George Papaprodromou’s faith in American Theorem paid off at Del Mar July 30 in the $400,000, Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes. “We’ve always believed in this horse,” said the emotional trainer after he sprinted to the winner’s circle nearly as fast as his charge.
Month: July 2022
Should You Play Slots Online Or At Land Based Casinos?
There’s been a great deal of discussion about online gambling recently with legislators, operators and the global community of gamblers trying to fathom complex matters such as Internet “locality”. In the midst of these deliberations, many players have been wanting to assess the relative merits of gambling online or at land-based casinos.
Through all of this there has been a lack of focus on the experience of the person who actually plays money at a casino. How about the gamblers who are central to any issues concerning casinos? We pose the sensible opening question – which are better, online or land-based slot machines?
Land-based slots are the world’s most popular casino game. They pay more winnings to gamblers than all of the other casino games together. But how well does this cherished form of land-based gambling adapt to online play? The vast majority of slots enthusiasts believe it has made the transition splendidly. The online versions of slots have become the most-played form of online casino games, owing in part to the ease of finding slots on the Internet (they’re also easy enough to find and play at land-based casinos) and in part to the fact that the game play is so simple.
Slot machines at land-based casinos have been controlled by computers for many years, so it’s relatively easy to adapt the game to play online. Some players are puzzled when you tell them a land-based slot machine is no more than a computer in a fancy case, but this is exactly what it is. These slots are driven by a microprocessor with a built-in random number generator. They work just like the online versions because the operating software is hard-coded in the microprocessor.
This means there is not much of a difference between the way the game works and how the odds compute for online or land-based slot machines. But there are some differences.
The most obvious difference, the one that will forever separate the two forms, is that you can’t physically put your hands on an online slot. Similarly, land-based machines have much bigger and more spectacular light and sound displays, although the graphics on the virtual slots are sophisticated enough these days to emulate reality pretty well.
There are numerous less evident advantages of playing online slots. For a start, you choose the time, place and the most comfortable seat in the house. You can play with your own refrigerator, DVD music system and other personal comforts close to hand. This is one of the great appeals of online casinos – you can visit them and experience all of their excitement without stepping outside your own home! And you can interrupt play whenever you like without worrying that some other gambler is going to annex your place at the machine.
Possibly the most telling difference between playing slots at an online compared with a land-based casino is the nature of the comps you receive. At a land-based establishment, the keen slots player may receive a coupon or some similar small comp as a reward for slaving away at a machine for several hours. It’s quite different online because the competition among casinos is so intense.
With the Internet it doesn’t matter where in the world you live, every online casino would love to lure your custom. As a result you can get a comp simply for deciding to play at a given casino regardless of how much you’ve gambled there. The sign-up bonus is a common online attraction. It gives you a substantial value in real credits at the casino and you can exploit this bonus to swell your bankroll, spend more time playing the slots and experience more opportunities to be a winner.
Many slots players find it genuinely gratifying to receive a comp in advance rather than after having to earn it by achieving a certain level of play. If you add the comps to the other advantages of online slots, it should be easy to see which version best meets the needs of the players.
Smith Guides Royal Ship To San Diego Handicap Upset
Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm's Royal Ship stayed close to the leaders on the backside, then when Hall of Famer Mike Smith let him roll approaching the far turn the 6-year-old Brazilian horse found another gear and ran off in the stretch to score a 2 1/4-length victory in the 81st running of the $302,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar Saturday.
The veteran gelding acted like a young boy in earning a $180,000 prize in the Grade 2 feature finishing up the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.75. He paid $21.00 for the win and pushed his career earnings to $570, 405.
Royal Ship, by 2008 Del Mar Futurity winner Midshipman, is trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, though the conditioner wasn't at the track for the festivities today. He was home nursing a case of COVID, but his stable was in the able hands of his son, Gary, a trainer on his own who has certainly won his share of races.
