FIRST BLUSH

[bigmack]

What is your earliest memory of the game?

What continues to draw you to the game?

Personally, I grew up a stones throw from Arlington Park. I loved the annual ritual when the trailers filled with horses would come into town with the various smells and the cast of characters that were replete in the game in the 60’s. I would ride my bike down early in the morning with “my gang” and we’d watch the workouts in the morning when the dew was on the grass and the breaths of the horses could be seen as they barreled down the track. Going to race days become a splendor of sights and sounds that, by the end of the day, felt like a day in a candy store.

Years later, pent-up in a recording studio, I’d teach others how to read the form and we’d take turns “doping” a race. That exercise re-entered me to the game as I find the puzzle of each race fascinating and, when done well, lucrative.

[cj]

First time I went to the track was with Larry Collmus and another friend. We went to Bowie while we were supposed to be in high school and hung out most of the day in the booth with Dick Wooley. How could that not reel you in?

[Snag]

My hook was watching match races near a bayou in south Lousiana. I remember thinking that there must be something to this after seeing so much money change hands. Everyone seemed to know every horse but me. I grew up around working Qhorses but had never really thought about racing. That first race was so cool with the jocks whipping and everyone screaming. I was hooked.


I then went to the old Fairgrounds for my first "big time" race. Wow! The last two races of the day were run in fog so thick you could not see the backside or starting gate. The sound of them running echoed in the fog and everyone was still screaming. When they did come into view, the horse that I had a few bucks on was in the lead. I won $5.60 that day and thought I owned the world. I'm still trying to win another $5.60.

[csperberg]

My earliest memory is when I was young like between the ages of 4-7 this happened. I have always grew up in Green Bay WI so I never was around horse racing. I dont know if anybody else had what I am going to talk about in their area back in the late 70's or early 80's or not.

I just remember going to the grocery store when I was a kid with my parents, it was ron's super value. I remember we would get these tickets with 3 peel off edges. Back then I didnt realize what they were but they were mock tote tickets. Any way there must have been some horse numbers in there dont recall if it was like wps or exotic bets. We would sit around and watch these races on TV maybe it was like once a week or something. I dont recall much but that sticks in my mind always did. I dont know if my parents ever won or even what prizes you could win or cash. I dont recall what track(s) they used but it was always at night.

Then it took until a little over 2 years ago to rediscover it as an adult. Thank god the local casino got an OTB or I might have gone through life never discovering this wonderful sport. I didnt really know nothing how to read PP's but figured it out pretty quick. Within 10 mins of being there hit a $150 exacta on a straight $2 bet and was really hooked then.

Not much of a story of how I got into it, but I always wanted to ask others if they remember such a game back in the day. I just think it would have been weird for Green Bay WI to be the only place that would have a game about horse racing and not even be from a state that had it.

[kitts]

My earliest was age 14 at Del Mar. I was not old enough to buy a ticket but they had a secondary rule: you could buy a ticket if you could reach the counter. I knew little about horse racing but loved the atmosphere. My first bet was $2 to show (my allowance then was $5 weekly) and the ticket paid $5.40. I was very impressed at my wisdom in discovering an emporium that gave you back $5.40 every time you gave them $2. The next few races dispelled that illusion.

[BIG49010]

1986 at Gulfstream Park I watched Mogambo crush a field in an Allowance race. I have loved Gulfstream ever since then, and still do despite the changes.

[JPinMaryland]

csper: yes I remember those races in western PA. I think it was the local Foodland, but it could have been anyone of a number of grocery chains. I think they gave you one or two of these tickets for every x number of dollars you spent at the store.

It was some sort of a pick three or pick four. You would tune into TV at whatever time and watch these races. It was in the middle of the week like Wed and 7:30 or something. They were probably called the "Foodland races" or some such. These were on tape delay so there was no chance that the grocery store was going to go broke on a huge payout. I.e. it was rigged. Sure enuf, your horse would win the first race and then the second, and then you'd be rooting for another one in the third and he'd lose by a nose!

This would happen like every time. I think this would have been circa 1973/74.

My earliest memory is not that. It was the 1969 KY derby and I remember mom, dad and I trying to pick between Majestic Prince and Arts and Letters. Of course Majestic Prince won that day. I dont recall much of the race but I do recall watching them on tv. I think it was more the names that stuck in my mind.

I also recall Holy Land for some strange reason but that would have been the 1970 derby that was Dust Commander's derby...so I guess I just remember horse names for whatever reason.

[shanta]

I was about 15 and got a tip on a runner at Yonkers Raceway that night from a wise guy. He told me " kid it's money in the bank". Well it was as the horse paid 9 and change. I went with a small group of guys and they put a bet down for me.

Remember thinking " man this is gonna be easy" :bang: :bang:

Rich

[46zilzal]

Gillette Calvacade of Sports used to be on (first rememberance of the track) as well as the weekly race from Santa Anita. Watched Tim Tam, Stage Door Johnny, Olden Times much to the chargrin of my mom. Her brother LOST about half of my grandmother's savings at the track (while UNDER the influence). Read all about the Noor/Citation battles from a ragged book I found at the public library.

Remember, even back then, how many of the responsible people in my life, tried to get me interested in something else and attirubted my interest to a "passing fancy."

Must admit, my parents let me decide. They did not dictate my life's choices to me. I really thank them for that.

Wish I could have seen that 6.5 furlong Silky Sullivan race. I only got to see him at 17 when he visited GGF on St. Paddy's day.

