This Is Us- UIC Town Square

[tenfurlongs]

On the old website we used to have a thread entitled “Resume”, or something like that, where members could introduce themselves briefly, from a horse racing perspective. I always enjoyed reading the “bios”, made it more of a community, knowing a little backstory and such. I thought we might try to build a new thread like that. Suggestions for how to structure it below. I'll jump in first.


Name/nickname:

First time at a race track:

Big wins/narrow misses:

Favorite track(s):

Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s):

Tracks you've been to:

Anecdotes:

[tenfurlongs]

Name/nickname: Tom

First time at a race track: 1983- Saratoga Race Course

Big wins/narrow misses: biggest recent win was the triple in the 2016 Belmont Stakes (Creator/Destin/Lani) which paid $2,751. Not a good horizontal wager player, can't remember hitting a decent pick-4,5 or 6.

Favorite track(s): Saratoga Race Course, Tampa Bay Downs

Favorite trainer/jockey (active): Trainers- Joan Scott, Arnaud Delacour, Roy Lerman, Kiaran McLaughlin; Jockeys- Joe Bravo, Samy Camacho

Tracks you've been to: Saratoga, Belmont Park

Anecdotes: I'm fortunate to live within a half-hour drive of Saratoga, so I have a season pass every year. Spend a lot of time in the backyard there, where I've met many Up In Class members over the years. My bachelor party was at Belmont Park, and my brother-in-law paid for a race named in honor of the event (Tom's Bachelor Bash.) The winner of that MSW turned out to be Daaher, who went on to become a Grade-I winner (Cigar Mile H.) for Kiaran McLaughlin and Shadwell Stable.

[halochef]

Name/nickname:chef

First time at a race track:Penn national

Big wins/narrow misses: Dime a day xpressbet, 3rd pl. just "missed" 2nd

Favorite track(s):parx

Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s):k kunes c. torres @ penn a while ago

Tracks you've been to:SA MNR PEN PID PARX MRV

Anecdotes: "Cook with the best and drink the rest" and Opera "I said it was not enough to hear the music, but you still had to see it"

[shoes]

Tom

I am glad that you resurrected this

Name/nickname: 'shoes which was shortened from whiteshoes

First time at a race track:: 1970 or 1971, The now defunct DRC (Detroit Race Course). First Kentucky Derby of what would eventually become 35 of them, 1975 (Foolish Pleasure).

Big wins/narrow misses: Biggest win Orb's KY Derby to complete a Pick 6 on a $12 ticket that paid over $16,000. Every winner was very logical save a 10 or 11-1 shot that Boozer Mike from this board turned me on to. Narrow misses- are you kidding, they are legion, too many to list and I'd like to forget them.

Favorite track(s): So tough between Churchill Downs, Keeneland, and Santa Anita.

Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s):Graham Motion, Eddie Delahoussaye

Tracks you've been to: DRC, Hazel Park, Churchhill Downs, Keeneland, Gulfstream, Arlington, Hawthorne, Lone Star, Turfway, Beulah, River Downs, Laurel, Pimlico, Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Canterbury, Kentucky Downs, Emerald Downs, Thistedown, Presque Isle- probably forgetting some.

Anecdotes:My favorite Horses

1) Northern Dancer as a boy I had three friends over to watch the KY Derby on TV. Two of us were pulling for Northern Dancer, the other two for Hill Rise, Hartack v Shoemaker, I was hooked.

2) Sunday Silence

Living in So Cal at the time I took my 3 year old son to the SA Derby, I had him on my shoulders as we got as close to the paddock as we could , We looked at Sunday Silence and the favorite Houston. My son pointed to SS and said Dad I like that one. He won, and I went on to see him in person win the KY Derby and the BC Classic that year (at Gulfstream).

3) Animal Kingdom

Skipped going to the Derby that year to watch with my Mom who was failing and died two months later. Mom finally picked her first Derby winner and she was so happy!

Most memorable day at the track. The day Dell (Bad Actor) met us at Santa Anita and gave my wife and I the grand insider's tour and watching everyone greet Dell with great affection.

