Kentucky Derby Day!

[Thirteen Below]

I never realized before that there's no forum here for just casual conversation, day to day stuff. That's odd; I just assumed there must be one...

But technically, horse racing is considered a sport, so I can talk about it here. My wife just hit the trifecta in the Kentucky Derby! She's really good at calculating things like that, probably because she's autistic. When her health was better, we used to go up to Churchill Downs a few times a year, and we always came out with more money than we took with us, but.... damn.... never a trifecta before.

So happy for her; her health sucks and her life is pretty ******. Glad she had this happen.

But for the next couple of months, I probably won't be able to get out the front door from all the damned Amazon boxes on the porch.

 

[longtimefan]

The $1 trifecta paid $1,113.84


Woah

 

[Poppa San]

I never realized before that there's no forum here for just casual conversation, day to day stuff. That's odd; I just assumed there must be one...

It used to be called the Atrium. When @Shaggy assumed control and did an 'upgrade', the link to it was severed but it still can be found by those that know where to look. It's sort of a secret clubhouse now.

https://www.packerforum.com/forums/the-atrium.13/

I've been unsuccessful in asking @Shaggy and @griffin to re-establish it since then. I have it saved as a bookmark.

 

[Thirteen Below]

The $1 trifecta paid $1,113.84


Woah

Yeah, that's why I was stoked!! I was so excited I couldn't help posting it on 3 or 4 social media sites!

Turned out to be anticlimactic, though. She made a lot more off of Sierra Leone to place; she played him to win with one of her bets, but hedged it by putting some on place. She never saw Mystik Dan coming; she only took him in the trifecta because the odds were too tempting and she did see a couple of reasons why he had a legitimate shot.

She bet $50 total, and spread it around in a number of ways because that's the juice for her. Only a couple of her plays paid, but it's all money we wouldn't have had if she hadn't gone for it. So, yeah, there'll be a food dehydrator or some weird new type of juicer on the porch any day now, and I'll find someplace to put the damned things, and she'll be happy. She's pretty badly disabled, and basically bedridden most of the time, and buying cool new stuff is almost her only enjoyment (especially if it's something that uses electricity). Most of our money is hers anyway, it's not for me to stand in her way.

She damned near did stop me dead in my tracks this time, though. While we were watching the post-race coverage, I couldn't help asking her, "so how much did you bet?" She's autistic, so she's not really smooth at explaining things, and since she knows I manage money 180 degrees differently than she does, she's worried I'm going to be critical. I'm not, because like I say, most of our money is hers anyway, and I just want her to be happy. But it makes her feel awkward when she's telling me how much she spent on something.

So when I asked her that, she paused, trying to figure out the best way to explain it, and said, "well.... I bet fifty dollars....", and stopped there. My eyeballs practically popped out of my face and rolled across the floor, and I started to have symptoms of a stroke, because I was thinking "holy ****, New Zealand here we come after all!!".

But then she paused to collect her thoughts and organize the narrative, and continued, "and I spread it across a lot of bets...", and I started breathing again and realized, "well, New Zealand's going to have to find a way to get by without us somehow after all".

But... for that one moment.... holy ****.

But it's all good. It's not like our electric bill is overdue. The most important thing to me is that she had a thrill, and now she can always say that she hit the Kentucky Derby trifecta in the closest finish in the history of the Derby.

 

[Thirteen Below]

It used to be called the Atrium. When @Shaggy assumed control and did an 'upgrade', the link to it was severed but it still can be found by those that know where to look. It's sort of a secret clubhouse now.

https://www.packerforum.com/forums/the-atrium.13/

I've been unsuccessful in asking @Shaggy and @griffin to re-establish it since then. I have it saved as a bookmark.

And I didn't mean to sound critical; we all get what we pay for here. Hope I didn't come across that way. I was just a little surprised, because this is such a friendly board - especially by the standard of professional sports boards. Lot of really nice people, interesting people, getting along well with one another, enjoying one another's company. Just seemed like that sort of sub-forum would get some action here.

 

[Poppa San]

And I didn't mean to sound critical; we all get what we pay for here. Hope I didn't come across that way. I was just a little surprised, because this is such a friendly board - especially by the standard of professional sports boards. Lot of really nice people, interesting people, getting along well with one another, enjoying one another's company. Just seemed like that sort of sub-forum would get some action here.

Not a problem. It was very popular in the dead season. Multi posters playing games at the same time. Sometimes hard to keep up with the refreshing. Like I said, bookmark it and resurrect or create some of the games. Maybe if it got more action ...

 

[longtimefan]

Yeah, that's why I was stoked!! I was so excited I couldn't help posting it on 3 or 4 social media sites!

Turned out to be anticlimactic, though. She made a lot more off of Sierra Leone to place; she played him to win with one of her bets, but hedged it by putting some on place. She never saw Mystik Dan coming; she only took him in the trifecta because the odds were too tempting and she did see a couple of reasons why he had a legitimate shot.

She bet $50 total, and spread it around in a number of ways because that's the juice for her. Only a couple of her plays paid, but it's all money we wouldn't have had if she hadn't gone for it. So, yeah, there'll be a food dehydrator or some weird new type of juicer on the porch any day now, and I'll find someplace to put the damned things, and she'll be happy. She's pretty badly disabled, and basically bedridden most of the time, and buying cool new stuff is almost her only enjoyment (especially if it's something that uses electricity). Most of our money is hers anyway, it's not for me to stand in her way.

She damned near did stop me dead in my tracks this time, though. While we were watching the post-race coverage, I couldn't help asking her, "so how much did you bet?" She's autistic, so she's not really smooth at explaining things, and since she knows I manage money 180 degrees differently than she does, she's worried I'm going to be critical. I'm not, because like I say, most of our money is hers anyway, and I just want her to be happy. But it makes her feel awkward when she's telling me how much she spent on something.

