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PERCENTAGE OF WINNING FAVORITES, By Albert Gascoigne. The racing season in and around Chicago was brought to a successful conclusion with the closing of the "Worth meeting October 31. A synopsis is here given of the running of the first and second favorites all through the year, showing what bad runs of losing first and second choices occurred, the averaged daily price against the winners and other pertinent points. A glance will show the result of a flat bet of any denomination, and any method of play can be at once tested by applying it to the longest runs of losers shown, and the tables should prove effective in providing the key to the weak spots in any method of playing first and second favorites. A close study of the tables should save many students of the favorite end of the game a whole lot of money if they grasp the significance of the points brought out. Worth Spring Meeting, April 29 to May 22. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second "Winning Winning Pav, Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 2 2 2 7-5 3 2nd 4 0 2 9-10 0 3rd " 4 11 9-10 5-2 4th " 13 2 1-2 16-5 5th " 3 2 1 19-10 29-10 6th " 2 13 9-10 11-5 7th " 4 0 2 32-20 0 8th " 3 12 9-5 16-5 9th " 3 12 15-20 2 10th " 3 2 1 4-5 6-5 11th " 3 2 1 13-20 5-2 12th " 2 2 2 9-5 2 13th "5011 0 14th " 2 2 2 27-30 2 15th " 2 1 3 7-10 5-2 16tli " 114 1-3 3 17th " 4 11 8-o 8-5 18th " 3 12 3-5 13-5 19th " 4.1 1 6-5 18-5 20th " 4 0 2 6-5 0 21st " 2 0 4 2 0 21 Days 61 24 41 11-10 126 RacesWinning per cent, first favorites .48 Winning per cent, second favorites .19 The season of 1903 opened with 33 per cent, of winning favorites which gradually increased to 48 per cent, at the close. This was a good meeting for favorites which were well distributed with no bad losing runs. The high percentage speaks for itself. The first column of the table shows the number of first choices to win each day; the second column shows the number of second choices to win, and the next column shows the number of outsiders. The fourth column shows the average price for the day against the favorites that won, and the remaining column the average daily price against the second choices. Hawthorne Spring Meeting, May 23 to June 5. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 2 13 8-5 3 2nd " 1 1 4 3 5-2 3rd " 3 2 1 0-5 3 4th "4116-5 3 5th " 114 -3-5 8-5 6th " 2 1 3 23-20 3 7th " 3 1 2 15-10 8-5 8fli 0 3 3 0 13-5 9U1" 2 2 2 15-10 13-5 10th " 1 2 3 7-5 3 11th 3 2. 1 13-10 3 12th " 1 0 5 9-5 0 12 Days 2? 17 32 2-2 72 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .32 Winning per cent, second favorites .24 This meeting showed the expected reaction from the heavy winning first favorite percentage shown at Worth. Not a favorite won June 1 and but two June 2. There was one bad run of seven successive losing favorites. Prices were a little better than at Worth, but this is to be expected inasmuch as the percentage of the winner invaribly governs the price. The higher the winning percentage, the lower the averaged price and vice versa. Harlem Summer Meeting, June 6 to June 19. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 3 1 2 8-5 7-2 2nd " 2 2 2 14-5 6 3rd " 1 3 2 8-5 9-2 4th " 3 2 1 2 5-2 5th " 1 3 2 7-2 4 6th " 0 4 2 0 17-5 7th " 3 2 2 7-5 4 Sth " 1 1 4 7-5 9-2 9th " 4 1 1 33-20 3 10th " 4 2 1 6-5 4 11th " 3 0 3 13-10 0 12th " 2 1 3 39-20 3 12 Days 27 22 25 8-5 74 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .36 Winning per cent, second favorites .22 Here was another meeting which showed the far reaching effect of Worth. The 36 per cent, showed a slight increase over Hawthorne and the averaged price against the winners a shade higher. The second favorites showed up fairly well, twenty-two having scored out of a total of seventy-four races run. There was one run of thirteen successive losing first favorites winning out with Savable at 9 to 5, requiring a maximum risk of some ,700 to win out 0 and losses, and there were three favorites at unplayable odds, i. e., less than 1 to 2 on. This was certainly a trying meeting, and the swings of the percentage pendulum were both frequent and abrupt, opening at 50 per cent., running down to 28 per cent, and then gradually ascending, closing at a shade over 36 per cent. The winning first favorite percentage for the season is now 41 per cent., which is about normal. The western turf season reaches its highest mark about the close of Washington Parks long meeting, after which changes usually take place, the more prominent stables shipping to Saratoga to try conclusions with the eastern horses. Washington Park Summer Meeting, June 20 to July 18. