(Turfway Park  / Photos by Coady Media)

Here are some “Thoughts of the Day” on this Friday, the 13th. The second one of these things in two months. Wow. The odds.

Turfway Park Introduces New Bet — That Draws Ire of the Obnoxious Ignorant:

Earlier this week, Turfway Park announced that it was going to introduce a new bet that is aimed at attracting the non-traditional, less-serious, and more casual fan, who just may be more attracted to things like lottery tickets or, let’s say, bingo cards.

Low investment required.

Potential of a big return.

And, in a world that now requires for the racing industry to compete daily, hourly with all kinds of competitors for the entertainment and gambling dollar — such as charitable gaming — the new wager seems like something that could — maybe — help plug the leakage of the horse fan, but not the horse handicapping expert analyst.

The bet — called the “Octafecta” — will challenge the wagering participant to select the Top 8 finishers in a race. In order. Truly, not meant for the faint of heart. Nor, the serious horse racing handicapper.

To be honest, I rarely play the trifecta — because of the difficulty of picking the top 3 horses in a row. Furthermore, I don’t think I have played the superfecta — where you pick the top 4 finishers — more than 5 times in my life, and all of those have been on the Kentucky Derby.

To pick the top 8 runners in a row?

By its’ very description, the authors and creators of the wager know this is not going to be a wager that is attractive to the hard boots; the hardened veterans; the old guys and beautiful ladies who have the ink of the “Daily Racing Form” on the palms of their hands.

But the wager has never been considered for those peeps.

It is a wager — which requires a $1 minimum investment — that promises huge payoffs and returns to anyone who is brave enough to weigh in and lucky enough to cash in. For example, if the bettor who plays the new wager on the Advance Deposit Wagering platform TwinSpires.com — which is owned by Churchill Downs and the same company that owns Turfway Park — and that person is the only one to win that wager, then the person will get a $250,000 bonus.

Is the bet a solid investment? Not in you are interested in winning much.

Is the bet a wise decision? Not in probability or likelihood of success.

Is the bet something that could interest a lottery player; or a bingo player; or a casual observer who may take a raffle ticket on winning a huge payoff or a little donation? Without a doubt.

But the innovative new bet has come under serious fire on social media and the haters of Churchill Downs. Those same people who, yes, do live in their basements and rarely interact with real humans and have never truly accomplished much of anything of value in their own lives. These are people who simply lash out at anybody or anything that doesn’t appeal directly to them or give them, personally, something of value for nothing.

If you ever surf the “Horse Racing Twitter” wire, you know who they are. They are haters. And, they are as obnoxious and vulgar as any porn star you may have heard tell of or about. I will never reprint the names they call people on any platform. They are truly the worst of the worst. Then are the bullies of the industry. Don’t agree with their nonsense, and beware. Disagree with them publicly, and be abused.

They are the likes of Andy Asaro, the most obnoxious and foul-mouthed typer to ever take to a keyboard. A person who has threatened class action lawsuits; advocated bettor boycotts and has vowed to never make another bet on horse betting at least 1,000 times (plus or plus) in the last year alone. They are the weak-kneed and weaker of heart ones who only go by stage names and refuse to use their own for ID purposes. You know the ones. Like “Stalk the Pace,” and whoever the hell that truly is.

The “Muck Pit?” It is too damn good for these people. The “Muck Pit” is a condo and 5-Star hotel for these people.

The fact is very simple. And, easy to do.

If you don’t like the wager, then don’t play it.

If you don’t like the takeout that the track will keep, then don’t play it.

If you don’t like the odds and think it is a “sucker bet,” then don’t play it.

Its’ creation and adoption wasn’t meant for you, any way. Truthfully, it wasn’t meant for me, either.

But that is not the style of the Andy Asaros of the this new world. If it doesn’t fit their definition of what is “good,” then criticize and demean anyone who may disagree. Opinion doesn’t mean anything. Difference of opinion is just a target for abuse.

A former employee of TwinSpires.com went on Twitter recently and said that nobody at the company wanted to support the wager, either. Her allegation was that Bill Carstanjen — the Chief Executive Officer of Churchill Downs, Inc. — mandated that the new bet be instituted and that TwinSpires.com implement the bonus payoff. That spurred a lot of other comments on Twitter, too. None complimentary, mind you.

I hope she was and is right. I love the fact that he is that engaged; that involved; that interested; that concerned.

Bill Carstanjen is a friend of mine. Personally and professionally. But, more importantly, he is one of the best executives in the history of this sport and industry. He has done more for this game than all of his critics combined. And, this attempt at attracting new bettors who want a huge payoff is worth a shot.

I hope the new bet works. I hope people are interested in it. I hope it attracts new people.

But if it doesn’t? At least, Turfway Park & Churchill Downs & TwinSpires gave it a shot.

Marshall Yards Opens In West KY — A New Venue Raises New Dollars for Racing:

I wonder if the doomsayers on Twitter are even aware that Churchill Downs has built, opened and now operating a new Historic Horseracing Machine & Simulcasting facility in West Kentucky. And, I wonder, if they do know, why don’t they thank Bill Carstanjen and CDI for investing, yet again, in the sport and creating new dollars for the industry.

But they have.

Marshall Yards — a new, spiffy, flashy, classy facility located in little Calvert City, KY — is now open and welcoming customers as a off-track facility for CDI’s harness track operation in Oak Grove, KY.

Once again, Churchill Downs is spending its’ money to build and expand. New facilities. New games. New options. And, new money.

That’s why Kentucky has the best racing circuit in the free world.

Without question.

I went by the other day. Here’s a few looks:

I doubt Andy Asaro has ever contributed just 1% of what CDI has done to benefit the sport, but I am convinced of one thing. He and others are preparing to critique and criticize yet another financial investment.