what got you in .. why is horseracing ...

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

your thing.. of all types of gambling ..from rec players to pros what is it about horse racing .. that drew you into this mess..lol.....for me it was the puzzle ..with reward.. of all other forms of gambling this one seemed to be the most un random.. no machines ..no 4 decks ..one drf and a puzzle....

save the smart ass answers please......

[GPK]

It started out as something to fill a void...but like you...the puzzle pulled me in.

[sumitas]

I liked it as a kid. Ruffian made it too painful to watch for many years. Now I've rediscovered that youthful wonder of this grand, mysterious sport.

[outofthebox]

My nextdoor neighbors dad was a mutual clerk in so cal. When we were in jr high we would handicap the daily double on sat am and do a couple of criss cross doubles. Then we would screw around till the Bill Garr daily double show would come on am radio and we would listen to the stretch calls. It was so addicting, buying that racing form for $1.25 and just trying to figure out the puzzle in front of us. No beyer numbers, trip quotes, heck they didnt even have fractions in the form. Had to put the post positions in, write the jockeys name, damn were spoiled now.. THis was the late 70's..Weve come along way baby!

[Riot]

It was always all about the horses, not gambling. I'd still be as involved in horse racing if there was no gambling (but then, there would be no horse racing, would there)

But I agree, it's a fascinating, challenging, heavily mathematical puzzle, solvable by knowing the horse, applying critical reasoning and analysis. Very un-random is a good description.

I think people that only have an interest in the sport for the gambling, and having no interest in the fascination of the horse as a living athletic creature, are missing out on something terribly satisfying.

And I don't think handicapping alone off a DRF, with no knowledge of the horse as an animal, suffices for best possible success for most. For fun, try going to the paddock, and spending a day handicapping horses off how they look and act and walk, with no knowledge of odds or PPs.

Churchill Downs. I was 10 years old and it was my first visit to a racetrack. I remember watching an old man yell for his horse and when he didn't win he said, "God damnit, Brumfield!! Horrible ride, you cost me the exacta, you sumbitch!!" I was hooked.

[my miss storm cat]

His name was Smarty Jones.....

He got me interested and the 2004 Hollywood Derby, first race i ever went to, made me an addict.

[paisjpq]

best friend owned an ex racehorse...a beat up NY bred. Her family took me to Toga when I was 11, caught it then betting silks and winning, (wish it was still that easy).

[DerbyCat]

Three years ago a friend and I were looking for something to do on a Saturday afternoon and we saw that they were running at Bay Meadows... $20 worth of $2 win bets and standing at the rail feeling the horses thunder by us hooked me for life. I've been at my new job for two months now and work 70+ hours a week yet everyone at work knows me well enough (or at least knows my obsession) to ask "how did you do at the track on your day off? Who do you like this weekend?"

The horse that truly hooked me was a $4K claimer named Proud Patrolman, his heart and desire to run both inspired and awed me. He's a nine year old gelding who just won his 16th career race this past Saturday (78% ITM for his career) and I absolutely love to watch him run... how can you not fall in love with this sport when you love the athletes so much?

[_ed_]

Originally Posted by Riot

I think people that only have an interest in the sport for the gambling, and having no interest in the fascination of the horse as a living athletic creature, are missing out on something terribly satisfying.

Absolutely agree.

For me, my parents have always been racing fans and I went along with them a few times and was instantly hooked. I love the sound of the thundering hooves, the jockeys' silks sparkling in the sun and the determination of the horses in a great stretch duel, to name just a few things about racing that I love.

And now my long-term interest is really paying off, I'm starting to see horses whose sires and dams I remember seeing race. Which is really awesome.

[Cajungator26]

First race I remember seeing as a kid was the Wood Memorial... a big chestnut horse named Easy Goer won it and I've been hooked ever since. I never have been into the gambling aspect of it in a huge way, but I'll admit that figuring out how to read the form a few years ago was 'interesting.' I miss picking horses based on their names and looks.

