from the Horseplayers Association of North America

Charlottesville, VA — In March, Tioga Downs announced they were offering decreased takeout on all bets for their meet, which opens May 1. To show support for the track, who has been listening to their customers, the Horseplayers Association of North America would like to announce the “Pen and Micro-Chip Challenge.”

Each raceday, picks for Tioga will be given out from four handicappers. Two are computer programs, or data crunchers, and two will be from talented ‘pen and paper’ handicappers. At the end of the series we will tabulate the results, and declare a winner. A donation, supplied by HANA and www.Paceadvantage.com, will be made to the Standardbred Adoption Society of the winner’s choice.

The protagonists for the challenge are:

In the micro-chip division we have Ray. Ray is a 67-year-old retired chemist and self-taught computer programmer, living in Clarion, Pa. His interest in Standardbreds began in the 1970s, leading to part ownership of some trotters racing at The Meadows in the 1980s. He laughingly claims to hold a perfect attendance award at the track from 1985-1991. Ray’s home-grown handicapping program has shown positive ROI for several years, and he was recently featured in Trot Magazine’s Horseplayer Edition.

Also representing the computers, Trackmaster (and the United States Trotting Association) has graciously donated the services of the “Chatsworth Consortium.” These picks regularly sell for $10 per card, but they will be available free via the pick board, for the meet.

In the human category, we have assembled two handicappers with a wealth of knowledge. “Bobby Z,” 55, started working at the Meadows Racetrack near Pittsburgh in the early 1970s. He was hooked, and has been since. Bobby also worked as an online race analyst for several tip sheets.

“There has been some off time the last two years and I actually thought I was done with it, but Tioga Downs’ dropping of the takeout rates has brought me back online for the summer,” he said.

Our final human handicapper is Mel. Mel is 64, from the Philadelphia area and has been playing for over 40 years.

“I started out with harness at the old Liberty Bell Park and Brandywine Raceway and was there for so many live racing days I cannot remember.”

Mel mainly plays online, and is a dedicated and frequent poster to the pick’s section of Paceadvantage.com.

The challengers will be posting their picks in the harness racing section of Paceadvantage.com and Tioga Downs is working on their handicapping website to post the picks there as well.

If any thoroughbred players would like to lend a hand by betting into a harness track that is listening to them, now is your chance. These picks should give a good indoctrination into the harness game, from seasoned veterans, and excellent software.

“HANA would like to thank both Tioga Downs for working with us, and the handicappers who are taking the time to support the track,” said HANA President Jeff Platt. “We would like to give a special thank you to Trackmaster, for donating picks from a product that are normally part of their standard product line.”

We will have continuing updates on our blog, and a side contest, with prizes, will be occurring on Paceadvantage.com in the harness section for any players who want to join in.

We wish Tioga Downs and everyone who supports them good luck and good racing.

To contact us at HANA, please e-mail us at info@hanaweb.org.