horse that is a pure, late closer. Maybe he can climb up and mess up my tri or superfecta but if that happens then I'll tip my cap to Florent Geroux. (who is one of the top riders at Woodbine, that should be mentioned) Just not enough horse under him this time around.
15. Aheadbyacentury (15-1) - This is the Canadian 2-year old champion which means that he's running against the Coronation curse. Since that race he's never won, but has finished no lower than 5th in all 5 of his other starts. The problem is, he's also been beaten a couple of times solidly by other horses in this field. Bottom half of the exotics type because if you leave him out and he messes you up, you'll regret it. There are too many horses in this field to leave off for him to be one of them.
16. Rose's Vision (12-1) - In his last two races he's ran both ahead, and way behind, Aheadbyacentury but he's also lost to Telekinesis and Dixie Moon. Seems to get stronger as the races get longer so stamina shouldn't be an issue. Tactical speed might however as this horse might find himself too far out of touch. His worst race was the GIII Marine Stakes at Woodbine where he ran 6th, against a fairly pedestrian field. This one is going to take some money due to finishing 2nd in the Plate Trial, but I'm taking a stand against.
And, that's your field. My level of preference is as follows:
11 - 8 - 7 - 10
Betting this race I'm planning the following:
$10 Win - 11
$5 Win - 8
$1 Exa Box: 7-8-10-11 ($12 Total bet)
$0.10 Supr: 7,8,11 with 7,8,10,11 with 7,8,10,15,16 with 4,7,8,10,15,16 ($14.80 Total Bet)
As you can see I'm keying on the 11, and then going as wide as I think could lock in a profit on the bottom half. I toyed with putting in the 2 in 3rd or 4th but that just drove the price up too high for profitable comfort.
Good luck to you however you choose to wager.
There are two things that make this race difficult to figure out. First, it's ran on a Tapeta surface, something a lot of horses in America aren't used to, and 2nd, it's limited to Canadian-bred 3 year old horses only. This means that you get a wide array of horses with varying levels of experience competing.
At times, even past performances and speed figures aren't much help because horses improves, like/hate the synthetic surface their first time on it or just didn't travel well. Unlike the KY Derby, there's no prep-race season to really fall back on.
There are, however, usually favorites to win, and you can make money if you can either look past them and pick another winner OR, figure out the exotics.
Here's the field with post positions, M/L odds and comments:
1. Boyhood Dream (30-1) - This horse has only won one time at the MCL $30,000 level but he is trained by Mike Maker and that should indicate that you don't totally ignore him. Compared to many in this race he's run, a lot, but he's not been all that successful doing it. IF he improves he could compete for the minor awards and wouldn't be a bad idea to throw in on the back half of your exotics. But even massive improvement probably doesn't get him to the level of the other horses.
2. Cooler Mike (30-1) - This horse won his first at 7f but then struggled in two races at this 1 1/16th distance before winning his last race at the same at Woodbine. His Grandpa is Giant's Causeway, which suggests that he should be able to make the distance. His win last time out included beating Neepawa, whose witting at much lower odds down the board. Might be worth a play, definitely worth looking at in the exotics.
3. Inge (30-1) - This colt won his last race of 2017 at 7f but hasn't won since. He also hasn't finished outside of the top 5 but looks to be a little over matched here. He's a pure speed horse who should find himself up front but has a history of tiring and against horses of the quality he'll be facing I don't think he'll have the stamina to go the distance. In fact, I'm leaving him out of my exotics because I think he'll find himself way, way back.
4. Strike Me Down (10-1) - In every race their is a "sharp" horse that gets bet down to unusual levels and it's sort-of confusing as to why. IMO Strike Me Down is that horse for the Queen's Plate. For one, he's trained by Graham Motion, which always makes bettors happy and two, he's never finished lower than 3rd. This is an improving horse that might be peaking at just the right time. Two back he ran a game second to top contender Dixie Moon and he won the last time out at the same distance over the same track. Yes, he'll need to improve, but is there anyone better than Motion in this race to get him there?
5. Silent Poet (30-1) - Having Ghostzapper and Sunday Silence as granddads suggest that this hose has the pedigree for the distance but he's never shown the ability to get there in the past. He's won two sprints, and finished 2nd at Woodbine. I just don't see him getting the distance despite pedigree evidence he can do so. Not against this field.
6. Real Dude (50-1) - This horse has pedigree, and that's it. He's only ran twice, and came in off-the-board and 3rd. Against much worse company than this. It's possible that trainer Sid Attard and owner Frank Stronach know something we don't but they're going to have to prove me wrong here.
7. Dixie Moon (4-1) - One of the two fillies in the race that are in with a huge chance at pulling off the win. She's got three stakes races under her belt and a tough 2nd in a 4th. She's beaten the other filly in the race (Wonder Gadot) twice. She's a daughter of Curlin which bodes well for the distance, and her speed. I like this horse a LOT here. She's also never lost at 1 1/16ths or longer.
8. Alternative Route (20-1) - This is an improving son of Tiznow who won his best race on the synthetic track at Turfway Park. He's got the speed and distance in his pedigree to compete here but will need to improve significantly to pull off the win. But he's been targeted for this race by his trainer so I'm expecting to see his best on Saturday. Definitely a play in my exotics and probably my long-shot play for the win.
