Greetings! Welcome to the summer months in Saratoga, where the equines are swift, the wagers are considerable, and the atmosphere is truly exceptional. Whether you identify as a dedicated devotee or are simply acquainting yourself with the sport, there exists no finer approach to maintain absolute attentiveness throughout the entirety of the 40-day racing season than through the implementation of a convivial, fantasy-style wagering consortium.
Presented herein are a duo of readily executable consortium concepts that infuse the excitement of racing into your collective communication platform. The first option ensures your sustained engagement on a daily basis, focusing on jockeys and trainers. The second option permits you to participate during weekends, emulating the betting strategies of seasoned professionals. Let us commence our exploration.
Should your inclinations lean towards the meticulous examination of standings, the engaging exchange of playful banter, and the pursuit of gradual advancement towards the pinnacle, this particular format aligns perfectly with your preferences.
Initially, construct a stratified grid, incorporating between two and three jockeys or trainers on each individual line. You possess the option to delve into past Saratoga competitions to identify the customary participants, encompassing jockeys such as Irad Ortiz Jr. and Flavien Prat, trainers including Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher, in addition to individuals hailing from external locales who occasionally visit for major stakes events.
We provide a rudimentary template courtesy of America’s Best Racing to facilitate your commencement; simply generate a duplicate and initiate the process. Each participant designates one jockey and one trainer per individual line. Every triumphant outcome they secure throughout the duration of the competition confers upon you a single point.
In the event that a participant neglects to finalize a selection, rest assured, you can simply assign them the initial name enumerated on that particular line.
Subsequently, you may recline, observe, and (optimistically) emerge victorious. The participant amassing the highest aggregate of points upon the culmination of the event shall claim the title, and conceivably a monetary reward, contingent upon whether you are engaging for a financial stake. You retain the prerogative to distribute payouts to the top three or five finishers. As it is your consortium, you retain the autonomy to dictate the governing regulations.
The synergistic pairing of proficient jockey-trainer combinations, analogous to the collaboration between Jose Ortiz and Linda Rice a few summers prior, or Flavien Prat and Chad Brown, may potentially afford you a competitive advantage.
If your predilections gravitate more towards weekend participation, this alternate consortium option caters to your specific inclinations.
The operational framework is as follows: Designate ten stakes races from the Saratoga meet. Consider incorporating Grade 1 events such as the Dunkin’ Diana Stakes, Whitney Stakes, and DraftKings Travers Stakes. Ensure the inclusion of both turf and dirt races to maintain an engaging and diversified experience. Each participant selects a solitary equine per individual race.
The scoring mechanism is delineated thus:
- Award six points for accurately selecting the victor.
- Award two points for correctly identifying the runner-up.
- Award one point each for accurately forecasting the third and fourth positions.
You may opt to bestow bonus points upon participants who correctly identify a horse prevailing at double-digit odds. Saratoga is frequently referred to as the “graveyard of champions” for a well-founded reason; consequently, the inherent element of underdog prowess should sustain the engagement of all participants until the final furlong of the summer season.
Presented herein is a catalog of suggested races curated by the America’s Best Racing team to facilitate your initial navigation.
Should you be inclined towards augmenting generosity, consider drafting a concise synopsis for each equine participating in each individual race. Alternatively, you may simply disseminate America’s Best Racing’s comprehensive race analysis features.
Irrespective of whether you are wholly immersed in every race day or merely engaging on a partial basis during Saturdays, these Saratoga consortiums furnish an exceptional avenue for cultivating connectedness, fostering competition, and maintaining comprehensive investment in the summer racing season. Prior expertise in racing is not a prerequisite. Simply assemble a cohort of companions, establish your wagering parameters, and derive gratification from the races.
