Teach
12-30-2007, 02:06 PM
"I won! I won!" I blurted out. "Bucko," on the other end of the line couldn’t believe it. "You’re kidding," he said. "No, it’s true," I replied. "It’s right here in black and white. It's on the Internet. The Suffolk Downs website," I continued. "Good hit," "Bucko said. "No, great hit!" I replied.
Earlier that day, my friend "Bucko" and I had trekked into Suffolk Downs from our suburban Boston homes. "Bucko" likes to play the flats; I prefer the harness. Although our preferences do overlap.
When we arrived. we found out that Suffolk was holding a thoroughbred handicapping contest (this pre-dated the ones they now have to qualify for the DRF and World Championships). At first blush, I wasn’t really interested. I liked the flats, but I prefer the trotters.
I remember "Bucko" saying, "Walt, it only costs a few bucks to enter. What have you got to lose?" He was right. What the heck. A few minutes later, we both walked downstairs, paid a small fee, and picked up contest entry forms.
We then brought the contest sheets upstairs to the teletheater where we were sitting. All the races in the contest were from Suffolk Downs. I did my best to handicap, but I frankly had little confidence in my selections
As I was finishing up, there was a spot at the bottom for picking the two horses for the late double. I said, "‘Bucko,’ I don’t have a clue; give me the first half and I'll give you my pick in the second half. We did just that. I then brought our selections down to the contest booth.
Frankly, I can’t remember how I did that day in my regular betting, but I do recallthat I was doing poorly in the contest. I figured my chances were somewhere between slim and none...and slim had just left town. As the last two races (late double) at Suffolk were being run, I casually watched the races on the big-screen TV. I remember the first half of the double that "Bucko" had selected had popped. We were both alive in our mythical bets. Then, the one I selected, the second half, also came in. The double paid about $50. Would that be enough to get us into the contest finals. I had my doubts.
The next day, I checked the Suffolk Downs website. I looked down the list of contestants who had qualified. There we were at the very bottom. We had barely qualified. It reminded me of a professional golf tournmant. Top 70 and ties. Well, we just made the cut.
Two weeks later, Bucko and I were back at Suffolk for the finals. I have to tell you that this time aound — I was serious. I had my game face on. I had bought the DRF at a local variety store the day before and, that evening, I was studying the form for several hours on my kitchen table. I felt at that moment that I was back in school studying for a final exam.
I remember going over every race with a "fine-tooth comb". I looked at every horse’s past performances. I looked at the races from every angle. Yet, in hindsight, I would use a piece of information that was not found in the DRF or the program to help me win the contest.
Over the years, I've been friendly with guys who were in pretty tight with some of the Suffolk Downs trainers. Once in a while, this would little to a tip. Some would pan out, others wouldn’t.
In any event, one of my track buddies mentioned this trainer who saddled very few horses, but he had a good winning percentage. I can’t recall the recommended trainer's name, but I do remember his last name began with the letter "M". My friend went on to say that this trainer had "the knack of bringing in longshots." I happened to notice that the day of the contest finals this particulatr trainer had a mount in the 6th race.
As I was filling out my selections, I mentioned to "Bucko" that he should consider a horse in the 6th race named Tourister. I said I have it on good authority that his trainer has "a knack of bringing in longshots." I remember "Bucko" saying, "Walt, this horse doesn't have much of a chance; he's shown nothing in this company in his last two races." Frankly, "Bucko" had me convinced. However, at the last moment, I wrote Torister's number down as one of my bigger bets in the contest (As I recall there were mostly $10 mythical bets, a couple $20 bets, and two exactas and a daily double).
Wouldn’t you know it, the trainer with the letter "M"'s horse won. Tourister paid over $20 to win. From that moment on, I knew I was in hunt.
Before leaving Suffolk that afternoon (there was no updating of leaders during the contest), I checked with the contest booth. The man suggested I check the Suffolk Downs website when I get home. They may have posted the results by then.
All "Bucko" and I could talk about on the way home was: "Did I have enough points (mythical money) from my other winning selections to win the contest? "What if someone else had Tourister?" I suggested "What if they had hit the contest’s daily double or one or both of the their exactas? If they did, I'd be toast.
When I arrived home, I quickly booted up my computer. I clicked on the SD website. I then clicked on promotions. There it was:the contest outcome. I looked at the top. "Yes!" I said to myself as I pumped my fist in the air: "I won!" In fact, I had won by the narrowest of margins; I believe I beat the second-place finisher by less than a dollar. At that moment, I thought, "What if I had bet Tourister with real money, say $10 or $20?" I certainly would have won my bet, but I may have slightly diminished the payoff to the point that I would have finished second in the contest.
That evening I called "Bucko" to tell him of my good fortune. He couldn’t believe it. A couple days later I went in to SD to claim my prize. I had to go to what is called the White Building; it's located in the middle of the parking lot. There, one of the publicity guys handed me five $500 vouchers. I would need to go into the track to have one of the tellers cash the the five tickets.
Well, I can tell you that as I walked through the track the temptation to make a bet was enormous (there was a live card). I could feel the devil with his pitchfork prodding and taunting me. But, in the end, I kept my cool and picked up twenty-five "Benjamins". It was a red-letter day. One I’ll not soon forget. It was a contest I hadn’t wanted to enter, and one that I had wononly because I remembered that a particular trainer had "a knack of bringing in longshots."
