Anyone have any good 'asking for picks' stories?

[Stillriledup]

If you're a decent handicapper, like most of you are, you no doubt have had people ask you for picks. Hey bud, i'm going to the track tomorrow, anything you like? We've all heard that countless times in our lives.

I have a few people in my 'circle' who ask for info/picks and i'll give them what i like on one condition. That they're not a big bettor. I have a few people i know who can really hammer the money into the windows....if i sort of like something i might give them the pick, but if i absolutely LOVE the horse, i keep it for myself.

I have one guy i know who e mails me all the time asking 'what i like today'. Its kind of annoying when i e mail him a pick and then he tells me he decided to pass the race or bet someone else. If you are the person who is asking for picks, you need to really stroke the ego of the picker, you can't tell them that you didnt respect their pick/opinion enough to bet it.

Picking winners for hot chicks is a good idea, i'd recommend you do it if you can!Most of them are really small bettors, but they can be really grateful if you make them money! ;)

[ldiatone]

a fellow at the OTB used to ask me "whats my computer say" about a race. he would ask just a couble times then stop. never had a program in his hand.

[ALL CIRCUITS GO]

I am not a great handicapper, but still get asked. One guy, a royal pain, always asked. gave him a few winners, never got thanked. He sure whined about the losers, even complaining about a $17 place price, "If only the horse had won. Why didn't you tell me to place?" Anyway, gave him a few losers after that. Never bothered by him again.

:)

[PhantomOnTour]

Anyone who is having a good day (and being vocal about it) will attract some followers. Seen it happen...people just start coming up to you.

[Fingal]

Picking winners for hot chicks is a good idea, I'd recommend you do it if you can!Most of them are really small bettors, but they can be really grateful if you make them money! ;)

One time when I was down at the walking ring at Santa Anita I struck up a conversation with a couple ladies & gave them some picks, fortunately I was having a good day as both horses came in.

Later in the day I saw them again, & smiling I asked if they had cashed.

" No, the guys in our group talked us off them."

:bang:

[stuball]

I was an idiot once but not as bad as the guy I gave the picks to...I got up at 3 AM to work on the AP races (this was about 20 years ago..) with the intentions
of going to the track with a buddy....got all done and ready to go in the morning. My neighbor called and said "Hey let's pour that concrete sidewalk in
the front of your house today.....I have some free time and the weathers good."
OK I said reluctantly..had to get it done...so my buddy shows up to go to the track - I give him the selections and since I don't believe in sending money with
someone else...when he leaves I say I expect a big tip if your a big winner.....we did the sidewalk and the next morning i pick up the Chicago paper... horrors.... I won the first 6 races in a row..and the last race...7 for 9.
I called my buddy to see how much he made and how much of it I was going to get....."OOPs" He says I did not bet your pick in the first then I thought he can't have 2 in a row and he can't have 3 in a row and on and on and on." A lesson I will never forget...lost a friend over that one.....never happened since...

Stuball

[Broad Brush]

It seems that I have always had people asking me for my picks. My earliest
memory of this was in 1975 at age twelve. I was playing in a house my friend's
dad was building behind us. These guys were talking sports when one said:
"talk about something important like who is going to win the Preakness today?"

I quickly piped up with my choice of Master Derby and stated why I liked him.

I went home that afternoon and bet $5 thru my father with his bookie.
I was thrilled when he won and payed $48.60. I was not so thrilled when my
dad informed me that I was only going to get $42---bookies limit!!!

The next day I was again playing in that house being built when the guy
who asked about the race grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into a room.
He said "thanks for the tip kid". He then gave me two $20 bills.

I think that is the only time anyone gave me money for a winning tip....

[cnollfan]

It seems that I have always had people asking me for my picks. My earliest
memory of this was in 1975 at age twelve. I was playing in a house my friend's
dad was building behind us. These guys were talking sports when one said:
"talk about something important like who is going to win the Preakness today?"

I quickly piped up with my choice of Master Derby and stated why I liked him.

I went home that afternoon and bet $5 thru my father with his bookie.
I was thrilled when he won and payed $48.60. I was not so thrilled when my
dad informed me that I was only going to get $42---bookies limit!!!

The next day I was again playing in that house being built when the guy
who asked about the race grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into a room.
He said "thanks for the tip kid". He then gave me two $20 bills.

I think that is the only time anyone gave me money for a winning tip....

Why did you like him?

