Aqueduct Card

[Calzone Lord]

IMO, the cheap open claiming races are always the best betting races anyway at lesser tracks, and inflating the claiming levels more would basically take away the true little guys chance to own a horse by himself.

I had claimed a few horses in 2001 and 2002 on the bottom (for 4K) -- but I only had 50% of them.

The first time I ever dropped a claim for a horse 100% on my own was on a horse in a $3,500 claiming race at Charles Town named Action Attraction.

The $3,500 claiming race had a purse of $16,500. It was at a time and place where you could get good trainers who charged just $30 a day and 10% WP.

The horse I claimed was dropping from a strong 2nd in a starter alw race.

I wasn't even driving at the time and hadn't had a job job for over 4 years. I just looked at it as making my biggest bet ever at great odds. A true gamble though because of the "for sale sign" drop.

http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbP...try=USA&race=2

The horse ran dead last beaten about 25 lengths. I knew I'd probably have to shake -- but I wanted to vomit right there.

I go into the racing office. It was shoulder-to-shoulder crowded. Five different horses in the race had been claimed...and there was a 19-way shake for Action Attraction.

Everyone else stands there and looks fine. I'm kneeling down in the back -- in there for more than 10 minutes -- just praying I don't get the horse. I didn't get her. I felt like I won the lottery and I was the only person in that entire room who was openly celebrating.

She ended up not being damaged goods. Made over 200K. Was winning starter alw races with 21K purses and 7,500 clm races with 23K purses just a few months later.

http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbP...ry=USA&race=12

http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbP...try=USA&race=6