[bigmack]

Wish I could have seen that 6.5 furlong Silky Sullivan race. I only got to see him at 17 when he visited GGF on St. Paddy's day.
46- There's a guy who has the 6.5 race narrated by the late announcer Todd Creed from GG on tape.
You can reach him @ Stwillms@aol.com

http://secondrunning.com/images/Silky_Sullivan.jpg

http://secondrunning.com/images/Silky_Chart2.JPG

[Tom]

1962 - I went to Finger Lakes with my Dad, and he told me to pick a double for $2. I took a win ticket instead, on Morganfield in the first race. He won and paid $28.80 - and me, making a sweet $0.50 a week allowance!
I didn't miss a Saturday after that until about 1999-200!:D

I remeber "Let's Go to the Races" - from P&C.
They used to run races from Florida Downs (now Tampa Bay) and there were always some FL horses in the races - so I was hooked all winter, looking for familiar names.

[kingfin66]

I was 7 years old when I went to Del Mar with my parents and grandparents. We were in the paddock and my grandparents pointed out that I was standing right behind Policewoman herself, Angie Dickinson. She was very tiny as was the man she was with that day. His name: Burt Bacharach. Recall that they were married long, long ago. I don't remember a thing about the racing that day, but I do remember that.

[KingChas]

What is your earliest memory of the game?

What continues to draw you to the game?



Having a friend that was a harness whiz. Brandywine($$$$)
First $2 DD bet at Penn National $254.00 with a $20 bankroll.Betting the McCarron brothers double.Horse I had going in the 2nd looked like a broken down mule in the paddock before the race.

Being an ex athlete that was very competitive physically and mentally.I can't run or jump anymore, but when I'm at the track I am 16 again.
As Sinatra said "I do it my way". ;)

[gregrph]

Bigmack- My first remeberance was when I was a kid about 10 or 11 years old. I grew up in Schenectady, NY and my grandmother and her sisters and their husbands would take me to Saratoga once or twice a year. This started back in the early 70's. She would buy me a program (not the Racing Form) and I would look at the Jockey's statistics, the trainers statistics, the post positions, whether or not the jockey was an appresntice, weight the horse was carrying, etc. I would play mostly show bets even though I was using her money. Only 1 bet per race, she would make them for me! I remember the looong, sloooow moving lines, ALL the teller windows were ALWAYS open and thinking "How can ANYBODY have som much money to bet %50.00 on a single bet?" ($50.00 ticket windows). THe grandstand/clubhouse dividing line was at the finish line or just before it, folding chairs were allowed in the grandstand.

Back then it wasn't just about the racing but being with family that I loved and since I was the only kid in the group, I got treated to everything! The hot dogs, sodas, pretzels, etc always tasted better at the track! And whether we won or lost (most likely-but not a lot!) we ALWAYS stopped at the A&W Rootbear stand or FRiendly's for dinner.

Now, I'm in my mid 40's and remeber those times fondly. I now live in FL and try to get back every year to visit Saratoga at least once while visiting my family. These past 2 years we have missed it for economic reasons but hopefuly next year!
Greg

[KingChas]

First $2 DD bet at Penn National $254.00 with a $20 bankroll.Betting the McCarron brothers double. ;)

Been so long I don't remember if it was the MCcarron's or the :confused: Lloyd's brothers? :D


PS;Silky looks like he could pull a tractor trailer.They sure were built in those days!

[slotterhaus]

At a birthday party for a Little League teammate we were all sat down and forced to watch Super 8 footage of a horse whose name I heard to be Doctor Failure. Not yet hip to irony, I thought it a strange moniker for this horse who flickered before us so far in front of the other horses. The guest of honor's father said he was the best horse who ever lived. I thought that a bit bold since Mr. Ed could hit Don Drysdale and slide into home. But he was probably a little faster than Ed. No matter, bring on the cake and ice cream.

I kept in touch with the kid who had the birthday and some 20 years later he was in Louisville in early May to watch his family's horse run a celebrated 10 furlongs. I was deeply enmeshed in the sport by this time, knowing enough to listen to the same fellow who had marveled at Doc Failure when he told me his gangly 2yo would run well in the Canterbury Juvenile. I cashed an epic exacta that led to an extended period where I was drinking like a tremendous machine.

The Little Leaguer was Bic Smith, his father Bentley Smith, whose mother was Frances Genter, who owned Canterbury Juvenile runnerup Unbridled, who was bred by Tartan Farms, who also bred the ultra brilliant misnomer I came to know as Dr. Fager, who was the first and best thoroughbred I have ever seen.

[Tee]

For me, well it's all Craig's fault!! :lol:

Seriously my Uncle was in the racing/breeding business, so the family took in it's fair share of races in SoCal & Arizona, maybe even Arapaho park(that I'm not sure about.)

My mother and sister had horses, one of which as a little one used to come throught the house. :D

I didn't get into the wagering side of things until around 1995. Been on and off since then. In an off mode at the moment, golf and poker seems to be of more importance.

But when the snow hits - watch your wallets!! :)

Ah, who am I kidding - I"ll be playing pool then. ;)

[betchatoo]

I'd followed the Derby regularly since the year Silky Sullivan ran (I think it was 58), but never went to the track till a friend I was working with and I decided to play hooky one day. He spent the morning introducing me to the racing form and, being a baseball fan who loved statistics, I fell in love with it immediately. The first horse I bet was named Maris.. It won and paid about $9. I knew I'd found my life's calling and would never have to work again :lol: :lol:

[uncbossfan]

I believe I was 5, my uncle took me to Turfway park. We walked up to the window so he could bet. He got his ticket and I asked, "Which one am I riding?"

Enjoying that experience so much, my parents took me to River Downs every June 25th for my birthday, and i got to bet $2 a race. My first bet won and tied the track record! Now 24, i am more involved in the game than ever before!