Have you ever come across a "tout"? I just did for the 1st time

[Free House]

I've always been told about Touts at the track. They come around and tell different people winners and hope the person that gets the actual winner would tip them. I've been to the track literally thousands of times and have never ever seen this, until last week.

I was at Suffolk Downs (or as we call it Sufferin' Downs) Not exactly a classy place, but I work nearby and go there for Simulcasting once a month or so.

A guy came and sat next to me and introduced himself as "Ron Claiborne". He said he's in the Claiborne family and has tons of horses running that day. I literally didn't even think twice about it. I had no reason not to believe the guy. He said he was here for the Convention (i found out later that there was no such convention). He told me to bet the 5 at Turfway, and walked away. I don't believe in tips to begin with. I watched the race and the 5 was never in it. I saw him across the way sitting with another stranger telling him about the "Convention" and even go the guy to buy him a beer. It enraged me for some reason . I later saw him with another guy and I went over and interupted them and told the guy not to fall for his BS.

Does every track have these people? I mean, I can't think of a more scummy person.

[the little guy]

You really had me until you said you watched a race at Turfway last week.

[Free House]

Originally Posted by the little guy

You really had me until you said you watched a race at Turfway last week.

Turf Paradise it musta been.

[the little guy]

I think it was Lincoln Downs.

[Free House]

Mighta been Hialeah

[Grits]

Originally Posted by Free House

I've always been told about Touts at the track. They come around and tell different people winners and hope the person that gets the actual winner would tip them. I've been to the track literally thousands of times and have never ever seen this, until last week.

I was at Suffolk Downs (or as we call it Sufferin' Downs) Not exactly a classy place, but I work nearby and go there for Simulcasting once a month or so.

A guy came and sat next to me and introduced himself as "Ron Claiborne". He said he's in the Claiborne family and has tons of horses running that day. I literally didn't even think twice about it. I had no reason not to believe the guy. He said he was here for the Convention (i found out later that there was no such convention). He told me to bet the 5 at Turfway, and walked away. I don't believe in tips to begin with. I watched the race and the 5 was never in it. I saw him across the way sitting with another stranger telling him about the "Convention" and even go the guy to buy him a beer. It enraged me for some reason . I later saw him with another guy and I went over and interupted them and told the guy not to fall for his BS.

Does every track have these people? I mean, I can't think of a more scummy person.

Gimme a break. The more you throw on the walls, the more foolish you're looking . . . . . apparently, you just make it up as you go, and think everyone here is gonna believe this crap?

If you knew anything about horseracing, you'd know there's no such thing as a Claiborne, Ron or otherwise, or a Claiborne family that runs a ton of horses in Kentucky. Or anywhere else.

Of course, yes, there's a Claiborne Farm. It was founded in the late 1800s by Arthur Hancock, who passed the farm to his son, Arthur B. (Bull) Hancock, Jr. who built the farm into one of the premier breeding farms in the country. He died in the 70s, and passed the farm to his children. His son, Seth owns Claiborne today. His son Arthur Hancock,III built and owns, Stone Farm, next door to Claiborne.

There's also two daughters, Dell Hancock and Clay Hancock.

Again, there are no Claibornes in horseracing.

And guys here are lining up to tell you how to bet some of your 96K you won, (yeah, right, like when pigs fly) while you're asking the question "are place bets sensible?

[lamboguy]

Originally Posted by Free House

I've always been told about Touts at the track. They come around and tell different people winners and hope the person that gets the actual winner would tip them. I've been to the track literally thousands of times and have never ever seen this, until last week.

I was at Suffolk Downs (or as we call it Sufferin' Downs) Not exactly a classy place, but I work nearby and go there for Simulcasting once a month or so.

A guy came and sat next to me and introduced himself as "Ron Claiborne". He said he's in the Claiborne family and has tons of horses running that day. I literally didn't even think twice about it. I had no reason not to believe the guy. He said he was here for the Convention (i found out later that there was no such convention). He told me to bet the 5 at Turfway, and walked away. I don't believe in tips to begin with. I watched the race and the 5 was never in it. I saw him across the way sitting with another stranger telling him about the "Convention" and even go the guy to buy him a beer. It enraged me for some reason . I later saw him with another guy and I went over and interupted them and told the guy not to fall for his BS.

Does every track have these people? I mean, I can't think of a more scummy person.

this might be before your time, but at sulfolk back in the 1970's there was a guy they called tony the tout. his real name was tony rogers. he walked around sulfold with his binoculors and hustled people. if they won he would come back to them and look for a handout. he was a pro and did this for years. he wound up moving his tack down to south florida and even did a better job there. he also became a hotel rep, hustling people into staying at different hotels like the diplomat and getting a kick back from the hotel....

poor tony passed away 3 years ago with his binoculars in his hands.

