You had to be there...

[uncbossfan]

Curious as to some of the things people on here have seen at the track over the yrs that were almost too bizarre to believe.

My favorite was a night at Turfway last yr, they opened the gate for a maiden race, and this first time starter just stood there. They had to send an outrider to drag her out of the starting gate.

Another good one happened at River Downs during a turf race. The 2 horse took a left hand turn out of the gate and flipped over the hedges. The jockey still holding the reigns pulled the bridle and all right off the horses face as she went down. The horse just ran around the infeild for a good 15 minutes avoiding the outriders who had nothing to grab on to.

Not the greatest stories, but it's the best I got. Lets hear some good ones!

[cj]

Broad Brush in the Pennsylvania Derby. He was 1-5, and had a nice lead under Cordero turning for home. At his point, he bolted towards the outside fence and was passed by all the other horses, 3 or 4 of them I believe. Cordero straightens him out just before hitting the outside fence, rouses him, and he storms right back past the others to win going away.

[Pace Cap'n]

Forget the track, but after much brilliant ciphering, I had keyed the 1-horse in my tri and exacta. The bell rang, the horses took off like a shot, except for my 1-horse, who calmly walked out of the gate for about three or four steps, turned left, and WALKED right through the fence. The jock was just sitting there like a monkey on a camel.

[schweitz]

I was at Sam Houston several years ago when the race is ready to start---the bell rings--the horses lunge forward---and none of the gates open up---not one. The whole contraption damn near flips over. They never could get the gates to work and had to get the starting gates from the turf course to continue racing.

[Tom]

I was "alive" with 7 of 11 horses in the last leg of an exotic at FL one time - not one of the 7 ever got a money call. Finished 5-11!

[offtrack]

Having spent the last 25 years in Saratoga(just moved away this year) I had the chance to attend the harness and t-bred tracks.

Saratoga Harness:
1-Pacer is leading a race at the half; stops, turns around and goes the wrong way during the race.

2-At Saratoga Harness they go around twice(1/2 miler).
Fierce snowstorm during race, can't see a thing. Trailing driver stops on the backstretch, is unseen because of the blizzard. Waits for the others to go around the track, then when they come around he starts up again, wins the race. Only went around once. Caught on the replay tape.

3-Raining like crazy, mobile starting gate loses controll and crashes twenty feet after the race starts.

Thoroughbred-

1- Spent the entire meet with a phone scanner to my ear hoping to hear calls from insiders. Nothing, but did keep tabs on Julie Krone's love life.

2- Got word, at a bar across the street from the track, about a sure thing due out by the name of "Nuture".
Spent the whole meet waiting.
Either I had too much to drink, or there was to much background noise(or both) but it was New Terms, and I missed it. Only realized it after the meet was over.

[BIG49010]

At Hawthorne their was a 3/5 shot Momentus, who was on the derby trail, who went straight into the stands. He lived and ran in the derby I think.

[betovernetcapper]

This also happened at Haw. The fastest horse I've ever seen was Medowlake. When I first saw him run, I wrote down his 5f final time on my program and it seemed in line with other races that day and then it hit me-the race wasn't 5f but 5.5f. Just an incredible time.
Anyway he was entered in a stakes a few weeks later-As usual I went to the club house bar (Gold Cup?) and the place was packed with no seating room, even Bert Sonier , Madowlake's trainer and some people who I took to be his owners had to stand. I went over to the bar to get a beer and the bartender said -"Here -saved you a seat" and moved a dummy setup out of the way. I was greatful but curious and asked " how come I get a seat and Sonier doesn't?". He said "because you tip!". :lol:

[Topcat]

I was at Los Alamitos watching the quarter horses one evening. The fog came in and it was so thick you could barely see the horses on the track.

The announcer called the race as best he could and mistook the number 3 for the number 8 horse, the favorite. The 3 was a 20 to 1 shot and when they crossed the finish line the annnounced the 8, the favorite won. The favorite ran 3rd. You could only see it in the photo. Anyway when he announced the favorite won a big cheer goes up and it only got louder when they flashed the payoffs and showed $42.00 to win and huge exoctic payoffs.

Despite having the correct number on the payoffs, (the 8 horse), mass confusion ensued with some people somehow thinking the favorite won and paid $42 and others claiming the favorite won and they had the wrong order up on the official payoff etc.

The announcer came back on and tried to correct his mistake but
it seemed to only make matters worse. Now you had loud booing going on and people yelling "fix, fix ..."

Strange but fun to watch.

[shanta]

Years back a top driver at Yonkers had a mount at the Meadowlands in a stakes
( Cambest). He is only listed on 1 mount for the night back at YR that being the last race.

Me and a few buddies were there partying a bit and I am at the top of the stretch when the horses come on the track. This driver comes out and he is ripped out of his mind. Eyes crazy like man.

I yell to him " Hey ****** can he win? He looks right at me and says " u can bet me here I'm good".

Run back and tell my buddies. We load up and watch him blow the field away at like 3/1.

I am back at the top of the stretch when the race ends and the drivers turn the horses over to the handlers. I watch him get off the bike, drop the reigns without realizing the handler wasnt there. Then he turns around and starts walking down the banked chute the horses enter the track on and falls flat on his face. had no clue what the hell he was doing yet he just went like 157 blasting the field.

He also won the stakes at the Meadowlands when I checked the results the next day.

He was suspended a few days later I believe

Rich

[Doc]

Back in 1994, I was at Philly Park and at the start of this 1-1/16 mile race a horse stumbled and dumped its jock. Then it ran loose along the outer rail as the field went onto the backstretch and into the far turn. At the top of the stretch, however, the loose horse weaved its way back into the field ... and one of the outriders, desperate to grab this loose horse, also joined the field! Down the stretch they came, with the field consisting of horses, jockeys, a loose horse, and a gung-ho outrider!

What pissed me off about this rodeo scene was the damn stewards at Philly Park didn't even put up the Inquiry sign! The race was official and prices were posted as quick as you could say "three blind mice." This is when the three stewards at Philly were Don LeVine, John Hanley and Sam Boulmetis, Jr. (who is still there).

I've got a million other stories, but this one really sticks out in my mind.

Doc :ThmbDown:

[bigmack]

What me off about this rodeo scene was the damn stewards at Philly Park didn't even put up the Inquiry sign! The race was official and prices were posted as quick as you could say "three blind mice."
Equally funny is the use of "three blind mice" Good story Doc

By the by, it looks like Paramount went with TimeLife for the DVD's
http://www.timelife.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=8085

[Peter Berry]

Hayden Haitana adjourning to the bar after the "Fine Cotton" race.