Wednesday, June 4, 2008

$60,000 win on a 2-1 shot? And a Bit More.

Well, time for a quick runner post.

In the old days we used to go bet a horse, go to the wicket and cash, or crumple it up and throw it on the floor. That's the way it was (well I guess there were bookies too, but I never met one back then). Now it is a different story. One can buy and sell horse futures on an exchange, we can bet prop bets at casino's on many things, and of course, we have the future pool bet. And sometimes they can pay big.

Back a few years ago I put $20 on Funny Cide back in January, at I think 90-1. That was a decent score, and I was a happy camper. Well, how about this. $60,000 profit on a Kentucky Derby Future bet on Big Brown.

"My friend Rob Hutcherson from Louisville, Kentucky joined me out at the Venetian. We are both very big horse racing enthusiasts and happened to bet Big Brown at his Gulfstream Allowance race on March 5th. What struck us about Big Brown is that we have never seen a three-year-old go such a quick first quarter then draw off by 10 lengths under a hand ride. The ironic part is that the race was scheduled on the turf and was switched to the main track after the rain. Big Brown was never being pointed for the Kentucky Derby and had zero graded stakes earnings which are necessary to even make the starting gate the first Saturday of May. After witnessing the most impressive race ever won by a three-year-old that day, before the results were official, we noticed he was eligible for the Kentucky Derby and ran to the window and made our $300 wager at an unheard of 200 to 1.

Nice work boys, nice work.

There is a scan of the ticket in the story.

Second, there are some folks out there, despite their love for the horse, who do not want to see the Big Brown horse win the TC this weekend. One posted something on Paceadvantage.com, showing one reason why. In this hefty stakes race the very good Commentator was ran at hard by two Dutrow rabbits in a suicidal second split, allowing St Liam a walk in the park.

Here is the race on Youtube that the poster did not like (actually this was a heavily debated race in the t-breds at the time, some calling it a dark day for racing and sportsmanship). Any comments? What do you think? Part of the game, or a torch job? If someone uses a race like this to not cheer for a guy like Dutrow do you find that justified?

I don't know what to think. Way back when, we looked at Big Brown in a post, and I do like the horse. I am not overly thrilled with the horse and I do not think he's Secretariat, but I like him. Do I think he is the horse I am looking for to finally break the Crown drought? I don't know, but one thing I know, if he wins, he deserves it. He's a horse; and he can not pick and choose who he raced against, or who his owner is, or who is trainer is. He's just a horse.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Its racing, rabbits are entered all the time. Graham Motion, a great trainer has one entered Saturday in the Manhattan. Saint Liam was the best horse that year. Winning from the outside post at a mile and a quarter at Belmont is extremely tough to overcome as the start is in the turn, which he did to win the classic. Commentator has distance limitations, he cant get a mile let alone a mile and a eighth. PP

Pull the Pocket said...

I see there is one more big fan of Big Brown not really appearing to root for him.

I read it on DRF.com and that is password protected, but it should be in the paper tomorrow, and we can have a look.

The tease is the last line of the Beyer column: "The only admirable figure in the Belmont winner's circle will be Big Brown."

Wowsa.

Pull the Pocket said...

PP,

Just a quick note on the rabbit thing from the original poster. I do tend to agree that this was over the top. One horse was strangled to be right beside SL, and then when the challenge was made to get away from rabbit "a", rabbit "b" quickened in a 21 and change second panel.

Anyhow, not my words, but someone elses here:

I guess my English has slipped. It has nothing to do with the usual rabbit tactics. This was far and above anything Dr. Fager ever faced. It has nothing to do with Commentator being a great horse.

For the last time, rabbits are entered to ensure a fast pace. They usually don't try to physically intimidate another horse by putting him in tight and dragging back to run alongside so the jockey can scream and holler and try to spook the horse. How is yanking back on a rabbit ensuring a fast pace?

This is the only time you will see the comment "Under attack, tired". Anyway who thinks this was even remotely sporting is looking at it with Dutrow colored glasses. I haven't seen a slimier tactic used in my 25 years of watching races.

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