I watched the first BC in the grandstand at lovely Jefferson Downs. I was 15 and a newbie to a sport that I had just started following that year. Simulcasting was basically non-existent in Louisiana in 1984. Other than the rare simulcast of a major stakes event, you were limited to wagering on the live races at your local track unless you wanted to bet with a bookie, which many opted to do. My exposure to major horses in 1984 was mostly confined to watching replays on Racehorse Digest and reading about the equine stars in DRF, Blood Horse, and Thoroughbred Record, so it was quite exciting to see so many good horses run, even if I was just watching them on a small color (I think) monitor at JD. I recall betting on Wild Again because he had won the New Orleans Handicap earlier that year, but it is more likely that I bet on him to place or show. Also, if my memory is correct, the BC pools were not yet commingled, so the payoffs were different depending on where you bet.
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Still trying to outsmart me, aren't you, mule-skinner? You want me to think that you don't want me to go down there, but the subtle truth is you really don't want me to go down there!
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