What is your harness racing background?
Quote from Lonnie on August 23, 2024, 11:16 PMQuote from MaywoodAl on August 23, 2024, 10:21 PMPreviously the open house was in May.(well the year before, also December I think, two per year) But perhaps having the Open House coinciding with qualifiers in June will be a new tradition.
I thought the timing was just perfect, and I was so excited to see a bunch of my babies qualify.
Quote from MaywoodAl on August 23, 2024, 10:21 PMPreviously the open house was in May.(well the year before, also December I think, two per year) But perhaps having the Open House coinciding with qualifiers in June will be a new tradition.
I thought the timing was just perfect, and I was so excited to see a bunch of my babies qualify.
Quote from Senator Blutarsky on August 28, 2024, 7:44 PMThis is my harness racing highlight reel chronologically...
My grandfather takes me (12 years old) to Yonkers raceway, he ran a lighting store that manufactured and sold chandeliers in Brooklyn. His installer (Eddie) installed for clients amongst who were the mafia. That night grandpa called Eddie, he called him back and he wrote race numbers and 3 horses. Almost every race won, and he gave me money and I bet none of them.
My grandmother and mother thinks I have such a bad gambling problem she sends me to GA. Two weeks later I see 3 guys at my table at the meeting at Yonkers Matinee asking me what I'm doing there, I tell them, y'all haven't bet in over a year as you told everyone, right? They shrunk to about my size.
My grandmother is going to teach me a lesson, she says she's going to take my action. As bad as I was picking winners, I slammed her for several hundred in winnings, which she didn't want to pay, but eventually did.
Too young to drive I took a private van that took the seniors to Yonkers and the BigM. You paid and got food coupons and betting vouchers. One time I took a girl with me, and she gave me a hand tug on the way back home. Another I was in despair at the BigM, rainy night, begged the Lord in the bathroom please make this last $2 bucks a winner. Blanket finish with about 6-7 horses. My 2,6 exacta box hit and I won a several hundred after a loooong photo finish.
I had sex in the Yonkers parking lot with my first girlfriend.
A friend wants be to go to Yonkers and I'm broke, he says Gussie I'll put you in action. He gave me $20. By the 4th race or so I had $90 it was all stakes races from then. I bet a pick 4 with the 5 horses on top of the first leg, a 1/5 shot won. the next race there was a bad accident and only 2 horses finished the race, both were the ones way back in the field. After an hour or so inquiry, they put up my 80-1 shot as the horse that won broke at the wire and mine was lapped on. Won the next 2 and won $9000. Him and I were totally broke. I didn't take my ss card with me nor did he. We waited for a friend that had a horse running but he didn't win and we thought we'd catch him in the winner circle to help us cash the tic. Starving and broke we drove home. I held the $9000 ticket out the window for a few seconds at 60 mph over the Tapanzee bridge back to New City. We went back on Monday with my wife and cashed and I gave my friend $500 who lent me $20.
Went to Roosevelt Field to watch Dorunrun Bluegrass win while they played that song all night in a damn loop.
Mike Lachance came back to Yonkers after he was banned and went to the BigM (714 ticket cheating scandal). He won a big race came into the grandstand to interview, cameras all over and I started screaming at him violently that he was amongst other things a cheating ____sucker. He turned white as a ghost and the place went silent, then I walked away, no issues too.
I made great money at my job but struggled to budget to pay bills or do normal stuff (twenties). Hung at with good friends, low level wise guys, bookies, weed dealers and we just gambled and partied all the time.
Saw the dorms where the poor drivers and horseman lived at Monty. Met Cedric Washington there and his father the General at the Big M.
Destroyed many a relationship, lost hundreds of thousands, had to live in my vehicle 2 times over all the prior years. Degenerate Gambler.
Was at Pompano Park (about 36 years old) listening to everyone screaming and cursing, and decided to be a focused analyst, handicapper. Business was more important than work so I bet sporadically but more on the T-breds.
Was there in the finish line when Chuck "the rifleman" Connors won his several thousandth race at Pompano. The horses name was printed on the big card they held up. The race went down as he needed to win. Another time Chuck won on a huge longshot maybe 150-1 at Pompano, we asked what happened, you never said anything prior. He said the horse just took off unexpectedly and he steered him home was more shocked than us. What the hell was the difference there was probably $8 bet on him lol as the casino card tables were already funding the purses and the pools were dead.
For the last 7 years (Now I'm 55) I haven't had to work, not because I have had tremendous savings but I do this and that, gamble and the stock market. I wager now about $1k to $6k a week starting several months now with a hybrid of harness / t-bred. My ADW rocks and I get very nice VIP player rewards. Contests too pretty good. I'm completely emotionless win or lose, however I study and rewind my loses, typically to see what happened.