Second place taking my son to see Shoemaker's last race dubbed The Shoe's last ride.

[1hooper]

I copied this from the old website,posted in December of 2004. Most of it still relevant.

1966,dad got me a job walking hots at Narragansett Park for $1 per horse.Big money!Had the privilege of walking Dependability who earned over $150,000 in his career.Look him up at pedigree query,100+ starts.
Attended races at 'gansett,suffolk,rockingham,lincoln,aqueduct,belmont,saratoga,tampa bay,gulfstream,churchill,laurel,pimlico,delaware,woodbine,penn national,brockton,northhampton,great barrington,green mountain.
Biggest $2 payoffs were to Win Arcangues at $269,Double Pilsudski/Alphabet Soup at $485,Exacta Singletary/Antonius Pius at $1495 and Pick 3 of Domedriver/Orientate/Starine at $4651.
My favorite race was the 1985 BC Sprint,the winner came off a 4 month layoff and was dropping down in distance from a 10 furlong race in 1:58.40.
Hooper

[frangooch]

Name/Nickname: Frank/Frangooch
Got interested in racing when Swaps won the Kentucky Derby (Yes, I'm that old.) It was a big deal--the Rams were otherwise the only major sport in L.A.
First trip to track: 1963 Santa Anita. My mom took me. We hit the chalk double with Beatnik/Phoenician II. SA is still favorite track.
Tracks visited: SA, Hollypark, Del Mar, Agua Caliente, Saratoga, Churchill Downs, Aqueduct, Belmont, Suffolk Downs, Bay Meadows, Golden Gate, Santa Rosa, Woodbine
Big Wins: One Dreamer, Ferdinand, Pick4 w/Cloud Computing
Favorite Horse: Silver Charm
Favorite Race: Ferdinand/Alysheba BC
Anecdotes: Lotta travel--Europe, Caribbean, Mexico, mostly, as well as all states except the Dakotas (I'll get there). Have met many UIC members in LA, Fla, Del Mar, Chicago, as well as Hoop when he came to SF.
More of a fan than a gambler, which should be obvious from my picks......

[goldandmyrrh]

Name/Nickname: Warren, Pea Soup

First time at racetrack: May 28, 1974 Belmont

Big wins/narrow losses: I have had many, many narrow losses, so many that they fade into history. My tombstone could be at the 1/16 pole of a few different racetracks, where many of my picks have died. My biggest hits were Arbee's Boy($122) in the Met Mile on May 28, 1974. Temperance Hill($106) with my biggest win bet ever, by far, in the 1980 Belmont Stakes. The common denominator was one of my Dad's mysterious number/jockey theories. On Day 1, when I asked him why he was betting on a seemingly hopeless choice Arbees Boy against Forego, Prove Out, etc., he told me, "because in a big feature race at Belmont Park, if Eddie Maple shows up on the #3 horse, and the horse is a longshot, it's the bet"! When Arbees Boy won I was hooked. Temperance Hill was also a dual-candidate, with #3/Maple. I can't explain it, but the number patterns my father taught me have a healthy positive roi going on 4 decades now. I've found they work better in tris and supers.

Favorite tracks: Saratoga and the old Gulfstream/Hialeah.

Favorite trainer/jockey: Warren Croll(at HIA) and Javy Castellano(at GP)

Tracks you've been to: Belmont(10+), Aqueduct(1), Meadowlands(1), Saratoga(6), Rockingham(4), Suffolk Downs(1), Tampa Bay(5-10), Hialeah(15-25), Calder(50-100), Gulfstream(100 or so), Churchill Downs(1), Longchamp(1), Detroit, Remington Park.

Anecdotes: A day at Saratoga with my son, and brother with his son. Started with Breakfast At Saratoga, ended with winning the feature race big with Junior Pitchunia. That day and a day with my 5yo son at Gulfstream, forever remembered with a picture taken by the track photographer between races who told me he took a nice picture of my son in the lil' petting zoo they had then of him amongst a flock of pure white ducks. He mailed me the picture and it sits above my computer desk.