9. Say the Word (20-1) - The only reason that I can see to back this horse is that he's one of the two in the race trained by Graham Motion. Outside of that? He's a tough, grinding style of horse with a propensity to finish in the top 5, but rarely in the top spot. He'll be in the lower portion of my exotics but not much else. It would require a BIG jump for him to win this against these.
10. Telekinesis (5-2) - Trainer Mark Casse has three horses in this race and this is his best shot at winning. He's ran 4 lifetime, winning two, and never finishing out of the top three. He's a son of Ghostzapper which is a popular stud in Canada. He's got the tactical speed to stay on the lead but I do worry that a hot pace in this race might sink his stamina. I'll use him in my exotics, but he's not my pick to win.
11. Wonder Gadot (3-1) - This daughter of Medaglia D'Oro has ran eleven times and won twice. But in her non-winning starts she's finished either 2nd or 3rd behind some of the top fillies in the world 7 times. Her lone stinker race was the 2017 Breeder's Cup Juvenile Filly, where she ran 6th. She's also lost twice to Dixie Moon. But, despite that, I like her here. The hot pace is going to help and she has back-class that is unmatched against this field. This is my key horse in the race and will be all over my tickets.
12. Pawnbroker (50-1) - Pawnbroker is a horse that's in this race solely because of the unique restrictions for the Queen's Plate. He's a maiden (never won) who only has one start at the MSW level going 6f where he finished 4th against much lesser competition. If there was a bet for the horse that would finish dead last I would pick Pawnbroker. That doesn't mean that this son of Gio Ponti won't eventually develop into a solid horse, but he's up against it here.
13. Marriage Counselor (50-1) - Here's the BEST case that I can make for Marriage Counselor. In his five lifetime races his finish has been 12th - 6th - 3rd - 3rd - 1st. The last race was a MSW at Woodbine at the same distance, as with Pawnbroker however it was against much less than he'll face here. All of his pedigree screams sprinter. But I don't think he's got enough tactical speed to challenge for the lead against this group.
14. Neepawa (15-1) - This is a half-brother to Justify out of Scat Daddy but the similarities end there. He's a decent horse whose best days might be alter on running mile races in Class II or III Graded stakes. I just can't see him being too much of a factor here as a horse that is a pure, late closer. Maybe he can climb up and mess up my tri or superfecta but if that happens then I'll tip my cap to Florent Geroux. (who is one of the top riders at Woodbine, that should be mentioned) Just not enough horse under him this time around.
15. Aheadbyacentury (15-1) - This is the Canadian 2-year old champion which means that he's running against the Coronation curse. Since that race he's never won, but has finished no lower than 5th in all 5 of his other starts. The problem is, he's also been beaten a couple of times solidly by other horses in this field. Bottom half of the exotics type because if you leave him out and he messes you up, you'll regret it. There are too many horses in this field to leave off for him to be one of them.
16. Rose's Vision (12-1) - In his last two races he's ran both ahead, and way behind, Aheadbyacentury but he's also lost to Telekinesis and Dixie Moon. Seems to get stronger as the races get longer so stamina shouldn't be an issue. Tactical speed might however as this horse might find himself too far out of touch. His worst race was the GIII Marine Stakes at Woodbine where he ran 6th, against a fairly pedestrian field. This one is going to take some money due to finishing 2nd in the Plate Trial, but I'm taking a stand against.
And, that's your field. My level of preference is as follows:
11 - 8 - 7 - 10
Betting this race I'm planning the following:
$10 Win - 11
$5 Win - 8
$1 Exa Box: 7-8-10-11 ($12 Total bet)
$0.10 Supr: 7,8,11 with 7,8,10,11 with 7,8,10,15,16 with 4,7,8,10,15,16 ($14.80 Total Bet)
As you can see I'm keying on the 11, and then going as wide as I think could lock in a profit on the bottom half. I toyed with putting in the 2 in 3rd or 4th but that just drove the price up too high for profitable comfort.
Good luck to you however you choose to wager.
Monday, June 11, 2018
2018 World Cup: You should watch, even though the United States will be at home watching too.
As I write this we're about 5 days away from the world gathering in Russia to determine which nation is best at kicking a ball around the pitch inside three pipes and no one except the goalie can use their hands.
Despite the United States Men's National Team not making the big show (there have been plenty of theories about that so I'll leave it be) the countries who are sending teams promise to put on a spectacular show of athleticism and drama. Most of the big players are there (hi Italy!) and there will be plenty of Star Power. There will also (sadly) be a ton of flops and bad calls, and boorish behavior. Football is a gentlemen's game played by hooligans so they say. You'll see that on display here. Sadly.
If you haven't seen this article comparing world cup teams to college football teams you should. It's eerily accurate.
As the game play goes, I have some thoughts, and some possible places to put your hard-earned money on the futures markets should you decide to play.
Odds to win the 2018 World CUP
Brazil 9/2 - Pass. Supremely talented, won't get over the hump here.
Germany 19/4 - Pass. Winning back to back almost never happens
Spain 6/1 - Too old, not enough young talent to compete with top teams.
France 13/2 - No way, did you see their friendly against the USMNT?
Argentina 19/2 - I like them here. Messi is worth it.
Belgium 12/1 - Another play I kind of like. Supremely talented.
England 18/1 - Nope. You'll just be disappointed. Trust me.