I was 12 years old in Denver in 1968 and frequently attended Centennial Park with my dad. I had a habit of betting the longest shot on the board to show (the worst bet in racing sans bridge-jumpers). I was beginning to lose interest in the races when one day I picked the horse Interest Me and stepped up to a combination ticket (they were green instead of yellow for win, pink for place and blue for show). Interest Me won at 23-1 in the field and I was hooked. I remember to this day what his form looked like.

That was a $2000 claimer, but Interest Me got good after that and once ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02 4/5.

[thespaah]

One time when I was down at the walking ring at Santa Anita I struck up a conversation with a couple ladies & gave them some picks, fortunately I was having a good day as both horses came in.

Later in the day I saw them again, & smiling I asked if they had cashed.

" No, the guys in our group talked us off them."

:bang:
Most embarrassing moment in my race wagering history. Was with a good friend of mine whom I dated when we were kids. I taught her how to read a program and the basics of handicapping.
I went to visit her BC weekend one year. We decided to go to the Meadowlands to watch and bet the BC races...Get this. She liked Ghostzapper in the Classic and I talked her out of the bet thinking he wouldn't be there at the end..
Needless to say, I paid for dinner that night.
Oy vay...should've kept my trap shut....She was a good sport about it though. Oh, we're still good friends. Although once in a while she zings me on the story above....

[salty]

My cousin always asks me what I am picking. Then we place our bets and watch the race. For some reason I always have a waiting in line epiphany and add in another horse to my exacta or tri. We sit back down and watch the race. My cousin will say "too bad that 4 got in there i didn't have it on anything." then I will say "somehow i decided to throw that in while I was standing in line." :D

[Dan Montilion]

Early 90's Bay Meadows clubhouse. I had this a$$@#*e follow me to the window, mind you I did not notice this a friend told me. This guy was doing well that day off of my hard work. I use my usual 5 x 8 note pad and write down bogus numbers with stars, dollar signs and circles with dollar amounts double my usual move on a race. Now I go to the window and tell my usual teller to cover the key entry and by memory I call my bets. I had my buddy watching to see if "ahole boy" tried to get my work. He gives me the signal that he did indeed try and looked frustrated. So I walk away, crumble up my bogus sheet and toss it into the trash. "Ahole boy" is on it like a fly on stink. Well both my real wager and the bogus ones go down. He is still stuck so some sense of revenge has been had but hell I want it all. I pass a couple but "AB" is still hanging around. We pull the same stunt, my lookout sees him go to the ATM. The revenge has been mine! Bogus horses blow, I cash at around 10-1 plus exotics for over $3,500. Walked up to "AB" showed him my tickets, he tossed a few curse words my way and I simply walked away. Victory was mine.

[Casino]

In my circle they ask me" who i dont like!":lol:

[Zippy Chippy]

In my circle they ask me" who i dont like!":lol:

I'm in the same boat, especially when I load up on a race. My horse will be drawing dead.

[thespaah]

My cousin always asks me what I am picking. Then we place our bets and watch the race. For some reason I always have a waiting in line epiphany and add in another horse to my exacta or tri. We sit back down and watch the race. My cousin will say "too bad that 4 got in there i didn't have it on anything." then I will say "somehow i decided to throw that in while I was standing in line." :D
Back in the 80's I had a friend who was a very good handicapper and what I call a "strategic" bettor.
He was also very superstitious. Rule number one.....He never ever let anyone know what his picks or bets would be. Rule number two... he would never get on the same teller line with anyone he knows.
Rule number three...He would never write anything on his Form or program that would indicate in which direction he was going with his wagers.
Now that does not mean he was not social. Quite the contrary.
He was a strict exacta player. Never bet anything else.
He was a friggin machine. He'd hit bets that just left me scratching my head as to say "how the hell did he come up with that?"......
Then I'd rifle back a page and look at the race again and most times, I'd see it.....
He was a good guy. Never got pissed when he lost. Never celebrated when he won. I think he was the original "fist pump" guy. That how I knew he was a winner.
When asked by a stranger what he liked, he shoot this dart like look at the guy and just bury his head in the Form.

[Broad Brush]

Why did you like him?

I was 12 years old in Denver in 1968 and frequently attended Centennial Park with my dad. I had a habit of betting the longest shot on the board to show (the worst bet in racing sans bridge-jumpers). I was beginning to lose interest in the races when one day I picked the horse Interest Me and stepped up to a combination ticket (they were green instead of yellow for win, pink for place and blue for show). Interest Me won at 23-1 in the field and I was hooked. I remember to this day what his form looked like.

That was a $2000 claimer, but Interest Me got good after that and once ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02 4/5.

Great name for a horse that got you hooked!!!
It is amazing how much detail we recall on some races.

