Dwayne McIvor and family having fun at ASD.
By G.S. Thompson
Sometimes the stars just align for you. Just ask Dwayne McIvor, who celebrated his 45th birthday on July 8th by capturing his first ASD Handicapping Challenge victory in dominant fashion, turning his $48 bankroll into a whopping $104.40.
And what a birthday present it was. McIvor didn’t just edge out the competition, he demolished it, outdistancing second-place finisher Sue Mymko ($83.20) by a decisive $21.20. In a contest where victories are typically measured in nickels and dimes, McIvor’s margin of victory was impressive. Rounding out the top five finishers were Nagel Delacruz ($78.30), Ken Faulkner ($70.10), and Roger Jones ($68.10).
McIvor, who works for Platinum Promotions, has been testing the handicapping contest waters for less than a year, making his breakthrough victory even more exciting. “I think I entered a couple to end last year, and then sporadically over the winter,” he said. “I’ve been trying to play in the contests at ASD whenever I can for basically about a year now.”
But McIvor’s connection to the track runs much deeper. Like many successful handicappers, his love affair with racing began in childhood. “I used to go to the track with my dad when I was a kid,” he recalled. “I was probably ten years old. Dad would go there and say, ‘Pick one. Pick a number.’ And he’d play it for us.”
The magic began early on Tuesday’s card when McIvor nailed the first two races with Mineral Rights ($14.60) and Coal Boy ($14.20). “I got the first two races right,” said McIvor. “I got lucky with the DQ in the first race because I had Mineral Rights, and then I got Coal Boy in the next race,” he said. “That’s when I told my daughter, ‘I almost got my whole bankroll back in two races. I think I could do good today.'”
Coal Boy proved to be especially thrilling, providing the kind of dramatic finish that makes handicapping so much fun. The horse broke slow and dropped well back early, but rallied dramatically to win at solid odds. “You hear the announcer say slow start, and then your horse actually comes from behind and wins,” said McIvor. “Coal Boy was the big surprise for me.”
McIvor’s hot streak continued in the fifth race with Meko Makee ($17.90), his biggest payoff of the day. His handicapping method for that selection showed his evolving understanding of the game. “I noticed two races ago it won, and then it switched jockeys to Dane Dawkins, and it was his second time on the horse. I thought maybe he’d do a little better. Maybe he just needed that one race to get things going.”
McIvor capped off his four-winner performance with Sumitup ($6.70) in the sixth race, a horse he backed just minutes before post time. “I bet it at about four minutes to post, and it was 6-1,” he said. “At post time it was the favourite but it still worked out.”
McIvor’s approach to handicapping is refreshingly honest and unpretentious. “It’s a little bit of guessing right now,” he admitted. “I’m not even well-versed in the program, truly. My buddy just tells me this is the speed, these are the workouts, this is where you look to see how they’ve done recently.”
Despite his casual approach, McIvor demonstrated impressive skill, hitting four winners on the eight-race card. His strategy of looking for value over heavy favourites paid dividends. “If the third choice is paying 8-1 and he finishes first, that’s a good thing,” said McIvor.
The victory represents McIvor’s biggest score to date, surpassing a $1,400 Classic Hi-5 hit from a few years back. The $3,500 prize will keep him in action for future tournaments, though he’s keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground. “I’ll leave some in there for the next tournament, because I’ll keep playing the rest of the year, that’s for sure.”
Perhaps most endearing is how McIvor shares his passion with his family. His 15-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son were watching the races with him on his birthday, and they regularly accompany him to the track. “The kids love coming to the track with me,” he said.
For McIvor, it was the perfect birthday gift, one that combined family, fun, and a healthy dose of handicapping instinct . . .
That proved anything but amateur.