Uruguay 25/1 - I like the odds, I don't like their recent form
Portugal 28/1 - Wouldn't hurt to take a shot on Ronaldo alone.
Croatia 33/1 - Solid, should advance, struggles against top teams.
Colombia 40/1 - I can make a strong case here.
Russia 50/1 - Cute, but no.
Poland 80/1 - Might advance, lose in the quarters.
Denmark 100/1 - Won't happen. Too many injuries
Mexico 100/1 - My dark horse selection here.
Switzerland 100/1 - Fun story, won't win.
Sweden 150/1 - Fee above
Senegal 150/1 - One of the more exciting teams in terms of talent
Egypt 150/1 - Mo Salah. But that's it.
Iceland 200/1 - Overbet. Pass
Serbia 200/1 - Tough out for anyone. Not a championship contender
Japan 200/1 - Tough, disciplined, lacking enough talent to truly challenge.
Nigeria 200/1 - So much talent, so poorly coached.
Peru 200/1 - Happy to be here.
Costa Rica 300/1 - Has a history of advancing, then losing in quarters.
Australia 300/1 - The Socceroos fans are better than their team.
Iran 500/1 - About 3 notches below the best.
Morocco 500/1 - Might scare a country in the group play.
South Korea 500/1 - Happy to be here
Tunisia 500/1 - No way.
Panama 1000/1 - Uh uh.
Saudi Arabia 1000/1 - I'm not sure I'd like that for their chances to advance.
My money is going on Belgium and Mexico, although I could also make a strong case for Argentina, and Portugal IF their stars play up to the top of their form. I think there's enough talent on all teams that some of the favorites might get scares in group play, and there will always be the one team that enters with tital aspirations, then botches it and goes home early (England).
As I said earlier, I honestly think Mexico has a legitimate chance to win the whole thing and I wouldn't sleep on them. They face a TOUGH test to open in Germany however, so they'll have to keep their wits about them should they get beaten badly.
I also like Colombia.
In my heart I'm rooting for Spain. I ALWAYS root for Spain even if the US is there. Now I just don't have to pretend to be a USMNT fan this time around.
Despite the United States Men's National Team not making the big show (there have been plenty of theories about that so I'll leave it be) the countries who are sending teams promise to put on a spectacular show of athleticism and drama. Most of the big players are there (hi Italy!) and there will be plenty of Star Power. There will also (sadly) be a ton of flops and bad calls, and boorish behavior. Football is a gentlemen's game played by hooligans so they say. You'll see that on display here. Sadly.
If you haven't seen this article comparing world cup teams to college football teams you should. It's eerily accurate.
As the game play goes, I have some thoughts, and some possible places to put your hard-earned money on the futures markets should you decide to play.
Odds to win the 2018 World CUP
Brazil 9/2 - Pass. Supremely talented, won't get over the hump here.
Germany 19/4 - Pass. Winning back to back almost never happens
Spain 6/1 - Too old, not enough young talent to compete with top teams.
France 13/2 - No way, did you see their friendly against the USMNT?
Argentina 19/2 - I like them here. Messi is worth it.
Belgium 12/1 - Another play I kind of like. Supremely talented.
England 18/1 - Nope. You'll just be disappointed. Trust me.
Uruguay 25/1 - I like the odds, I don't like their recent form
Portugal 28/1 - Wouldn't hurt to take a shot on Ronaldo alone.
Croatia 33/1 - Solid, should advance, struggles against top teams.
Colombia 40/1 - I can make a strong case here.
Russia 50/1 - Cute, but no.
Poland 80/1 - Might advance, lose in the quarters.
Denmark 100/1 - Won't happen. Too many injuries
Mexico 100/1 - My dark horse selection here.
Switzerland 100/1 - Fun story, won't win.
Sweden 150/1 - Fee above
Senegal 150/1 - One of the more exciting teams in terms of talent
Egypt 150/1 - Mo Salah. But that's it.
Iceland 200/1 - Overbet. Pass
Serbia 200/1 - Tough out for anyone. Not a championship contender
Japan 200/1 - Tough, disciplined, lacking enough talent to truly challenge.
Nigeria 200/1 - So much talent, so poorly coached.
Peru 200/1 - Happy to be here.
Costa Rica 300/1 - Has a history of advancing, then losing in quarters.
Australia 300/1 - The Socceroos fans are better than their team.
Iran 500/1 - About 3 notches below the best.
Morocco 500/1 - Might scare a country in the group play.
South Korea 500/1 - Happy to be here
Tunisia 500/1 - No way.
Panama 1000/1 - Uh uh.
Saudi Arabia 1000/1 - I'm not sure I'd like that for their chances to advance.
My money is going on Belgium and Mexico, although I could also make a strong case for Argentina, and Portugal IF their stars play up to the top of their form. I think there's enough talent on all teams that some of the favorites might get scares in group play, and there will always be the one team that enters with tital aspirations, then botches it and goes home early (England).
As I said earlier, I honestly think Mexico has a legitimate chance to win the whole thing and I wouldn't sleep on them. They face a TOUGH test to open in Germany however, so they'll have to keep their wits about them should they get beaten badly.
I also like Colombia.
In my heart I'm rooting for Spain. I ALWAYS root for Spain even if the US is there. Now I just don't have to pretend to be a USMNT fan this time around.
2018 Belmont Stakes: Justify'd.
In the end, none of the other horses were faster than Justify.
