BETTIQUETTE 101
were out at the Jersey oater with 'capping buddy earlier today - he's a huge Churchill honk, so we concentrating on just betting said oval.
we get to the 4th race, up about $50 (we pool our monies on days like this), and 2 of the horses scratch, leaving it to be a scant 5 entries.
he is all over the #6, and wants to play a cold 6/2 exacta - i'm very lukewarm on the horse he loves, but he's blagging on about how the barn switch to Cox at Churchill (with Gaf up) is an angle he always looks for.
i much preferred the #7, who just won a 58k MC 6f sprint on this same track 3 weeks ago on Churchill's opening day - Walsh is also a steady barn here, and we got Luis up.
the favorite is the #2, at 2/1, the longest shot on the bored was the #3, at 3/1.
so i go up to the winderr to plunk big win bet on 6, and big cold exacta, 6/2 ... but i really want that effin' 7.
as i'm at the winderr, i notice one of the regulars is ahead of me ... i come out to this jernt a handful of times a year, and i always notice this chomper - he cashes more than most, and i had occasion to chat him up a few times as we were out smoking ... he's sharp.
i don't say anything, 'cuz he's in front of me, and i figured i'd wait until he finished plunking ... so i hear him say "Churchill, race 4, blahblah dollars to win on #7" - and that were all i needed.
i get up, and go in on the 7, basically ignoring what buddy and i agreed upon ... but, eff that, i had a sign from the chomper, and went with my gut.
race goes off ... and, yep, the 6 & 7 dart the eff outta there, pretty much a match race up front, with the 6 doing the heavier lifting
23/:46 splits, this were a 7f affair) ... 'capping buddy is all like "HA! told you this 6 was gonna wire 'em, now watch the 2 come pick up the exacta!"
at this point he doesn't know about the switcheroo i pulled ... but, hold on, the 6 starts to back up, and is TOTALLY outta gas ... the 7 inhales that mule, and wins by a solid 5+ lengths - with the 2 horse getting second - IT WORKED!
he's kinda bummed, and is NEVER the type to say "i shoulda listened to ya" ... never once has he acknowledged my call over his when mine wins. it are what it are.
i start walking to the winderr, as this 7 horse paid $9.84 to win, and the 7/2 coldie paid close to $16 on the dollar.
it were a f****** haul, i tell ya ... but he's furious with me, and refuses to take anything BUT his initial layout back - says i f***** him royally, and he doesn't want any part of the bullchit i just pulled.
he stormed right the eff out, never looked back ... we've known each other 40 yrs, and this was the biggest blowup we ever had ... i have not tried to contact him, and have zero desire to do so.
THANKS FOR LISTENING.
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