[John Fleming Jr]

First time at a race track August of 1980. Opening day of Saratoga I was 8 years old.

Biggest wager won was a non descript pik 5 at Aqueduct paid 3,100.00 for 50 cents.

Biggest narrow miss also happened to be the best race I have ever attended in person. The 2009 racheal Alexandra Woodward stakes of Macho again ever gets by her wow what a payday it would have been.

Favorite track not even close SARATOGA

Don’t have favorite jockey or trainer

Tracks I have visited Saratoga Belmont aqueduct finger lakes pimlico mountaineer Monmouth Park

[eye123]

Name/nickname: Carl


First time at a race track: Belmont...way back when (grew up 5 minutes from the track)

Big wins/narrow misses: Tend to forget the losses quickly,never had anything like the guy who got DQ’d in the last leg of the Rainbow PK6 with a single ticket in the balance.(think that stays with you to your last breath as a horse player) Wins, my most memorable was Round Pond in the Breeders Cup. Read an interview Michael Matz gave about how he got her earlier in the year, and last few had her ready for her best race. Had rolling pk3’s each paying $4,900 or so.(W-2G’s without takeout) Barely walked away after filling out paperwork...to do it again.(Hanging with friends in the basement simulcast at the Rialto in Portland Oregon)

Favorite track(s):Hialeah…...1970’s watching Spectacular Bid among the Ivy covered stands...Santa Anita...1980’s watching John Henry with the San Gabriel mountains in the backdrop...and Belmont, just sitting on a bench under the trees with the race form….

Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s):Charlie Whittingham.Woody Stephens/Chris McCarron,Eddie D,Willie Shoemaker

Favorite Horses:John Henry,Spectacular Bid,Round Pond


Tracks you've been to:Quite a few

Anecdotes: Head, deep in the race form, got in line at Los Alamitos to make my wagers. Look up to be staring Jack Lemmon in the face.(my favorite actor of all times) Struck up a conversation (he told me he was there for a charity golf tournament that day and decided to stick around for the racing….this back when D Wayne was still giving a leg up to Terry Lipham)

[PonyGirlJCM]

Here goes.....not very exciting.....

Name/nickname: Michele \PonyGirlJCM

First time at a race track: Pimlico on a road trip....Don’t recall....10 years or so...maybe more....

Big wins/narrow misses: None

Favorite track(s): Haven’t been to many

Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s): 🤔

Tracks you've been to: Pimlico.....Saratoga...Tampa

Anecdotes: I am not much of a player..mostly free contests..big races like Triple Crowns...mainly for fun...was introduced to horse racing MANY moons ago ( 80s) by a fellow co-worker...I was just divorced and driving a cab in Staten Island , NY....sitting and waiting for a fare and he asks me to pick a Horse....I told him I didn’t know anything about horses...he said I couldn’t do any worse than he had been doing....I picked a name I liked and was informed the horse would still be coming out of the gate when the other horses were back in the barn....NO WAY the horse had a chance....the next day he hands me $15 and says “ take your kid to lunch on me “ he decided to play the horse I chose and lo and behold...
IT WON....is it any wonder I like long shots and/or a horse’s name?

[bigred1]

Name/nickname:
Chuck


First time at a race track:
Early 1970's, Garden State Race Track - long gone.


Big wins/narrow misses:
Many narrow misses, many more not so narrow...still working on that 'Big Win'.


Favorite track(s):
Monmouth Park


Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s):
Chad Brown (Trainer), Antonio Gallardo (Jockey). 


Tracks you've been to:
Garden State Race Track, Monmouth Park


Anecdotes: A few favorites over the years: Dr. Fager, Real Quiet, Big Brown

[ziggy]

Name/nickname:
Mike/ziggy~


First time at a race track:
Bowie at 4 and only counting that because I remembered where the bathrooms were in my 20's ;-). Second, the 69 Preakness, still under betting age!


