How did you get into racing?
 

Whether you're a casual fan, handicapper or work in the business, how did you get involved?

My grandfather and father got me into the game.

I've never come out and admitted it, but I'm actually the illegitimate son of Charlsie Cantey and Eddie Arcaro...

Sounds like you're kind of aging Charlsie.

been going to the track since I was in diapers

Grandpa here as well. Remember him telling me to tell my Mom we went to the Zoo. "We did see animals" he would say. Man I miss him and think of him often.
He was the kind of guy that would go into a restaurant and tell all male customers to get some respect and remove their hats. He meant it and they did!
Remember running for coffee for him and his friends with a sawbuck and was always told "to keep the change". Back in those days (early 70's) I actually made money at the track. LOL

I don't really know how I got into horses. I have been riding all of my life. We didn't own horses, and I wasn't around horses when I was very young. I just fell in love with them somehow. The bug bit me, and while most grow out of them in their late teenage years, I stuck with them.

As for horse racing, the first thing I remember is when my mom watched Cigar on TV. My memories of Cigar's races are very blurry though. The next year, I remember distinctly watching Bob Baffert's and Silver Charm's TC run. I have been hooked ever since, and my love for the sport grows with every passing year. Forget show jumpers, I love the race horses!

I've been around horses since I was 6 (show jumping)... first started watching horse racing during the Easy Goer and Sunday Silence campaign when I was 9. I really got into it because of Easy Goer and have been a fan ever since. :D

My grandfather loved racing and his birthday was May 2nd and since we always celebrated it on the closest weekend, watching the Kentucky Derby is inextricably linked to memories of time with my family.

Actually, my grandparents loved gambling in general and often family trips reflected that-- with the result that I now associate casinos and race tracks with feelings of warmth and security. Fortunately, despite the family members' assorted addictions, gambling was never one of them. I grew up watching people gamble solely for entertainment-- I never saw the mortgage payment on the line. Win or lose, it was always a fun day.

went to the track for somthing to do..and never stopped...found alot of hard lessons along the way......never change your ticket..and allways go with your gut and knowlage of what your good at...capping is true puzzle that never stops till you quit....i continue to learn along the way..my toga time really gave me a reality check as to the true nature of the game ...thanks s.b..that current form can not be overlooked..and the politics of the meet are very important..info is key...you can look at that form or tg till your blue in the face..and never know the small hurts that effect the outcome so much...lots of you are "in the know" and will have a huge advantage..thats the reason i love this..GAME...

My father had a rooming house near downtown Detroit. Within 2 blocks was the GM Building, a pool hall, with a side book, a sandwich shop and a newsstand. Starting when I was 5 years old, I spent every Saturday down there for years, hustling sandwiches, Racing Forms, shining shoes and doing odd jobs. There were very few people I came in contact with on Saturdays who didn't gamble. Rarely did I come home with less than $20-$25. Not bad for a little kid in the 60's.

About 30-35 tears ago I was working a part time job as security guard at the Braniff flight attendant trainees dorm here in Dallas. Of course this hairylegged divorcee, [that I was] would notice the clientel that I was securing. I developed a friendship with several. They worked up a weekend trip to Oaklawn. The good guard that I was, I offered my servces to them for the week end. I went to the bookstore and got a couple of books and read them and imediately became an expert. The trip was great. I got hooked on racing and the candy was good too. Developed a relationship with 3 of the girls and got hooked on racing. the relationships lasted about 10 years ,off and on, but the horseracing was a terminal thing.

hooves, dig the signature line. Reminds me of when I drove a cab in Detroit.... early 80's ... Dick Vitale tried to tip me $0.40 on a $14.60 fare.... mofo.

dipsy doo..dunkaroo babee, i scew on tips..yeahha baby

We had a family farm with horses included , I am short and wanted to go fast, end of story.:)

A friend took me to Belmont Park, My first bet was a maiden race for fillies, I fell in love with a filly with pink flowers braided in her mane, her name was Belladora, she got me hooked. she won and paid 20.00. Stage Door Johnny-Prayer Bell by Better Self. Don't ask me how I still remember her breeding.

Honu...

If you happen to be taller and/or heavier, can you still exercise thoroughbreds? I'm just over 5'6" and about 130 lbs. :o

I always wanted to get into that (I've got a ton of riding experience), but wasn't sure about height and weight restrictions for exercise riders.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Honu, but often many exercise riders are taller and heavier, right? I want to say Smarty Jones' exercise rider was 5'10" and 160, if I remember the article about him correctly...

