What is O'Brien's start to win ratio in GI races this year compared to Frankel's record year? It seems like he has the field in every race. An embarrassment of riches nonetheless.
I'm not 37 and I don't think I have driven this far. In my life.
Say I was a first timer at the track at Monmouth on Saturday and I saw Big Brown take down the stakes. I am psyched and hooked.
Where has this game been all my life? I gotta get me some. I know nothing about Dutrow and IEAH and just want in. Big Brown is my hero and I go out and buy the jersey because every star has their own jersey. Right? I mean, whoever markets this game is sure to have some merchandising deals with New Era or Nike. Every other Big-time game does.
I am gonna follow Big Brown for the rest of his career.
Ooops. Wrong horse to get hooked on.
O.K. So he retires. Plenty of other noble animals in this game, waiting for someone to pin their fragile hopes on them. Apparently the best horse in the world is this guy called Curlin; nobody tells me about Zenyatta or Zarkava so what do I know. He can be my standard bearer for next year. Wrong again.
I decide to get into betting. I pick up a form and wonder where I apply for my MS in handicapping after devoting six months of study to learn how to read and interpret it. I decide to open an online betting account because the ER bill I swallowed after visiting a NYCOTB that required a tetanus shot and a vaccine for the plague, has me thinking that I might be better off betting from home.
I like to play Santa Anita and Gulfstream because this Magna company has all the cool tracks and knows how to run their show. Besides this Breeder's Cup thing is going on at Santa Anita two years in a row so it must be good. The problem is that this TVG channel that I get on my satellite provider doesn't carry those tracks and the ADW that I chose doesn't allow me to bet on them. I live in NYC and want to bet Belmont every once in a while but now I need two accounts.
Again. Bummer. I press on.
I like to bet stakes races but I don't know why I have to buy the whole friggin' card for that track if all I want to play is the tenth race. I'm not a very good handicapper and don't bet often so my ADW keeps threatening to shut me out if I don't throw so much money their way. Scottrade this is not.
I want to learn about the history of the game but I don't want to have to mortgage my house if I want the lifetime PP's for Man O' War-Miesque. I want to like this game.
I'm fading fast. Help me, help you.
I have a nice little tax refund coming that I wasn't counting on and I decide that I am going to give this handicapping thing a go. I play the races pretty solid during this meeting they have in Saratoga. I am not doing well but I am consistently playing. My ADW is happy with me and as a reward, after blowing my wad I get, wait for it....
A hat.
Yeah I'm done. None of my horses are around anymore and I have been doing this less than a year. I work for the CIA and we don't keep this tight of a lid on our information.
Nobody runs against anybody because nobody really wants to test their horse; they just look for easy races to take down, so the races are not competitive and offer no betting value. The tracks are running constantly and just drown each other out with noise. You live next to the 'L' long enough, you learn not to hear it.
Big Brown had me and then everybody else managed to lose me. It just really shouldn't be this hard.
15 September 2008
Where do we go from here?
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The Bid
Greatest horse ever to look through a bridle
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6 comments:
Wonderful! I think you said it all and while it is very funny, it's oh, so sad. Thanks!
Why the F do they charge for a card anyway?, why even charge admission, so you can have the privilege of coming in to spend more money??????
and the form-by the time I master that I am better off going to Cornell to get my engineering degree???
Wonderfully written!
I feel lucky that my hometrack, Woodbine, has free admission and a well maintained offtrack wagering system - HorsePlayerInteractive - provided you ignore take out issues locally.
Although horse racing had plenty of money to start with, it seems that just like in other sports, money is now ruining the thoroughbred game as well.
As always, I look forward to your next post.
Keith TripleDeadHeat
There is always hope.
Thank you all for reading.
Cool photo.
Ignorance is sometimes bliss (are you OK with sayings, as opposed to cliches?): My entire racing fanlife (35 years) I have paid very little attention to politics---it's been all about the horse and the handicapping. This makes the relationship with the four-legged characters even deeper---no distractions.
These distractions (politics) are obviously HUGELY important, and when they start making headlines I feel the great guilt caused by by limitations---and so I dig deeper in my own area---handicapping, horseplay, goodtime Charlieness. Not very mature.
One day, maybe, I will learn history, geography, and racing politics. I don;t think this lifetime will find me complete. I'm a hardcore horse racing fan, that's it, only one wing on the house. But when the special horse is retired at 3, I am angrier and more hurt than the average fan---then you're into all my love...
Big Brown has done so much since March, and has contributed so much theater---it will hurt when he's retired, but it won't sting. Having so many people dislike him makes the ride a lot less fun.
Thanks for the link. Fly safe, e
Ernie-
'Seek not the favor of the multitude; it is seldom got by
honest and lawful means,
but seek the testimony of the few;
and number not the voices, but weigh them.'
-Kant
They can't take what he has done away from you.
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