Breaking the Bank: Back-to-Back Bombs at Belmont

Breaking the Bank - featuring data courtesy of Equibase - highlights the biggest scores of the past week in racing. (Belmont Park photo by Eclipse Sportswire) 
After an opening race that went to 9-to-5 favorite Beauty Surprise and a 4.90-to-1 victor in Race 2, a pair of longshots on Oct. 2 at Belmont Park provided just the spark needed for some toteboard fireworks.
Taxplayer closed from fourth under jockey Taylor Rice, overhauled heavily favored Cay to Pomeroy and then held off determined runner-up Reggie D to win by a neck at 34.75-to-1 odds in the third race.
When Bernstein Flambe followed with a rallying victory in the fourth race at 15.20-to-1, the stage was set for several big multi-race paydays.
The Daily Double for Races 3-4 returned a healthy $1,772, but several whopping jucier multi-race wagers closed with the fifth race on the card, which was won by 6.70-to-1 Special Selection.
The back-to-back longshots in races three and four helped spark the highest returns of the week for a $2 Pick 3, a $2 Pick 4 and a $2 Pick 5.
The Pick 3 (Races 3-5) returned a jaw-dropping $24,495, and the Pick 4 paid a handful of lucky bettors $30,015 for a $2 ticket. But it was the Pick 5 that produced the life-changing return.
Stringing together five winners to begin that Oct. 2 card at Belmont Park was worth $174,795.
It just goes to show if you have a strong hunch on one particular longshot, it can be very rewarding to spread your bankroll around a bit. The $2 exacta with 34.75-to-1 winner Taxplayer on top paid a nice, but not staggering, $285.50, but obviously several other exotic wagers proved much more rewarding.
Of course, to make some serious coin on those races, bettors needed to identify Taxplayer as that longshot, which admittedly was a challenge.
The 4-year-old gelding’s start two races back was a cause for mild optimism when he was fourth, but only beaten by only 3 ¾ lengths. Of course, his start immediately preceding the upset win was a less-inspiring sixth-place finish.
Despite a lack of success this year, Taxplayer had established himself as a solid sprinter in 2013 when winning three races and posting two seconds and two third-place finishes from 11 starts on the year. Plus, his Equibase Speed Figures had remained remarkable consistent despite the fact that he had not won in six previous starts in 2014.
It would have taken a good long-term memory and quite a bit of bankroll, but betting Taxplayer on Oct. 2 at Belmont would have led to a date with the taxman. Some interactions with the IRS are more rewarding than others.
Click here for the Equibase charts from Oct. 2 at Belmont
Top Payouts for the Week Ended Oct. 5

