Christmas memory

[Bill V.]

A Philly Christmas



Flash back to 1998 Its the Saturday just before Christmas , I am sitting upstairs in the club house I have my laptop open and synthesis is my Sartin program , I had just recently upgraded from PL4

Its cold rainy winter day in New Jersey, Its packed at the Meadowlands Online wagering had not grown to today popularity.
Even as the early birds had left and the harness crowd had not arrived yet It was still very crowed up in the clubhouse. I was just about ahead for the day after making my 2 $2 win bets on every race of the
Philly card. Yes I used to bet every race !

Richie has probably been looking at Agu or Gulfstream or one of the other " good tracks "but he glances at Philly race 9 and proclaims to the group " I have a lock in this race "

"who wants to go into the double with me?" There are 4 others at the "table" besides Richie and I
there was Mark, Freddy and Joe Beard

We all kick in a few dollars each Richie tells us all to do the first leg race 8 of the late double .
He already has the winner of race 9 We each come up with a variety of horses for race 8
Richie writes down our picks and structures the late daily double He goes to the window and shows us our group ticket. We have 4 horses in race 8 and a single in race 9

The funny thing is nobody knew he was going to single a 15-1ML 0 for something maiden in a stakes race. Some kind of Holiday Stakes race. We all get a laugh and think well this will be fun at, least we have a chance

The first leg goes off and we win the race with a nice price horse about 6/1 Everybody is having fun on and kidding Richie for his single. I am clueless
as I have no idea of how the tote system works let alone what the will pays are.
Anyway we all see our single is at 17/1 I can still see the monitor as our horse was coming down the stretch

It was a foggy cold day at Philly and the track was wet. Our horse won!!
The thing I remember most was laughing and running around like we won millions laughing so hard and jumping around
just a bunch of clowns
Everybody was screaming people came up to me and said "let me know next time"
I knew we won but just the fun of being a part of this with my friends made it seem like a bigger roar than it probably was. Its a great Christmas memory for me. The $221 dollars I got as my 1/5 share was big at the time
but the life long Christmas memory of a merry time with my friends is priceless.


Thanks again

To Richie , Freddy , Beard, and Mark RIP
Merry Christmas to you Then,Today,and Tomorrow

Binder

[dogkatcher]

What a great memory Bill, fun to read, nothing like good times with good friends.

Merry Christmas to you and All.

[Ted Craven]

Sounds like good times Bill! We were all different people 14 years ago!

Merry Christmas!

Ted

[DocSartinLearner]

This is the time to dedicate, say thanks to Bill Varone, Ted Craven, Barb Craven and to EVERYONE my very best and sincere wishes to ALL for a healthy, happy, safety and prosperous Holiday Season!!

With warm regards,

DocSartinLearner (D.S.L.)

[JimG]

Thanks for sharing Bill. I appreciate each and every one of my friends here at Pace and Cap.

Merry Christmas!!!

Jim

[Bill V.]

Thanks for the nice wishes
everyone
and to Ted. in the words of Bob Dylan
"I was so much older than I'm younger than that now"

Nice Let It Ride capture Jim G.

Bill

[delmarscott2004]

Originally Posted by DocSartinLearner

This is the time to dedicate, say thanks to Bill Varone, Ted Craven, Barb Craven and to EVERYONE my very best and sincere wishes to ALL for a healthy, happy, safety and prosperous Holiday Season!!

With warm regards,

DocSartinLearner (D.S.L.)

May I second this and Bill thanks for sharing , that was a great story of friends having a ball which you will remember for a life time.............Scott

[JimG]

Originally Posted by Bill V.

Nice Let It Ride capture Jim G.

Bill

Thanks Bill. It is one of the ones you sent me years ago. I found them on an old machine and re-sized and cropped them. Came out okay.

Jim

[barb craven]

That's a wonderful memory Bill. Thanks to all for their wishes and I'll take this time to wish all my friends on Pace and Cap a wonderful Christmas and lots of hopes for a very prosperous New Year.

[DocSartinLearner]

Hi, JimG

"Carry on Santa, it's Christmas day, all is secure."
One look at my watch, and I knew he was right.
"Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night."

Wishing you Joy and Peace this Christmas and may
God Bless you and all of us.

DocSartinLearner (D.S.L.)