THE HUNCH BET

[Jay Trotter]

Okay, I will open with a disclaimer.........I know this is a "lame" topic for the high quality of capper that frequents these boards, but I just have to ask...

Early this evening I was reading the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" in which the author discussed the word "gumption"!

To quote....

"I like the word "gumption" because it's so homely and so forlorn and so out of style it looks as if it needs a friend and isn't likely to reject anyone who comes along."

He then goes on at length about this particular word!


Later, I begin to pre-cap Del Mar's Wednesday card and in race 7 what do I see other than a horse named......you guessed it, "Gumption"! A quick look indicates this one isn't totally out of the question but that two others should dominate the field.

The question is..........do you ever play a hunch bet based on a sign or unusual set of coincidences and if so, have you ever hit a nice one? And no, I don't bet the grey horseys (but my wife does)!

[Overlay]

Not about winners, but here are two previous posts about playing hunches:

Originally Posted by Greyfox

On May 5, 2005, in the 5 th race at a track I bet $ 500 to win on # 5 Cinq, 5 minutes before post time.
He ran 5 th.

Originally Posted by Overlay

Franklin Roosevelt (at least according to Robert Vaughn's portrayal of him) told a similar story about a guy who placed a hunch bet on the 5 horse in the fifth race after receiving all kinds of omens about that number, and after the horse ran fifth, the man's reaction was, "That damned Roosevelt!" (I guess some people blamed him for everything.)

A hit of my own that I remember from a hunch bet of sorts was a horse with a win on the exact cutoff date stated by the race conditions (non-winners of a race since a given date), right after I had read in one of the first handicapping books that I bought (I think by Bob McKnight) about the importance of comparing the horses' records in each race against the race conditions. The horse won and paid just under $20.

[snoadog]

No hunches here, I already have enough nonsense rattling around in my skull.

[Tribettor]

On March 11th of this year, I attended a Billy Joel and Elton John double billed concert in Albany, NY. That Sunday, in the 8th race at Gulfstream Park, amongst the entries were two horses, Grand Piano Man and Yellow Brick Road. Had to play the exacta. Here's the result:

Race: 8 Win Place Show
1st 12 Grand Piano Man 5.60 4.00 3.20
2nd 5 Yellow Brick Road 33.00 15.60
3rd 9 Mr Postman 6.40
4th 6 Nehru

$2 Exacta 12-5 148.60


You can look it up.

[Jay Trotter]

Nice one Tribettor! Too bad The Marvelettes weren't the warm-up act or you might have had the Trifecta!!!!

Trotter

Originally Posted by Tribettor

On March 11th of this year, I attended a Billy Joel and Elton John double billed concert in Albany, NY. That Sunday, in the 8th race at Gulfstream Park, amongst the entries were two horses, Grand Piano Man and Yellow Brick Road. Had to play the exacta. Here's the result:

Race: 8 Win Place Show
1st 12 Grand Piano Man 5.60 4.00 3.20
2nd 5 Yellow Brick Road 33.00 15.60
3rd 9 Mr Postman 6.40
4th 6 Nehru

$2 Exacta 12-5 148.60


You can look it up.

[Robert Goren]

I rarely get them, but they are seldom wrong when I do. There is lot more to this than math and a lot of stuff we don't understand. The "Zen" book is a great read if you haven't already read it.

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

I rarely get them, but they are seldom wrong when I do.

I have to agree with Det. Goren. I've had a doozy or two over the years...

[Actor]

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

I rarely get them, but they are seldom wrong when I do. There is lot more to this than math and a lot of stuff we don't understand. The "Zen" book is a great read if you haven't already read it.

I read it years ago. Bought it by mistake. I was restoring a 1964 Honda 305 at the time.

[JustRalph]

I bet a Harness Horse a few years back at Vernon Downs while on a fishing trip that got rained out for the day. Paid very nice and took everyone to dinner on the score..........his name

"My Pal Ralph"

I've told the story on here before.......it was a fun time

[Charlie D]

No hunches here, I already have enough nonsense rattling around in my skull.

Probably reason why most bettors lose.

[lamboguy]

Originally Posted by Tribettor

On March 11th of this year, I attended a Billy Joel and Elton John double billed concert in Albany, NY. That Sunday, in the 8th race at Gulfstream Park, amongst the entries were two horses, Grand Piano Man and Yellow Brick Road. Had to play the exacta. Here's the result:

Race: 8 Win Place Show
1st 12 Grand Piano Man 5.60 4.00 3.20
2nd 5 Yellow Brick Road 33.00 15.60
3rd 9 Mr Postman 6.40
4th 6 Nehru

$2 Exacta 12-5 148.60


You can look it up.

that's pretty cool wow

[gillenr]

If you don't get hunches too often, don't ignore them - if you do, you'll feel a hell of a lot worse when it wins than if you lost the bet.

[PhantomOnTour]

Sitting in the grandstand at Pimlico about 3yrs ago on Black Eyed Susan day. Bout 8mins to post and DW Lukas walks right in front of me and we make eye contact....no gesture, no wink, no hello; just a glance btw two men and it meant to me that Lukas' horse was about to win at 7-1....she went wire to wire. I haven't seen Lukas again.

Now, why didn't he stroll past me before Cat Thief's BC Classic!!

[precocity]

I love it when you make a bet on a horse lets say the 2 and make good money on him on the win and the next races going off almost at the same time you bet that track the 2 is winning all over the dam place....................hmmmmmm

[RaceBookJoe]

I have never played a hunch based on a name/date/number. I have had hunches while looking through the DRF though...sometimes i will get a feeling about a horse that really doesnt look like much, but it keeps nagging at me. I try to reason it that there IS something there but the knowledge is locked away in some dusty file cabinet in my mind. I will make a play on those hunches, especially if the rest of the field looks weak also. rbj