Big wins/narrow misses:
Skill and luck, that was my big win. GP had a mandatory million $ pick 6 the day before and after their BC. Friday luck, a scratch in the 4th leg, I was doing an AB group of tickets. My B horse, 20-1, was singled because I still saw the potential of the other horses falling apart still (speeeeeeed). So I added one ticket adding a horse in the last leg. Nailed the first 3, no favorites and I say nailed because in the 3rd, my two A's were the exacta. 4th leg is is being run fast just like I thought, too fast and here comes Edgar Prado, up at the wire, 20-1. I screamed 'YEAH'. Luck, the bad side. The ONLY horse I played to win was the 5th leg and of course he just did not run. So 2 tickets live for 5 on a $44 total wager. The added ticket, Chop Chop on a Bond first time starter. Speed looked slightly favored on the first few races. Jorge was good at the gate, decent works for the horse and had the Chavez/Bond link. I just thought if he broke well, well maybe he wires. Broke on top and the praying started. That last minute $4 ticket paid $14,484 with no one having 6 and after the IRS took out 28%, 10 grand cash that I had to drive from DEL to MD.


Favorite track(s):
Saratoga, Keeneland


Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s):
No trainer really. I guess Graham Motion because he was local and is good. Edgar Prado .... though hate what he could do to odds when a local force.


Tracks you've been to:
Bow, Pim, Lrl, Tim, Del, Phi, CT, Pen (all close enough to be a day trip), Col, Bel, Sar, , ..... CD and SA BC's,  Thistledown for Lost Code's Ohio Derby,  Ocean Downs simulcast area when visiting a friend, Shenandoah Downs to see Climax Blues Band, J Geils and Mahogany Rush when it had long since been closed. Racing wise that was ugly with a rotting grandstand still standing.


Anecdotes: Destined to like racing. Pimlico was the view from mom's parent's front door, great view from the bedroom, betting M&M's with sis. I lived blocks away when we had the house and was closer when we sold it, renting just down one alley (ages 5-10). In the 60's a few blocks was walking distance and I'm talking for a 6 yo on the back side of Pimlico. I walked to school ;-).

Dad's side .... well grand dad was at Pim virtually every day . They rented a room to the fella that did Jack's Green Card too. I liked playing with the press and got to help/play.  Dad went occasionally, becoming our Preakness driver. One year we're talking horses on the drive, 40ish minutes. We get there and going our ways. Dad yelled something. None of us got it. We meet him at the car and he's flipping through a wad of bills. A 40 minute ride and he'd yelled Elocutionist, Play the Red.

[DoctorDisaster]

I like long walks on the beach.Watching the sunrise in the mountains and I'm not afraid to say I love you.Opps ,wrong message board
Brendan AKA Doctor Disaster AKA DocSpa
As a youngin going to The Spa and Green Mountain. 
Doctor Disaster breaks maiden at 72/1 I had $5 WPS on him.Monarchos had a buck to win and exacta with Invisible  Ink.
The Spa ,bucket list my other favorites Kentucky Downs,Keeneland.
The Chief,Bill Mott,Nick Zito.JD Bailey ,AntMan, Angel
Spa,Green Mountain,The Rock,Belmont,GulfStream(old and new)Fair Grounds,Bally Brit (ire)
My favorite sport.I'll turn off any game to watch a race.

[bowler1018]

                 First time at track 1988 saratoga,lucky to live half hour away..                                                                                                                                                                     Big win pic 4 breeders cup 2012 royal delta.                                                                                                                                                                                               Favorite tracks Saratoga Del mar                                                                                                                                                                                                               Jockeys Junior alvarado and Kent desormeaux                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

[bitowisdom]