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 2 2 2 27-10 9-4 2nd " 3 1 2 2 5 3rd " 3 3 0 5-2 7-2 4th " 2 1 3 13-10 3 5th " 0 2 4 0 23-10 6th " 2 13 1 4 7th " 4 0 2 1 0 8th " 2 1 3 47-20 4 9th " 2 2 2 9-5 67-20 10th " 2 2 2 5-2 13-10 11th " 2 1 3 45-20 16-5 12th " 3 2 1 11-5 15-4 13th " 2 3 2 13-10 4 14th " 5 1 0 21-20 4 15th " 2 2 2 7-5 16-5 16th " 3 12 5-2 4 17th " 1 2 3 4-5 35-10 18th "5018-5 0 19th "312 7-5 13-5 20th. " 2 13 11-5 4 21st "114 1 5-2 22nd " 3 12 13-10 13-5 23rd " 2 0 4 23-10 0 24th " 4 1 1 23-10 5-2 25th " 2 13 2 12-5 25 Days 62 33 56 8-5 151 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .41 Winning per cent, second favorites .22 This meeting showed two runs of eight and six losing first choices, and one day with none in front. The winners, however, were fairly well distributed, and the meeting showed great improvement in the running of the favorites over Hawthorne and Harlem. The price against the winners was good, averaging a little over 8 to 5. The close of the Washington Park meeting marked the seventieth day of the western turf season, with a total of 423 races run. 173 of which were won by first favorites and ninety-six by second favorites. The winning first favorite percentage for , season stands at 41 per cent., which is about level. The second favorite percentage is 23 per cent. Hawthorne Summer Meeting, July 20 to August 1. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 1 3 2 3-5 13-5 2nd " 4 11 13-10 5 3rd " 3 12 13-10 16-5 4th " 3 2 1 8-5 14-5 Sth " 4 11 17-10 7-2 6th " 1-3 2 5-2 29-20 7th " 3 0 3 8-5 0 Sth " 2 1 3 27-20 2 9th " 2 1 3 9-20 3 10th " 4 11 6-5 16-5 11th " 2 0 4 21-20 0 12th " 2 4 0 2-3 11-5 12 Days 31 IS 23 13-10 72 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .43 Winning per cent, second favorites .25 Harlem Summer Meeting, August 3 to August 15. Avera gedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 3 2 1 17-10 7-2 2nd " 2 0 4 7-5 0 3rd " 10 5 12-5 0 4th " 2 3 1 9-5 18-5 5th " 3 1 2 23-20 3 6th " 3 2 0 6-5 14-5 7th " ,3 2 1 3-2 17-5 Sth "2133-2 2 9th " 2 2 2 1-2 3 10th " 4 0 2 11-5 0 11th " 3 2 2 9-10 7-2 12th " 1 3 3 3r2 16-5 12 Days 29 18 26 7-5 1 I 73 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .40 Winning per cent, second favorites .25 A fairly good meeting with only one bad run of eight losers winning out with a 7 to 5 shot. Hawthorne Summer Meeting, August 17 to August 29. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 2 2 2 11-10 11-5 2nd " 1 3 2 11-5 35-10 3rd " 4 0 2 11-5 0 4th " 5 0 1 11-10 0 5th " 3 2 1 29-20 33-10 6th " 1 2 3 9-5 2 7th " 2 2 2 23-10 9-5 Sth " 2 1 3 27-20 7-5 9th " 2 3 1 17-20 3 10th " 14 1 7-10. 5-2 11th " 3 1 2 9-10 9-2 12th " 12 3 1-2 13-5 12 Days 27 22 23 7-5 72 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .38 Winning per cent, second favorites .31 This was a second choice meeting, twenty-two winning out of the seventy-two races run, or 31 per cent., which is very high. There was one bad run of seven losing first choices, but on the whole the meeting was an even one and should have proved profitable for the systematic player. Harlem Autumn Meeting. August 31 to September 14. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 3 1 2 21-20 7-2 2nd " 2 13 "13-10 11-5 Continued on third page. PERCENTAGE OF WINNING FAVORITES, Continued from first page. