In the Paddock

[turfbar]

How worthwhile this is I'm really not sure but let me relay some observations that occurred in the paddock at Fort Erie on Tuesday.Personally I love to go to the paddock to watch the horses ,because usually all the betting is done from home or at an OTB facility, but seeing the horses is great.So I am leaning over the paddock fence with a trusty DRF in hand ,inscribed with all my Master Handicapper information and my printed out Master Magician sheets waiting for the horses to come out of the saddling area.Per usual the trainers and jockeys come out first, now Im standing there pretty much minding my business when next to me a woman stands next to me and she starts talking to a trainer over the fence but well within my earshot explaining to him that the "the others"
were stuck in trafffic on the Queen E.She stands next to me as the trainer looks at her and shrugs I glance at the trainer identify him and the horse he is training ,a turf race at 1 1/16 for mdn f&m 3yo and up, I survey the horse think this horse is a longshot hmmmm 1st time lasix never on turf b4,but has what I have come to respect in using pace and speed figures a match-up ,both figures the same 73 (pace) 73 (speed) ,horses come out jock mount and off to the races.Let me explain a little, a high profile jockey from Woodbine comes all the way down from Toronto to ride one of the entrys and there is a very good horse with good turf expierience from Woodbine is another entry,they are co-favorites and really getting most the action.Understanably.Then I hear her on her phone again saying something like no she is not sweating she looks pretty good not sweating anymore than the rest of the field.Horses exit I go to bet.

Trying to make a long story short I use the favorites on top with some other horses in exactas,including the match-up horse, who is going off at 15-1, but I do bet him to win.Race goes off ,who wins but the 15-1 match-up horse
and pays $33.50 so sitting in the stands I peer down(with binoculors) at the winners circle as the pictures are being taken and there is the women from the paddock with a bunch of people(obviously the ones stuck in traffic)and they are well pretty dressed up for Fort Erie pretty snazzy if you ask me,all smiles.
My point to this all is hhhhhhhmmm not sure , but it is fun to go to the paddock and observe and wondering if some of you don't have similiar stories.

Turfbar

[jballscalls]

Info like that can be priceless. There is a trainer at Emerald Downs, Junior Coffey, who used to play in the NFL. And when he has his Super Bowl ring on and a nice sport coat, its like taking candy from a baby, cause he is there to get his picture taken!!

[NEhandicapper]

I have one

A few weeks ago at Philly Park, I was hanging out at the paddock waiting for the horses to enter for the 10th race, a real cheap claiming race. The first flash of the odds showed the 10 horse was leading the pools at even money, the same 10 horse that is coming off a 320 day layoff, did not display a good workout pattern, and had a morning line of 20-1. I could not understand why, even this early in the betting, how this horse could be getting this action. Was it connection money? Did they work him privately? Magic milkshake?

Up until a minute before PT, this horse was getting a lot of money fluctuation between 8/5 and 3/2. By this time, I bought into the connection theory and noticed by the pool totals, many decided to get on the band wagon. By the time the race went off, the late money had the 10 horse at 7/2. At least he came down from the stratosphere, but still, 7/2 was way too generous for this horse. But, here is where the paddock talk comes in.

In the paddock, the 10 horse was late arriving and had to play catch up in saddling. Along with the jockey and trainer, it appeared the trainer had a whole entourage with him, many decided to show up for this ones race. About two minutes before post time, I made my way to the betting windows to place my bet. At this point, I still did not have enough confidence to back the 10 horse; he was still at 6/5. As I was heading in, I noticed the trainer and his entourage was standing outside by the door and he was talking on his cell phone. I walked close by him at a slow pace and heard him saying “I do not understand what is going on…what are they seeing…I didn’t even place a dime on him!”

The horse finished fourth. So I guess the questions still stand, what was that early money and more improtantly, what were they seeing in this horse....

[turfbar]

I ve got lots of paddock stories here is another this happened 15-16 years ago really not sure but there was a $10,000 stake race for 3yo's at Fort Erie I see Virginia Kraft Payson had a horse running in this race ,now bear with me I beleive her silks were perrywinkle blue and white. There was as small crowd at the Fort ,and even smaller at the paddock when I glance over where her horse was saddled and there she was standing in the paddock, and here is the best she was dressed in a perrywinkle blue and white dress. RU kidding?
That horse paid $10