Is it Possible?

[jamey1977]

Originally Posted by Ocala Mike

Wow, Isitingood! I haven't heard that name since the late 90's. You know, of course, that he was bred (and named) by Norman Casse here in Ocala? He always used to brag about how surprised he was to get that name through the Jockey Club!


Ocala Mike

He was the greatest. They said the name means - Is it in the gate good ? Yeah right. If we restricted bets to great game horses like Isitingood, in terms of the race. Our horse can be the Isitingood of the race. Profits, are ours . Game horses- Restricted bets - Throwing out Lousy Chokers. Equals Profits. Even if you end up with 57 plays a month and the odds are between 6 to 5 and 11 to 1. Profits are ours. No , it's not easy. My horse - Crossing The Line on Friday Night - June. 11 Hollywood Park Race 5. Should have won that race. Got bumped and lost a photo. Those close losses are hard to take. But if we have game horses the odds are in our favor and we have an edge. Sort of like the old guy who would bet 1000 dollars to win. Twice a week at Santa Anita. His hit rate was half wins at 5.80. The guy would actually get the hit rate eventually. He was that good.

[Niko]

Originally Posted by Ernie Dahlman

Grits,

Excellent post. I would never encourage anyone to try to do what I've done. In truth I made a terrible career decision that happened to work out (so far). My son used to like to go to the track with me and I made it clear to him that he was not to try to follow in my footsteps. He graduated from Bucknell, got a job as a stock trader, did well, and started his own firm (with Simon Rose) called Dahlman Rose. He's done a lot better than his father.

Ernie

I take it Joy was a little more stubborn ...I have two very young daughters and they're already battling me. I hope one likes the track for fun other than just for the sugar doughnuts. If not, that's not such a bad thing though either..just come along for the ride to amuse Dad.

[Ernie Dahlman]

Originally Posted by Niko

I take it Joy was a little more stubborn ...I have two very young daughters and they're already battling me. I hope one likes the track for fun other than just for the sugar doughnuts. If not, that's not such a bad thing though either..just come along for the ride to amuse Dad.

In 2005 I got 2 comps to the World Series handicapping tournament at the Orleans. I called my son-in-law Cam (Gurney) and asked him if he'd like to have one of them. He flew in from Syracuse. The other comp I gave to Joy who was living with my wife and I and was unemployed. I got a room and looked for bets while they ran them to the windows. They worked really well together but I was only able to finish somewhere around 100 and they made no money. On the way home I remarked that she seemed to have a real good time and maybe she might enjoy working with me. She said she would like to try it and she's been with me ever since. She's been fantastic.

We only entered one more contest. In 2006 (?) we entered a contest at the Suncoast where we had to pick the first 5 winners at Hollywood Park and we were only allowed to bet ten $5 tickets (we bet $40). There was a one month carryover. We were the only winner and we split $38000. That was probably the most fun I've ever had while betting horses.

Last summer Joy married a terrific young man named Julian Goldblatt and she may be the happiest horseplayer on the planet. That being said, I would never encourage anyone to try to make their living betting horses.

Ernie

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by Mike_412

Patrick, I wish you the best of luck. However, I have to ask you an honest question. If you're presently living in a homeless shelter and making less than $50 a day, is now honestly the right time for you to tackle being a full time horseplayer?

I'm not trying to piss on your dream or anything, but like anything in life, timing is everything. Is now truly the right time for you to take on such an ambitious endeavor?

I wish you nothing but the best of luck and sincerely hope you succeed.

This is the best time to try it, you have nothing to lose.

Most people feel that they need a large stake to start out, but i'm not sure that is entirely true. Sure, you need money to pay your everyday expenses, but after that, you don't need a heck of a lot of money if you are good enough to win in the long run. If you start out with 2 dollars and win your first bet, you could theoretically never look back. Its great to start at rock bottom with very little money....the reason is that if you start out with very small money and run that bankroll up to a few hundred thousand or a million, you know you're great. If you start with 100k or more and turn THAT into a few hundred thousand or a million, you don't know if you won because you're great or because you had money and just fell into a perfect storm of a lucky run.

