Winter Challenge Could Offer No Place Bets
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Photo: Gary Tasich
California Chrome at Los Alamitos Dec. 10
If overwhelming favorite California Chrome starts at Los Alamitos Race Course as anticipated in the $180,000 Winter Challenge Dec. 17, the track will try to avoid a minus pari-mutuel pool by eliminating place and show wagering for this race.
The 1 1/16-mile Challenge, which was specifically written for the multiple grade/group I and dual classic winner to use as a prep for the Jan. 28 Pegasus World Cup (gr. I), did attract 10 entries and two also eligibles because the track offered at least $10,000 to any horse that finishes the Winter Challenge.
Los Alamitos' decision to cut the wagering offerings may produce some friction with bettors in the same vein as the PR mess Hialeah Park faced in 1966 when one of its premier stakes, the Flamingo Stakes, dissolved into a betless exhibition between heavyweights Buckpasser and Stupendous even though there were seven horses in the field.
On This Day...March 3, 1966; The Chicken Flamingo
The Winter Challenge will be the ninth and final race on the next-to-last day of the Winter Thoroughbred meet and will offer win, exacta, trifecta, superfecta and Super High 5 wagering and will be the final leg of the Late Daily Double as well the Pick 3 on Races 7-9 and the Late Pick 4 (Races 6-9).
Scheduled post time for the Winter Challenge is 4:28 p.m. local time.