Do you guys ever come across "Touts"? I've always been warned but have never seen one

[Zippy Chippy]

My father always warned me about "Touts"at the track when i was growing up. Also heard about this from uncles, friends, etc.

I have been to the track thousands of times. Raynham, Suffolk, Plainridge, Belmont and more and i have never ever seen this. I've seen my share of deadbeats but never one of these.

The way it would be described to me by my dad was

"There are guys all over the track that try to give you winners and if the horse wins they want a tip, but they probably give 5 different guys tips"

Is this a thing of the past?

[illinoisbred]

Yes, years ago at Arlington I was approached repeatedly(over several days) by a tout passing himself off as jockey Wade Rini's dad(Rini riding at AP at that time). Many people actually bought this guy a ticket(mostly those very young). After several days I turned him in to security and never saw him again. Needless to say, he wasn't Rini's dad.

[Zippy Chippy]

Yes, years ago at Arlington I was approached repeatedly(over several days) by a tout passing himself off as jockey Wade Rini's dad(Rini riding at AP at that time). Many people actually bought this guy a ticket(mostly those very young). After several days I turned him in to security and never saw him again. Needless to say, he wasn't Rini's dad.

WOW, yes a friend of mine told me he saw one at suffolk that said he was a trainer. Must be part of their scam. He was running around telling people "winners"

[Robert Goren]

You might find one at a live meet. They are usually an older man who at one time worked in the backstretch. There certainly were more of them when I first started going to the track in the 60s. They have more customers at the beginning of a meet whose circuit was closed for the winter. I suspect that you wouldn't have much trouble finding one at Oaklawn Park.

[46zilzal]

My father always warned me about "Touts"at the track
Is this a thing of the past?


No, go down by the rail...they are like locusts

[Zippy Chippy]

You might find one at a live meet. They are usually an older man who at one time worked in the backstretch. There certainly were more of them when I first started going to the track in the 60s. They have more customers at the beginning of a meet whose circuit was closed for the winter. I suspect that you wouldn't have much trouble finding one at Oaklawn Park.

The only thing i came across close to this was this regular at the track (complete degenerate) was behind me at the machine said, "Put me in for $2 ex, 2 over the 1-4.. I did it and then he walked away and didn't give me the $4" Stupid me..

I got the last laugh when the next week i hit a $7k super and he wanted to cash it as a 10%er.. I went and found another guy.

[badcompany]

You can see this one on CNBC every night:ThmbDown:

http://gaygamer.net/images/Jim%20Cramer.jpg

[WinterTriangle]

Is this a thing of the past?

Now we have touts on paper instead, with services and workout watchers and all forms of analysts charging for "picks".

Also like locusts, but probably make way more $$ than the touts you speak about.

[BELMONT 6-6-09]

Heard a number of reliable stories from old timers on the New York circuit about touts and they were great. Years ago going to the track was an event and that brought all types of degenerate gamblers/hustlers intent on looking for the 'sucker'.


Believe it or not they found their pidgeons and used the old tout about every horse in the race so as to go back for a reward from the lucky person who had the winning advice.

In those days the racetrack had teams of hired law men on the look out for the more notorious characters that would move from track to track bookmaking on the facilities and the like.

I wish I had been around for the days of big races, and opening days and thje roar of the stretch run.

[WinterTriangle]

thje roar of the stretch run.

Watch some Japan racing. You wanna talk about roaring! Racing is alive and well in Japan.

[craig chapman]

I was told by a supposed exercise rider, when I was in the Tracks parking lot that he knew the winner of the next race. If I would bet $20 for him he would give me a sure winner. " He said he had exercised the horse, and it would definitely win."

[Horseplayersbet.com]

9LBIsDBC848

[Space Monkey]

You can see this one on CNBC every night

Image didn't come thru. Do u mean Kudlow?

[BlueShoe]

Touts? Sure there are, in fact I know one. He has worked the SoCal circuit for decades, usually hangs out in the clubhouse. He "gives" the name of the winner to his mark before the race. He actually is a pretty good handicapper, and picks a short or meduim priced logical contender. If it wins, he then asks the sucker for "a little something". Could give you his name and description, but on a public forum not a good idea.

[badcompany]

Image didn't come thru. Do u mean Kudlow?

The pic came thru for a bit, then went dead.

I was referring to this tool:

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/rvp/pubaf/06/madmoney.jpg

[Moyers Pond]

Why would anyone take advice from someone else that wants a cut. All it means is the guy doesn't have any money of his own to put on the horse. Nobody that is betting a horse is going around giving it out. It just knocks the odds down, especially at smaller tracks.

[badcompany]

Why would anyone take advice from someone else that wants a cut. All it means is the guy doesn't have any money of his own to put on the horse. Nobody that is betting a horse is going around giving it out. It just knocks the odds down, especially at smaller tracks.

In their heyday, the touts took advantage of newbies who had yet to figure out the con.

Stock Market touts like Jim Cramer are even more insipid. Their touting is designed to find buyers for stocks insiders are getting ready to unload.