Certainly, size wise you make the criteria.

Sure you can , people seem to like smaller gallop people for the most part in the west, but back east they dont care if you are 165 lbs as long as you can gallop a tough one. To me size doesnt really matter for galloping horses, if someone "rides light" per say and can think "horse" then it doesnt matter what they weigh . For working horses lighter is better in most cases but some big strong horses a heavy work rider can be a benifit. ( when I say heavy its all relative).
My boss is lucky that no rider in our barn weighs over 135 and they are all very good horse people.
If you have never galloped a racehorse before , you can simulate it with an english saddle by adjusting the irons , then my next suggestion would be to find a training center near where you live and start there.

That guy that galloped Smarty wasa big boy , I bet he was more like 180 , and Smarty still pulled his azz off LOL.

A friend of mine who trains here in NY has an exercise guy who looks like a damn linebacker.

I bet he gets all the "rats" and unmanagable ones, Im glad Im not big lol.

He does, lol.

You know, it's funny that you say that because other riders at my barn think that it is wierd when I do this on my hunters across pastures at a hand gallop. I'm not so wierd after all...LOL. I need to get an exercise saddle...

Just get a leather punch and put more holes in the stirrup leathers,you can jack them up as short as you want . The shorter you ride the stronger your legs will become , pretty soon youll be crouching down like your working one when you are flying across the field.:D

Yeah, props to you guys. It is way different riding like that than the classical way. I think that it is harder to ride like you all do. You don't have nearly the security, and your balance has to be just right. I love it though. It gives you a free feeling. Oh yeah, and I have children's leathers on the saddle that I use to gallop around in, but the saddle has knee rolls and blocks. I've raised the leathers up by degrees though. It's tough and it BURNS. I'm glad I'm so light because it makes it easier on my legs.:D

That's not heavy at all for galloping. Even with all the experience you have, still listen to people that have been galloping for awhile. Riding jumpers compared to racehorses is a totally different ball game. One of the main things in learning to gallop a racehorse is how to throw a cross.

Yep. Ol' Pete even admitted once that he can reach the 195 mark.

They have never heard of the two-point postion at a gallop in an English saddle? Do they ride western?

at first it was growing up about 45 mins away from Saratoga in the 80's and it was a great place to go party when we were teenagers and check out girls. Then when I was a little bit older and was working my summers up in Lake George in the 90's got into the actual racing and apprection of the sport been a huge fan ever since.

No, they just think that I am crazy for galloping my well-trained hunter/jumper across fields in a jock position. Totally different from riding courses in the classical position. They aren't race people. The only one who doesn't think I am crazy for doing that is my trainer, and that is because she used to exercise and help train race horses a long time ago. She understands.

BTW, two point is VERY different from riding in the jock position.

I'm dying to go to Keeneland. My brother and I are making plans for their spring meet. Everyone has said the two best places that gives you that chills down your spine for horse racing are Saratoga and Keeneland. Been to 'toga I don't know how many time now it time for Keeneland.

Loved to gamble, even took action in Middle School. Progression led me to racing where I felt with the proper time put in you could make money. Aunt and Uncle ran a BNB in Toga. Rest is history.

Thanks for the question!
 

Interesting to hear the paths we all have taken!

My mother took me when I was 7 or 8 to Randall Park in Cleveland and fell in love from the first time I held a program and watched a race. Stared hitch hiking to the Big T (Thistledown when I was 14, always worked, and always lost my money at the track). By 12th grage I had my scheule arranged to catch the first post.

Then went to NC State and thought I'd lost the Mo, but treated myself to the Kentucky Derby when I was 22 and went 7 years in a row. From there my sales career took me to 70% of the tracks in the US and happened upon Saratgoa 12 years ago where I've gone 9 of the last 12 years.

It's the greatest game on earth and there is nothing better than playing the ponies. The people, the atmosphere, the challenge, the hope, the hopes dashed, and the eternal next post time in ten minutes keeps me going. It's all good....and the big wins...gravy baby, pure gravy!!!

Excercise riders dont throw crosses , jockeys do. Exercise riders are paid to pull not push.

My brother took me to DRC in the early 80's. I distinctly remember him telling me "don't tell Mom". It was our little secret.