by Michael Antoniades, Balmoral Park racing analyst

Crete, IL — With the help of the USTA Strategic Wagering program, Balmoral Park will offer two guaranteed pools on Wednesday (Feb. 1).

Courtesy of TrackMaster, players across North America can now download free program pages for the Pick-5 and Pick-4 on the handicapping page at ustrotting.com.

The Pick-5 starts on race 2 and has a 50 cent minimum wager. There is a carryover of $8,360 and the USTA and Balmoral have created an instant guarantee of $30,000 for the Pick-5 pool on Wednesday night. Post time for race 2 is 7:30 p.m. (CST).

The Pick-4 starts on race 7 and will immediately follow the conclusion of the Pick-5. The Pick-4 guaranteed pool is $15,000 with a low takeout of 15 percent. The Pick-4 has a one dollar minimum and consists of the final four races. The final leg of the Pick-4 will offer 10 cent High-5 wagering.

Balmoral Park roars into February on the heels of a spectacular January which saw all averages continue to outperform the marketplace.

January 2012 Balmoral total handle (13 nights): $13,622,835

January 2012 Balmoral averages: nightly handle–$1,047,910; wagered per race–$93,307; Pick-4 pool–$28,675.

The Pick-4 January pool average of $28,675 is 272 per cent higher than the January 2010 average of $7,698. The Balmoral Park Pick-4 is guaranteed every night and has a low takeout of 15 percent.

Average Pick-4 pools in January: 2010–$7,698; 2011–$15,163; 2012–$28,675