After his nice win last week – giving him two wins on the 2024 Saratoga Harness season – my $20-on-his-nose-each-week stallion Pay Me To Knight (also known as “Junior”) moves over this week to the sixth race. He drew post position $7, with a morning line of 15-1 odds.
Why so high?
Because in that same race, in the #1 post position, is a horse called Reign of Honor. And Reign of Honor has won his last two starts – in very convincing fashion. And starting in position #7 means you have to move to the front quickly out of the gate – before the opening turn – if you want any chance at the lead, or you’re stuck in line near the back of the pack.
That’s okay. The rules of my challenge say that no matter where Pay Me To Knight races each week, I need to put $20 on his nose to win the race. I started the season with a $100 bankroll, and Junior’s two wins (and three non-wins) have moved the bankroll up to approximately $115. So I’m not playing with house money yet … but let’s see how things go this week.
Then again, those odds are the morning line. And the morning line is not the same as the post time line. The more money is wagered on a horse, the lower his odds go. So in the span of a few moments, Pay Me To Knight dropped from 15-1 odds to 7-2 odds, and fluctuated around that number. Meanwhile, Reign of Honor went up to approximately 11-1 odds.
Oh, and for all you “Hanover” fans, there are THREE Hanover-connected horses in the sixth race – Comeonover Hanover, Big Box Hanover and Free Willy Hanover. It’s a thing. Get used to it.
So play the bugle and let’s start the sixth race.
As the race started, Pay Me To Knight got caught in the mix and fell to eighth place – among eight horses. This remained on the first lap. And although the horse did try its usual “stand back, I’m racing to the front” move, he eventually moved up and took fourth place on the day.
And fourth place would have paid me a nice chunk of change on a dime superfecta … $116.90, to be precise … but I didn’t bet the superfecta. So now my bankroll is down to $95.
Well, at least there’s still $20 for next week’s race.
We’ll get ’em next time.
Chuck The Writer 
I think all those horses with the Hanover name come from someplace like Hanover Shoe Farm, as there’ve been a jillion “Hanovers” over the years. Today, though, the name “Seelster” has become just as common, especially in Canada.
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