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When I was dating my first and only wife (marriage lasted 4 1/2 years) during the Santa Anita winter meet that started Dec 26th 1986, there was a speed bias of epic proportions that lasted almost a month. I am extremely good at fishing out who goes to the front, by far my best handicapping skill. Unfortunately back then at SA the only exotics were the early and late doubles and exactas, if they had pick 3's and 6's I would have made a lot more. I was pretty much only win betting and if my horse was 8-1 or over a win/place bet. At the time the day job was $12.50 an hour + overtime. I was able to get the track quite often, holiday shut down, vacation days, and if I drove fast could catch the last 3 races after work.
I don't have hard numbers on what I won, but I paid off my truck, bought a bunch of new furniture, bought my soon to be wife a couple year old low mileage Camaro, and ended up with $10,000 cash. This all started with a $500 stake. In that month I never had a losing day, had a few break evens when I went all in on the late double and misfired.
My girlfriend, soon to be wife rarely went with me to the track she would visit her parents where I dropped her on the way to the track. Her parents smoked like chimneys inside the house, but did not allow alcohol or sports watching, so I did not want to hang out there. When I went to pick her up she would always just extend her hand and expect $100 bills.
So the speed bias ends, I take some time off from the track and we get married. I keep watching the race replays on channel 56 and decide I will return the first day after speed has a good day. So I head back on a Saturday, wife stays home. I go to track, I get home. Hand comes out, this time I inform the wife I lost $500. First she thinks I am joking as all she knows is the hot streak where I either won or broke even a dozen+ straight times. She then goes into a tirade about how irresponsible I was
and what $500 would have bought. I lost a whole month's rent!
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