An Expert

The thoroughbreds had just paraded to the track and Sam the Bugle Man had finished playing the familiar call for post time when an elderly gentleman approached me. I noticed his hat embroidered with Korean War Veteran. I offered my hand and thanked him for his service. He smiled. He asked me where I was from and I surprised him when I said Hawaii. Then he asked me if I had any good tips.

“Well, we bombed on the first race, and I had the second place horse in the last. We are going for the number one horse, Tight Storm in the third.” He hurried off to place his bet.

Before the start of the next race he appeared again at my post. His smile was bigger. “I liked that tip,” he beamed.

“Yeah, that one was pretty good. Always play the weather horses.” He had come in first.

“What’s your choice in the next?”

“Not too sure, but this morning I liked Onoitsmymotherinlaw. Number 9”

Again he was off disappearing into the sea of people headed to the rail. I watched the race on the TV monitors in the picnic area. She won. I didn’t have any money on it.

Sure enough at the next race he popped up again. “Can you give me a couple of them in advance?” he asked. “It is a long way from the grandstand to this gate.” It sure is, but when you have a security guard giving you winning choices, it is worth the hike. I rattled off the next two picks. Every morning, I pour over the Pink Sheet, the racing sheet from the Saratogian.

Well, I have the 10 horse in the next race. Captain Sword. I looked down the path to the paddock and pointed to a large gray horse. “Always play the grays. And then I have a long short in the 6th. For the 7th race, another weather horse, Stormy Success.”

He disappeared again, but returned after the seventh race. Captain Sword won nicely, but I apologized for Stormy Success, a longshot I played across the board and won $17.40.

“I played him across the board too. He came in third. I’m lucky in women and horses.” At that point he introduced me to his daughter. Her father had sent her down earlier to find me. But she was looking for a Hawaiian. They both thanked me for making their day at the track enjoyable and profitable and told me they were coming back tomorrow.

All of a sudden, I’m a handicapper.