And it wasn't all that close.
Yes, there has been the usual carping that comes from touts who were pimping Hofburg (and getting dupes to pay them for their picks) that Restoring Hope somehow intentionally ran as a "blocker", as if a horse has never blown a turn before, and yes there are STILL people saying that they're "not sure how good Justify really is" if you can believe that.
But what I saw on Saturday afternoon was a 3-year old colt that was head and shoulders above the other 3-year olds in the race. Justify is now a Triple Crown winner, and we are already forgetting just how hard the Triple Crown is to win.
We're also seeing just how silly the entire Triple Crown "hype" is.
Because the best races of the day weren't the 11th at Belmont, they were on the undercard.
Take the Metropolitan Handicap (the Met Mile), where Mind Your Biscuits and Bee Jersey both ran spectacular races with Bee Jersey just getting the wire by a nose. Or the Manhattan handicap, where Spring Quality blazed down the stretch to take the win. Or even the 1 1/2 Mile Brooklyn, where the old grinder Hoppertunity proved himself to be the best of the older dirt horses at a distance.
Great races all. Mostly ignored by a general public who gets force fed a steady diet of "Triple Crown" to the exclusion of all other things. Even the three tracks where the Triple Crown is ran aren't all that important any longer.
Churchill is quaint, it's got history, and really only one good racing weekend in it. Meanwhile Keeneland has great racing all the time, a series of important blood-stock sales, and is easily the most important track in Kentucky.
Pimlico? They barely feature live horse racing there at all anymore outside of a brief meet for the Preakness. Laurel Park (the Maryland Jockey Club) is Maryland's most important track.
And I'm not sure anyone would argue with a straight face that Belmont is a more prominent track than Aqueduct in the NYRA stable, It's probably even lower in quality overall than Saratoga in the late Summer. And the Travers is usually a more important race than the Belmont, except in years such as this one, when a Triple Crown is in play.
Santa Anita has fare more meaningful races throughout the year than any of the Triple Crown tracks, and the most important track in horse racing right now in America is Gulfstream Park.
So much of the best horse racing this calendar year is yet to come. The Haskell, The Bing Crosby, The Whitney, Royal Ascot, The entire Saratoga meet including the Travers, and then there's the Breeder's Cup. The Arlington Million and the Beverley D.
And that just scratches the surface. Del Mar has a spectacular summer card, as does Monmouth, Arlington Park and Kentucky Downs.
It's great racing, exciting racing, racing that's much better than 3 year old males running a compact schedule into distances they'll probably never travel again.
Yes, none of these have the allure that the Triple Crown does with the general public, but they are in many cases much better races, with much better odds and much higher profit potential.
But they'll get ignored. And that's a shame.
Because Justify was a great horse and the industry should use him to market the rest of the races, to show that there are great races, with top horses during times when NBC decides to not show up.
Justify was spectacular, a beautiful animal that was much the best against a small subset of horses. Hopefully we get to see him run again against some of the others.
And it wasn't all that close.
Yes, there has been the usual carping that comes from touts who were pimping Hofburg (and getting dupes to pay them for their picks) that Restoring Hope somehow intentionally ran as a "blocker", as if a horse has never blown a turn before, and yes there are STILL people saying that they're "not sure how good Justify really is" if you can believe that.
But what I saw on Saturday afternoon was a 3-year old colt that was head and shoulders above the other 3-year olds in the race. Justify is now a Triple Crown winner, and we are already forgetting just how hard the Triple Crown is to win.
We're also seeing just how silly the entire Triple Crown "hype" is.
Because the best races of the day weren't the 11th at Belmont, they were on the undercard.
Take the Metropolitan Handicap (the Met Mile), where Mind Your Biscuits and Bee Jersey both ran spectacular races with Bee Jersey just getting the wire by a nose. Or the Manhattan handicap, where Spring Quality blazed down the stretch to take the win. Or even the 1 1/2 Mile Brooklyn, where the old grinder Hoppertunity proved himself to be the best of the older dirt horses at a distance.
Great races all. Mostly ignored by a general public who gets force fed a steady diet of "Triple Crown" to the exclusion of all other things. Even the three tracks where the Triple Crown is ran aren't all that important any longer.
Churchill is quaint, it's got history, and really only one good racing weekend in it. Meanwhile Keeneland has great racing all the time, a series of important blood-stock sales, and is easily the most important track in Kentucky.
Pimlico? They barely feature live horse racing there at all anymore outside of a brief meet for the Preakness. Laurel Park (the Maryland Jockey Club) is Maryland's most important track.
And I'm not sure anyone would argue with a straight face that Belmont is a more prominent track than Aqueduct in the NYRA stable, It's probably even lower in quality overall than Saratoga in the late Summer. And the Travers is usually a more important race than the Belmont, except in years such as this one, when a Triple Crown is in play.
Santa Anita has fare more meaningful races throughout the year than any of the Triple Crown tracks, and the most important track in horse racing right now in America is Gulfstream Park.
So much of the best horse racing this calendar year is yet to come. The Haskell, The Bing Crosby, The Whitney, Royal Ascot, The entire Saratoga meet including the Travers, and then there's the Breeder's Cup. The Arlington Million and the Beverley D.
And that just scratches the surface. Del Mar has a spectacular summer card, as does Monmouth, Arlington Park and Kentucky Downs.