[Stillriledup]

I want to add one thing here for the people who are telling the OP that this is hard or not possible. Why would you come into this thread, as a person who obviously is not good enough to do this yourself and tell the OP the same thing? Do you feel that because YOU can't make racing your sole source of income that he can't either? A very small part of making a living betting is to believe with every fiber of your body that you can do this. There can't be a speck of doubt....why come here and give the OP some specks of doubt? What benefit does he get by having someone who can't win themselves telling him this is really impossible and he should be in a 'better place' to start out?

This is like a 5 foot 7 man telling a 7 footer that dunking a basketball is hard because "it was hard for me".

To the OP, this is what you need to know. Racing isn't going anywhere. If you try and be a pro and fail, you can always go back to doing something else for a living...its not the end of the world if you try to be a pro and fail. But, if you are going to try, its important to try with a positive frame of mind. Believe in yourself, don't listen to people on the internet that say you can't do this.

[Canadian]

Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

Patrick,

Winning at the races is for people on top of the game of life, not on the bottom.

There is just no short cut for this... you have steps in front of you that must be taken one at a time. Stabilize your life, lose weight and get healthier, support yourself... whatever they are specifically for you, these things must be tackled first. I think you know what the most important issues are.

Great advice. You might as well been talking to me. I am convinced this game is beatable. I just look around at the simucast facility and see how most people bet... picking numbers, not even looking at program, playing a VLT then running up and making a bet at the last second. I,'m just convinced that this game can be beat.

But I'm not sure if I'll ever have the disapline to beat it. I am a very good picker, when I dismiss favorites I'm right about 80-90% of the time. But right now I just don't have the disapline to execute. Bank roll managment is terrible, action bets, you name it.

Still love the game and consider it the best form of gambling out there. But everything else is going to have to start coming together before I take another shot.

Just a question. Is playing in Canada give a greater oppurtunity for profit, given that you don't have to pay taxes?

[Dave Schwartz]

Personally, I'd say "no," because the taxes come after you are profitable.

It does, of course, produce a greater net profit once you are profitable.

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

I want to add one thing here for the people who are telling the OP that this is hard or not possible. Why would you come into this thread, as a person who obviously is not good enough to do this yourself and tell the OP the same thing? Do you feel that because YOU can't make racing your sole source of income that he can't either? A very small part of making a living betting is to believe with every fiber of your body that you can do this. There can't be a speck of doubt....why come here and give the OP some specks of doubt? What benefit does he get by having someone who can't win themselves telling him this is really impossible and he should be in a 'better place' to start out?

This is like a 5 foot 7 man telling a 7 footer that dunking a basketball is hard because "it was hard for me".

To the OP, this is what you need to know. Racing isn't going anywhere. If you try and be a pro and fail, you can always go back to doing something else for a living...its not the end of the world if you try to be a pro and fail. But, if you are going to try, its important to try with a positive frame of mind. Believe in yourself, don't listen to people on the internet that say you can't do this.

First of all, didn't the OP ASK for our opinions of whether or not it could be done? In fact, isn't that the bleeping TITLE OF THE THREAD? So I'm not sure why you're offended that people gave the opinions that Patrick asked for. Second, sorry if the idea of someone with no home, no bankroll and no past success in wagering becoming a professional is a little ludicrous to some of us. The one thing you're right about is that you do need to be in a positive state of mind to succeed in any, well, anything. The OP is far from that point. Actually, rather than "crushing his dream", I think the posters in this thread sensed Patrick's passion/desperation and were very, very polite and reasonable with their advice. For you to say otherwise shows, at best, a lack of reading comprehension on your part.

[Robert Fischer]

GET A JOB!

?? why put yourself at a disadvantage to other horseplayers, by denying yourself a bankroll, a reserve bankroll, good food,shelter, or a life?? Are you so good that you can give the competition free points and still win? I like fast internet, having a life outside of racing... Good Food...


There is no mad rush to "making it" in horseplaying. Avoidable time penalties with MONEY are going to hurt your quality of play, and your quality of life. On the contrary, winning will be a NICE addition to a stable situation. You are then afforded a chance to develop YOUR OWN APPROACH at YOUR OWN PACE.

I don't know anything about you other than an occasional post I see on here. The impression hasn't been real strong. I wouldn't bet on you. But, I wouldn't bet against you, either(other than through my plays). I know what it's like. I am giving this advice based on my own "Hard Knocks" experience. Get a job man.

