An awesome potpourri greets race handicappers in October. Woodbine and Belmont Park stack upcoming weekend cards in an everybody-wins situation. The well-financed cards bring the high-level horses, jockeys and trainers serious gamblers want.

Big fields also denote value. A horse that would normally be 2-1 may drift to 5-1, even double digits, given the talent of the group. That’s why bettors love to bang these races.

The high purses also spike live-meet attendance and simulcast wagering. Woodbine Racetrack unfurls a bonanza on Sunday, October 15 with the $800,000 Pattison Canadian International and the $500,000 EP Taylor Stakes, both on the turf. The $250,000 Nearctic and $125,000 Ontario Derby round out a well-stocked card. The Pattison is the time to test the theory that although European shippers have won the last six events, Chemical Charge from Ireland may be over bet in the attempt to make it seven.

Check out the loaded lineups for Belmont Park and Laurel on Oct 21. Belmont sports eight races with a more than $100,000 purse. The six-figure number often comprises the largest event of the week, or even the year, at many smaller tracks. Belmont features practically a whole card of them, including the $300,000 Empire Classic, $250,000 Sleepy Hollow, Maid of the Mist and Distaff races, the $200,000 Mohawk and Ticonderoga and the $150,000 Hudson and Iroquois events.

Laurel finds a similar way to spread the bread. Under the Maryland Million umbrella, it offers a slew of six-figure races. They include the $150,000 Classic, $125,000 Turf and Ladies races, and $100,000 apiece for the Lassie, Nursery, Distaff and Sprint competitions.  The tracks have created a great betting lineup.

And, patrons have options. One can place a $2 bet, as if playing a low-limit table game, or wager $100 on a race that fits certain parameters. Many players shift back and forth between the two betting approaches.

The disadvantage for this sport is its heinous takeout percentage, rivaling the odds of a big-wheel casino game. Many exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets have a 25-30 percent takeout. That’s why win-place-and-show bets in the 15-17 percent range give players a reasonable chance to win.

As a side tip, when you play smaller fields, try to sharpen handicapping skills to make one decent-sized bet rather than spreading the money for a small return.

Around The Horn: NFL

Who thought the New York Giants would quit on their coach and have no season left after five games? You never know how much heart you will obtain from a team like this going forward.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to be a great play when giving less than a touchdown, the Houston Texans found a quarterback in Deshaun Watson (think about the overs when they play) and the Oakland Raiders live and die on Derek Carr, who’s now injured.

Here’s the brains behind a no-brainer. Sports books offered the season-long prop of every team collecting at least three wins. A yes ticket was only -120. Slam it, right? Well, Cleveland, San Francisco and the New York Giants closed week five with zero wins.