It's great racing, exciting racing, racing that's much better than 3 year old males running a compact schedule into distances they'll probably never travel again.
Yes, none of these have the allure that the Triple Crown does with the general public, but they are in many cases much better races, with much better odds and much higher profit potential.
But they'll get ignored. And that's a shame.
Because Justify was a great horse and the industry should use him to market the rest of the races, to show that there are great races, with top horses during times when NBC decides to not show up.
Justify was spectacular, a beautiful animal that was much the best against a small subset of horses. Hopefully we get to see him run again against some of the others.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
2018 Belmont Stakes: Post Position Draw
The New York Racing Association just completed the post draw for the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes, they are as follows (with M/L Odds)
1 Justify (4-5)
2 Free Drop Billy (30-1)
3 Bravazo (8-1)
4 Hofburg (9-2)
5 Restoring Hope (30-1)
6 Gronkowski (12-1)
7 Tenfold (12-1)
8 Vino Rosso (8-1)
9 Noble Indy (30-1)
10 Blended Citizen (15-1)
1 Justify (4-5)
2 Free Drop Billy (30-1)
3 Bravazo (8-1)
4 Hofburg (9-2)
5 Restoring Hope (30-1)
6 Gronkowski (12-1)
7 Tenfold (12-1)
8 Vino Rosso (8-1)
9 Noble Indy (30-1)
10 Blended Citizen (15-1)
I don't think the one hole is horrible for Justify, provided he breaks well. If he doesn't then he might have some traffic issues but given his history I expect him to be up near the front and he might just get the perfect trip. There's no "cut-off" issue or a early first turn to worry about at Belmont.
As far as everyone else goes I don't think there will be too much of an issue. Of all the horses I think Blended Citizen might have drawn the worst because his running style could lead to him getting caught out wide but in a 10 horse field, with some late closers, that's probably less of a problem than it would be otherwise.
The odds were announced by NYRA and re the ML odds from Belmont. Previous odds shown were futures from Vegas.
Good luck.
Stanley Cup Finals: Washington is the first team to make Las Vegas look like an expansion team.
It feels as if the clock is about to strike midnight, the beautiful ballroom dress is about to devolve into rags, the carriage is soon to be a pumpkin and the horse are morphing into mice.
In last night's 6-2 drubbing of the Golden Knights Washington looked every bit the best team in the NHL, or a team that was playing an expansion team that had difficulty figuring out which way is up.
The pressure-filled, fore checking, quick puck moving, four line attack of the Golden Knights was stymied. Instead of quickly moving the puck to and fro, getting past the defense and scoring goals the Knights were too often forced to throw the puck into the corner and try and manufacture something from there.
They had their chances, early. Two shots that hit the post and a puzzling point-blank, empty-net chance from James Neal were quickly followed by a Capitals power play goal that saw Vegas deflate like a balloon in the desert heat. Before you knew it the score was 3-0 at the end of the first period and Vegas looked like they were skating with shovels, digging a deeper and deeper hole, rather than hockey sticks.
Even as a Knights fan, it will be hard at the end of this, to not be somewhat happy for Alex Ovechkin. The 'Great Eight' has been "the best player to never win a Stanley Cup" for a while now, and he's playing out of his mind this series.
And I'll even admit that Tom Wilson, who I (correctly) described as a "lobotomized gorilla on skates" is a jerk, but he's their jerk. Our jerk, Ryan Reaves, is essentially the same type of player. And there's nothing wrong with either of them TBH. If you have a problem with what transpired at the end of the game, when Washington put their first line out on a power play up 5-2, or when Reaves was inserted into the game to make a statement, then you haven't ever seen playoff hockey. Nothing untoward was done, and the players will still shake hands at the end of this series.
If they want to extend the series however the Golden Knights will need to do several things better in game 5.
1. Mark Andre Fleury needs to play MUCH better. Most of the goals weren't his fault (more on that in a minute) but some were the result of sloppy goal tending. It's amazing to write that after his performances in the rest of the playoffs, but he's not been clean.
2. The defense has to improve in front of Fleury. I don't have an exact count but it seems that the Capitals have scored at least 10 goals this series on the weak side, wide-open, facing an open net because a defender got caught puck-watching. There's little in this instance that the goal-tender can do, I don't care how good he is.
3. Make your shots. As great as Holtby's game 3 save was, it would have been a goal if only Alex Tuch would have elevated the puck just a little. It's the same for Neal's miss in game 4. You HAVE to finish those chances in playoff hockey.
4. Skate and pass better, not just faster. After every loss the Knights players and coaches have all had the same mantra. "We just need to play our game". By that they mean that they need to go faster, put more pressure on with all 4 lines. But they also need to take better care of the puck, have better spacing, more accurate passing.
History tells us that 3-1 leads are difficult to overcome, but not insurmountable. The Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 lead which allowed LeBron to get his title for Cleveland. It can be done, but not the way the team is currently playing.
If you're a Capitals fan you're finding yourself giddy with excitement this morning. If you're a Vegas Golden Knights fan you're clinging to hope.
Hope is fandom.
Hope is joy.
Hope is sports.
Go Knights Go!!!
In last night's 6-2 drubbing of the Golden Knights Washington looked every bit the best team in the NHL, or a team that was playing an expansion team that had difficulty figuring out which way is up.
