Canandiagua, NY
7:02 PM
“The horses have reached the starting gate,” the voice from the PA announced. Tom, Tom, and I made our way outside, with freshly minted dream tickets in our hands. The betting slips had combinations of numbers, some of us had more than others.
It was a 50 degree, grey day with a little bit of mist. Still, the sign at Finger Lakes Race Track said Fast. The first race of 9 kicked off at 1:10 PM. I was called earlier in the day and made my way over after doing some work. I arrived for the 5th race. The TV screens jumped with tracks from all over the country. I was on a budget and am not a picker, so I stuck with the Finger Lakes track. No simulcast of Churchill Downs or anything else for me. They had been there and the beer cups were there to show how long.
We pulled up to a table and looked over the racing forms. We each had horses we liked. I didn’t talk as much as they did because it had been a while and I was getting reacquainted with the form. Finger Lakes is not the biggest or most prestigious track in the country, but it is still good enough for 30 minutes away. It has changed quite a bit since the last time I was there (I have no idea when). The downstairs is now all video slots. The pings of a casino were heard as soon as I walked in. I went upstairs to the track area.
The 5th race bell went off, the gates flew open, and the horses barreled out. Being on a budget, I did a $1 trifecta box. This cost $6 and allowed my three horses (Singasongforme, Ed’s Party Boy, and Passing Ships) I picked to come in any order. But, they all had to finish in the top 3 for me to win. There was a lot of us out there, yelling for our horses. I didn’t have much to yell about as the #7, Sunnyridge Sam took the race and my $6 with him.
We now had 22 minutes to the next race. We went back to our table. We didn’t talk as much as we tried to figure who the best horses were. I was going to stick with my trifecta bet. It is harder to win, but if you win, you get paid more. The track is a very interesting place. I am not sure if it is a requirement, but it seemed to be if you were older than 60 you had to have white hair. Men with unlit cigars (no smoking inside in NYState, that had changed since the last time I was there too) walked around, staring at the TV’s, then flipping through the programs, writing notes with a pencil. They whispered to each other. We were doing pretty much the same thing.
I remember my friends from high school talking about going to the track with their grandfathers. I saw a young guy talking with an older guy and it made me think of that. I remember high school and wishing my grandfathers were still alive to take me to the track.
The 6th race was coming up. We did our talking and then went our separate ways. We were not pooling our money together. One would slip away and come back with a ticket. I would stare at the board, checking the odds, and waiting for something to talk to me, to guide me for a pick. Probably not the most profitable way to do it.
I am not sure how we came up with our choices, but I had the #2, Run Mikey Run, the #4, Bond Arbitage, and the #7, Goldenberg’s Gift for my trifecta box. It was cool to go up to the window, have my money out, and blurt out, “Finger Lakes, $tri box, 2,4,7,” as fast as I could so the guy behind could get his bet in before post time.
The three of us went back outside. We conversed. One Tom had boxed a bunch of horses for an exacta. The race started. The other Tom had the same trifecta as me. The 3 horse, Satellite Problem shot out to a lead. It soon fell back to the pack. The 7 and 2 were now up front. The 4 was in fourth. The race was only 5 furlongs, so it was short. The 4 moved up to 3rd. They barreled down the stretch. We were winning! The 7 and 2 looked toe be locks for 1,2. We needed the 4. The 1 made a huge charge. You should have heard me yelling for the 4 to “kick it,” and to “move your ass.” If there was ten more feet of track the 1 would have taken 3rd. It didn’t. Trifecta baby.
I hadn’t been to many horse tracks in my day. I now for sure success has eluded me most of the time. A $83 winning ticket put a smile on my face for the rest of the day. The race ended, the results official, and I cashed the winner. I bought a round of beers and got ready for the next race. The budget stayed. Two more trifecta boxes. No more winners. But hey, a winning day is a winning day. The other guys cashed one on the last race. I had two of the three. Not good enough.
I didn’t leave a rich man, but gambling is a strange thing. When you win, you think it is the easiest and most fun way to make a buck. You got paid for predicting something is going to happen. Your ego is boosted. A smile comes easily. It was a good day. I hung out with some guys I don’t see often. I did something I don’t do often (horses). And I did something that never happens (win at horses).