what brought you into the game!

[joelouis]

Actually my Dad played the horses, I remembere listening to the race results on the radio, Harry Henson did the races at santa anita, we used to sit around the dinner table my sis, mom and dad and my sis and I would pick the names then we would have dinner. while we tried to out pick each other. Well he finally stopped when he was 50 + and I keep playing until this last year. I have finally seen the light. Good luck to you all. It is a different game and is not fun anymore.

[citygoat]

I saw Majestic Prince in the post parade of the Derby and have been a pari-mutuel contributor ever since.

[raybo]

Summer of 1978

A co-worker was reading the Racing Form while on lunch break. I asked some questions, he answered them, explained what all the numbers in the pps meant and then explained what the odds meant. From that first day I realized that the game was beatable.

The friend became my mentor and handicapping/wagering partner and remains so to this day. He never made more than $15 per hour his whole working life but managed to retire at the age of 50, due to his knowledge of the stock market and horse racing. He hasn't worked a "real" job since 1998. The most intelligent human being I have ever met, and combines that intelligence with much common sense, a rare combination.

When the TI-99 computer came out I bought one, when the Tandy ColorTrack (?) computer came out, he bought one. We were able to "print" the code for a handicapping program he had bought and that's what got me interested in writing my own program, it's been evolving since then.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by raybo

Summer of 1978

A co-worker was reading the Racing Form while on lunch break. I asked some questions, he answered them, explained what all the numbers in the pps meant and then explained what the odds meant. From that first day I realized that the game was beatable.

Everything after the above was required to answer what part of the question..............

[raybo]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Everything after the above was required to answer what part of the question..............

Had I not talked to that co-worker and gotten the basic information concerning the "numbers" and the odds, I would have not gotten interested in studying the game.

Had I not gotten interested in programming the "numbers" into a computer for number crunching I wouldn't have been able to do the research into the mathematics and "go-no go logic" portion of the game nearly as quickly.

Without his stock market strategy/horse race wagering experience I would have gone down the same road most others do regarding the "gambling" portion of the sport. I bypassed the "gambling" portion and jumped directly into the "investment/risk/reward" philosophy that became the cornerstone of my method.

[Sea Biscuit]

Originally Posted by turfnsport

chicks

I take it you mean Fillies.

SB

[dvlander]

Being kind of a numbers guy, I stumbled on to William Scott's book Investing at the Racetrack at the book store. As many ideologies do, it worked short-term before the bottom fell out. Nonetheless, that is what peaked my interest in the game.


Dale

[PaceAdvantage]

A friend and a trip to old Roosevelt Raceway

[Hajck Hillstrom]

The realization that there can be a tremendous return with a relative minimal risk if you are willing to commit to an analysis and understand that there are several perspectives to the game that have legitimate merit.

Some are mathematically inclined... plenty in the game for them. Others are problem solvers.... perfect, while others are more in tuned to the equine conformation and genealogy. There is something in the game for everyone .....now if we can just get those that market the product to communicate that.

The only problem lies in the work ethic of the upcoming generations it requires to succeed at it.

[BUD]

Wow--My story is a unique one---I think I beat it to death here tho----


In Short---I am a "cop" Disabled--Injured on duty pretty severely--Did not take to my reduced lifestyle well at all---Then Found Horse Racing on TV---After some time--And listening to a Nick Zito interview---I decide to give it a shot---It was more work just finding the DRF in Worcester----Then Learning how to do this game----Then I got Real sick---Ended up with MS to pile onto my woes------Was looking at the barrel of my weapon---I was too sick even to think about playing---Then I sucked it up----Had the wife get me the Form again-----Been Blessed by some great folks who have helped me along the way-------

Actually regained quality of my days----Something to look forward to----The edge of the competition---And the Beauty of the animals--------

This isn't just a hobby nor just a game to me---It saved my life---its so much more---Short version

Sorry--I know I am beating this story to pieces---

My bad tho--I do love to tell it-----Shhhht it saved my life and sanity!!

[riskman]

My Dad and his summer vacations at Saratoga Lake. Fishing, swimming in the morning, the racetrack in the afternoon. We did this for nine years straight until my mother became ill.

[salty]

My mom's family lives around queensbury so we went to Saratoga once every summer since i was around 8 or 9. I would pick some horses based on my analysis of the pinksheets and my mom or dad would place my bets for me. of course I was limited to $2 per race and maybe $4 to box an exacta once or twice. I remember winning about $100 or more for a few years. I don't remember how i used the pinksheets to bet but I wish I did. Always looked forward to that one day a year I had the chance to win something. Now i am 20 and this past summer I decided to take a trip up to the track for a few days at the begining of the meet. I met a whole bunch of different people and had a blast. Now I go to the simulcast about once a week.

-salty

[how cliche]

New Years Day 1999...Wife drags my hungover butt out to Golden Gate Fields...I'm 29 and already love gambling...I just returned from a trip to San Diego...I only have $30...I flip through the program...Look at these cool names...We go to the paddock...Look at these little men in their flashy clothes...Wow this horse here has my name in his...Check it out he has San Diego in it too...What does lasix mean...What does claiming mean...I should bet it all on this one...What do you think doll...OK...Oh my gawd he's winning...Oh my gawd he won...Is he really 15 to 1...Where do you get that...I jump up and down...I throw my arms skyward...

"This is the greatest game in the world!"

I mean it.

[LottaKash]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

A friend and a trip to old Roosevelt Raceway

Mike, a similar circumstance, around 1963, reluctantly' went to Yonkers Raceway with a bunch of hard core railbirds, then bet and won big time, I was hooked from then on....after that couldn't get enough of it....Back then it was wall to wall bettors and race fans, and getting a seat was pretty special....What an exciting place to be on the weekends, lots of beer and lots of yelling my number out.....Different by a mile these days.........Still love it tho........

best,

[dav4463]

Originally Posted by joelouis

chicks ha ha you have to be kidding.

I guess you haven't been to Lone Star Park's Friday night "Party at the Park" !

It's like wall to wall strippers with racing forms!