Wager
 Wager Amount 
 Payoff 
Track
Date
Race#

Win
 $2.00
 $123.60
PRX
9/29/14
6

Place
 $2.00
 $52.00
BTP
10/3/14
2

Show
 $2.00
 $37.60
KEE
10/5/14
9

Exacta
 $1.00
 $569.30
SA
10/5/14
9

Exacta
 $2.00
 $1,119.80
CT
10/4/14
6

Quinella
 $2.00
 $109.00
BEL
10/4/14
2

Trifecta
 $1.00
 $8,156.40
SA
10/5/14
9

Trifecta
 $2.00
 $21,353.80
CT
10/4/14
6

Superfecta
 $0.10
 $4,125.94
CT
10/4/14
6

Superfecta
 $1.00
 $68,713.15
WO
10/3/14
5

Superfecta
 $2.00
 $81,880.40
PEN
10/4/14
4

Daily Double
 $1.00
 $107.70
DEL
10/4/14
6

Daily Double
 $2.00
 $1,772.00
BEL
10/2/14
4

Pick 3
 $0.50
 $606.65
BTP
10/3/14
4

Pick 3
 $1.00
 $7,855.20
FE
9/30/14
9

Pick 3
 $2.00
 $24,495.00
BEL
10/2/14
5

Pick 4
 $0.50
 $10,030.10
PRX
9/29/14
8

Pick 4
 $1.00
 $9,185.10
WO
10/5/14
7

Pick 4
 $2.00
 $30,015.00
BEL
10/2/14
5

Pick 5
 $0.20
 $5,313.38
HAW
10/3/14
5

Pick 5
 $0.50
 $31,874.05
KEE
10/3/14
10

Pick 5
 $1.00
 $10,828.35
NP
10/4/14
5

Pick 5
 $2.00
 $174,795.00
BEL
10/2/14
5

Pick 5 Jackpot
 $0.20
 $769.98
LRL
10/2/14
9

Pick 6
 $0.20
 $727.88
FNO
10/5/14
10

Pick 6
 $1.00
 $2,237.50
IND
9/30/14
8

Pick 6
 $2.00
 $90,508.60
SA
10/4/14
10

Pick 6 Jackpot
 $0.10
 $451.97
MED
10/3/14
6

Pick 6 Jackpot
 $0.20
 $77,432.32
GP
10/4/14
12

Super High Five
 $0.20
 $195.74
FNO
10/5/14
10

Super High Five
 $0.50
 $2,573.80
MNR
9/29/14
8

Super High Five
 $1.00
 $15,595.70
SA
10/4/14
10

Super High Five
 $2.00
 $2,444.00
MNR
10/4/14
8

Click here for a complete list of racetracks with abbreviations.

© 2014 Equibase Company LLC, all rights reserved. Data provided or compiled by Equibase Company LLC generally is accurate, but occasionally errors and omissions occur as a result of incorrect data received by others, mistakes in processing and other causes. Equibase Company LLC disclaims responsibility for the consequences, if any, of such errors, but would appreciate their being called to their attention.  

Commonly Used Gambling Terms

Account wagering – Betting by internet or phone, in which a bettor must open an account and deposit money with which to bet.
Across the board – A bet on a horse to win, place and show. If the horse wins, the player collects three ways; if second, two ways; and if third, one way, losing the win and place bets. Actually, three bets.
Bounce – An especially poor performance on the heels of an especially good one.
Box – A betting term denoting a combination bet whereby all possible numeric combinations are covered for certain horses.
Bridge jumper – A person who wagers large amounts of money, usually on short- priced horses to show, hoping to realize a small but almost certain profit. The term comes from the structure those bettors may seek if they lose the bet.
Chalk – Betting favorite in a race.
Chalk player – Gambler who wagers on favorites.
Daily Double (or Double) – Type of bet calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races.
Exacta – A wager in which the first two finishers in a race, in exact order of finish, must be picked.
Exacta box – A wager in which all possible combinations using a given number of horses are selected.
Exotic (bet) – Any bet other than win, place, or show that requires multiple combinations. Examples of exotic wagers are trifecta, Pick 6, Pick 4.
Handle – Amount of money wagered in the pari-mutuel system on a race, full day of races, or entire racing season at a track.
In the money – A horse that finishes first, second or third.
Key horse – A single horse used in multiple combinations in an exotic bet.
Morning line – The starting odds set by the track handicapper.
On the board – Finishing among the first three.
On the nose – Betting a horse to win only.
Overlay – A horse whose odds are greater than its potential to win.
Pari-mutuel – System of wagering where all the money is returned to the bettors after deduction of track and state percentages.
Parlay – A multi-race bet in which all winnings are subsequently wagered on a succeeding race.
Part wheel – Using a key horse or horses in different, but not all possible, exotic wagering combinations.
Pick (6 or other number) – A type of multi-race bet in which the winners of all the included races must be selected. Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6 are commonly used by tracks in the United States.
Place bet – A bet on a horse to finish first or second.
Quinella - Bet in which the first two finishers must be picked in either order.
Show bet – A bet on a horse to finish in the money; third or better.
Speed Figure – A metric that rates a horse’s performance in a race, which is determined by a combination of the horse’s performance and the level of competition he/she competed against.
Trifecta – A bet in which the first three finishers must be selected in exact order.
Trifecta box – A trifecta wager in which all possible combinations using a given number of horses are bet upon.
Underlay – Horse whose odds are more promising than his potential to win.
Win – A bet on a horse to finish first.
Wheel – Betting all possible combinations in an exotic wager using at least one horse as the key.