Playin’ the Ponies

Saturday started off good despite the rising temperatures. I met several friends for dim sum before we headed out to Arlington Park racetrack. I’d been there once about ten years ago, but not to watch horses instead I was there for the Guinness Fleadh. It was also a million degrees out and icky (I hate summer, it is no secret).

This time I was there for a birthday party. I had no idea what a popular place it was for private parties but there were tons of parties out there. They have a lot of tents, each with a flat panel to show the race and a kiosk with touch screen betting.

We all got a voucher for a $2 bet. I am not a gambler and can’t see me ever becoming one. I’ve only been to a casino once and I think I spent about twenty dollars on slots. I figured I would maybe bet $10 that day.

I didn’t feel the need to read much about the horses but a friend did make us walk over and see the horses walk around before we bet. To be honest I didn’t pay a lot of attention, it was very very hot and I wasn't thrilled to be outside.

I picked my first horse by the name, and the trainer’s name. Glitter was in the name somewhere as was the word celluloid.

The race starts, I’m cranky, it is really hot and one of my friends decided we had to sit on the benches near the track, which are not under shade. Halfway through the race I realize that my horse is leading and low and behold it wins. It was kind of hilarious, I had no idea what was going on, I picked by horse by name and I wasn’t even paying much attention and I won on my first try. Turns out on my $2 bet (which wasn’t even my money) I won $48.60, not bad.

I played $2 more of my own on the second race and lost. On the third I played $2 and won $2.60. On the fourth I played $2 for me and another $2 for a friend and both lost. I had been told to bet on ones that had their names in the horses name or any other affiliation, or the word butter. Sadly, none of those names or words were used.

At the end of the day after dim sum, drinks (really tasty slushy vodka drinks) at the track and a few bets of my own and I still came home with more money than I left with which is pretty awesome.

I try not to think about how much I could have won had I bet $10 on that first one.

As for the others, one friend won about $25 but the other was not as lucky, I think he lost about what I won.