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Post by nijinsky on Jul 19, 2018 10:22:57 GMT -5
Name/nickname: Paul/nijinsky/horses4courses First time at a race track: Arlington Park as a youngster in the 60s Big wins/narrow misses: I'm a grinder, but quite a few 4 figure hits - no 5 figure hits - yet  Narrow miss making the NHC final in 2014. Online qualifier with close to 2000 entries. In first place going into to final race of ten. Top 5 qualify for Vegas. Last race was a 10 horse turf allowance at Del Mar. Four of the ten were short enough odds they wouldn't hurt me. Two horses I gave no chance to, so I could eliminate them. The four remaining long shots could beat me - I had to choose one. Needless to say, I chose the wrong one. Bejarano beat me on a 20 something dollar horse - finished 7th....ughhhhh....still hurts. I will make the Big Dance in LV one day - top of my bucket list. Favorite track(s): Saratoga, Del Mar, Leopardstown, Galway Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s): Chad Brown, Art Sherman, currently no favorite rider but I was a huge Lester Piggott fan in my youth and Chris Mccarron in the US. Tracks you've been to: Close to 20 tracks in Ireland. I grew up there between 1968-1986. Leopardstown and Phoenix Park were the ones I frequented most. I love them all, though. In the US, I've been to Arlington Park, Del Mar, and Golden Gate Fields. Anecdotes: My grandmother in Dublin, Ireland, used to send me with her small bets to the bookmaker (legal) up the street when I was 10 years old. Not long afterwards, I was given a present of the annual UK/Ireland Flat Racing Form Book (a thick, Bible-like, manual) and it's been horse racing for me ever since. It's been a wonderful ride for 50 years now. |
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Post by nativol on Jul 19, 2018 13:59:32 GMT -5
Name: Todd Mitchell (TMitch)
First time at a track: Late 70’s when my parents took my brother and I to the track and let us pick one horse in each race...instantly hooked. I was about 8-9 years old.
Favorite Track: Keeneland
Favorite Trainer: Chad Brown
Favorite Jockey: Bill Shoemaker
Tracks: Keeneland, Churchill, Delta Downs, Turf Paradise, Oaklawn Park, Tampa Bay Downs, Turfway, River Downs (Belterra)
Famous Quote: “I fart in your general direction...your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.”
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jacckk8
UpInClass Member
Posts: 374 
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Post by jacckk8 on Jul 20, 2018 6:19:56 GMT -5
Grew up 20 minutes from Saratoga ..Troy.
Dad took me to track when I was about 9.. 1957!
Gave me $2 and I picked my first horse and he won. My Dad gave me the $8.60 .. that was like a $million then! Hooked right there!
Eventually after college moved to Saratoga and then VT for 30 more years. Now retired in Sarasota Fl
Favorite horse.. Secretariet ..
Favorite Jock.. Angel Cordero. .. lost every time I bet him. Lol
Best win .. stopped in an otb in Glens Falls .. had 4 dollars in my pocket. Played the same all favorite pick 6 for fun.. needed samyn on the green in the last.. and he won! Trip paid $1700! Shocked! All favs! Best horse related win,,,this year when I won close to $7k when finishing 9th in Vegas in the HPWS out of 428!
when at the track I play 2-2,double every race.,regardless of odds!
Fav track. Saratoga.. been too Saratoga. Green Mnt. Belmont.. Pimlico Churchill Arlington Gulfstream Finger Lakes Tampa Lonestar
Also owned race horse in 70’s at Saratoga harness. Fun
I have a 1950 “program” from the spa by dad used that day .. A keepsake of two things I loved!!
Been to the spa every year for last 40+. Meet the boys there..
Jack
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Post by hezethebest on Jul 24, 2018 9:57:11 GMT -5
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. |
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Post by hezethebest on Jul 24, 2018 10:00:49 GMT -5
I knew Russ very well and saw him occasionally at the NY tracks and all 4 times that I made the finals of the World Series of Handicapping at Penn National in the 90's. I always had to earn my way to the finals by finishing in the top 15% of a qualifier round that cost $375.00 or so while Russ was always 1 of the 35 invited "professionals" from the industry who got to participate in the finals for free. Russ was a very nice man who I often asked when was he going to retire since I wanted to throw my name in the ring to take over his gig when he did. As we advanced through the 90's the age of technology made it possible for guys like Russ to start working from home so he hung in at the Daily News a lot longer than he would otherwise been able to. I don't think he went to the track much the last 10 years he worked. I've had some pretty good (and bad) days handicapping over the years including giving out the first 6 winners of the Saratoga Sunday card to the condo boys and anyone else who listened on the day after the Travers last year. The "cold" pick 5 alone paid $757.00 for 50 cents so they weren't all chalk. While I felt pretty good about that and have had 7 or 8 top picks win before on an 11 race card, Mr. Harris did something once that I don't think will ever be duplicated. He once gave out all 9 race winners in the NY Daily News on a card at either Belmont or Aqueduct, I don't remember which but it was one of the NY metro tracks. As a pro and often having to do your work 2 days before publishing that was an amazing feat to accomplish, winning prices notwithstanding. Russ was indeed a very consistently good handicapper. R.I.P. Sir!