[letswastemoney]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

First race I remember seeing as a kid was the Wood Memorial... a big chestnut horse named Easy Goer won it and I've been hooked ever since. I never have been into the gambling aspect of it in a huge way, but I'll admit that figuring out how to read the form a few years ago was 'interesting.' I miss picking horses based on their names and looks.

Oh the Racing Form is just hosh posh. Picking the gray horse is still in!!

[cowgirlintexas]

What a great thread. Been fun reading a lot of these postings. For me it was Seattle Slew that forever changed my life. Made me persue my childhood dream of working and riding racehorses. He will always have a special place in my heart. As far as the gambling part of it goes, I did'nt really understand how to wager or really care to until I was out working at Santa Anita in 1989. Have always been pretty much a $2.00 better and always love telling anyone that cares about how I hit the trifecta in the Derby that Chrismatic won. Paid $6500 for a $1.00 bet. I remember jumping up and down like a complete idiot Go baby Go!!!!

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by sumitas

I liked it as a kid. Ruffian made it too painful to watch for many years. Now I've rediscovered that youthful wonder of this grand, mysterious sport.

Hey Sumitas!!!
I'm with you about Ruffian.
For me it was Alydar.

I tried to pm you about hip no 309 in the NY Breeders mixed sale at Saratoga.
I hope S- Warrior is ok. Smart to scratch him out of the sale, as it was horrible for nybreds. I sure wish NYRA would settle things cause the instability is killing the NY market. Timonium was even worse! Joe Mc"s were all RNA's.

PM me cause I have good news about Darlin' by Day and Daring Day. Both are 3X3 to Alydar.
Also, keep your eyes out for Tomorrow's Dancer (a mare that Jose picked up at the sale). She's by Tomorrow's Cat (Storm Cat), and also Jim J's Be Fruitful, a full sister to Corinthian---that won on the last day of Belmont's meet, in the slop, by six lengths going away.

[SCUDSBROTHER]

It's the best form of gambling(they all do this though) to take your mind to another place.Sports do this well.Gambling does it better.Horseracing does it D BEST.I'm not saying everyone does it to escape reality,but I think it is uniquely good at that.

[PPerfectfan]

My mother trained racehorses before I was born, so I grew up on the shed row so to speak. Shoot I was betting before I was in kindergarden. One of my earliest betting memories is of me throwing a fall down, kick my feet, flail around fit till my dad bet a horse named Scooby Doo,,,,yes Scooby Doo. Who just happen to win and according to my dad years later paid almost $100 to win!! And I almost had an above mentioned fit when Giamiaco beat Closing Arguement in the Derby and made me miss my tri/super. I only had him in the 2nd/3rd/4th spots....freaking nag.

[Riot]

Gambling does it better.Horseracing does it D BEST.I'm not saying everyone does it to escape reality,but I think it is uniquely good at that.

Even better, try riding a horse. No way to think of anything else in the world when you're riding

[NoChanceToDance]

I've been into racing for as long as i remember. I grew up on a stud farm just outside Newmarket. I was taken racing by my parents as a one year old. The first meeting i actually remember though was Salisbury when i was about 5 or 6.

My father has been working with racehorses in one way or another for my entire life, and my mother has been working in the betting industry since i was 7.

Although, as a kid, i hated the sport. My father used to shout at the TV and i just used to scream back at him or turn the TV off. I dreaded Saturdays because i knew the racing would be on all afternoon. Now, it's completely different, racing is on almost every hour on a Saturday.

[golfer]

Growing up near the Meadowlands, got into Harness racing originally, switched to thorobreds over the last 10 years. I remember the old t-bred programs, not much information... and who was this jockey named "No Boy" who rode half of the horses in each race??? What was up with that?

[otisotisotis]

I've been pulled in and out so many times.....
1st memory is Affirmed winning the Derby.
A few years later a friend's family took me to Latonia Downs (now Turfway). Didn't realize the place was a dump because I thought it was so fancy that we were sitting @ a clothed table and somebody was waiting on us!
Lost interest for a while, got back in around 16 when another friend's parents were working as tellers.
Then one day a horse breaks down in the stretch drive right in front of me.
I walked out and swore never to go back, but I did a few years later and I've been hooked (again) ever since.