The combination of Super Night eliminations and a fabulous guaranteed wagering menu brings the spotlight to Illinois racing as Balmoral Park, for the first time in history, will offer four guaranteed pools on one night. With the addition of a Pick Five carryover of $5,399, Balmoral Park and USTA Strategic Wagering program will offer an instant guaranteed pool of $20,000.
The one mile oval will offer players guaranteed pools totaling $100,000 on Saturday night. The four guaranteed pools are a $20,000 Pick Five pool on races 4 thru 8, a $25,000 Pick Four pool on races 9 thru 12, a $30,000 Trifecta pool on race 11 and a $25,000 High Five pool on the race 12 finale.
Free deluxe twelve line program pages are now available courtesy of Track Master at www.ustrotting.com
The Guaranteed pools averaged over $110,000 a night at Balmoral Park in August without a single carryover. The three guaranteed pool model at Northfield, Maywood and Balmoral has proven there is an audience for these wagers every night.
That was a big step. Our guaranteed High Five pools are bigger than every thoroughbred track in the country except Del Mar, which handled more than $12,000,000 a day in 2014. That was a big step. The guaranteed pools are at the height of their popularity.
The Pick Four averaged only $8,827 in 2009. With the lowering of takeout to 15% in 2010, the Balmoral Pick Four has grown more than four times that amount to a nightly average of $35,894 in August 2015.
Therefore we feel it is the right time for Balmoral Park to step up by raising the Pick Four and High Five guarantees on Saturday and Sunday by $20,000 a week as we head towards the biggest night in Illinois racing. Promoting the wagers that offer pool liquidity will most definitely get the players attention. The way I see it, Strategic Wagering has thrown Illinois the football and it is time to see how far Balmoral can run with it.
First post at Balmoral Park on Saturday is 7:10 p.m. (central)
There will be more eliminations on Sunday, Sept. 6th as well as the American Nationals for two year old colt and filly trotters. The Sunday night card will also offer $75,000 in guaranteed pools and all the action gets underway at 7:10 p.m. (central).
Michael Antoniades… Balmoral Park Racing Analyst