The Mother (Wife) Of All Belmont Stories

[TGJB]

  Okay, now that things have calmed down (at least until Ragozin posts the Belmont Day sheets), it\'s time for HP to tell us about Belmont Day.

[HP]

Oy. Okay.

As usual, I reviewed the big race with Mrs. HP. She wanted me to bet $10 on Perfect Drift and $10 on Sarava. At the track, the lines were incredible, and I neglected to get her bets down (the first time this has happened). It really slipped my mind, and I was preoccupied with the idiots in front of me who didn\'t know how to bet or have their money ready when their turn came.

Afterwards, Jerry pointed out that there were no lines before the feature since so many people had bet the Belmont Stakes before the 9th race. Thanks Jer.

As the horses were coming down the stretch, I thought Proud Citizen won, but as the first two horses went by and I got a closer look, I saw the winner was the 12, Sarava. Losing the race was bad enough, but as I realized that I forgot to get the wife\'s bet down, the thought came to me that beyond losing, this was the worst outcome imaginable and probably punishment for some sins in a previous life.

If Patent had hit this race, I might have thrown myself off the balcony, but a quick review indicated that he had blown it and had to console himself with his massive real-life hit.

So I managed to \'book\' the Mrs. bet for $10 and I owe her about $750, on top of the money I lost, which made it the worst day ever for me (notwithstanding the two races I hit, which kept me afloat till the end). All things considered (except briefly in the car afterwards) I think I took it pretty well, and I was able to be my usual charming self at the big dinner.

Mrs. HP was amused, collected her cash, and told me to take out the garbage. HP

[JRL]

I have a good Belmont story.  I have a friend whom I work with who is not a big gambler but likes horse racing.  He and his wife were at home and decided to bet the Belmont.  They were going to bet $20.00.  He chose an exacta including Perfect Drift.  His wife chose a $5.00 Sarava/Medaglio D\'Oro exacta box (primarily based on the names of the horses).  

My friend knew from me that you could bet on the internet, but he had only been to Santa Anita.  So, he went to the Santa Anita site, which links to xpressbet.  He openend the account for $20.00.  He then realized that xpressbet did not have the Belmont.  So, he made a random bet at Penn National and won $33.00, instead of the $5,000.00 he (actually his wife) would have won had he gone to tvg or youbet instead.

[TGJB]

It was fun listening to HP\'s end of the phone call where he told the Mrs. a) she won, b) at 70-1, c) he didn\'t get the bet in, d) because the lines were too long, e) but it didn\'t keep him from getting his own bets in.

Line of the day--at dinner, a bunch of us were sitting around discussing what it takes to be a successful horseplayer. HP: \"Indifference to human suffering.\"

[HP]

That\'s a good one J.

There was an interesting story on the other board about betting the wrong track at a simulcast outlet. In Atlantic City one time I bet the wrong race, and ended up with a tickets on a race at Santa Anita instead of the nightcap in New York. I didn\'t realize I had made a mistake until the race went off or I would have exchanged the tickets. Made over $1,500.

I then went and played blackjack and got dealt 13 five times in a row. I lost every hand, and I quit on the last one when the dealer had to hit 16 and caught a five. Looked like a pretty clear message: Don\'t push your luck. HP

[HP]

Mae West said, \"it\'s not what I say or what I do, but it\'s how I look when I\'m saying it and doing it.\"

If you gamble - If you can\'t enjoy yourself when you\'re losing, you can\'t enjoy yourself at all.

A gambler is at the track and starts talking to a scientist who is enjoying his day off, and he says, \"what separates us from the animals?\"

The scientist says, \"free will, reason, the capability for abstract thought and knowledge of our own mortality, among other things.\"

The gambler looks at the program. \"Free Will in the seventh. Thanks!\" HP

[Anonymous User]

Can I book your trainer, Mrs. HP for a two week Saratoga Springs sojourn?  I promise to get a private room for her and only ask her to help with the race handicapping.

Tabi