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Post by johnnybattbd on Jul 25, 2018 10:40:44 GMT -5
Name/nickname:John J Barile - JohnnyBatTBD
First time at a race track:Can only guess...Aqueduct 1961 (mas or menos)
Big wins/narrow misses: Idk but favorite bet ever made was a $200 DD on an $11 probable, both legs won going away
Favorite track(s):Delmar, Tampa
Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s):Perhaps William Bradley and Samy Camacho
Tracks you've been to: Sar, Bel, Aqu, Mon, Atlantic City, Garden State, Laurel, Pim, Churchill, Tam, GS, Hialeah, CRC, Ruidoso, Portland Meadows, Delmar, Meadowlands, Mountaineer.... a few more I'm sure
Anecdotes: As a little boy, I went to take a leak at Aqueduct and I thought I was being assaulted by a black man in a white jacket....but it was the Valet who came in to clean the seat for me......
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Post by camehome on Aug 18, 2018 0:12:15 GMT -5
I was at the track that day!
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Post by Badactor on Aug 19, 2018 15:52:37 GMT -5
Thought it might be fun to see a few photos of our UpInClass members with horses. If you have a picture of yourself on horseback or standing with a horse please post it here. If you want to e-mail photos to me I can post them for you here on the forum... thank you! |
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Post by Badactor on Aug 19, 2018 15:55:36 GMT -5
First up... Ponygirl (Michele) senior trip 1974. |
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Post by Badactor on Aug 19, 2018 16:14:19 GMT -5
Here are a few photos of me with horses... |
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Post by cherokeescot on Aug 19, 2018 21:17:04 GMT -5
Cherokee Scot on Cherokee Scot  |
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Post by johnnybattbd on Aug 21, 2018 10:31:24 GMT -5
Golden cowboy days... Attachments:
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Post by tenfurlongs on Aug 21, 2018 10:45:26 GMT -5
With Saratoga "horse-for-the-course" Quick Call, in the paddock after his retirement...
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turffan
UpInClass Member
Posts: 410
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Post by turffan on Aug 26, 2018 10:07:02 GMT -5
Name/nickname:
Turffan, because, well ...
First time at a race track:
Probably 1965 at Green Mountain Park in Pownal, VT
Big wins/narrow misses:
A few thousand on a Pick 3 at Monmouth 7-8 years ago; too may narrow misses to mention
Favorite track(s):
Keeneland and Saratoga
Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s):
Whoever brought in my last winner; Asmussen, Mott, C. Baker, Calhoun, Englehart
Tracks you've been to:
Green Mountain, Suffolk, Rockingham, Northampton Fair, Great Barrington Fair, Saratoga, Delaware Park, Keeneland, Finger Lakes, Parx before it was Parx; numerous harness tracks
Anecdotes: Loved the Old Saratoga setup when there were no picnic tables and they walked horses around the trees instead of in the paddock; Got the see Secretariat up close that way as a 2 year old as well as Affirmed and Alydar among may others And it was FREE, if you can imagine that with the current NYRA schmucks; Also, was in the infield a number of times including for the 1978 Affirmed vs Alydar meeting in the Travers (which next year will be the Zippy Chippy Travers instead of the Runhappy Travers).
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Post by PonyGirlJCM on Aug 27, 2018 2:52:01 GMT -5
Maybe this one could be pinned to the top like “ This is Us”.....things tend to get lost in the string of posts if you haven’t been on in a couple of days...hoping to see more photos soon...🐎
Thank you......
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Post by Badactor on Sept 12, 2018 12:01:18 GMT -5
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Post by spanky126 on Oct 17, 2018 18:19:32 GMT -5
Hey Gooch...did you forget to mention your trip to the Lone Star State? I'm hurt. Well, ok, I can understand how a Man of the World could forget Amarillo...lol...we did throw back a few shots and have some laughs tho...
