Best lifetime score on the Derby?

[Stillriledup]

Who's had their best lifetime score, or a memorable score on the Derby itself? I know personally, i've made money on some Derbies, but no massive life changing hits, so, as time has gone on, my Derby wager amounts have gotten smaller and smaller...and i won't be playing this year's derby.

The reason i bring this topic up is that there seems to be this obsession to handicap this race to death, analyze every possible angle, and spend countless hours thinking about how to make money on this race....but, if your own past performances suggest this is not really a race you've 'crushed' in the past, maybe its a good idea to concentrate on undercard races OR races at other tracks that seem to have inflated pools on "Derby Day".

[thaskalos]

I won about $55,000 in the 2004 Derby. I had $3,000 to win on Smarty Jones, the trifecta for $5...and a $2 super. I wagered a total of $4,500 on the race. I was planning on making this bet for a week...but I chickened out when the track came up sloppy, and thought about passing the race altogether. But I connected for two signers at Laurel on the day before the Derby, which brought me a profit of exactly $4,500...so I considered it an omen and proceeded with my original plans.

It was hardly a life-changing score though. As I recall...the money didn't even last until the end of that summer. There was a lunatic who was pretending to be me at that time...and he had a lot to learn...

[Augenj]

This wasn't a life changer but I had a $5 Exacta Box on Nehro and Animal Kingdom in the 2011 Derby. Paid $824.50 as I recall.

[RaceBookJoe]

The only 2 memorable Derby scores for me worth any money was a $100 show saver bet on Giacomo and then a couple years ago I had $200 to win on Animal Kingdom ( also had $200 on 2 other horses which lost ) and had a $20 exacta with him that paid. Nice day, but not life changing.

[Si2see]

Originally Posted by Augenj

This wasn't a life changer but I had a $5 Exacta Box on Nehro and Animal Kingdom in the 2011 Derby. Paid $824.50 as I recall.

Same here, also hit cheap $10 double with from oaks derby with Plum Pretty but missed the $20 double by a neck with Saint Johns River or whatever the horse name that Rosie was riding at balloon odds

[tanner12oz]

I had the tri last year for something like $1800...keyed revolutionary in all 3 positions with an assortment of horses in the other 2 spots...didn't think I had it either then noticed revolutionary had clunked his way up....then my next though was oh no did I go deep enough to catch golden soul? which look at my tickets and BINGO....score. yelled an assortment of obscenities in celebration in front of my family and friends I had over for the race....played around $160 worth of tickets on the race

biggest score ever was BC Pick 4 ending with BLame for $3800

had the Pick 5 at the Preakness singling Ill have Another for like $1400

these are about the extent of my "big race" scores.

[tanner12oz]

Originally Posted by Augenj

This wasn't a life changer but I had a $5 Exacta Box on Nehro and Animal Kingdom in the 2011 Derby. Paid $824.50 as I recall.

Needed Shackelford to hold on for 3rd that year....came in 4th if I recall....DOH! and then I got off the shackelford express only to become dialed in who was dialed out at the preakness

[QuarterCrack]

My biggest score came in the Derby, bet Closing Argument across the board in 2005.. Big money for me then, $50W/$100P/$200S

He paid $70-something in the middle and $25-ish to show.

Cheaped out of wheeling him in the exacta, though, because I didn't want to spend the money..... Came back over $9k, if I recall.... Ugh...

Besides my biggest score coming in the Derby, my FIRST bet was made on the Derby, had a few bucks on Grindstone...

[menifee]

Hit a 48k super for a $1 in 2012. Only big derby score. I treat the Super in the derby like a p5 and p6 throw real money at it. My strategy is quite simple - pick 5-7 horses that I think can win the race over another 7-10 horses over a key in third with all. I then duplicate the ticket and put the key in 4th. There is always a fast pace in the derby and you can always identify a closer or two who will pick up a piece. I think picking that closer is much easier than picking the winner in most years.

[Mystic]

1999 when Charimatic won. I only had $42 to spend and went the night before to Sam Houston and did $42 worth of $1, 7 $2 tri combinations.

I ended up collecting $5800 and was home alone watching it all by my lonesome. I am sure the neighbors were a bit concerned for a couple minutes due to all the yelling, and then to have the "inquiry" sign come up, I just about died right then and there.

[DJofSD]

Lil E. Tee and War Emblem.

[phattty]

Not a life changer but surely a great surprise....

Night before made a 20-20 we bet on Lil E Tee at Atlantic City racetrack..

Watched the race at home and loved the winning mutuel

However when I got to track that evening the shocker was...

Jersey had separate pools those days

The Lil one returns 92$ for 2 bucks

[BlueShoe]

Score? That is the wrong word. My lifetime ROI on the Derby is deep in the red. At least I had sense to wager lightly from the beginning. Best hit was in 1994 in the slop, $20 to win on Go For Gin $20.20. 2-1 favorite Holy Bull never ran a step.

[ultracapper]

Unbridled. Man, that was a long time ago.

[Exotic1]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

I won about $55,000 in the 2004 Derby. I had $3,000 to win on Smarty Jones, the trifecta for $5...and a $2 super. I wagered a total of $4,500 on the race. I was planning on making this bet for a week...but I chickened out when the track came up sloppy, and thought about passing the race altogether. But I connected for two signers at Laurel on the day before the Derby, which brought me a profit of exactly $4,500...so I considered it an omen and proceeded with my original plans.

It was hardly a life-changing score though. As I recall...the money didn't even last until the end of that summer. There was a lunatic who was pretending to be me at that time...and he had a lot to learn...

Chapter 1 - Love reading about huge scores and that's huge. Great.
Chapter 2 - Not so good but I'm sure there were thrills going through the cash.

Sounds like the lunatic is locked away for good.