As for Master Derby, I bet him in the Derby and he made a good move while
wide turning for home. He ran out of steam with a furlong to go so I figured
the shorter distance of the Preakness would help him. Also, they inisisted on taking Foolish Pleasure way back--this would work against him at Pimlico.

Did you continue to follow "Interest Me" as he got good??

[Stillriledup]

I was an idiot once but not as bad as the guy I gave the picks to...I got up at 3 AM to work on the AP races (this was about 20 years ago..) with the intentions
of going to the track with a buddy....got all done and ready to go in the morning. My neighbor called and said "Hey let's pour that concrete sidewalk in
the front of your house today.....I have some free time and the weathers good."
OK I said reluctantly..had to get it done...so my buddy shows up to go to the track - I give him the selections and since I don't believe in sending money with
someone else...when he leaves I say I expect a big tip if your a big winner.....we did the sidewalk and the next morning i pick up the Chicago paper... horrors.... I won the first 6 races in a row..and the last race...7 for 9.
I called my buddy to see how much he made and how much of it I was going to get....."OOPs" He says I did not bet your pick in the first then I thought he can't have 2 in a row and he can't have 3 in a row and on and on and on." A lesson I will never forget...lost a friend over that one.....never happened since...

Stuball

You might have been 'had' he probably made a boatload on your picks and didnt want to have to 'tip' you so he said he lost every race.

That happened to me once, i gave a guy a horse to play and he played it and it won and paid 50-1. he was so excited he left this message on my answering machine screaming and yelling! when i actually spoke to him in person i was like "how much did you have on the horse' and he was like "youre not going to believe it, the teller gave me the wrong ticket"

It happens to us all! :D

[Stillriledup]

Early 90's Bay Meadows clubhouse. I had this a$$@#*e follow me to the window, mind you I did not notice this a friend told me. This guy was doing well that day off of my hard work. I use my usual 5 x 8 note pad and write down bogus numbers with stars, dollar signs and circles with dollar amounts double my usual move on a race. Now I go to the window and tell my usual teller to cover the key entry and by memory I call my bets. I had my buddy watching to see if "ahole boy" tried to get my work. He gives me the signal that he did indeed try and looked frustrated. So I walk away, crumble up my bogus sheet and toss it into the trash. "Ahole boy" is on it like a fly on stink. Well both my real wager and the bogus ones go down. He is still stuck so some sense of revenge has been had but hell I want it all. I pass a couple but "AB" is still hanging around. We pull the same stunt, my lookout sees him go to the ATM. The revenge has been mine! Bogus horses blow, I cash at around 10-1 plus exotics for over $3,500. Walked up to "AB" showed him my tickets, he tossed a few curse words my way and I simply walked away. Victory was mine.

THIS. is awesome.

When i was a beginning player i used to do all kinds of stuff to get people onto other horses, to protect my prices. I knew of a teller who would 'whisper' to other big bettors what certain people wagered. I would go to him and toss 200 (when 200 was a lot) on a horse and then go to another section and cancel the ticket. For sure this teller was blabbing 'the tip' all over the place. I know that i used to have 'loud discussions' about 'tips' that i received within earshot of the big bettors window. I would tell my friend that to ask me "who was that hot tip again" and i would tell him some random horse and tell him "yeah, right from the trainers mouth"

:D

[duaneok66]

You know the guy at the track that NEVER has any money?? We had one of those. Sure enough, he walks in - NO program and NO money. Unreal. Anyway, he walks and leans over to my buddy and asks "Who do you like"? (in the next race). My buddy says (1-5). The bum asks for the money to play it!! LOL($2 exacta box). So my buddy gives him $4 back in the days when there was a $2 min bet for exactas. The exacta comes in, and the guy collects $41. He cashes his ticket, gives us a glance and says "Thanks!" and then he strolls off . . .


Unreal . . . the LEAST he could have done was pay back the $4, but that would have made too much sense . . .

[TurfRuler]

Back around 1987 or so, I had a friend who I wanted to accompany me to the track. I would try my best to let him know that I had a real good meathod for picking turf races. I got him to go once, we were late, my horse jumped the fence and the only thing that came out of the day was seeing Fred Gwynn leaving Hollywood Park. Then one day out of the blue he asked me what I liked, he was taking his little girl to the track as an outing for her. So I gave him a couple of picks that I had made the night before. For some reason I was unable to go to the track. The next day I found out that one of the picks that I had given him had won at about 89-1. My friend came over to my apartment and with a big grin on his face gave me $50. I never found out how much he wagered on the race, I really didn't care, I was just glad that he had a good day with his daughter and won some cash.