The day started out bright and early at the crack of noon on a blistering hot Saturday. We decided to take advantage of Bay Meadows once-in-a-liftime $1 promotion where almost everything cost a buck--entrance fee, programs, soda, beer, and hotdogs. The dollar beer ended at 2:30pm; I had only drank one and now regret not drinking more.
Horse racing by itself is not really that interesting to me. The horses basically run around the track one time and that's pretty much it.
What makes it interesting is the gambling you can do beforehand. Each race from that point on becomes a crucial, as if your very soul is on the line.
You spend minutes staring at the horses in the stable area, looking for any telltale signs of an injury. You pour over the odds and statistics of each competing horse. When it is time to bet, you take out the money you've spent working like a dog and feed it into the machine. And all you recieve is a small slip of paper with a horse number and the dollar amount.
With this symbolic paper in hand, you await feverishly for the start of the race. The tension builds as the seconds until post time counts down. Then with a horn, they're off!
#6 starts off slow on the outside but is within sight of the lead. At the first turn, you feel confident and self-assured. By the second turn, #4 has distanced itself from the pack. Your horse is falling behind. You remember an instance at work where you suffered through the incessant chattering of your cubical neighbor and realize you need to return to experience a multiple number of those moments to make back this loss.
By the third turn, you've accepted the loss as #4 pulls a full horse length ahead of the pack. You understood your mistake and feel at peace with yourself. But suddenly, on the fourth turn, the pack has caught up to the lead horse. You begin to question reality. Was all that a figment of my imagination? An optical illusion, maybe?
The cheers in the stands become louder and louder. You add your own voice into the mix cheering your horse on as they come down the home stretch. #6 is running side-by-side with #4. Your hands begin to shake, your cheers become more primal as you try to will your horse ahead.
They are only 30 yards away now. 20 yards... 10... 5... and they cross the finish line! Who won? It was too close to call. You pan quickly to your left and a number flashes in the top spot. You can't believe it. Your horse has won the race! You scream, you laugh, you curse up a storm. At that moment, you are the happiest person in the world.
Once the adrenaline stops pumping and your mind is clear, you realize that was only the 2nd race in the day. There are still seven races left in the day and thirty minutes to go before the whole process starts over again.
After three bets, I left Bay Meadows in the black, up $2.50. Good enough to buy ten sodas at work.
If you think I was just bs'ing back there, below is a video proof of the race. Enjoy!
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