I've had a tremendous amount of friends over the years as insiders mostly in harness. Dated some NYC and NYS OTB teller chicks. Played cards all night with Pompano drivers, hung out at the Gurfein stable in south Palm Beach and fed Mr. Vic carrots, played cards with Chris Lakata and other friends there too. Another friend who worked for Gurfein way back when new all the juicing trainers in the 80-90's in NY that would put Case on their horses. Lots and lots of stories, tips, fun, and insanity. I never sat in a sulky nor owned a horse though. So many horse I could mention 🙂
This is my harness racing highlight reel chronologically...
My grandfather takes me (12 years old) to Yonkers raceway, he ran a lighting store that manufactured and sold chandeliers in Brooklyn. His installer (Eddie) installed for clients amongst who were the mafia. That night grandpa called Eddie, he called him back and he wrote race numbers and 3 horses. Almost every race won, and he gave me money and I bet none of them.
My grandmother and mother thinks I have such a bad gambling problem she sends me to GA. Two weeks later I see 3 guys at my table at the meeting at Yonkers Matinee asking me what I'm doing there, I tell them, y'all haven't bet in over a year as you told everyone, right? They shrunk to about my size.
My grandmother is going to teach me a lesson, she says she's going to take my action. As bad as I was picking winners, I slammed her for several hundred in winnings, which she didn't want to pay, but eventually did.
Too young to drive I took a private van that took the seniors to Yonkers and the BigM. You paid and got food coupons and betting vouchers. One time I took a girl with me, and she gave me a hand tug on the way back home. Another I was in despair at the BigM, rainy night, begged the Lord in the bathroom please make this last $2 bucks a winner. Blanket finish with about 6-7 horses. My 2,6 exacta box hit and I won a several hundred after a loooong photo finish.
I had sex in the Yonkers parking lot with my first girlfriend.
A friend wants be to go to Yonkers and I'm broke, he says Gussie I'll put you in action. He gave me $20. By the 4th race or so I had $90 it was all stakes races from then. I bet a pick 4 with the 5 horses on top of the first leg, a 1/5 shot won. the next race there was a bad accident and only 2 horses finished the race, both were the ones way back in the field. After an hour or so inquiry, they put up my 80-1 shot as the horse that won broke at the wire and mine was lapped on. Won the next 2 and won $9000. Him and I were totally broke. I didn't take my ss card with me nor did he. We waited for a friend that had a horse running but he didn't win and we thought we'd catch him in the winner circle to help us cash the tic. Starving and broke we drove home. I held the $9000 ticket out the window for a few seconds at 60 mph over the Tapanzee bridge back to New City. We went back on Monday with my wife and cashed and I gave my friend $500 who lent me $20.
Went to Roosevelt Field to watch Dorunrun Bluegrass win while they played that song all night in a damn loop.
Mike Lachance came back to Yonkers after he was banned and went to the BigM (714 ticket cheating scandal). He won a big race came into the grandstand to interview, cameras all over and I started screaming at him violently that he was amongst other things a cheating ____sucker. He turned white as a ghost and the place went silent, then I walked away, no issues too.
I made great money at my job but struggled to budget to pay bills or do normal stuff (twenties). Hung at with good friends, low level wise guys, bookies, weed dealers and we just gambled and partied all the time.
Saw the dorms where the poor drivers and horseman lived at Monty. Met Cedric Washington there and his father the General at the Big M.
Destroyed many a relationship, lost hundreds of thousands, had to live in my vehicle 2 times over all the prior years. Degenerate Gambler.
Was at Pompano Park (about 36 years old) listening to everyone screaming and cursing, and decided to be a focused analyst, handicapper. Business was more important than work so I bet sporadically but more on the T-breds.
Was there in the finish line when Chuck "the rifleman" Connors won his several thousandth race at Pompano. The horses name was printed on the big card they held up. The race went down as he needed to win. Another time Chuck won on a huge longshot maybe 150-1 at Pompano, we asked what happened, you never said anything prior. He said the horse just took off unexpectedly and he steered him home was more shocked than us. What the hell was the difference there was probably $8 bet on him lol as the casino card tables were already funding the purses and the pools were dead.
For the last 7 years (Now I'm 55) I haven't had to work, not because I have had tremendous savings but I do this and that, gamble and the stock market. I wager now about $1k to $6k a week starting several months now with a hybrid of harness / t-bred. My ADW rocks and I get very nice VIP player rewards. Contests too pretty good. I'm completely emotionless win or lose, however I study and rewind my loses, typically to see what happened.