Name is Merrill...Back in the day at OTB in upstate NY they called me The Magician
First time at a race track was Saratoga Harness..HOOKED...Caught a win/place on Lightning Bowler at 40-1
Back in the early 90's I was on a roll...6 pick sixes in a span of 2 yrs and cashed for over $40,000 paid off all debt and moved to Las Vegas.
Favorite track is definitely The Spa...Just does not have the charm as back in the 70's...Recalling when the horses where just in the open around the trees in the back yard prior to post time...Quite the commercial enterprise. Still, however, The August Place to Be.
Loved Woody Stephens way back when...Dude was cool!! Jockeys....Cash Assmusen, Angel Cordero, Chris Antley, Jeff Fell, and The Shoe, of course....UH, where to end...Still riding is Johnny Velasquez, never had a favorite...Did enjoy and profited from The Kid...What a bug he was..Drove the old guys crazy..LOL. Stevie Cauthen.
NYRA Circuit was and is my go to. Do enjoy Santa Anita. Been to tracks coast to coast...to many to list...anyone remember that rat hole in New England..The Great Barrington Fair...All in fun...9 yr old nags and 60 yr old Jocks...bet $2 across the board and tote would go from 10-1 to 3-5...what a blast trying to win there..Too many laughs to mention....HAHAHA.
I will mention 3 wins I had the pleasure of handicapping properly (back when The Daily Racing From was a great tool''''What a rag it is now). I loved Genuine Risk for The Derby when she won. Did not have 2 nickels to rub together then and bet $20 across the board with the local Book...Made him ill..LOL. Proud Birdie stuck out like a sore thumb in The 1977 Marlboro Cup, run in a quagmire... 41-1 and coasted. Ah, the wins and the losses...

Either fortunate or unfortunate to have lived near Saratoga for so many years,,,(you do the math). So, here we are in South Carolina for the last 11 yrs. No place to gamble...Not a bad thing. Vegas was fun for about 10 yrs and the fun stopped being fun. Got out of Dodge and enjoy having the kids and their families close by. We love having the grand children near...That is what it is all about these days. Still enjoy the ponies. Just can't help myself...If, you know what I mean. Look forward to this Forum and having some fun with you folks. Thank you for having me.

[bitowisdom]

Gee, forgot the 3rd winner story. Well, it was Fio Rito....He was a super horse from Fingerlakes and I will never forget that morning, talking with Russ Harris of The Daily News. Russ said, "He is an amazing horse, but, he has no business being here at Saratoga, especially in The Whitney. I was never a fan of "Professional Handicappers. So, off to the window I went and sure as anything.....It was Fio Rito, wire to wire, to capture The 1981 Whitney. No, I did not go back to thumb my nose at Russ Harris. I don't flaunt. Mr Harris was a fine handicapper for The Daily News. He past away at the young age of 93 in 2016. Russ Harris was probably responsible for mega sales of that worthless Newspaper. He was a very good handicapper and along with the sports page, were the only endearing qualities of the Daily News...But, that is just my opinion. May Mr Harris rest in peace.

[Dennis]

First track- Raceway Park in Toledo Ohio 1970

Big wins a couple pick 3s a month ago $ 2200 each

Tracks- I like ALL - been to Hazel Park-DRC-Thistledown-Waterford-Tampa Bay-Hialeah -Turfway

Favorite trainers or jocks- I always liked RL Baird he could really get a horse out of the gate.

Down at Hialeah I seen the Slew on Slew day he had more muscles than the Hulk

I seen Alydar win the Flamingo



I just Love The Horses.

[arsignman]

My name is Richard alias arsignman from Arkansas where I have lived 53 years. The first track I went to was OAKLAWN PARK back when I was in college and have been hooked on the horses since. I've been fortunate to see many great horses and jockeys in my time at different tracks.
Tracks Oaklawn and Saratoga, Keeneland are my favorites also been to Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Blue Ribbon Downs, La. Downs, Will Rogers, Remington Park, Lone StarPark
Horses Big Red, Alydar, Seattles Slew, Spectacular Bid, John Henry, Lure and many more
Jockeys Pat Day, Shoemaker, John Valasquez,
Trainers Woody Stephens,Charlie Whittingham, Chad Brown,

Biggest win was the Breeders Cup 2014 Work all Week Secret Circle Private Zone $2129.40 and Kentucky Derby 2008 Big Brown Eight Belles Denis of Cork $6891.20

[davidbrown41]

Name David Brown, Been following horse racing since 1995. Biggest win was a weekday race at BayMeadows a tri for over 5grand. I do not post much on forums, not really my thing. I do enjoy reading and playing the Saratoga contest. I am the twin brother of DBLAKERS, (robert brown).

