Not a Career Choice
Every time I go to the track, as I did yesterday, sort of in honor of Father’s Day with my fellow father—his first year as one, my 12th—Chris Badgely, I think, when I first get there, (and even more, in the full flush of victory after the first race picking the winner paying $8.40 to win), something like, “This is it! Piece of cake. Pari-mutual horse-race handicapping; I’ve got it all figured out; I’m gonna quit my job and become a fulltime railbird, hang out at the track all summer and make my living by picking winners at the ponies.”
Nine races later, with only a couple more small wins at relatively low payoffs, it becomes obvious to me that the only way I’m apt to come out ahead at the track is if I don’t go at all, or maybe if I just resolve to not bet on more than one or two of the races, making a few big bets rather than trickling away my stake on a whole bunch of smaller, mostly hunch wagers.
Still, it was a pretty good time, in a lovely, if somewhat surreal setting; there’s much to be said for having a couple of bloody marys and a few beers in the afternoon with at least the prospect of getting lucky and going home with a wad of cash in your pocket.
My only regret is that I didn’t invest more in support of the ten year-old West Seattle Boy, who won the feature race, paying $16.40 on the nose, but alas, the typical desire for a big win on the exacta undermined a more reasonable, in slightly conservative, betting strategy.
But see? This is the lesson gleaned from yesterday’s adventure, and if I only apply that knowledge to my next visit, I’ll be all set up to make a killing, allowing me to spend the rest of the summer raking in big bucks playing the fillies, right?
Nine races later, with only a couple more small wins at relatively low payoffs, it becomes obvious to me that the only way I’m apt to come out ahead at the track is if I don’t go at all, or maybe if I just resolve to not bet on more than one or two of the races, making a few big bets rather than trickling away my stake on a whole bunch of smaller, mostly hunch wagers.
Still, it was a pretty good time, in a lovely, if somewhat surreal setting; there’s much to be said for having a couple of bloody marys and a few beers in the afternoon with at least the prospect of getting lucky and going home with a wad of cash in your pocket.
My only regret is that I didn’t invest more in support of the ten year-old West Seattle Boy, who won the feature race, paying $16.40 on the nose, but alas, the typical desire for a big win on the exacta undermined a more reasonable, in slightly conservative, betting strategy.
But see? This is the lesson gleaned from yesterday’s adventure, and if I only apply that knowledge to my next visit, I’ll be all set up to make a killing, allowing me to spend the rest of the summer raking in big bucks playing the fillies, right?
posted by Professor Dave at 9:48 AM
1 Comments:
John took me to lunch on Thursday at a cafe in Milwaukee - Comet Cafe - where the bloody mary's come garnished with a stick of bacon (along with the usual celery, olives, etc.) and a 7 oz. beer chaser. Because it was a weekday and I had to drive back to Madison, I didn't have one, alas. Next time.
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