[Grits]

Originally Posted by Ernie Dahlman

In 2005 I got 2 comps to the World Series handicapping tournament at the Orleans. I called my son-in-law Cam (Gurney) and asked him if he'd like to have one of them. He flew in from Syracuse. The other comp I gave to Joy who was living with my wife and I and was unemployed. I got a room and looked for bets while they ran them to the windows. They worked really well together but I was only able to finish somewhere around 100 and they made no money. On the way home I remarked that she seemed to have a real good time and maybe she might enjoy working with me. She said she would like to try it and she's been with me ever since. She's been fantastic.

We only entered one more contest. In 2006 (?) we entered a contest at the Suncoast where we had to pick the first 5 winners at Hollywood Park and we were only allowed to bet ten $5 tickets (we bet $40). There was a one month carryover. We were the only winner and we split $38000. That was probably the most fun I've ever had while betting horses.

Last summer Joy married a terrific young man named Julian Goldblatt and she may be the happiest horseplayer on the planet. That being said, I would never encourage anyone to try to make their living betting horses.

Ernie

A daughter couldn't dream of a better way to learn her dad's work or his business. A fine story, and much good luck and good fortune to this "happiest of horseplayers."

[mannyberrios]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

I want to add one thing here for the people who are telling the OP that this is hard or not possible. Why would you come into this thread, as a person who obviously is not good enough to do this yourself and tell the OP the same thing? Do you feel that because YOU can't make racing your sole source of income that he can't either? A very small part of making a living betting is to believe with every fiber of your body that you can do this. There can't be a speck of doubt....why come here and give the OP some specks of doubt? What benefit does he get by having someone who can't win themselves telling him this is really impossible and he should be in a 'better place' to start out?

This is like a 5 foot 7 man telling a 7 footer that dunking a basketball is hard because "it was hard for me".

To the OP, this is what you need to know. Racing isn't going anywhere. If you try and be a pro and fail, you can always go back to doing something else for a living...its not the end of the world if you try to be a pro and fail. But, if you are going to try, its important to try with a positive frame of mind. Believe in yourself, don't listen to people on the internet that say you can't do this.

Thank you very much for that post.

[Mike_412]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

There can't be a speck of doubt....why come here and give the OP some specks of doubt? What benefit does he get by having someone who can't win themselves telling him this is really impossible and he should be in a 'better place' to start out?

You seem to be making some assumptions about the people that responded to the original poster, which is fine. It's the internet. However, what is everyone supposed to say after the guy drops on us that he's planning on becoming a professional horseplayer while currently living in a homeless shelter and making $50 a day? And oh yeah, he needs to find a new place to stay in a month. "Go get em. Food, clothing, and shelter are overrated." Give me a break.

[pktruckdriver]

Originally Posted by Mike_412

You seem to be making some assumptions about the people that responded to the original poster, which is fine. It's the internet. However, what is everyone supposed to say after the guy drops on us that he's planning on becoming a professional horseplayer while currently living in a homeless shelter and making $50 a day? And oh yeah, he needs to find a new place to stay in a month. "Go get em. Food, clothing, and shelter are overrated." Give me a break.

Mike you are right, I need the basic things food, clothing and shelter, and on 50 a day it will never happen soon enough.

Living expenses a day are half that, thou I am working 12-14hrs day, and yes business is picking up and a little more money is coming in, but still the 100-150 a day has not arrived yet, and may not till the actual racing season begins here, which is 2 days, July 21st, past the time I must be out of the shelter, just 34 days from now. Finding a place during this time is next to impossible, except for places at about 3000-5000 for the 40 days of racing, from 7/23 to 9/06, so I still have my work cut out for me to find a place with the money I am making, and yes a tent is a possiblity, yet local campground are booked already, as is most weekly motels and temporary housing Hotesl, such as Extended Stay, etc..

Am I irresponsible for trying this now, some will say yes, but I say why not , there is just me, no one relies on my income but me, and I never knew my income would have been so low doing this job.

Let me explain what I tried to do here in Saratoga and then explain what happened to blow my plan out of the water. This was my plan for what I called a working holiday, a season at the Spa.

1st. Come to the Spa early, 90days or so early, I did !!

2nd Get a Cab License and find a job driving a cab, I did this too !!

3rd Locate a weekly motel close to the track and move in, I did this too!

Okay looking at that you'd think things were going to be great for me , I had a job and place to stay and I was going to meet lots of local people before the track opened and experince the local restruants and such, But...