[tc]

i try to put in my selections as early as possible. it's my strategy to try to keep overall scores as low as possible for everybody!

[madameblum]

Name/Nickname: Colleen/MadameBlum

1st time at track: In the early 80's I began going to Saratoga Harness track and Saratoga Race track with my dad.

Big win: Most memorable win was a triple and exacta on a sloppy track with Madame Blum coming from last to win at huge odds...

Favorite tracks to wager : Saratoga, Belmont, Tampa Bay, Woodbine

Favorite trainers: Rick Violette... I used to love to bet "Samyn on the green" and Voss... big payouts with those two

Favorite owner:  Ken and Sarah Ramsey...  Love those Kitten's Joy horses.. and of course, HOT SCOT RACING STABLES

Tracks been to: Saratoga, Belmont, Monmouth, Finger Lakes (a stop on the way home with my family from college)

[hezethebest]

Name/nickname: Larry LaTour, a.k.a. Hezethebest!

First time at a race track: I lived in Bennington Vt. until age 10 and got to go to Green Mountain Park for the harness races a couple of times back before the track "went to the dogs"!

Big wins/narrow misses: Besides those chronicled on my bio page in all of my written analyses including giving out the "cold" superfecta for $4,448.00 in the BC Mile a couple years back, I once had a $7.00 straight pick 3 at Churchill Downs that paid over $800.00 for a buck or $5,600.00+. Numerous narrow misses so I'll mention only 3 very memorable ones from the Travers Stakes, a race I've have attended every year since 1982. All 3 occupied the top spot on LARRY'S PICKS "Selection" page in their respective years. CONCERN running out of race track as Jerry Bailey tried to reel in HOLY BULL. RAFFIE'S MAJESTY lunging toward the wire in an exciting 3 horse finish beneath Jorge Chavez. MAMBO IN SEATTLE as Robby Albarado thrust his fist in the air we both thought we held off COLONEL JOHN but the lensman saw the finish differently!

Favorite track(s): Saratoga, Belmont, Churchill Downs, Gulfstream Park.

Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s): I have serious respect for several that included Woody Stephens, D. Wayne Lukas, Jerry Bailey, Angel Cordero, Jean Luc Samyn, Eddie Maple, Pat Day, Gary Stevens, Robbie Davis, Julie Krone, Laffit Pincay, Chris McCarron, Willie Shoemaker and seemingly longtime nemesis Mike Smith who would beat me when I didn't use him and not fire when I did! More current props go to Joel Rosario, Javier Castellano, Jose Ortiz, John Velazquez.

Tracks you've been to: I suspect I hold the UIC record in this category. Thoroughbred tracks: AQUEDUCT, ATLANTIC CITY, BELMONT, CALDER, CHURCHILL DOWNS, FINGER LAKES, GULFSTREAM PARK, HIALEAH, HOLLYWOOD PARK, LAUREL, LOS ALAMITOS, MEADOWLANDS, MONMOUTH PARK, PENN NATIONAL, PIMLICO, SARATOGA, THISTLEDOWN.

Harness tracks: BATAVIA DOWNS, BRANDYWINE, FREEHOLD, GREEN MOUNTAIN PARK, MEADOWLANDS, MONTICELLO, NORTHFIELD, POCONO DOWNS, POMPANO PARK, ROOSEVELT, SARATOGA HARNESS, VERNON DOWNS, YONKERS.

LL

[gallantbob]

AFirst track:  Liberty Bell in 1973. But really cut my teeth at Atlantic City.

