HORSEPLOP.COM
General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: goblue on June 12, 2025, 11:15:34 PM
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I listen to simulcast broadcasts across the country, and Hoosier has undoubtedly jumped to the #1 spot this year. I genuinely believe they have the two best on-air analysts in the sport, and I don’t think they’ve gotten the credit they deserve.
The Gabe Prewitt effect is real. His analysis is truly exceptional... unlike the generic, often useless last-minute paper analysis from so-called "analysts" across the country. Gabe actually knows these horses and clearly watches them closely. I heard him mention a horse he was watching warm up, then talking about a previous winner he had just raced at a different track minutes earlier, and he seamlessly worked that into his commentary. No one else in the sport does that. He consistently references replays, trip details, and helpful angles that have genuinely improved my own handicapping.
Jacob Rheinheimer is underratedly fantastic, and Hoosier is lucky to have him as well. His angles are detailed, informed, and his perspective as the “local expert” perfectly complements Gabe’s insights. The two of them together on every broadcast, now including a quick post-race analysis, takes the product to another level. Really great stuff, you guys!
These two tap into a knowledge base of edges and angles that no other analyst duo comes close to. The Meadowlands might have solid production quality, but their analysis consistently falls short in a way that’s not worth diving into here.
That said, the racing product at Hoosier remains what it’s been: poor. I continue to blame the driver colony. We’re seeing so many noncompetitive races where the favorite crawls to the half and then opens up in the stretch. Every horse over 5/1 seems to be racing for a check rather than the win. No one comes first-over or challenges a favorite. Compare that to Scioto, where 5/1 shots are pulling before the half to take on odds-on favorites, and you’re getting sub-57 half miles. It’s competitive, but the overall product is pretty weak.
Hoosier has every piece in place to be extremely successful if they can improve the racing product. And with new trainers like Linda Toscano, John Butenschoen, and others starting to ship in, maybe that improvement is already underway.
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i miss rick moores expert picks tmbz1
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Gabe really does do a lot for any and every track, he's involved with. He promotes before during and after the race cards. He's definitely very good at what he does.
You're spot on with how most of the races have gone, thus far at Hoosier this meet. I am hopeful that more movement will occur, because for me, it gets boring to watch.
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First thing they need is a new announcer.
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Gabe is well informed and doesn't need a script! tmbz1 tmbz1
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are they ever going to go back with the open stretch
and they desperatly need a new race caller mike is ok but nothin special bring back steve cross or maybe get robin burns this guy now is not great at making a tight race finish calls a vet blah blah race
..jmho nothin against him but we could do better
I MISS RICK MOORE AND HIS EXPERT PICKS
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are they ever going to go back with the open stretch
and they desperatly need a new race caller mike is ok but nothin special bring back steve cross or maybe get robin burns this guy now is not great at making a tight race finish calls a vet blah blah race
..jmho nothin against him but we could do better
I MISS RICK MOORE AND HIS EXPERT PICKS
The announcer Michael Chamberlain was decent as a T-Bred announcer but just average at harness. As long as Hoosier Park's stretch is, they never should have had the open stretch in the first place.
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I agree that Chamberlain isn't great, but I don't think he's holding back the product as much as the drivers.
On a side note, Chamberlain's handicapping is comically poor. Thankfully they recognized that this year and have pretty much phased out his on-air analysis. They still release his picks every night, which I struggle to understand why.
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The announcer Michael Chamberlain was decent as a T-Bred announcer but just average at harness. As long as Hoosier Park's stretch is, they never should have had the open stretch in the first place.
I think most would agree on this
...but I don't think anyone hyped him up as Ed Gorman or Tom Durkin either--so I don't really know why he is bashed so badly(not this thread, but others over the last few years)
it isn't like he suddenly dropped off in his calling--he is average and has maintained being average
I cannot speak to his handicapping
why doesn't anyone bash Emily Gaskin?
her handicapping sucks and she is pretty much clueless
I will never forget the time Lather Up and McWicked faced off about 6-7 years ago--for over a week she screamed to the entire harness world that the race was "wide open"...when Lather Up defeated McWicked--the exacta paid $2.80 for a $2 bet and a long, long way back to whoever finished 3rd
hardly a wide open race
yet Chamberlain gets criticized constantly-go figure
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Tonight race 12
3/5 favorite pulls up in the middle of the race and Chamberlain doesn't even mention it ngc3