We are on the cusp of something new for Horse Racing. Daily Fantasy Sports have slowly been invading new markets (i.e. gaming, Nascar, etc). Now for horse racing fans, there is a new app that combines the excitement of racing with the DFS element you get in other sports. StableDuel is launching this Friday for the Breeders Cup and they are bringing everyone TWO free to play contests! Everyone (no state restrictions) is eligible to play in Friday and Saturday’s contests. Friday’s contest features $5,000 in cash prizes while Saturday features $15,000.
The rules are pretty straightforward. You have a salary of $50,000 and must select 10 horses from the specified race track for that day. All horses have a price that is based on the morning line odds. The shortest odds in horse racing is 1/9, which would cost $20,000. For extreme longshots of 40/1 are considered a free play and will cost you not a penny of your salary. From there, the range is $50-$15,000. You can select as many horses from any race you choose and you do not have to choose a horse from every race.
Scoring is based on the order of finish of the horse. You will receive 60 points for selecting the winner. From there, you’ll receive 40 for 2nd, 30 for 3rd, 20 for 4th, 10 for 5th and 0 points if they finish 6th or worse. A tip I learned from the Beta was sometimes its okay to put 2 or 3 horses from one race if you feel they will finish in the top 5. By doing that, you may find value horses that get points. There are also minimal +/- points for finishing margin, which should prevent ties. If your horse wins by a nose, you’ll add .05 to his 60 points win score. There are fractions leading all the way to a full length worth 1 point. Alternatively, if you pick a horse that doesn’t win, the points will be subtracted by how far back the horse finished. If your horse fails to finish for any reason, you will be hit with a -30.
If you do not have the app yet, please go through our tracking link here. This will help us know how many DFS Karma subscribers are playing on their app.
I will highlight a few horses to help build a lineup for Friday 11/1 in this article. There will be a separate article for horses in focus on Saturday.
High Price Favorites
Arizona $8,500 – Race 6
Arizona is considered a top play in this race featuring 15 horses. Aiden O’Brien and Ryan Moore team up on this Irish horse and should be considered the horse to beat in this race. In his last out, he was facing grade 1 competition and finished 2nd to a horse that many people think will be one of the top 3-year-olds in the world in Pinatubo. I loved watching that race and seeing him stride for stride with Pinatubo and those two extending their lead over third place.
Donna Veloce $8,000 – Race 7
This horse is a more risky play since she has only had one race. She won her debut race at Santa Anita by 9-1/2 lengths. If she were in play for StableDuel that day, she would have returned 69.50 points. There is competition in this race, but I feel comfortable that she should do well again.
Dennis’ Moment $9,400 – Race 9
This is a special horse. Won his maiden race by 19-1/4 lengths(!!!) which is equivalent to 79.25 points. Next time out, he was easily the winner down the stretch and the jockey hand rode him to the victory. Since there was no stick used, the second-place horse was closing in and only allowed Dennis’ Moment to win by nearly 3 lengths. We already witnessed one scratch in this race, which puts us down to 8 horses. With only 2 real competitors, Dennis’ could be in line for another victory and almost a sure-fire top 5 finish, but at a hefty cost.
Mid Price Plays
Scabbard $3,000 – Race 9
Scabbard was the horse that was closing on Dennis’ Moment from the race I laid out above. I think at $3,000 you are getting a horse that should finish at least 3rd place. Some experts are saying they think Scabbard has a shot to win this completely. For the money and lack of (proven) talent in this race, this horse is a no brainer in an eight-horse field.
Candy Cornell $3,000 – Race 10
I can’t say I’m in love with this pick, but taking a swing in a race that should have a quick pace. Any midpack to closer has a decent shot to come 5th or better. I like Candy Cornell to possibly finish in the top 3 and that’s worth the lower price tag to me.
Value Plays
Cholula Lips $750 – Race 3
StableDuel is all about finding value in a long shot. There’s no possible way to spend $5,000 per horse. You will have to spend up on the horses you absolutely love, which leaves you with pennies to spend on the rest. In race 3, there is minimal speed (8 and 5). Then you have a boatload of trackers, midpacks, plodders, and one true closer. It’s easy to picture a scenario where 8 goes gate to wire. Cholula Lips likes to press the pace and if held, this 15/1 could find itself in the top 5.
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