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Originally Posted by pmacdaddy
As a bean counter, finance guy and general oddball, horseracing just suits me...
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At least you freely admit it....
I got into the game when my older brother took me to Detroit Race Course in 1980. I was hooked instantly. I only attended DRC a few times with my brother (2+ hrs away) and then I was off to college and several hours from the nearest track so the itch had to be put on the back burner. A transfer to the University of Florida in 1985 suddenly put me 2 or so hours from Tampa Bay Downs. I would blow off class and drive in my Subaru to TBD usually on a weekday because I didn't want to give up my social life on the weekends (the only exception was Tampa Bay Derby day). That usually put me in a mostly empty track with a couple thousand senior citizens. I would always arrive as they opened the doors because that was when I could purchase the Form for the day (no newstand outside the Bay Area carried the Form). I would handicap like a maniac until the first post. I wouldn't allow myself a beer until I cashed a ticket (didn't want to waste what little bankroll I had on booze, but if I was buying with the track's money, it was okay).
Today it is not much different, instead of skipping class to go to the track, I skip work.
That aside, as Hooves said, it is all about the puzzle....