The pressure-filled, fore checking, quick puck moving, four line attack of the Golden Knights was stymied. Instead of quickly moving the puck to and fro, getting past the defense and scoring goals the Knights were too often forced to throw the puck into the corner and try and manufacture something from there.
They had their chances, early. Two shots that hit the post and a puzzling point-blank, empty-net chance from James Neal were quickly followed by a Capitals power play goal that saw Vegas deflate like a balloon in the desert heat. Before you knew it the score was 3-0 at the end of the first period and Vegas looked like they were skating with shovels, digging a deeper and deeper hole, rather than hockey sticks.
Even as a Knights fan, it will be hard at the end of this, to not be somewhat happy for Alex Ovechkin. The 'Great Eight' has been "the best player to never win a Stanley Cup" for a while now, and he's playing out of his mind this series.
And I'll even admit that Tom Wilson, who I (correctly) described as a "lobotomized gorilla on skates" is a jerk, but he's their jerk. Our jerk, Ryan Reaves, is essentially the same type of player. And there's nothing wrong with either of them TBH. If you have a problem with what transpired at the end of the game, when Washington put their first line out on a power play up 5-2, or when Reaves was inserted into the game to make a statement, then you haven't ever seen playoff hockey. Nothing untoward was done, and the players will still shake hands at the end of this series.
If they want to extend the series however the Golden Knights will need to do several things better in game 5.
1. Mark Andre Fleury needs to play MUCH better. Most of the goals weren't his fault (more on that in a minute) but some were the result of sloppy goal tending. It's amazing to write that after his performances in the rest of the playoffs, but he's not been clean.
2. The defense has to improve in front of Fleury. I don't have an exact count but it seems that the Capitals have scored at least 10 goals this series on the weak side, wide-open, facing an open net because a defender got caught puck-watching. There's little in this instance that the goal-tender can do, I don't care how good he is.
3. Make your shots. As great as Holtby's game 3 save was, it would have been a goal if only Alex Tuch would have elevated the puck just a little. It's the same for Neal's miss in game 4. You HAVE to finish those chances in playoff hockey.
4. Skate and pass better, not just faster. After every loss the Knights players and coaches have all had the same mantra. "We just need to play our game". By that they mean that they need to go faster, put more pressure on with all 4 lines. But they also need to take better care of the puck, have better spacing, more accurate passing.
History tells us that 3-1 leads are difficult to overcome, but not insurmountable. The Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 lead which allowed LeBron to get his title for Cleveland. It can be done, but not the way the team is currently playing.
If you're a Capitals fan you're finding yourself giddy with excitement this morning. If you're a Vegas Golden Knights fan you're clinging to hope.
Hope is fandom.
Hope is joy.
Hope is sports.
Go Knights Go!!!
Monday, June 4, 2018
Belmont 2018: Once Again, the Race Matters.
Will Justify or won't he? Do you believe in him or no?
As we (mercifully) come to the end of the Triple Crown season (possibly the worst thing to happen to horse racing as a whole but more on that later) we find ourselves asking the same questions that we asked in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes before.
Do you believe Justify has what it takes to fend-off 10 challengers in the Belmont Stakes to take the 2018 Triple Crown?
Heading into the Preakness I thought he might. Coming out of the Preakness I wasn't so sure. As we get closer and closer to race time I'm still unsure. But not for the reasons you might think.
Many lost faith in Justify when he appeared ran out in the Preakness and barely held off a hard-charging Bravazo. Saying that "he'll never make a mile and a half" assumes that the Belmont is the same race as the Preakness before it, or even the Kentucky Derby before that, only a little bit longer.
It never is, and it's never ran just the same as those races either. So while Bravazo is probably going to get a lot of money bet into him I'm going to look elsewhere in my betting, depending on where the contenders are placed in the post draw.
Here's the list of contenders. (with early odds and some commentary):
1. Justify (4/5) - He was my key horse in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but I'm not sure I'll be using him as a key here. Certainly, he'll be in my exotics and I'll be rooting for him like mad. One advantage he might have however is that there appears to be no "rabbit" in this field to push him along rapidly. That could be huge and impact the chances of the late closers the public is going to fall for.
2. Hofburg (4-1) - Every Triple Crown season there is a horse the "sharps" fall in love with and this year that horse is Hofburg. Things I like about him: He's got excellent pedigree for the distance and his trainer (Bill Mott) knows how to win at Belmont. He's also the trainer who took away the Triple Crown from Real Quiet, also trained by Bob Baffert. What I don't like: He's gotten worse and worse as his races have gotten longer and longer. He was a clear 2nd best to Audible in the Florida Derby and was no factor in the Kentucky.
3. Bravazo (7-1) - Two things: 1. The public is going to LOVE this horse because of his late charge in the Preakness. See above about why I think this isn't going to happen in the Belmont. I don't like a pure late closer and that's all Bravazo is. My gut feeling is that he's not going to get a hot pace to run into this time around. Also, he's erratic.
4. Vino Rosso (8-1) - No real factor in the Kentucky Derby but he's got the local angle working for him (Aqueduct) but I don't think he has either the tactical speed or finishing kick to stay with the best in this race. Still, he could improve off the layoff, and he'll be fresher than Justify in this race. Anything can happen and Pletcher knows how to win the Belmont.
5. Tenfold (10-1) - I thought Tenfold improved in the Preakness and he'll need to improve again in the Belmont. His problem is that he'll need to improve quite a bit and there's the question of how much a hard-ran Preakness took out of him.
