let's not kid ourselves

[covelj70]

everyone knows that the real entries we are all waiting to see today are the entries for the Bold Ruler at Belmont on Saturday.  No one really cares about the BC, it\'s all about the Bold Ruler....lol

seriously though,

I am like a kid on Christmas waiting for these pre-entries for the BC to come out, I am embarressed for myself about how excited I am

I had horses in the breeders cup each of the last two years and for some reason, I am more excited than ever for the pre-entries this year

I have been to the BC in person every year live for the last 11 years and I am not going this year because the mopes scheduled it for Hallowween again and yet still, I am counting the minutes until I get my eyes on the pre-entries

I mean, for real, what kind of issues do I have ?

goodness, I think I need to go see a therapist or something!

[joemama]

What do you mean  \"see a therapist or something\".  This IS therapy!

[covelj70]

lol

nice

well said

[Silver Charm]

Jim I remember sitting down in the basement with my best friend in year one and not knowing what the heck we were to watch but it seemed BIG and important! The thing started with BANG with Frans Valentine getting taken down in the very first race and ended the day with total drama in a 3-horse photo with Wild Again, Slew O\'Gold and Gate Dancer and Inquiry signs flashing everywhere.

The idea, the concept and the Event has never really looked back. That same friend has a horse in the Juvenile Turf (Lawn Ranger) in a Syndicate he recently formed. Something he has always dreamed of doing. That first Breeders Cup was about 30 years ago.....Better Late than Never:)

[covelj70]

This is a super cool story, love this stuff

[plasticman]

Lets hope the track plays fair this year, i would like to see a few winners on the dirt come from the clouds if the pace is really fast.

[milwmike]

I went to that first BC as a 27 year old kid.  Stealing Jim\'s line about being a kid at Christmas, that is how I was when the BC was first announced.  Seemed like forever for the day to arrive.  Had great seats at Hollywood, but came down with such a bad head cold that I couldn\'t hear the planes flying overhead that day.

My girlfriend at the time loved Gate Dancer and I had a big bet on him to win.  When he ranged up on the outside, I thought I was home free.  When the inquiry went up, I was sure I was going to be moved up but instead got DQ\'ed out of second.

Still, had a great time and I\'ve been to several others since and there is nothing like it.

[drbillym]

After 30 years, the statute of limitations has passed and this story is worth telling.  
The owners of Wild Again were Paul Allen and Larry Crovo.  About a month before the first BC Classic, they sent WA to Sacramento for an \"easy\" race and he finished 3rd.  The instructions were to finish out of the money, but the jock said WA really wanted to go. Allen and Crovo sup;plemented WA for $360k, a ridiculous sum for a 30-1 shot in the first BC Classic.  Allen and Crovo were lifelong friends and cronies(race fixers?) and opted to go to vegas rather than the track.  they settled in at Caesar\'s on Thursday.  They liked gambling, booze, and women, in that order.  The more they drank the more they bet...and these guys could drink!
Crovo convinced Allen that Gate Dancer was a hanger and couldn\'t pass horses.Allen never liked Van Berg and thought he was only a fraction of his father.
Allen and Crovo both agreed the Slew horse had no heart and would be overbet due to his father\'s reputation.
With 30 minutes to post, Crovo told Allen they had bet enough to win and now it was time to sit back and relax.Allen reminded Crovo that the supplemental fee was $360,000 and the race at Sacramento had set things up for a long price.  Crovo went quiet and Allen went and did what he did best.....he went to the window with his last attache case of cash.  Allen said he had no problem blowing every last nickel and reminded Crovo that they only live once.
When it came time for the gut wrenching photo, Allen and Crovo went to the men\'s room to await the result.  Crovo placed the plastic wastebasket between the door and the wall, leaving about 10 inches so they could hear the biggest result of their lives.  They said it seemed like the photo result took years.  Cesars made arrangements to pay, with Allen and Crovo stating that with the supplemental fee being $360,000  they had to bet that much as well-all to WIN!

[Rick B.]

drbillym Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cesars made arrangements to
> pay, with Allen and Crovo stating that with the
> supplemental fee being $360,000  they had to bet
> that much as well-all to WIN!

Not possible, unless Caesar\'s laid off the action
offshore: there was $1.23 million in the WPS pools
combined, according to the chart, and $360K to win
at $64.60 for $2 is...$11.6 million in winnings.

Not the biggest Whopper I\'ve ever heard, but
pretty impressive!  


EDIT: Or did Caesars book the action themselves?

(I\'ve been told of times past when the race and sports
books weren\'t run by abject cowards. I forgot.)

If Messrs. Allen and Crovo took Caesars for $11M+, that
would be mind-boggling.

[drbillym]

Caesar\'s booked it and that was the reason they went there so the dough wouldn\'t hit the track.

[TGJB]

And then there was the Sport Of Kings...

I\'m busy writing, someone else will have to tell that story.

[Rick B.]

drbillym Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Caesar\'s booked it and that was the reason they
> went there so the dough wouldn\'t hit the track.

Sorry for the diss, Bill.

[Al Caught Up]

As memory serves, that was Eliza at something like 9-2?

[Silver Charm]

Im not sure there were commingled pools then. Vegas took bets on races but I seem to remember one Sports Book guy saying later that the Late Jockey Ronnie Hansen of the old Bay Meadows/Golden Gate circuit almost singlehandedly forcing Vegas to go Inter-Track as he burned more Books with Stiff Job Rides on 3/5\'s and plenty of \"other action\" that seemed to hit.

That Wild Again win was no small feat. He was pretty much a one style front runner, the opening half was 45 and change and he was in a 3 way duel with Mugatea a dead sprinter and Precisionist. Pat Day hand rode Wild Again in his own unique style.

Gate Dancer should be running this year on Halloween. If you bet on him or against him when he came running off that turn with that Hood on he scared the living crap out of you.....

[P-Dub]

Silver Charm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Im not sure there were commingled pools then.
> Vegas took bets on races but I seem to remember
> one Sports Book guy saying later that the Late
> Jockey Ronnie Hansen of the old Bay Meadows/Golden
> Gate circuit almost singlehandedly forcing Vegas
> to go Inter-Track as he burned more Books with
> Stiff Job Rides on 3/5\'s and plenty of \"other
> action\" that seemed to hit.
>
> That Wild Again win was no small feat. He was
> pretty much a one style front runner, the opening
> half was 45 and change and he was in a 3 way duel
> with Mugatea a dead sprinter and Precisionist. Pat
> Day hand rode Wild Again in his own unique style.
>
>
> Gate Dancer should be running this year on
> Halloween. If you bet on him or against him when
> he came running off that turn with that Hood on he
> scared the living crap out of you.....


I\'ve heard more than a few stories about scores made in Reno on races up here.