When did you first discover racing?

[joeydb]

I listen to Steve's show every day -- I love it -- and it stirs nostalgia for some of the great times I have had at the track. I'll bet you guys have more than a few stories of your own.

My first time at the race track was as a young boy around 1979 or so. My dad, who still likes racing but is not a frequent bettor, decided to take our family to Atlantic City race course. We had a blast. I made -- er, "recommended" -- a few bets and a few of them hit. We watched from the grandstand, and I remember that was the first time I had ever been that close to see a bunch of real horses running as we lived outside of Philly in south Jersey where everything is really dense and suburban. They were also having a "free T-Shirt" day -- something that seems like a good marketing move even today.

Fast forward almost a decade when I was in freshman year of college, and I found a newstand that sold advance editions of the Daily Racing Form, with "Past Performances for Saturday". Thursday night if possible, Friday night if need be, I'd take over the kitchen table with calculators, pads of paper, and highlighters, trying to discern who had a chance the next day at Garden State Park or Philadelphia Park. Buddies of mine from the neighborhood would call or stop in, some would help out -- and then on Saturday we'd attack the track. Always fun -- sometimes profitable.

One thing my college buddies still talk about is when about six of us went to Philly Park and we all each hit a $600 trifecta. I gotta tell you, even cheap college beer goes down like Dom Perignon after a day like that.

[cowgirlintexas]

I beleive there already is a thread like this...If you do a search you will see it

[joeydb]

Sorry...did not know about the other thread.

[jpops757]

I was playing in a softball tournment near Lafayette La. We made a venture to EvD in the sweltering heat to take in the racing, The memorable thing was a young Ronald Ardwin chalanging the older Larry Snyder for the leading jockey.The betting was limited to DDs and what they called the combo bet[a wps],and the very exotic 3hors ex box. Im not sure about the date but probably late 60s or early 70s.