Cheering for horses

[jefftune]

Originally Posted by RunForTheRoses

Need some help here, it was in I believe his first book, the enthusiasm of your rooting should be proportional to your gross yearly income. Something like that.
On the east coast some will seem to root loudly just to mess with other patrons. Some places, like Freehold simulcasting (old poster Charm City can attest) have some unique patrons.

I think the Andy Beyer rule is that can go nuts rooting for a horse only if the dollar outcome is more than 10 percent of your annual income.

[CBYRacer]

Originally Posted by jefftune

I think the Andy Beyer rule is that can go nuts rooting for a horse only if the dollar outcome is more than 10 percent of your annual income.

That seems pretty stiff to me. So essentially, most bettors can never go nuts.

For me, the cheering is less about the potential payout (though that is fun too) and more about the mental satisfaction of finding a winner after a lot of hard work.

[Zydeco]

Originally Posted by trifecta

There was a guy in Tahoe when I used to play at Harveys Race and Sportsbook years ago who used to root for whichever horse looked like the winner.

If the 5 was in the lead in mid-stretch, he'd yell "c'mon 5, c'mon 5!". Then if the 3 came up and looked like it was going to pass, he'd shout out "c'mon 3. c'mon 3!". And then if the 4 was coming quick on the outside and looked like it was going to pass the 3, he'd yell "c'mon 4, c'mon 4!"

It didn't matter who won, but once the race was over he'd look at the rest of us with a satisfying look on his face and say in a casual manner, "I had it".

I have seen this type of guy at 2 or 3 different OTB's or tracks! lol

[Waquoit]

Years ago I stopped by an audio only OTB for the Santa Anita feature. The race went off and unfortunately for me, my choice was in a speed duel from the gate. I'm telling myself that if the fractions are soft I still might have a chance. But Trevor doesn't give the fractions and I found myself blurting out loud, "How fast are they going?" Just then, out of the speaker Trevor says, "They're going as fast as they can!" It was like a sitcom, but not so funny for me as I headed to the exit.

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by Zydeco

I have seen this type of guy at 2 or 3 different OTB's or tracks! lol

I think that guy was at EVERY track. There always seemed to be one guy who had every winner and one guy who never won and was always complaining how he got cheated every race. (I was the second guy. Now only my pets hear me.)

[Brass Hat]

I'm one of those "stop the race" guys, but I say it ironically.

One dismal day at Suffolk's simulcast area I was playing a race at a NY track, and about 200 yards after the break, when the front runners start to separate, a guy sitting several rows in front of me turns around and yells to me "Those are my horses".

Sat next to a guy there once,who was urging his horse by saying quietly: "Be the animal."

The well-balanced individual years ago walking through Suffolk after a race at Golden Gate shouting "Russell Baze should get stomach cancer."

Good times.

[johnhenry81]

Speaking of Suffolk Downs, I remember seeing an interview from the great Miracle on Ice hockey captain Mike Euruzione (from Boston area) talking about his Dad who would frequent Suffolk or "Sufferin' Downs" as he called it. Mike said his Dad was one of many who would yell and curse his horses home.

[CBYRacer]

Great stories, everyone! I've been enjoying reading them. It definitely seems like there are a lot of good memories from our collective racing days! Win or lose, racing can be a lot of fun!

[BMustang]

I love the guys who yell "Turn him loose" after their steed has just gone 21 and 44.

[CBYRacer]

Originally Posted by BMustang

I love the guys who yell "Turn him loose" after their steed has just gone 21 and 44.

Haha...better late than never!

[stuball]

Turn him loose to run 43 for the final half - what could be wrong with that?
we all know that a horse can speed up in the stretch run...

[tbwinner]

Let him out, don't hold back!

DON'T HANG!

One of my favorites, WHY ARE YOU SO WIDE

[tbwinner]

Originally Posted by Brass Hat

The well-balanced individual years ago walking through Suffolk after a race at Golden Gate shouting "Russell Baze should get stomach cancer."

Man, that reminds me how much people liked to pick on Russell Baze.

One guy at AP Trackside would always exclaim, "Com'on, Russell, there's a bag of coke for you at the finish line, Com'on Russell, get your coke!!"

I couldn't tell if he was rooting for him, or against him.

[burnsy]

I’m older and more tired so I don’t get worked up like I used to. Unless it’s a big one. But in my younger days I used to snap my fingers. To this day some of the folks at Simulcast call me the “Clicker” cause of that cheer. When I walk up to the bar. Ray the bartender ( he’s gotta be 80 by now) says what will you have Clicker. Some people call me Burnsy, others the Professor and then there’s the Clicker..... it was my Trademark root back in the day

[Overlay]

The first time I took my son (who is now 33) with me to the track, there was a man watching the running of a particular race on one of the track's CCTV monitors who kept yelling, "Come on with that 2! Come on with that 2!" (referring to the horse by its number rather than its name). That was almost twenty years ago, but it's still a private joke between my son and me to this day.