I mean when a person thinks of you, do they immediately think of horse racing too? Some of my jerk off normal friends do. They, along with many others out there associate horse racing with gambling first and foremost. Cant really blame them as gambling does drive this sport unlike baseball or football, which is driven by fans simply buying tickets and jerseys.

It bothers me, yes. I had this guy come up to me who I hadnt seen since high school the day Giacomo won the Derby last year. It was at simulcast and the first thing he said to me was "Hey Tim, how are you man. You still betting horses", all with a cheesy drunken condescending tone. I was having a very bad day and I looked at him (his wife standing with him) and said, "Good Sean, how are you? You still selling drugs"? He got very mad and he and his 140 6-1 scrawny frame got in my face and the last thing I did was backdown. I was ready to deck the guy and I am not a violent person. He later apologized to me.

I think horse racing gets a very bad rap because of the gambling associated with it.

i dont even know what you look like..but we are always stuck in the memories of the past..thats why he said that ..and why you said what you did..

Tim first of all I wish I was there when that guy said that, I would have been glad to have provoked him further then humiliate him on front of his wife.
Secondly, I truly think you have a problem understanding that everyone else does not think of the world like you do. The reason I say that is that you point to football and other sports and say that they are ticket driven and not associated with gambling? Are you on too much sugar today? See Tim you are like me, you and I love sports, truly LOVE them and can sit and watch wimbledon, the masters, the ncaa tourney, football and baseball without a penny on them(I never bet sports, have never had a bookie in my life, nor have I had an online account, sports are my greatest love and I don't need a penny on them to enjoy them or scream like a maniac). YOUr mistake is in thinking that everyone else is like you and I in that regard. GAMBLING DRIVES FOOTBALL!!! Without the gambling not as many peoiple watch it, the ratings are ****, and therefore no tv advertising money and not as much revenue for the teams. YOU really think that football isnt gambling drievn? My God Tim, a few years ago the league pushed back the starting times on the late games by 15 minutes. Wanna know why? Vegas and the bookies had customers who needed to know how the first games ended in order to see how they could bet the late games. You really think thats not why they didnt push back the games 15 minutes? WHy else would they do it? Its nonsense, the only difference is that the football gamblers sometimes hide behind teh cover that they are "just fans" and not gambling. They sit there white knuckled while the wifey is cooking dinner and pretend that they just care who wins the game, when in fact they bet it.
I

I said what I did because he was being an as-hole. He was drunk and trying to insult me in front of my friends. He was being very arrogant and he is lucky that I have a clear level head. This scumbag is a piece of trash who paid his way through life selling drugs. I have zero respect for anyone like this.

I may be a seasonal person. I also play golf, softball etc. I love all types of sports. I would say sports in general define a big part of me. Come the fall, when the NFL kicks in, I will be bouncing back and forth w/ Derbytrail and CBSSPORTSLINE CREEKDOGG FANTASY FOOTBALL!!! I finnally broke through after years of disapointment and won my first title last year. I was actually runner up in the other CREEKDOGG league, we have 2. Damn near won them both in the same season, instant hall of fame they said. Oh well. Back to racing, I love it. I always have. I am on a new level with it now thanks to DT, I pay more attention and have learned tons from many many people on here. Most will not hesitate to answer any questions and I have a lot of fun reading and posting on here. Kinda feel like a know a few people on here, even though in reality I guess I don't. I can tell you this, I pulled Saturdays PPs yesterday and began handicapping 2 days in advance! I NEVER would have done that before. If there was a REAL good reason why I had to give it up, I would. It would have to be a damn good one though. I have to be at the track when betting though. My friends make fun of me because I get so juiced during a race I am shaking for at least 5 minutes afterwards. GD it's great excitment!!! I'll give you the emotiocon gammit of my racing emotions....

Before the race ;)
During the race :eek:
After the race (WIN) :D
After the race (loss) :mad:

Gambling does get a bad rap and it should be nothing more than a footnote to help paint the picture of who you are. I hope that it's not the first thing that people focus on when they remember me and if it is, I want them to mention the WINNERS before the tough beats. Save the losers for one last Should of, would of, could of and may he rest in peace.

Thats funny stuff...I remember going to the OTB about 2 months ago. It was the first time I had been in 5-6 weeks. I was so geeked up and ready to go. Mind you, it was over an hour drive for me to get there, so waaaay too much time on my hands. I called Gander about 10 minutes into my drive and told him I had to put in a CD of Sarah MacGlaughlin just to settle my nerves. Had I listened to my normal music, my emotions would have been shot before even walking in the doors at the OTB...LOL

Some of my good friends always bring up the day I hit the Monarchos Derby for 8 grand and I took them all out for drinks & food. I like it when it comes up in a good & fun way, but not in a negative way implying I am a loser. Theres just no need to insult people and hurt feelings. Life is too short.

unless your dwl or frankle not many outsiders would say.. this guy is horseracing..

damn son that was your problem..alittle godsmack goes along way lol..there s no crying in h racing..lol

Godsmack gets me too pumped...I would have been bouncing off the walls in the OTB....:eek:

It consumes me. I don't have a whole lot of money to gamble, but I enjoy the sport and I enjoy it mostly because of the horses themselves.