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 3rd " 3 2 1 G-5 13-5 4th " 213 S-5 4 5th " 2 2 2 13-10 5 6th " 3 13 11-5 7-2 7th " 3 2 1 3-2 9-2 Sth " 2 2 2 21-20 7-2 9th " 3 1 2 9-5 5-2 10th " 6 0 0 6-5 0 11th " 0 2 4 0 13-5 12th "114 8-5 3 13th " 3 12 11-10 21-5 13 Days 33 17 29 7-5 79 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .42 Winning per cent, second favorites .22 Harlem was a fairly good meeting. There were two had runs of seven and ten losing favorites. The winning first favorite percentage for the season is normal, standing at 40 per cent. Hawthorne Autumn Meeting, September 15 to September 26. AveragedAveraged Price sPrice First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Dav 3 0 3 S-5 0 2nd 2 13 17-10 5-2 3rd "5013-2 0 4th " 2 0 4 11-10 0 5th "3213 3 6th "4117-5 3 7th " 2 2 2 7-5 16-5 Sth " 3 12 13-10 11-5 9th S 1 2 17-10 11-5 10th " 4 0 2 15-20 0 31th " 2 2 2 11-10 15-10 11 Days 33 10 23 3-2 C6 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .50 Winning per cent, second favorites ,15 Here was a heavier favorite meeting than the top heavy one with which Worth opened the season in April last. Thirty- three favorites won in the sixty-six l-aces decided, or just 50 per cent. There were no runs of losing choices amounting to anything, and almost any kind of a consistent wager would have won out well. The second favorites, as might be expected, did not fare so well, but ten winning, or 15 per cent. It will he seen at a glance that a fiat bet of any denomination would have won out to the good. Harlem Autumn Meeting, September 28 to October 3. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 2 2 2 7-20 3 2nd " 5 0 1 13-10 0 3rd " 3 12 17-10 13-5 4th "5102 1 5th "3127-5 3 6th " 3 2 1 7-10 9-5 6 Days 21 7 S 5-4 36 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .5S Winning per cent, second favorites .19 Usually towards the closing of the season the winning choices begin to tail off, but the reverse seems to be the case this year, for here we have the last meeting at Harlem totaling 58 per cent, of the winners. Twenty-one winning favorites to score in thirty-six races tells the story. The season is not slightly above normal at 42 per cent. Worth Atitumn Meeting, October 5 to October 31. AveragedAveraged Price Price First Second Winning Winning Fav. Fav. Osider Fav.SecdFav. 1st Day 114 13-10 3 2nd " 3 12 13-10 2 3rd " 3 3 0 9-5 17-5 4th " 2 4 0 7-5 2 5th " , 3 1 2 9-5 9-5 6th " 0 2 4 0 14-5 7th " 2 2 2 S-5 19-10 Sth " 2 1 3 3-2 3-2 9th " 4 0 2 9-5 0 10th " 3 2 1 S-5 5-2 11th " 4 15 6-5 11-5 12th " 13x2 1-2 21-5 13th " 114 9-5 11-5 14th " 0 3 3 0 11-5 15th " 3 3 1 0 16th " 3 0 3 6-5 0 17th " 3 2 1 S-5 19-5 18th " 2 13 7-5 . 11-5 19th "4111 2 20th " 1 2 3 7-20 7-2 21st " 3 2 1 15-20 7-2 22nd " 2 2 2 6-5 12-5 23rd " 2 0 4 4-5 0 24th " 4 2 0 9-5 12-5 24 Davs 56 37 51 13-10 144 Races Winning per cent, first favorites .39 Winning per cent, second favorites .26 After 166 days of racing the season closed at Worth, October 31, 965 races have been participated in, of which the first favorites have won 403, the second favorites 255 and outsiders 337 races. Forty-two per cent, of first favorites have scored with an averaged price against the winners of 7 to 5. Thus the year shows six days without a winning favorite, which is one less than the eastern first favorite record of 1902; Synopsis of the Year. Meeting and Date. oR S Sl U 5 U . 6 a ife H ofe gfc o s h Jfe m F4M O Worth, Spring Meeting, April 29-May 22 21 126 61 11-10 48 24 19 41 ! Hawthorne, Spring Meeting, May 23-June 5 12 72 23 3-2 32 17 24 32 Harlem, Summer Meeting, June 6-June 19 12 74 27 S-5 36 22 22 25 t Washington Park, June 20-July 18 25 151 62 8-5 41 33 22 56 Hawthorne, Summer Meeting, July 20-August 1 12 72 31 13-10 43 18 2d 23 Harlem, Summer Meeting, August 3-August 15 : 12 73 29 7-5 40 18 2o 26 Hawthorne, Summer Meeting, August 17-August 29 12 72 27 7-5 38 22 31 23 Harlem, Autumn Meeting, August 31-September 14 13 79 33 7-5 42 17 22 29 . Hawthorne, Autumn Meeting, September 15-September 26.. 11 66 33 3-2 50 10 15 23 Harlem, Autumn Meeting, September 2S-October 3 6 36 21 5-4 58 7 19 8 AVorth, Fall Meeting, October 5-October 31 24 144 56 13-10 39 37 26 51 Totals 160 965 403 7-5 42 225 23 337 Combined percentage of first and second favorites 65 per cent.