Wins/misses:  Rainy, mid-week, off turf day at Saratoga last summer.  Closed fifth race with multiple pick fives, fours and threes for a little under 5k.  Would have topped that if Classic Empire holds off Cloud Computing.  Just this week downgraded an A to a C in a Belmont pick five to get the ticket under $250.  Got the ensuing pick four for 800+ but missed the 7k pick five.  Rarely pays to get cheap.

Trainers/jockeys:  I was privileged to have virtual all-access at the NYRA tracks for free-lance photography for about fifteen years.  Didn’t make much of a living but I’ll settle for a lifetime of memories.  
Favorite trainer list influenced by some type of backstretch interaction with someone who were good people and helpful to me.
Mack Miller, Phil Johnson, Buzz Tenney, Kieran McLaughlin, Mark Reid, John Servis, David Donk.  (Could name a douche or two but that wouldn’t be nice).

Mike Smith is a gentleman and helped me on a charity project.  Angel Cordero, Chris Antley, Craig Perret, Gary Stevens and Eddie D were each very camera friendly.

Favorite horse: Forego.  Easy Goer and Turkoman next.  A few that I got to photograph up close:  Java Gold, Sea Hero, Cigar, Easy Goer (favorite subject), Holy Bull, Go For Wand, Chief’s Crown (saw him run at six different tracks).  Somehow managed to see live three out of four lifetime losses by spectacular Bid.  My mere presence was usually enough to get Housebuster beaten.

Tracks visited:  Might shade Larry on thoroughbred tracks, not much harness.  Atlantic City, Garden State, Liberty Bell, Parx( née Keystone), Delaware Park, Pimlico, Laurel, Saratoga, Belmont , Aqueduct, Meadowlands, Monmouth, Keeneland, Gulfstream, Delmar, Hollywood Park, Santa Anita, Agra Caliente, Comandante, Clinton Phipps (USVI).  Favorites:AC, Saratoga, Keeneland.

[shoes]

Looks like Bob and I are tied at 20 T-bred tracks attended. Might need to try and work in #21 this year. I've also been to 20 major league baseball parks/stadiums so the 20/20 provides a nice symmetry.

[cherokeescot]

Name : Bev / Cherokee Scot

First time at a track : Musselburgh (Scotland) 1974

Big wins : Snow Knight 50-1 (1974 Derby) Ben Nevis 40-1 (1980 Grand National) Superfecta 2012 BC Classic

Near Misses : Pick 4 Travers Day when Mambo in Seattle got nosed out by Colonel John in 2008

Favourite Tracks : Royal Ascot, Meydan, Tampa Bay Downs

Favourite Trainer / Jockey : Leroy Jolley / Jacinto Vasquez

Tracks been to : Aqueduct, Ascot, Ayr, Belmont, Calder, Churchill Downs, Delaware Park, Goodwood, Gulfstream Park, Hexham, Hialeah, Hollywood Park, Keeneland, Laurel Park, Meadowlands, Meydan, Monmouth Park, Musselburgh, Oaklawn Park, Palermo (Arg), Parx, Perth(Sco) Rockingham Park, San Isidro (Arg), Santa Anita, Saratoga, Sha Tin, Singapore Turf Club, Tampa Bay Downs, Turfway Park, Windsor (Eng)

[Deleted]

name ...wm pietschman....bpiets
first track ...probably woodbine or greenwood....
studies horses from the pp's when the cost of the drf was about a quarter for about 2 years before going to a race track.....interest started on a farm when the news papers had selectors , penstick , consenses, clocker , etc selected there and out of the 8 races or 24 horses in the money etc 'i' selected 17 and above most days...just from reading the results each day in the papers...then twenty years later, did, as mentioned, with the pps' etc...lol...
....lost many times over the years by not boxing my exactors or tri's....huge money...but learnt not to cry on the way home and control 'me' anger and frustrations et...helped make 'me' character shine in these latter days...etc..
...the first tri's at woodbine ... >>> first two tri's at woodbine that paid off 7 thousand or 11 thousand in the first run two weekends which 'i' picked ..( only needed to select the top four horses running in the highest purse races on of the cards entries and you had both tri's ) but 'i' did not know how to bet them at that time as 'i' did not know they had a special window to bet them at woodbine as in those days one had to line up at the specific betting windows like different $2-$5-etc windows and the exator's windows and d.d windows and so on....or 'i' lost big time for not going track side even though 'i' had picked some huge ( as it turned out ) payoffs the night before, and in many an instance, selected horses on the merits of how a horse ran prior to being entered on a day 'i' did not go track side...
...hawley and gomez perhaps>>>>were<<< my favorites...
...these days ( fall ) saratoga and delmar but santa anita and belmont are most favored...
...trainers maker but the owners of top horses are favored above the trainer WITH A TOP JOCK RIDING THEM....

