Experts offer advice to bet Sonoma County Fair races

The three-week Wine Country Horse Racing meet at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, which starts Thursday, Aug. 3, draws lots of people who don’t typically visit the track. So race organizers provide daily handicapping seminars to dispense advice about each race and suggest overall betting strategies.

The free seminars take place in Shade Park just outside the track. As many as 500 people attend the hour-long seminars. If you can’t make them, however, here’s some advice from Dennis Miller, co-host with Michael Patricks of the daily seminars: Bet on jockeys and trainers: “The racing form has the jockey standings and the trainer standings — they’re the top jockeys and top trainers for a reason — they win more than the other ones do.” Don’t overthink it: “If you just want to have a good time, bet on the name or color of a horse. Horse racing is a sport where a little bit of knowledge can be very dangerous. Once you think you understand the sport and start looking at the daily racing form, you’re inevitably going to miss a lot of stuff.” Bet small and have fun: Making a few $2 bets probably won’t break the bank, but “when a horse that’s even money crosses the finish line (you see) people just going nuts. Even though they’re only going to make two bucks on the race, they’re winning a race.” One big win can make your day: If you have a strong feeling about a horse based on solid information, bet bigger. “It’s not how many races I win, but how much money I’ve won at the end of the day,” Miller says. “You can hit one of eight races and go home $300 ahead. You don’t have to bet every race. When I’m playing, I probably play three or four races, and that’s it.”

Racing dates at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds are Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 3-6, Aug. 10-13 and Aug. 18-20. On Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, racing forums start at 11:30 a.m. and first post time is 1:15 p.m. On Fridays, forums start at 12:30 p.m. and first post is 2:15 p.m.

Track entry is free with paid fair admission ($13 adults, $7 children), but seats cost extra: $3 for grandstand, $5 for a box seat or preferred grandstand. The first two of the three weeks are during the fair, the final week is afterward, so admission is entirely free (no fair admission) during the final week.

Get more information at www.sonomacountyfair.com.