[riskman]

Originally Posted by Grits

Gimme a break. The more you throw on the walls, the more foolish you're looking . . . . . apparently, you just make it up as you go, and think everyone here is gonna believe this crap?

And guys here are lining up to tell you how to bet some of your 96K you won, (yeah, right, like when pigs fly) while you're asking the question "are place bets sensible?

Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)


Grits---you are very perceptive.

[menifee]

I was at the Mandalay Race book about 3-4 years ago killing time while participating in a tournament. Some older gentlemen comes up to me and tells me that he is from NYC. He knows a lot of guys that are in the mafia and they have fixed a horse race at Bay Meadows. He tells me he needs to bet this horse because it is going to pay big.

The problem is that he had a crazy night last night playing craps and is out of cash. His wallet was stolen and he has no access to cash. He will tell me the horse if I bet the horse big and give him 50% of the profits. I ask him how much he wants me to throw on the horse and he says a grand. I say ok, but you got to give me the horse's name before I get that type of cash. I promised him I wouldn't leave him hanging. He gives me the horse's name. I told him that I had a change of heart and I couldn't throw that type of cash on the horse. He says well how much you willing to bet. I say nothing. He gets mad and walks away. A few hours later he was there - just watching - didn't have the cash to gamble. I felt bad for him. Every time I get out of control betting on races, I think of that guy.

BTW, that horse ran up the track in a five horse field. Guess the mafia had a change of heart about the race. I never believe anything anybody at the track tells me.

[Bettowin]

The 96K wonder

[eastie]

Originally Posted by lamboguy

this might be before your time, but at sulfolk back in the 1970's there was a guy they called tony the tout. his real name was tony rogers. he walked around sulfold with his binoculors and hustled people. if they won he would come back to them and look for a handout. he was a pro and did this for years. he wound up moving his tack down to south florida and even did a better job there. he also became a hotel rep, hustling people into staying at different hotels like the diplomat and getting a kick back from the hotel....

poor tony passed away 3 years ago with his binoculars in his hands.

Tony the Tout was a class tout. He dressed like a millionaire and could talk a dog off a meat wagon.
He could spot a sucker a mile away. You need more colorful characters like him around. It's free entertainment during down times. The funny part about him being a tout was that he would always stake me when I was a kid and i put him on a nice price winner. If he had 3 or 4 guys on the hook (some of these guys make serious money with him) he could eliminate 3 or 4 horses and he can cover the whole field with his different players. Some of these guys who would have no shot to win could make nice scores betting his stuff. Nobody is forcing anyone to do anything. The tout wants you to win more than you want you to win.

[magwell]

Bottom line on Tony was he was a good guy and a real race track character, last time I seen him he was in a wheel chair bout 4 yrs ago at Gulfstream......

[ntheiroff]

Wow, you guys bring back memories for me. I was born and raised in Melrose, educated at Suffolk Downs, did not know him, but remember Tony the tout well, both at SD and Gulfstream. What amazes me is that the guy somehow managed to make a living doing what he did for over 30 years.

[ryesteve]

Originally Posted by Grits

If you knew anything about horseracing, you'd know there's no such thing as a Claiborne

And if you knew anything about horseracing, you'd never get suckered by a tout either, so maybe the "Claiborne" line is a good initial screening mechanism.

[Pace Cap'n]

Originally Posted by Grits

Gimme a break. The more you throw on the walls, the more foolish you're looking . . . . . apparently, you just make it up as you go, and think everyone here is gonna believe this crap?

If you knew anything about horseracing, you'd know there's no such thing as a Claiborne, Ron or otherwise, or a Claiborne family that runs a ton of horses in Kentucky. Or anywhere else.

Of course, yes, there's a Claiborne Farm. It was founded in the late 1800s by Arthur Hancock, who passed the farm to his son, Arthur B. (Bull) Hancock, Jr. who built the farm into one of the premier breeding farms in the country. He died in the 70s, and passed the farm to his children. His son, Seth owns Claiborne today. His son Arthur Hancock,III built and owns, Stone Farm, next door to Claiborne.

There's also two daughters, Dell Hancock and Clay Hancock.

Again, there are no Claibornes in horseracing.

And guys here are lining up to tell you how to bet some of your 96K you won, (yeah, right, like when pigs fly) while you're asking the question "are place bets sensible?

How does your diatribe refute the OP's assertion that someone introduced himself as "Ron Claiborne"?