Finishing second was the 2-1 favorite, Commonwealth Thoroughreds, Winstar Farm and Zedan Racing Stables' Country Grammer, who was 4 1/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Stilleto Boy, owned by Steve Moger.
Royal Ship returned $21.00, $9.20 and $6.00 across the board. Country Grammer paid $5.20 and $3.40, while Stilleto Boy was worth $5.20 to show.
For the sixth straight afternoon, the track's Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot wager was not solved and its carryover pushed higher to $393,249. That will be in the pot when racing resumes at 2 p.m. Sunday.
MIKE SMITH (Royal Ship, winner) – “I wasn't going to take anything away from him today. If he wanted to go, he could go. He was rolling on the backside and just kept going. I hope this win helps Mr. Mandella (Richard Mandella, the trainer who is home with COVID) feel better. He and his son get all the credit with this horse.”
GARY MANDELLA, son of Richard Mandella (Royal Ship, winner) — “We're going to enjoy this and figure the next race after that; this is a good one and we're gonna enjoy it for a while. He (Mike Smith) had a lot of horse under him and he's keeping the favorite in his sights. That's what makes Mike great, he made all the right calls, put the horse in position he could win and got it done. ”
FRACTIONS: :23.71 :47.44 1:11.19 1:36.21 1:42.75
The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Smith, but his second (Giacomo, 2006) in the San Diego. He now has 75 stakes wins at Del Mar, 11th most among all riders.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Mandella, but his second (Catch a Flight, 2015) in the San Diego. He now has 71 stakes wins at Del Mar, fifth most among all trainers.
The winning owners are Fox Hill Farms of Elizabeth Porter of Lexington, Ky., and the Siena Farm of David Pope of Paris, Ky.
The post Smith Guides Royal Ship To San Diego Handicap Upset appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
American Theorem Secures Breeders’ Cup Sprint Berth With Bing Crosby Triumph
Rustin Kretz's American Theorem swooped widest and fastest of all Saturday in the 77th edition of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar Saturday and outran eight rivals to the wire in 1:08.67 for the six-panel headliner.
The husky gray son of Triple Crown hero American Pharoah was a length and a half to the good at the finish under veteran Joe Bravo. The rider dropped his stick turning for home as he swung six wide, but it didn't matter to his charge who just kept rolling around a wall of horses on the turn.
Finishing second was Gary Barber's Get Her Number and third was Brown, Klein or Lebherz's Letsgetlucky. Race favorite Shaaz, owned by Michael Lund Petersen, checked in fourth.
American Theorem is trained by George Papaprodromou, who was recording his first career Grade 1 victory.
The Crosby was a “Win and You're In” race meaning American Theorem now has a guaranteed spot with all fees paid in the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint, which will be held at Keeneland in November.
The Crosby carried a value of $402,000 and earned American Theorem a first-place prize of $240,000, increasing his career winnings to $531,967.
The ridgling had won Santa Anita's Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes on May 29 in his most recent start.
American Theorem paid $17.60, $7.80 and $5.00 across the board. Get Her Number returned $7.20 and $5.00 and Letsgetlucky paid $5.80 to show.
JOE BRAVO (American Theorem, winner) – “He just wanted to run. That's why I went. He was real comfortable on the backside, moving easy. And then when we came to the turn I didn't think I wanted to go six wide. But he just had his momentum up and we just kept on going. I got real nervous, though. I dropped my stick on the turn and that will make you nervous. But he didn't need it.”
GEORGE PAPAPRODROMOU (American Theorem, winner)– “The race turned out the way we planned and we made one run. We knew with the post we would have to go a little wide but it worked out perfect.”
FRACTIONS: :22.28 :44.99 :56.69 1:08.67
The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Bravo and his first in the Bing Crosby. He now has seven stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Papaprodromou and his first in the Bing Crosby. It is his third stakes win at Del Mar.
The winning owner is Rustin Kretz of Las Vegas, Nev.
The post American Theorem Secures Breeders’ Cup Sprint Berth With Bing Crosby Triumph appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