Earlier that day, my friend "Bucko" and I had trekked into Suffolk Downs from our suburban Boston homes. "Bucko" likes to play the flats; I prefer the harness. Although our preferences do overlap.
When we arrived. we found out that Suffolk was holding a thoroughbred handicapping contest (this pre-dated the ones they now have to qualify for the DRF and World Championships). At first blush, I wasn’t really interested. I liked the flats, but I prefer the trotters.
I remember "Bucko" saying, "Walt, it only costs a few bucks to enter. What have you got to lose?" He was right. What the heck. A few minutes later, we both walked downstairs, paid a small fee, and picked up contest entry forms.
We then brought the contest sheets upstairs to the teletheater where we were sitting. All the races in the contest were from Suffolk Downs. I did my best to handicap, but I frankly had little confidence in my selections
As I was finishing up, there was a spot at the bottom for picking the two horses for the late double. I said, "‘Bucko,’ I don’t have a clue; give me the first half and I'll give you my pick in the second half. We did just that. I then brought our selections down to the contest booth.
Frankly, I can’t remember how I did that day in my regular betting, but I do recallthat I was doing poorly in the contest. I figured my chances were somewhere between slim and none...and slim had just left town. As the last two races (late double) at Suffolk were being run, I casually watched the races on the big-screen TV. I remember the first half of the double that "Bucko" had selected had popped. We were both alive in our mythical bets. Then, the one I selected, the second half, also came in. The double paid about $50. Would that be enough to get us into the contest finals. I had my doubts.
The next day, I checked the Suffolk Downs website. I looked down the list of contestants who had qualified. There we were at the very bottom. We had barely qualified. It reminded me of a professional golf tournmant. Top 70 and ties. Well, we just made the cut.
Two weeks later, Bucko and I were back at Suffolk for the finals. I have to tell you that this time aound — I was serious. I had my game face on. I had bought the DRF at a local variety store the day before and, that evening, I was studying the form for several hours on my kitchen table. I felt at that moment that I was back in school studying for a final exam.
I remember going over every race with a "fine-tooth comb". I looked at every horse’s past performances. I looked at the races from every angle. Yet, in hindsight, I would use a piece of information that was not found in the DRF or the program to help me win the contest.
Over the years, I've been friendly with guys who were in pretty tight with some of the Suffolk Downs trainers. Once in a while, this would little to a tip. Some would pan out, others wouldn’t.
In any event, one of my track buddies mentioned this trainer who saddled very few horses, but he had a good winning percentage. I can’t recall the recommended trainer's name, but I do remember his last name began with the letter "M". My friend went on to say that this trainer had "the knack of bringing in longshots." I happened to notice that the day of the contest finals this particulatr trainer had a mount in the 6th race.
As I was filling out my selections, I mentioned to "Bucko" that he should consider a horse in the 6th race named Tourister. I said I have it on good authority that his trainer has "a knack of bringing in longshots." I remember "Bucko" saying, "Walt, this horse doesn't have much of a chance; he's shown nothing in this company in his last two races." Frankly, "Bucko" had me convinced. However, at the last moment, I wrote Torister's number down as one of my bigger bets in the contest (As I recall there were mostly $10 mythical bets, a couple $20 bets, and two exactas and a daily double).
Wouldn’t you know it, the trainer with the letter "M"'s horse won. Tourister paid over $20 to win. From that moment on, I knew I was in hunt.
Before leaving Suffolk that afternoon (there was no updating of leaders during the contest), I checked with the contest booth. The man suggested I check the Suffolk Downs website when I get home. They may have posted the results by then.
All "Bucko" and I could talk about on the way home was: "Did I have enough points (mythical money) from my other winning selections to win the contest? "What if someone else had Tourister?" I suggested "What if they had hit the contest’s daily double or one or both of the their exactas? If they did, I'd be toast.
When I arrived home, I quickly booted up my computer. I clicked on the SD website. I then clicked on promotions. There it was:the contest outcome. I looked at the top. "Yes!" I said to myself as I pumped my fist in the air: "I won!" In fact, I had won by the narrowest of margins; I believe I beat the second-place finisher by less than a dollar. At that moment, I thought, "What if I had bet Tourister with real money, say $10 or $20?" I certainly would have won my bet, but I may have slightly diminished the payoff to the point that I would have finished second in the contest.
That evening I called "Bucko" to tell him of my good fortune. He couldn’t believe it. A couple days later I went in to SD to claim my prize. I had to go to what is called the White Building; it's located in the middle of the parking lot. There, one of the publicity guys handed me five $500 vouchers. I would need to go into the track to have one of the tellers cash the the five tickets.
Well, I can tell you that as I walked through the track the temptation to make a bet was enormous (there was a live card). I could feel the devil with his pitchfork prodding and taunting me. But, in the end, I kept my cool and picked up twenty-five "Benjamins". It was a red-letter day. One I’ll not soon forget. It was a contest I hadn’t wanted to enter, and one that I had wononly because I remembered that a particular trainer had "a knack of bringing in longshots."