I've had a tremendous amount of friends over the years as insiders mostly in harness. Dated some NYC and NYS OTB teller chicks. Played cards all night with Pompano drivers, hung out at the Gurfein stable in south Palm Beach and fed Mr. Vic carrots, played cards with Chris Lakata and other friends there too. Another friend who worked for Gurfein way back when new all the juicing trainers in the 80-90's in NY that would put Case on their horses. Lots and lots of stories, tips, fun, and insanity. I never sat in a sulky nor owned a horse though. So many horse I could mention 🙂
Quote from Bgtolex25 on August 28, 2024, 8:19 PMQuote from Senator Blutarsky on August 28, 2024, 7:44 PMThis is my harness racing highlight reel chronologically...
Holy crap. This is why I am a terrible gambler. I bet my wife a month of exclusively doing our laundry that you wrote episodes for NYPD Blue back in the day. When I read your prose, I picture David Caruso in Season 1. Great to have you here, although we have little in common. Yonkers parking lot huh? Middle of a hayfield under a full moon.
Quote from Senator Blutarsky on August 28, 2024, 7:44 PMThis is my harness racing highlight reel chronologically...
Holy crap. This is why I am a terrible gambler. I bet my wife a month of exclusively doing our laundry that you wrote episodes for NYPD Blue back in the day. When I read your prose, I picture David Caruso in Season 1. Great to have you here, although we have little in common. Yonkers parking lot huh? Middle of a hayfield under a full moon.
Quote from Senator Blutarsky on August 28, 2024, 8:43 PMQuote from Bgtolex25 on August 28, 2024, 8:19 PMQuote from Senator Blutarsky on August 28, 2024, 7:44 PMThis is my harness racing highlight reel chronologically...
Yonkers parking lot huh? Middle of a hayfield under a full moon.
NYPD Blue
Episode aired Nov 19, 1996, TV-14, 45m, S4 E5 (Where'd The Van Gogh?)
Prince Laszlo Forsmann - "My only weakness is for what lies between a woman's legs."
Andy Sipowicz - "Yeah, that's a big club."
Quote from Bgtolex25 on August 28, 2024, 8:19 PMQuote from Senator Blutarsky on August 28, 2024, 7:44 PMThis is my harness racing highlight reel chronologically...
Yonkers parking lot huh? Middle of a hayfield under a full moon.
NYPD Blue
Episode aired Nov 19, 1996, TV-14, 45m, S4 E5 (Where'd The Van Gogh?)
Prince Laszlo Forsmann - "My only weakness is for what lies between a woman's legs."
Andy Sipowicz - "Yeah, that's a big club."
Quote from Grit on August 29, 2024, 2:55 PMTen-twelve years, Freehold every Saturday afternoon with my Dad and his friends. BIG crowds! NJSS races at Herves farm, Stanley Dancers farms, etc., so much fun. Dad had a friend that owned several horse with Jimmy Larente, the best being Mr Overnight. Used to go to Brandywine and Liberty Bell all the time. Felt like a star in the winners circle! In high school I met a guy who drove and trained at the above tracks. Back in the mid 70's, harness racing was huge in that area. Out of high school I had the chance to go to NC for the winter with Larente, my Dad wouldn't let me go. Who knows???? Then when the Meadowlands opened up, best place to be on Saturday night! By the time I was 23 I had 6-8 horses. Winners with Campbell, Gagliardi, Cat Manzi driving. I moved to South Florida, Pompano Park "the winter capital of harness racing" but now it was the mid 80's and the big crowds were starting to dwindle there like everywhere else. Always kept an interest but nothing close to that 12-15 years. Writing this I realize I've been to more tracks that are gone than exist! SAD! Let's keep it alive!
Ten-twelve years, Freehold every Saturday afternoon with my Dad and his friends. BIG crowds! NJSS races at Herves farm, Stanley Dancers farms, etc., so much fun. Dad had a friend that owned several horse with Jimmy Larente, the best being Mr Overnight. Used to go to Brandywine and Liberty Bell all the time. Felt like a star in the winners circle! In high school I met a guy who drove and trained at the above tracks. Back in the mid 70's, harness racing was huge in that area. Out of high school I had the chance to go to NC for the winter with Larente, my Dad wouldn't let me go. Who knows???? Then when the Meadowlands opened up, best place to be on Saturday night! By the time I was 23 I had 6-8 horses. Winners with Campbell, Gagliardi, Cat Manzi driving. I moved to South Florida, Pompano Park "the winter capital of harness racing" but now it was the mid 80's and the big crowds were starting to dwindle there like everywhere else. Always kept an interest but nothing close to that 12-15 years. Writing this I realize I've been to more tracks that are gone than exist! SAD! Let's keep it alive!