Joe Garofalo dominated the second week of the TIF BetMakers Summer Prop Contest with 11 of the 12 props correctly selected. The Sharpsburg, Georgia resident, who did not play the first week of the contest, missed only on Prop 10, guessing that Steve Asmussen trainees would win at three or more tracks on Saturday. Asmussen’s only win came at Monmouth Park.
Garofalo chose to direct $1,000 to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program.
Two players tied for second with nine correct props. Jeff Coakley of Waikoloa, Hawaii won the tiebreaker and elected to direct $600 to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Henry Wessel of Roselle, Illinois landed third, directing $400 to the Backside Learning Center at Churchill Downs.
Overall performance in the contest was improved from the tough opening week. The average number of correct props was 5.9, compared to just 5.1 in Week 1. 15 players had eight correct props.
Standings for the contest will be published once players accrue four weeks of scores.
Dallas Baker, head of the international operations for contest sponsor The BetMakers, will set the props for Week 3.
Below are the results of the Week 2 props with correct answers bolded and the percentage of contestants that selected each answer.
1. What will be the final odds of #1 Malathaat in the Coaching Club American Oaks (Race 5) at Saratoga?
2-5 (0.45-1) or under (75%)
1-2 (0.50-1) or higher (25%)
2. According to the Equibase chart of the race, what will be the margin of victory in the Coaching Club American Oaks?
3 lengths or shorter (65%)
3.25 lengths or longer (35%)
3. Which first-time starter will have the better finishing position in Saturday’s sixth race for juveniles?
#1 MIDNIGHT WORKER (Owner: Repole Stable, Trainer: Todd Pletcher) (39%)
#7 WATASHA (Owner: Peter Brant, Trainer: Chad Brown) (61%)
4. Which trainer will score the most points on Saturday at Saratoga (Point Scale – 1st = 5 points, 2nd = 3 points, 3rd = 1 point)?
Chad Brown (8 horses entered across 5 races) (58%)
Todd Pletcher (8 horses entered across 6 races) minus 2.5 points (42%)
5. Which jockey or team of jockeys will accrue the most points on Saturday at Saratoga (Point Scale – 1st = 5 points, 2nd = 3 points, 3rd = 1 point)? No adjustments will be made due to scratches.
Irad Ortiz Jr. (10 mounts) (38%)
Luis Saez (11 mounts) (35%)
John Velazquez (6 mounts) and Eric Cancel (4 mounts) (11%)
Ricardo Santana Jr (6 mounts) and Javier Castellano (5 mounts) (16%)
6. How many board hits combined will Shug (5 starters at Saratoga) and Reeve McGaughey (2 starters at Ellis) have between them Saturday?
Over 2.5 (56%)
Under 2.5 (44%)
7. Which trainers will have more of the Top 3 finishers in Saturday’s Nassau Stakes (Race 6) at Woodbine?
American-based trainers (Mark Casse, Anna Meah, Eddie Kenneally, Kent Sweezey, Jonathan Thomas) (55%)
Canadian-based trainers (Kevin Attard, Josie Carroll, Barbara Minshall, Alexander Patykewich, Nathan Squires (45%)
8. HEAD-TO-HEAD: Which horse will have the better finishing position in the Eddie Read (Race 8) at Del Mar?
#3 SAY THE WORD (63%)
#7 RESTRAINEDVENGEANCE (37%)
9. Which filly will have the better finishing position in the San Clemente (Race 10) at Del Mar?
A filly sired by Constitution (#3 Founder’s Day, #4 Freedom Flyer) (32%)
A filly sired by an Australian Group 1 winner (#7 Jibber Jabber, #9 Madone) (46%)
A filly sired by a Preakness or Breeders’ Cup Mile winner (#8 Dramatizer, 10 Karakatsie) (22%)
10. Will Steve Asmussen win races at more than 2 venues Saturday? (2 starters scheduled at both Monmouth and Louisiana Downs; 4 at both Saratoga and Ellis Park)
0,1 or 2 tracks (71%)
3 or 4 tracks (29%)
11. Will any race at Saratoga or Del Mar be won by a margin greater than the total number of runs scored in Saturday’s baseball game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox?
Yes (34%)
No (66%)
12. How many races combined will Chad Brown trainees (Saratoga) & Phil D’Amato trainees (Del Mar) win on Saturday?
Over 3.5 races (64%)
Under 3.5 races (36%)
TIEBREAKER: What will be the $0.50 trifecta return in the San Clemente (Race 10) at Del Mar?
$33.25