I don't bet much on the horses ... because I know that being a bettor is a full-time occupation ... if you don't have the time or desire to follow the races very closely day-after-day ... you shouldn't be betting ... because you'll never beat the 15%-25% take-out.

As the old song said ... I don't know why I love it ... but I do. I've been following thoroughbred racing closely for 49 years ... at least at the G1 level ... ever since Bold Ruler caught my fancy ... and the anticipation of seeing a great racehorse in action still grabs me.

Of course ... I haven't seen a really great horse since 1980 ... but I'm eternally the optimist.

Why does Horse Racing get a bad name? In my opinion this is why,

I remember my first trip to the track with my Mother. She was betting The Derby. We walked into Beulah and I was a "tad" nervous, I was probably 7 or 8 years old. Why? Anyone who has been to a track or simulcast facility knows why, the majority of customers are guys who don't bathe, no personal hygene whatsoever. Smoke everywhere, smells terrible. People screaming at the tv, cussing etc.. One trip thru the parking lot and what do you see? Beat up 1980's General Motors and Fords with trash spread all over the inside. So, if this is your first time going to the track what kinda taste will that leave in your mouth, not to mention smell on your clothing?

I can't believe Gambling gets the black eye it does. It's your money, do what you want with it. It's none of my business. Gambling only helps define those who allow it to. Its a part of me, not whole. I believe it's a part of everyone on here, not whole.

walk through the parking lot at Keeneland sometime...

Obviously this is not a fair look overall, but just what I have seen at my home tracks, Beulah and Scioto. Its the same people 360 days a year. The only time you see the new faces is the obvious days, Derby, Breeders Cup etc.. When I am there and see a new face I am shocked. I am especially shocked if I see them again.

I guess I'm lucky in that my first trip to the track was Saratoga as a kid, more like a park then a track. but I've seen the guys you talk about too...

Going back to the original question:

It is clearly a hobby for me.

But the animals are fantastic athletes and I think that is what many people miss by not going to the track, and or watching them work. I love the way the animals run. All this breeding stuff is interesting, but a huge side issue for me.

The gambling and the numbers allow the sport to take on a whole new life for me. It is also a study in people and habits. I love the numbers and the misuse of them. I love to watch people who have a thousand tickets in front of them after punching the machine to death. I love to listen to all the diff. folks talking about their stragtegies. The track itself is a very interesting place.

I am thankful in that I have found a place at my 2 home tracks where they don't put up with some of the nonesense, not too mention it is no smoking. Most definetly, the horse is the star of the show. It still every now and then gives me goosebumps when I am close to a horse in the paddock.

Horse racing defintely does not define me, when I first started getting into the sport I thought it was a quick way to make a ton of cash. But as in the case with people who gamble that is defintely not the case. Instead it has become a way to connect and bond with my dad, gives us more things to talk about. In the past few months or so my interest has waned a bit, and I dont spend as much time as I should learning more about the game.

I have been going to the track for over a year now and I completely love it, my local track is small and it seems eveyone knows the "regulars" and I'm happy to say that I've become one of them (I'm not there every day but most of the people who work there know me). My friends and family know I'm obsessed with the races and I think they all believe that it's just a phase I'm going through - it isn't, I know I'll be into this for life... I just love the ponies :)

Horse Racing does not define who I am. It is one of many coponents that defines who I am. There are so many aspects of racing that it isnt funny. Just like anything in life, you cant let one thing ruin what is important to you in your life. Jimmy Johnson (football coach) actually divorced his wife because his life was football and he thought it wasnt fair to his wife or to himself. If you choose to make racing your life, make sure you let things and people who are important to you understand that they are going to come 2nd.

