There will be no Spring Break this week for Night School, the racing industry’s national online fan education program. Tuesday’s 90-minute online lesson focusing on “Money Management and Wagering Theories” kicks off a jam-packed week of fan education that includes on-track visits Saturday to Gulfstream Park and Fair Grounds.
Night School’s weekly Tuesday online course continues from 8:30 to 10:00 p.m. ET this week with a renowned cast of horseplayers discussing the all-important subjects of money management and wagering theories. Joining Night School co-founders Joe Kristufek and Jeremy Plonk in the interactive chat will be top handicappers Gibson Carothers, Rich Eng and Dave Brower. The lesson also features a Night School first—a video montage of the best of Night School from previous seasons on the topics of money management and wagering theories. The “Mixtape” will give students a broader look at the subject matter from past guests in a quick-fire format. The downloadable study materials this week will be actual wagering logs from Plonk and Kristufek, and the thinking behind them, for racing this past weekend at Gulfstream Park.
The trio of guests in this week’s live chat promises to be exceptional. Eng is the turf writer and handicapper for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and author of “Betting on Horse Races for Dummies.” Carothers long has been recognized as one of the architects of pick six strategy and one of the most respected horseplayers in the game. The renowned advertising executive and master writer of some of pop culture’s most memorable phrases, he’s also the father of TVG racing analyst Matt Carothers, who will be a guest panelist in next week’s Night School program. And Brower has been one of harness racing’s most identifiable public handicappers. The former Meadowlands television analyst and morning line maker has appeared on several national telecasts of the sport over the past 20 years.
Meanwhile, the Night School Tour of on-track fan educators will make its first two stops of the season in conjunction with the America’s Best Racing 101 “Fan Hubs” this Saturday. Night School instructors Joe Kristufek (Gulfstream Park) and Jill Byrne (Fair Grounds) will anchor the teams assembled at both the Florida Derby and Louisiana Derby programs. Fans in the area are welcome to stop by for all-day lessons ranging from the basics to the most advanced questions. Upcoming Tour dates also include Toyota Blue Grass Day at Keeneland on April 13 and Illinois Derby Day at Hawthorne on April 20.
Presenting title sponsors for Night School are the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, American Quarter Horse Association, Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Inc., and the United States Trotting Association.
The 90-minute classes are offered every Tuesday for 40 consecutive weeks through Dec. 3. Topics change weekly, and fans are eligible for prizes and rewards for registering. Registration is optional and free. There is never a charge for taking part in Night School. The weekly program is offered in three media: live chat via the Cover It Live live blogging/chat forum, audio/radio streaming and full video lesson plans. The media of delivery is based on the subject matter and alternates throughout the season.
This week’s Night School will be followed at 10:00 p.m. ET by the “After Night School Special,” featuring live racing from Mountaineer Park. The segment will cover the evening’s final race in real time with free, live-streaming video. Fans wishing to take part in the Mountaineer action simply need to remain in the Night School chat after class.
The Night School lessons continue each week with the “Night School Friday Night Live” from Remington Park, featuring expert analysis and live chat for an entire card of action with complimentary live streaming video. The Friday live chats—co-hosted by track announcer Dale Day, morning line maker Jerry Shottenkirk and Horse Player NOW’s Jeremy Plonk—begin at 6:30 p.m. ET and extend through the evening’s final race.
This week’s Night School preview video by Joe Kristufek and Jeremy Plonk:
This week’s study materials, courtesy of Horse Player NOW: