You're best "non-handicaping" story

[TOOZ]

Handicaping a winner using all your skills, in my case "so-called" skills is why we are all in the game. What's your best "non-handicaping" story? Here's mine:

Before he broke his leg, Leslie Mawing, was riding at Turf Paradise
two years ago. I found out I was having success through conventional methods betting turf races there. It seems he happended to be on the horse many times, and was really in a riding high on the turf. So, whenever I happened to be at the track and they were simulcasting Turf Paradise, and there was a
turf race, and he was riding, automatic bet. Once I bet him on a
bomber in exactas and straight in the double with the favorite in
the next race, modestly since it was off the cuff. He came in second on the bomber, then blink, blink, inquiry. They moved him to first, exacta paid 1000, and I almost you know what, when the
favorite won the next race, and the double paid over 900. A few weeks later I was with my buddy at Freehold and they were simulcasting Turf. There was 1 minute to post, it was a turf race, and my boy was on the 12 horse. Not even knowing the odds, ran to the window and put 15 win and place on the 12. Sure enough, flawless ride, and he won. When they showed the odds
they were 45-1. It's a shame he broke his leg, he's not had much success since, last time I saw him he's in West Virginia.

[Valuist]

I have a friend who knows a few people on the backside. He mentioned to me a trainer liked a particular first time starter that was to run later that day. My first thought was tying the horse up in either the middle or last leg of P3s because first timers are always (or so I thought) better value there than in the win pool. I wasn't going to be able to get to the track in time to see the race so I bet it thru my Brisbet account. I'll bet some in these situations but I'm not going to throw a lot of money on supposed "inside info". We've all seen these types go down the toilet before. I threw $24 into the Pic 3, singling the first timer in the middle leg. I went 3 x 1 x 4 with $2 tickets. I walk into the track just after the first timer won a long stretch duel. I was shocked to see he was over 20-1. I ask who won the previous race and it was one of the three I had used. I'm waiting for them to roll the "will pays" expecting to see some four digit payoffs. I was shocked; two of my will pays were under $200 and none of the 4 were signers. Turns out there was a couple scratches in the opening leg (horses I didn't use) but they figured to take some money. The winner of the opening leg was bet down to 1-2, which I didn't see coming. I ended up hitting it making a "whopping" $275. After I cashed I ran into my friend. "Did you hit that,? he asked me. "Yeah, a bit. I can't believe how $hitty it paid," I told him. He then pulls out $6000 he just made from his $200 win and place bets. "You should've done what I did," he told me. No f-ing kidding.

[Macdiarmadillo]

On the way to the simo center, my buddy tells me some horse out of Bull in the Heather is running. So what?, I think. He remembered my hitting that one in the very sloppy Florida Derby, an $80 horse. Small bet, very nice but nothing life-changing. Ten + years ago besides. He also recalled a different BITH kid recently winning at a big price. This is also a horse running at Bay Meadows, where I don’t play much anymore. We always mention horses/picks to each other, very rare that the other plays it if he didn’t have it already.

The mdn/mcl race is coming up with the BITH horse and my buddy again reminds me of the horse and tells me again about how I bet Bull in the Heather, etc., etc. I scan the Form and he looks terrible as does the rest of the field, but looks quite fine physically on the track. What the hey, I bet a little on him WP at 20-1 and look up and see a different better-looking horse on the screen, and add a $2 box with son of BITH. The Bull horse wins, pays $98 to win, $2 exacta comes in for over $500. My friend played nothing in that race (?) but did earn a bunch of free dinners for that. You’d think I’d remember the horse’s name.

Listen to your friends.

[vito1270]

Many years ago, when 15,000 was considered a large crowd at the SPA One day, just before the hurdle race, my wife who never ,ever bets on a horse, said to me, i'd like to put $2 to win on #4. I looked up at the tote board, and the horse was 50-1. I asked her, " why # 4 '. she said, I like the jockey's name. Heinz Schwab. I then said," if that horse wins, there will be a senate investigation. She said, forget it, I won't bet it.I tried to convince her to bet it, but she refused. My son (Mike A+) who was a teenager then went in to bet the race. I gave him $10 to bet the favorite for me, 2 1/16 M. First time around the 60-1 shot was leading by daylight. My wife then said"oh, why did I change my mind ? I said, "don't feel bad, they have to go around again.With a sigh of relief, she OH? BOTTOM LINE-the horse won and paid $123,00 Mike then reached in his shirt pocket and pulled out my losing $10 ticket and handed it to me. He then handed my wife a ticket and said, "here mom a $2 bet on the winner for you and one for me. I said , what about me? He then said, you told mom if that horse wins, there would be a senate investigation, so I didn't bet it for you.


vito1270

[DJofSD]

About ten years ago I took a small group to DMR for a day of fun. "Who you goin' bet on?" was the question especially since they all knew I bet the horses.

I told them up front: I really didn't expect to bet seriously, just a little bit for fun but if they really wanted to know what I liked as a best bet to play an exact box in the feature race using the *two* entries - 1/1A and 2/2A. I explained the way the exacta was determind and how there were a lot of different ways it could come in and pay off as a winning ticket.

The day progresses and the 8th race is next. I remind the group of the play.

I go to the window and play a $20 box using the two entries.

You can guess, yes, it did come in 2A over the 1 and payed ~$86.

Did any one take my advice for just $4? No.

Of course, I thought it was pretty funny but then I was the only one laughing.

But dinner payed for by the big winner took some of that sting away!

DJofSD

[KingChas]

I'm at the (OTB)TheDowns.I'm down to my last $40.The races are going off quick.Paging thru Form,I take a look at Monmouth Park(race-8 (I think) 1 minute to post .The 7 horse(cant recall name) looks good ML 3-1.Run up to the window give me $20 to win on 7 at Monmouth.Race starts don't see 7 horse on screen, none of the horse's names sound familiar,don't hear any of the horses names in race 8.Out of the blue on the outside very late comes you guessed the 7.Look at odds 28-1.Whats going on here.Oh it was race 7.Collected $580.00.There is a racing GOD.

PS:Still Owes Me A Couple(LOL)

[Jeff P]

My own stupidest track moment- 4th of July weekend in the summer of '95 - I had a girlfriend whose father owned and bet heavily on his own horses. Cheap stock- most of the ones he had ran at old Prescott Downs in Arizona. One Sunday he has one that he tells me is ready to run today. I take a look at the form and decide to take a stand against - there is just no way I can envision his horse competing- let alone winning against today's field. The horse wins for fun and sets a track record (6 1/2 f - Fort Tuthill Downs Flagstaff, AZ) in the process. He paid decent odds too. The connections had set up the race by darkening the horse's form at Prescott Downs earlier in the year with the intention of running him in Flagstaff that 4th of July weekend. They had been planning on making a score and had let me in on it. The kicker was that I had to act overjoyed and give them all high fives as they celebrated. I remember standing there in the winner's circle with them getting my picture taken- smiling on the outside and grumbling on the inside- and crumbling up the $50.00 win bet that I had made on another horse.

[Valuist]

I was listening to Race Day Las Vegas yesterday and Ralph Siraco was talking about the recent Gold Coast tourney. He came in around 45th so he was to get a check for over $900. He's waiting in line to get his check/or paid and he's right behind the tournament winner....who was due about $125K. Instead of letting Ralph go ahead, this guy demanded to be paid in cash...and all in twenties! God knows how long that took, What a jerk.

[TOOZ]

If I could pick horses as good as I pick the wrong checkout line, I'd be retired on some island.