[Deleted]

Jul 17, 2018 9:26:18 GMT -5 @bpiets said:

name ...wm pietschman....bpiets
first track ...probably woodbine or greenwood....
studies horses from the pp's when the cost of the drf was about a quarter for about 2 years before going to a race track.....interest started on a farm when the news papers had selectors , penstick , consenses, clocker , etc selected there and out of the 8 races or 24 horses in the money etc 'i' selected 17 and above most days...just from reading the results each day in the papers...then twenty years later, did, as mentioned, with the pps' etc...lol...
....lost many times over the years by not boxing my exactors or tri's....huge money...but learnt not to cry on the way home and control 'me' anger and frustrations et...helped make 'me' character shine in these latter days...etc..
...the first tri's at woodbine ... >>> first two tri's at woodbine that paid off 7 thousand or 11 thousand in the first run two weekends which 'i' picked ..( only needed to select the top four horses running in the highest purse races on of the cards entries and you had both tri's ) but 'i' did not know how to bet them at that time as 'i' did not know they had a special window to bet them at woodbine as in those days one had to line up at the specific betting windows like different $2-$5-etc windows and the exator's windows and d.d windows and so on....or 'i' lost big time for not going track side even though 'i' had picked some huge ( as it turned out ) payoffs the night before, and in many an instance, selected horses on the merits of how a horse ran prior to being entered on a day 'i' did not go track side...
...hawley and gomez perhaps>>>>were<<< my favorites...
...these days ( fall ) saratoga and delmar but santa anita and belmont are most favored...
...trainers maker but the owners of top horses are favored above the trainer WITH A TOP JOCK RIDING THEM....

... 'I' WAS GOOD AT PICKING 'penny stocks' FROM THE NEWS PAPERS AS A 'KID'...NIGH ALL WENT UP SHORTLY AFTER SELECTING THEM AND MANY DOUBLED AND TRIPLED ETC..and went on to become concerns of interest to stock holders...guess one just needed to know who the top crooks were....lol..

[Badactor]

Dell Yount / Badactor

First time at a race track:
December 26th 1968, the day after Christmas and opening day at Santa Anita Park. I was 8 years old and I absolutely fell in love with horse racing that day!

Big wins/narrow misses:
I have won more than $10,000 playing free online horse racing tournaments over the years... but I will always blame Blame for beating Zenyatta whom I had singled in what would have been about a $2,000 Pick 4. I've had five out of six on three occasions in Pick 6 plays.. I still hope to hit all 6 someday.

Favorite track(s):
Santa Anita Park and Saratoga Race Course

Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s):
D Wayne Lukas and Laffit Pincay, Jr.

Tracks you've been to: off the top of my head here goes... Hollywood Park, Golden Gate Fields, Santa Anita Park, Los Alamitos Race Course, LA County Fairgrounds in Pomona, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Dixie Downs in Utah, Wyoming Downs, Turf Paradise, Keeneland, Canterbury Downs, Saratoga Race Course, and a couple of months after moving to Oklahoma I had the opportunity to visit Remington Park.

It's nice to meet everybody... Enjoy the Forum and thanks for choosing UpInClass!

[Dell]

Me and my sports hero...

[phlierfreak]

my name is jim. i was fortunate enough to win a seat in last years bcbc contest. would up in 24th place. my first race track i went to was garden state park in cherry hill nj, also liked atlantic city race track very much.