First major issue was only making 10-20 bucks a day driving a cab, sometimes less, thus quickly depleting my funds and forcing me into the shelter as a place to stay. I thought like this, getting here about 90 days early, that driving a cab would pay me 100 or more a day, thus working about 70 of those 90 days , (70 being minimum days worked), that would be about 7000 before track season, allowing me to put a side about 2000-2500 bankroll and leaving me about 4500 for living expense's during the season, was I wrong thinking that would be enough to survive on for the short season here, I certainily thought it would be, now I'll never know, will I?

Second issue, unknown to me before I came here, that during track season all, and I mean all motels are sold out and I would have been kicked out due to the motels already being pre-paid for the season, some by entire racing outfits, others to normal regulars coming here for years. I did not see this happening to me, I figured I could get here early and keep the room, maybe paying a bit more, like instead of 180 a week, maybe doubling to 350 a week or so, but this plan did not pan out as planned, oh well, I tried, how was I t5o know this would happen?

So when this plan fell apart and I end up in the shelter, I still have the job and the desire to follow thru with this to the best of my ability, but it looks to be much more difficult now to pull off, but a dream is a dream, and being this close to it, well what would you do if in my shoes, at 46yrs old, time is running out to follow my dreams, now or never , and well never is out of the question, sorry this sounds callous or cold, but my life is limited and I want to do what I love for the rest of it, especially if I can, and this I can, maybe, but try like hell I will, in 2 weeks I saved 600, but 400 came from playing the horse's, and yes I have witnessess of this too, my handicapping , RDSS, is good and can only get better with more time to practice and play, like full time dedication to it, which for the season I was hoping to do, but if I find a place I may still need to drive a cab to pay the bills , at least maybe halve the season at least, then have the 2nd halve of the season to play fulltime, morning ,noon and nite, nothing but horse's and fun.

I know this thread may have strayed a bit, but I think letting out a little more info about me and my situation may help you understand my scenario and see that going for it now may not be a that bad of an idea, or that I have that much to lose trying now, I can only go upward from here, and my heart tells me I will do just that, with the help of others , and or all by myself, either upward I will go, promise.

Gotta run , more later

Again to all who replied thank you very much, and I respect each response , even if it seems that my mind is made up, advice is always a welcome thing to me, and I thank you for it.

Patrick

[pktruckdriver]

Originally Posted by castaway01

First of all, didn't the OP ASK for our opinions of whether or not it could be done? In fact, isn't that the bleeping TITLE OF THE THREAD? So I'm not sure why you're offended that people gave the opinions that Patrick asked for. Second, sorry if the idea of someone with no home, no bankroll and no past success in wagering becoming a professional is a little ludicrous to some of us. The one thing you're right about is that you do need to be in a positive state of mind to succeed in any, well, anything. The OP is far from that point. Actually, rather than "crushing his dream", I think the posters in this thread sensed Patrick's passion/desperation and were very, very polite and reasonable with their advice. For you to say otherwise shows, at best, a lack of reading comprehension on your part.

This post to was read and unstood as well, thank yu for telling me how you feel about it, but...hopefully after my further explanation, you may see that now is as good a time as any, as it is what I live for now, my passion and I feel it will make me most happiest and being happy in life is a good and healthy thing, no??

Thank man

Patrick

[Buckeye]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

I want to add one thing here for the people who are telling the OP that this is hard or not possible. Why would you come into this thread, as a person who obviously is not good enough to do this yourself and tell the OP the same thing? Do you feel that because YOU can't make racing your sole source of income that he can't either? A very small part of making a living betting is to believe with every fiber of your body that you can do this. There can't be a speck of doubt....why come here and give the OP some specks of doubt? What benefit does he get by having someone who can't win themselves telling him this is really impossible and he should be in a 'better place' to start out?

This is like a 5 foot 7 man telling a 7 footer that dunking a basketball is hard because "it was hard for me".

To the OP, this is what you need to know. Racing isn't going anywhere. If you try and be a pro and fail, you can always go back to doing something else for a living...its not the end of the world if you try to be a pro and fail. But, if you are going to try, its important to try with a positive frame of mind. Believe in yourself, don't listen to people on the internet that say you can't do this.

You contradict yourself here a bit. Believe me-- but it doesn't matter. The correct answer is, there are pros out there. Not because they believe in themselves by the way, as they have "help" in my opinion. To sum it up they were born this way, what's new?