6. Blended Citizen (14-1) - This is my type of Belmont horse. A new shooter who's won over the track (in the Grade III Peter Pan Stakes) with a Trainer that understands the local layout in Doug O'Neill. His two wins have come in his last three races and both have been of the graded variety. I do worry a little about his tactical speed, but his stretch-run in the Peter Pan was outstanding. I'm a little worried because I can't find any excuses for him in the Bluegrass Stakes (5th place)
7. Gronkowski (25-1) - I think the connections to New England Tight End Rob Gronkowski will be more interesting than how the horse Gronkowsky fares in this race. He's never gone over a mile in distance although he has won his last four races, all overseas. This will be his first race in the States and I'm usually one who doesn't like to bet an across-the-pond shipper until his second race over here.
8. Noble Indy (33-1) - Hated the slop in the Kentucky Derby but ran a tough race to win the Louisiana. If anything, he MIGHT be the horse for Pletcher that is in this race to try and push Justify but I don't think he has the speed, or stamina, to truly do so. Fun little horse, might be a contender in some mile races later in the year.
9. Free Drop Billy (50-1) - The 2-year old champion has just not looked like his old self in his 3-yo campaign. He's a horse that doesn't appear to have matured much since winning the Breeder's Cup Futurity in 2017 and he'll need to improve mightily to win here.
10. Seahenge (50-1) - More of a sprinter than a distance runner, could be involved in the early pace but I think his best days will be in sprint races later in the year. (UPDATE: Not running)
11. Restoring Hope (50-1) - Ran a horrible race in the Pat Day Mile on Derby Day. Took some time off but would have to improve mightily to contend here. I just don't see it. Feels like a Allowance level horse that's trying to step up in level. Can't find any pedigree here that makes me feel better about him.
The numbers above are just an order, the post draw is Tuesday so we'll have a follow up then.
The entire card for the 3 days of the Belmont festival could be very exciting, and very profitable if you can handicap it well.
Good luck.
As we (mercifully) come to the end of the Triple Crown season (possibly the worst thing to happen to horse racing as a whole but more on that later) we find ourselves asking the same questions that we asked in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes before.
Do you believe Justify has what it takes to fend-off 10 challengers in the Belmont Stakes to take the 2018 Triple Crown?
Heading into the Preakness I thought he might. Coming out of the Preakness I wasn't so sure. As we get closer and closer to race time I'm still unsure. But not for the reasons you might think.
Many lost faith in Justify when he appeared ran out in the Preakness and barely held off a hard-charging Bravazo. Saying that "he'll never make a mile and a half" assumes that the Belmont is the same race as the Preakness before it, or even the Kentucky Derby before that, only a little bit longer.
It never is, and it's never ran just the same as those races either. So while Bravazo is probably going to get a lot of money bet into him I'm going to look elsewhere in my betting, depending on where the contenders are placed in the post draw.
Here's the list of contenders. (with early odds and some commentary):
1. Justify (4/5) - He was my key horse in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but I'm not sure I'll be using him as a key here. Certainly, he'll be in my exotics and I'll be rooting for him like mad. One advantage he might have however is that there appears to be no "rabbit" in this field to push him along rapidly. That could be huge and impact the chances of the late closers the public is going to fall for.
2. Hofburg (4-1) - Every Triple Crown season there is a horse the "sharps" fall in love with and this year that horse is Hofburg. Things I like about him: He's got excellent pedigree for the distance and his trainer (Bill Mott) knows how to win at Belmont. He's also the trainer who took away the Triple Crown from Real Quiet, also trained by Bob Baffert. What I don't like: He's gotten worse and worse as his races have gotten longer and longer. He was a clear 2nd best to Audible in the Florida Derby and was no factor in the Kentucky.
3. Bravazo (7-1) - Two things: 1. The public is going to LOVE this horse because of his late charge in the Preakness. See above about why I think this isn't going to happen in the Belmont. I don't like a pure late closer and that's all Bravazo is. My gut feeling is that he's not going to get a hot pace to run into this time around. Also, he's erratic.
4. Vino Rosso (8-1) - No real factor in the Kentucky Derby but he's got the local angle working for him (Aqueduct) but I don't think he has either the tactical speed or finishing kick to stay with the best in this race. Still, he could improve off the layoff, and he'll be fresher than Justify in this race. Anything can happen and Pletcher knows how to win the Belmont.
5. Tenfold (10-1) - I thought Tenfold improved in the Preakness and he'll need to improve again in the Belmont. His problem is that he'll need to improve quite a bit and there's the question of how much a hard-ran Preakness took out of him.
6. Blended Citizen (14-1) - This is my type of Belmont horse. A new shooter who's won over the track (in the Grade III Peter Pan Stakes) with a Trainer that understands the local layout in Doug O'Neill. His two wins have come in his last three races and both have been of the graded variety. I do worry a little about his tactical speed, but his stretch-run in the Peter Pan was outstanding. I'm a little worried because I can't find any excuses for him in the Bluegrass Stakes (5th place)
7. Gronkowski (25-1) - I think the connections to New England Tight End Rob Gronkowski will be more interesting than how the horse Gronkowsky fares in this race. He's never gone over a mile in distance although he has won his last four races, all overseas. This will be his first race in the States and I'm usually one who doesn't like to bet an across-the-pond shipper until his second race over here.
