Originally Posted by MaTH716
Doug, at least these guys have a base. They have a chance to broaden their knowledge if they do choose so.
I'll use myself as an example,
I went to the track a handful of times when I was a kid, my old man gave me a few bucks to bet each race. He was a program name bettor and he always covered gray horses too. We always watched the Kentucky Derby and Pleasant Colony is the first horse I remember.
We continued to go to the track once in a while as I got older and I really enjoyed it. I would bet names or go off what the track handicappers said. I would try to decipher what was in the program, but to no avail. Also when I started to drive, I would go to OTB and put in my own Derby bets.
I started working in the finacial industry when I was 19. Not only did everyone seem to bet on sports, they loved betting the horses (someone always had a supposed hot horse). I would end up going to the track a few times with the older guys I worked with, it was always alot of fun, that's when I picked up a form for the first time. It might as well been printed in Chinese. But I wanted to learn, so I went out and bought two books (Handicapping for Dummies and Betting Thoroughbreds) and tried to teach myself about reading a form and learning about the game.
I would eventually open a NYCOTB phone betting account. On weekends (especially in the winter) I would throw $50-80 bucks in the account and spend the day playing. My betting strategies and thought process behind it were terrible, but I really did enjoy myself. I really liked the game. Obviously, I deposited more than I withdrew.
When I turned 21, I took a bus trip to Atlantic City for the first time, I won $200 bucks and actually said to my friend on the ride home "how does this place stay in buisness?" We all know how that turned out, but there was a span there where my friends and I would go to AC every weekend. It was a given, it could be any day, any time, but we would always end up there. Obviously during this time, I got away from racing and the track. Then one day, I went on a golf outing and we ended up going to Monmouth after. I forgot how much fun the track was and enjoyed myself so much. It hit me that I would rather spend time there and play races versus constantly going to AC.
So I started to play more often. I would hang out in OTB's or play from home. I still bet like a mental patient (mostly exacta's and tri's), but I always have looked at it like it was a hobby (and I still feel the same today). I felt like I had an idea what I was doing and enjoyed the challange of putting that handicapping puzzle together. Even when my wife and I were dating, we would go to Monmouth and spend the day. We would both have a great time.
I ended up meeting Andy (we worked together) and he was always talking/watching horses. He would talk shop with anyone who wanted to chat. I think back to that time and am actually sorry that I didn't take more advantage of having him there. But we would talk, I would tell him about a horse I like and he would tell me how he could put on a horse costume and beat the horse I wanted to bet. But that's Andy and it's why everyone loves him so much. He tells it as it is. This was before he was a star, but he is still missed by a lot of guys down here.
But Andy is the one who steered me to Derby Trail. Not only have I made many friends here, but I have learned so much from many of you guys. And that knowledge I have picked up has made me want to learn more. It's made me read books like exotic betting and so on. Now I'm not afraid to make any wager at the track and actually perfer the multi's. Although at times I still bet and think like a mental midget. But through the years I really have developed a love for this game and still strive to learn more and get better. I still understand that I'm not going to get rich playing, but I really feel like I have a chance to make decent scores here and there. I'm still depositing more than I'm withdrwing, but thankfully I go to the window more often these days (definitely not Saturday though).
I guess all I'm trying to say in this long winded post is that all the sport needs is some exposure and re-enforcement. Give the people the means to get better while understanding and educating themselves about the game. Let's face it people are lazy, I did it the hard way, but give them the blueprint to understanding how to play the game. For now forget about the takeout, forget about the shady trainers just try to get the seed planted about how great the game is and how much fun getting out to the track can be.
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