Gander, when I met my wife, she found it pretty interesting. I even hired her one summer before we were married to do some blackjack stuff in Reno. When my son was born, I was able to cut way back for a few years and be the main stay-at-home parent. That was a huge reward for the chosen job path. It's worked well for me, but I recognize that it's not a realistic (or even appealing) option for most.

--Dunbar

I reckon there would be a lot of people who would bet horses for a living if they could. Your right, its not very realistic for the great majority of people who play the horses. I'd say for about 98%.

No need to discredit the great race record of Cigar. Cigar always looked like a good horse when he was in California, he just developed late. I remember him going into the gate for the Pimlico special with MaCarron up. Cigar caught my eye that day, he had good body weight(alittle belly on him) and the walk of a fit horse. The rest is history. Just my take on watching from the paddock.

The story I was told, by somone I trust a lot, years ago, was that Cigar's problem before his incredible turnaround was that he had ulcers.
I've heard that Dr. ALlday treated him for ulcers and that was when he transformed.
Ulcers are now treated regularly. Actually most good trainers will use Gastroguard to perevent them from occurring in the first place these days.
But back then very few people understood the impact that ulcers had on a horses disposition and performance. Made it hard to keep weight on them as well.

You are 100% Correct about Cigar. Only thing I thought that was a little different I was always under the Impression that Dr. Jerry Johnson treated him buy I quess they both could have

Who was discrediting him? He simply was a better dirt horse than turf horse by a great deal. Are you disputing that? He didn't " just develop late ". If you actually look at his race record, not only would you know that McCarron did NOT ride him in the Pimlico Special, but you would also know that he ran MANY lengths faster on the dirt just weeks after his mediocre ( at best ) turf efforts.

Here's an idea....read what people post and throw your f'n agenda out the window. This kind of garbage is getting more than a little tiresome.

Pen you could be correct, but I was told that at the time Paulson hired Allday to work on his horses.
Steve gets a ton of flak from everyone but as I know several owners and trainers who use him, I've been told by all that he is the finest vet they ever saw. He was way ahead of his time in treating ulcers, and treated a friend of mines horse who became a grade one winner(he had already won a grade 3, but his form tailed off to the point that they thought he was totally done).

He also specializes in treating hind end problems and getting them straightened out. As you must know, they get all their power from the back end, and if they are sore or hurting back there they not only can't push off properly but get sour and won't even try.

Yes Allday is a good vet he actually does a little of our work from time to time.

Then you are in great shape!!!

Pen could you ask him about the Cigar thing the next time you see him and find out?

He is the best vet in the business. Hes not just a needleman, hes a lameness vet, and aggressive when getting a horse ready for a race. You cannot beat him

Didn't know that, despite being a Cigar fan. Thanks for the info.

--Dunbar

That would make sense to me. I couldn't believe that it was the switch to the dirt alone.

The comment was from memory. Not all of us has to be perfectly right all the time. Life must be pretty dull to have the racing form for wall paper.

Cigar had alot of different jocks and I guess I made a mistake.

You were the one that brought up the cheating and Cigar.

Let's find the truth in any of your posts.....

Still searching.

You corrected me, unprovoked, by providing incorrect information. When this was pointed out you have now chosen to respond by attempting to further insult me. But, you didn't stop there, you also claim that I " brought up the cheating and Cigar " which, of course, I didn't do.

I am confused. I thought Jerry Bailey was Cigar's jockey on dirt. Was there anyone else? :confused: Once on dirt, he did not have a lot of jockeys.

Yes, Mike Smith rode him at least once, did he not?

I know that once he won the NYRA Mile, Bailey was his jockey. Aren't you thinking of Skip Away in the BC in California; Bailey was committed to Behrens that day.

Yes I was thinking of his nemesis Skip Away, who beat Cigar in the Jockey Club. One of my very favorite horses of all time. Right up their with Gander, Butterface and Arromanches.