8. Noble Indy (33-1) - Hated the slop in the Kentucky Derby but ran a tough race to win the Louisiana. If anything, he MIGHT be the horse for Pletcher that is in this race to try and push Justify but I don't think he has the speed, or stamina, to truly do so. Fun little horse, might be a contender in some mile races later in the year.
9. Free Drop Billy (50-1) - The 2-year old champion has just not looked like his old self in his 3-yo campaign. He's a horse that doesn't appear to have matured much since winning the Breeder's Cup Futurity in 2017 and he'll need to improve mightily to win here.
11. Restoring Hope (50-1) - Ran a horrible race in the Pat Day Mile on Derby Day. Took some time off but would have to improve mightily to contend here. I just don't see it. Feels like a Allowance level horse that's trying to step up in level. Can't find any pedigree here that makes me feel better about him.
The numbers above are just an order, the post draw is Tuesday so we'll have a follow up then.
The entire card for the 3 days of the Belmont festival could be very exciting, and very profitable if you can handicap it well.
Good luck.
Las Vegas Labor Negotiations: The Strip is Out of the Soup.
News broke on Saturday that Culinary Union 226 and MGM Resorts International reached a tentative agreement on a new 5-year labor deal.
Culinary: Tenatative deal reached with MGM on 5-year contract. Las Vegas Sun
No details of either this deal, or the deal with Caesars have been released but speculation is that it involves somewhere around a 3% annual increase in pay and language assuring "retain and retrain" in the face of technological advancement that might displace jobs as well as strong language intended to provide workers with protections from sexual assault.
Negotiations now move on with the SLS and selected resorts downtown, which also includes the Stations properties who have had a notoriously rough go with the union in the past. This is where it gets interesting and a general strike downtown could be potentially devastating for resorts in the Fremont Corridor.
However, they do have the benefit of a framework provided by the big two so hopefully we'll see some real progress sooner rather than later.
I would not expect full details of the agreements to come out before the final contracts have been agreed to.
Culinary: Tenatative deal reached with MGM on 5-year contract. Las Vegas Sun
No details of either this deal, or the deal with Caesars have been released but speculation is that it involves somewhere around a 3% annual increase in pay and language assuring "retain and retrain" in the face of technological advancement that might displace jobs as well as strong language intended to provide workers with protections from sexual assault.
Negotiations now move on with the SLS and selected resorts downtown, which also includes the Stations properties who have had a notoriously rough go with the union in the past. This is where it gets interesting and a general strike downtown could be potentially devastating for resorts in the Fremont Corridor.
However, they do have the benefit of a framework provided by the big two so hopefully we'll see some real progress sooner rather than later.
I would not expect full details of the agreements to come out before the final contracts have been agreed to.
Friday, June 1, 2018
Las Vegas Labor Negotiations: CET and the Union reach a tentative deal.
Our long, national nightmare appears to be drawing to an end.
Caesars reaches tentative deal with culinary union. Las Vegas Review-Journal
No details from the deal have emerged but if I had to guess it will involve a retain and retrain clause for technological advances, some sort of sexual assault warning system for housekeeping and somewhere around a 3% pay increase scheme.
IF it's somewhere close to that then I would expect MGM and the Downtown casinos to pen similar agreements sometime later today.
It always seemed like the other groups were allowing Caesars to take the lead on negotiations and were prepared to follow them should the terms be acceptable. That no one is likely to be elated about the agreement tells me that what was reached is probably fair.
Right now we're in the full-on spin zone regarding the summary to expect both Caesars and the union to release statements declaring this a "win" for their side. Missing from all of this is how the prevention of a strike is a "win" for consumers but that's par for the course in a City that I've said repeatedly has utterly forgotten the customer.
Will things change because of this? No.
If anything the news that McCarron airport received a record number of visitors in April means that it will be business as usual going forward, only worse.
Having a contract that increases labor costs will now mean that resorts will continue to try and milk customers for all their worth by increasing fees. I've written on this recently, and I would imagine that the first domino to fall will be a rather large increase in CNF fees, which are the worst fees of them all.
The more things change.
Caesars reaches tentative deal with culinary union. Las Vegas Review-Journal
No details from the deal have emerged but if I had to guess it will involve a retain and retrain clause for technological advances, some sort of sexual assault warning system for housekeeping and somewhere around a 3% pay increase scheme.
IF it's somewhere close to that then I would expect MGM and the Downtown casinos to pen similar agreements sometime later today.
It always seemed like the other groups were allowing Caesars to take the lead on negotiations and were prepared to follow them should the terms be acceptable. That no one is likely to be elated about the agreement tells me that what was reached is probably fair.
Right now we're in the full-on spin zone regarding the summary to expect both Caesars and the union to release statements declaring this a "win" for their side. Missing from all of this is how the prevention of a strike is a "win" for consumers but that's par for the course in a City that I've said repeatedly has utterly forgotten the customer.
Will things change because of this? No.
If anything the news that McCarron airport received a record number of visitors in April means that it will be business as usual going forward, only worse.
Having a contract that increases labor costs will now mean that resorts will continue to try and milk customers for all their worth by increasing fees. I've written on this recently, and I would imagine that the first domino to fall will be a rather large increase in CNF fees, which are the worst fees of them all.
The more things change.
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