To me there are 3 apsects to horse racing. 1) My small ownership. This allows me to experience the wonder of seeing your horse start their 1st race. Seeing them cross the finish line 1st and getting your photo taken. Being a small owner is something truly special to me and it is something that I enjoy. 2) Gambling and Handicapping. I view this as a form of entertainment. My wife uses scrapbooking as a way for her to leave her life of a wife, mom and worker. It is her hobby that is hers. She doesnt wany anyone in the family to be part of it. It is hers and she wants it that way. To me gambling and going to the track is the same. It is my hobby. My way of relaxing. It allows me to escape the pressures of being a father, hubby and business owner. To me it is like going to the movies, going for a drive or going to the opera. 3) The Fan Side. This is the most important to me. I am a fan of racing 1st before owner and gambler. I love watching the horses. I like how they look, how they run. My heart breaks when I see a horse injured and my heart skips a beat when I see a truly wonder performace. I just love watching horses compete. Now, I could give up the ownership and gambling. I would just replace those with something else that I enjoy. But I could never give up being a fan of the sport.

Oh, heck yes, but...
 

I think I spend 30 hours a week on horseraing. But to me, that's not all that much. Fortunately, I only sleep 4 hours a night, so I have a bit more time than most people to devote to my "interests." I really have only three interests... financial markets horse racing and whatever the hell my wife wants tme o do whenever the hell she wants me to do it. I work for myself as an employyee benefits consultant and also dabble in real estate, buying trashed out houses and townhouses, rehabbing them and reselling. My typical day:
4am: Wake up. Coffee brewed
4-6am: Markets, especially Far East
6-7am Gym
7-9am: Racing Form, Replays and get wife off to work, walk dog.
9-11am: Business Calls, visit clients, prospect, research real estate.
11-3 pm: Work on rehab project. As concession to my horse and financial markets interests, i always have internet service installed on at the home I'm working on.
3-6pm: Back home... markets, horses, benefits work.
6-10pm: Family time, walk dog
10-12: Tomorrows DRF and markets. Walk dog as needed.

I can take a day or a week off from racing and I never jones over it. If given a choice, I'd rather go see a good movie or play than go to the track. However, SentToStud does not do opera.

Family and Faith are first
Markets and horses are seond
I am third

Remarkably similiar values to mine. My day is similiar but where you have rehab you can add doing errands, yard work, etc, for some relatives and old folks. Ditto on the days off, not only can I handle them, I require them. I don't do opera either, but I love a good movie and dinner. Or in the summer a day at the lake followed by dinner, beer and a ballgame at night. Thats gonna beat any day at the track by a mile. As far as others who judge people in horses and what they think? The only guy I answer to is a Jewish carpenter. Everyone else can go and **** themselves if they wanna judge me.

you answer to Sandy Goldstein? The Jewish carpenter

Used to love baseball at night back in Chicago, either Wrigley or Sox Park, but down here, it's just too humid at night in the summer to enjoy yourself. Gasping for air for three hours is not my idea of fun and my wife would rather chew off her foot than go to a game here. However, with average attendance here as it is, parking is never a problem.! Now,having revealed my daily schedule, I shall deviate today and am headed out for live action and the 3pm CRC first post! good luck 2day!!

ay, que vida muy bueno.

good luck sent to..is w white still sending out good ones...

I think horse racing defines who I am , as it is all I have ever done besides the 2 years I lived in Hawaii. Most of my life revolves around race horses from getting up in the middle of the nite to go to work everyday , to planning when is the best time for me to take my vacation so I dont miss anything big happening. Not to say that my dedication to the "job" doesnt interfere with my personel life because sometimes it does but the people around me who know me best know that this is my passion and that I have a big sense of responsibilty when it comes my job.

This is such a great topic....

I guess if you were to ask people who know me best to pick a word they would associate most with me it would be "horseracing" or "fitness" so I guess that means something. :)

Horseracing not only brought wonderful people into my life but has made me challange myself in several ways. Once I became a racing fan there was this whole new world that I was introduced to and it was interesting...There are so many dynamics to the sport, from pedigrees, to handicapping to purely being captivated by the beauty of equine in front of you. Highs and Lows...I wanted to learn everything about everything. It's not an easy thing for a young woman to leave behind her job and try something new to discover what it is she wants in life, but if it wasn't for my love of racing, I would have not done this a few years ago. And although I did not stay living in Kentucky doing what I was doing, I learned that if I want something bad enough I can achieve it.

So maybe one thing can never define you, but it can enhance the person you are. :)

Define? no to me it's a damn drug:cool: A old trainer said to me it's like heroin once its in your blood thats it your doomed for life !!! Wow where to start live, sleep ,race & breed & even dream about the damn things !!!. Come from a non horse background never even bothered with horses until i met & married a jockey now she's teaching the youngsters & wants nothing to do with horses & im full on !!! ,I breed them but to me there is nothing better than watching a horse you have trained flashing past the winning post.
There are so many lows in this buisness that if you take to heart you will never make it but for all the downs when you pull out of the crap & get that rare (belivie me it is rare with the big trainers swallowing everything)
win there is nothing better. Oh well you do get the vidieo to watch over & over;)