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Post by frangooch on Oct 21, 2018 11:24:58 GMT -5
Sorry, Spank. When you pushed me down the flight of stairs, I must have hit my head and lost a few cells. Either that, or malnourishment from eating peanuts and drinking whiskey brings early onset dementia.........
I will mention here that I have been to see you in Amarillo TWICE. See: "Definition of insanity"....
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Post by spanky126 on Nov 4, 2018 10:38:41 GMT -5
Wow, how did I miss this comment? Not sure what the statute of limitations are on filing a lawsuit for "shoving" a 60+year old Californian down in another man's sunken den (our home is so 70's). I'm quite sure if said individual is a left coast liberal Democrat he would have a better chance of the San Francisco 49ers winning the Super Bowl than conviction on this matter! But give it a shot Gooch...ya never know!   |
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Post by phlierfreak on Nov 6, 2018 18:10:01 GMT -5
didnt throwing back a few shots lead to the sunken den fall?
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roamin
UpInClass Member
my e mail is at (Roamin614@gmail.com
Posts: 18
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Post by roamin on Mar 1, 2019 14:49:45 GMT -5
Hi, my name is Tom. Been fully retired since April. Love getting into contests and betting on the ponies. Live near Monmouth Park and have been going to the tracks for many years. Was a trucker for 50 years and was happy when there was a track running at the time I was near by. Made sure I stopped for a few races. I recently came across upinclass and it looks good to keep coming back. I recognized a few names in here. So I will be here for a while. Cya, Roamin
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Post by tenfurlongs on Mar 3, 2019 8:10:26 GMT -5
Welcome to UpInClass Tom!
TW
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Post by bobtailnag on Mar 4, 2019 21:36:55 GMT -5
Name/nickname: “Mike” - Middle name
First time at a race track: 1944 or 1945 – Too young to remember. Dad was baby sitting
Big wins/narrow misses:Huge miss – 2000 BC Pick-3 (Spain) – Caressing – War Chant, After telling someone to bet everything Lukas put on the track I didn't put Spain on the ticket. It paid $109,XXX.XX
Favorite track(s): Keeneland of all the ones I visited
Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s): Baffert - jockey Dave Gall
Tracks you've been to:Fairmount, Cahokia Downs, Arlington, Prairie Meadows, Hoosier Downs, Kentucky Downs, Ellis Park, Churchill and Keeneland.
Anecdotes: 1967, we huneymooned in San Fran. Pat's grandfather, retired Br. General Frayne Baker, was living on the 17 mile drive close to Fort Ord and we were invited to stay with them for a couple days. It's just a helicoptor ride for about 20 minites. On the ride back to their house Pat asked him, “Grandpa, what should Mike call you?” He replied, “He can call me by my name”. She said, “Frayne?” He replied “General”.
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nickydags
UpInClass Member
Always on!
Posts: 2
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Post by nickydags on Mar 20, 2019 16:07:48 GMT -5
Name/nickname: Nick
First time at a race track: 1978- I was 3 yo. By the time I was 8 I could read the form!
Big wins/narrow misses: Biggest Win was a 28k 50 cent pick 4, I singled a 40-1 shot in both the pick 3 an 4 sequence, hit both, pick 3 paid 6k for 50 cents. Saratoga.
Favorite track(s):Saratoga, Belmont, Del Mar, Santa Anita
Favorite trainer(s)/jockey(s): Bobby Frankel was my favorite trainer. I don't have a particular favorite jockey. All time (Gomez, Antley)
Tracks you've been to: Saratoga, Del Mar, Santa Anita, Delaware Park, Sportsmans Park, Belmont, Aqu, Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Green Mountain
Nice to meet everyone! I am also the Director of Business Development & Media Relations for Past The Wire.
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Post by UpInClass on Apr 22, 2019 13:54:00 GMT -5
Welcome to UpInClass! Always nice to meet new folks. Please take a moment to introduce yourself to the group. May your next wager be a winning one! Dell Yount.
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Post by spanky126 on May 3, 2019 15:06:42 GMT -5
To answer your question Michelle I'm in a witness protection program... |
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Post by phlierfreak on May 7, 2019 17:49:11 GMT -5
most of the horses have restraining orders against me
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Post by UpInClass on May 8, 2019 17:19:50 GMT -5
 Join the community and enjoy the conversation... You're Invited! |
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Post by PonyGirlJCM on May 9, 2019 2:21:17 GMT -5
I tried....for sure thought Bev would have joined in here wearing his kilt with a beautiful horse.
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Post by cherokeescot on May 9, 2019 8:32:46 GMT -5
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