So when I asked her that, she paused, trying to figure out the best way to explain it, and said, "well.... I bet fifty dollars....", and stopped there. My eyeballs practically popped out of my face and rolled across the floor, and I started to have symptoms of a stroke, because I was thinking "holy ****, New Zealand here we come after all!!".

But then she paused to collect her thoughts and organize the narrative, and continued, "and I spread it across a lot of bets...", and I started breathing again and realized, "well, New Zealand's going to have to find a way to get by without us somehow after all".

But... for that one moment.... holy ****.

But it's all good. It's not like our electric bill is overdue. The most important thing to me is that she had a thrill, and now she can always say that she hit the Kentucky Derby trifecta in the closest finish in the history of the Derby.

Thats awesome either way. You got some extra fun money

I hit a tri on dogs way back using a method from reading a few books ( yes reading an no internet help) didn't have internet lol

I bet maybe 20? And won 595? Just under what you needed to claim on taxes

Best feeling ever

 

[Thirteen Below]

Thats awesome either way. You got some extra fun money

I hit a tri on dogs way back using a method from reading a few books ( yes reading an no internet help) didn't have internet lol

I bet maybe 20? And won 595? Just under what you needed to claim on taxes

Best feeling ever

Yeah; I was really happy for her. Her health sucks, so not much seems good in her life, but she finds tons of joy in the simple things - like seeing lambs chase each other around in a field, finding a snake on a hiking trail, just little things. And she really, really loves horseracing; used to go to the Derby every year.

She has this fascination with big, powerful athletes and animals. Hockey, NFL football.... MMA, and especially heavyweight boxing. We go to the Muhammad Ali museum in Louisville, and I can't get her out of the film room. She'll sit there for hours watching Ali's brawls with Frazier, Norton... all the beatdowns he put on people over the years... she'll watch until they close the place down if I let her.

And I guess horseracing is an extension of that. She's crazy about them. When we go to Churchill Downs, we sit right on the rail at the finish line, directly across from the mirror that catches the photo finish - 40 or 50 feet from the horses, 30 feet if the field is spread out. Close enough to get mud splattered on us, even sweat from the horses. Close enough hear the jockeys swearing at each other; those little bastards sometimes have hot tempers.

And for most races, we always have that spot completely for ourselves. I guess every other race fan figures the best view is from up high, so they can take in the whole race. Our favorite part is the finish.

We usually place multiple small bets on every single race. So in any given race, there's a really good chance that at least one of our random bets pays off 2, 3, 5 bucks or whatever. Even though most of them lose. We don't care about the ones we lose, because it's only a buck or two. But if one of them wins 3 or 4 bucks, she's ecstatic.

So at the finish of the race, every single person at the Downs is looking right at us, on the finish line. And what they see is this 6'4", 235 lb 60+ year old man with grey hair down his shoulders an a beard (looking like an escaped Allman Brother), and this little bitty Chinese woman who's half my size and looks like half my age (kind of Polynesian- looking), with thick, black hair way past her knees, jumping up, hugging each other, and bouncing up and down like we just won the Powerball.

And I can't help realizing every single one of those 15-30 thousand people must think that this really odd-looking couple (especially for Kentucky) is somehow picking the winners on almost every single race - that we have some sort of inside juice that we're cashing in over and over all afternoon. I can't help wondering all day long who they think we are, and who we're so plugged-in with; they have no way of knowing we only "won" maybe 2 bucks.

 

[weeds]

This is a cool story. Congrats. I bet on a greyhound once, a long time ago, because it took a crap on the track and won $100. ( I "won" a night out at the Kaukauna dog track with my boss and his wife). You can tell I bet a lot.

 

[Voyageur]

Yeah, that's why I was stoked!! I was so excited I couldn't help posting it on 3 or 4 social media sites!

Turned out to be anticlimactic, though. She made a lot more off of Sierra Leone to place; she played him to win with one of her bets, but hedged it by putting some on place. She never saw Mystik Dan coming; she only took him in the trifecta because the odds were too tempting and she did see a couple of reasons why he had a legitimate shot.

She bet $50 total, and spread it around in a number of ways because that's the juice for her. Only a couple of her plays paid, but it's all money we wouldn't have had if she hadn't gone for it. So, yeah, there'll be a food dehydrator or some weird new type of juicer on the porch any day now, and I'll find someplace to put the damned things, and she'll be happy. She's pretty badly disabled, and basically bedridden most of the time, and buying cool new stuff is almost her only enjoyment (especially if it's something that uses electricity). Most of our money is hers anyway, it's not for me to stand in her way.

She damned near did stop me dead in my tracks this time, though. While we were watching the post-race coverage, I couldn't help asking her, "so how much did you bet?" She's autistic, so she's not really smooth at explaining things, and since she knows I manage money 180 degrees differently than she does, she's worried I'm going to be critical. I'm not, because like I say, most of our money is hers anyway, and I just want her to be happy. But it makes her feel awkward when she's telling me how much she spent on something.

So when I asked her that, she paused, trying to figure out the best way to explain it, and said, "well.... I bet fifty dollars....", and stopped there. My eyeballs practically popped out of my face and rolled across the floor, and I started to have symptoms of a stroke, because I was thinking "holy ****, New Zealand here we come after all!!".

But then she paused to collect her thoughts and organize the narrative, and continued, "and I spread it across a lot of bets...", and I started breathing again and realized, "well, New Zealand's going to have to find a way to get by without us somehow after all".

But... for that one moment.... holy ****.

But it's all good. It's not like our electric bill is overdue. The most important thing to me is that she had a thrill, and now she can always say that she hit the Kentucky Derby trifecta in the closest finish in the history of the Derby.

I think this is wonderful! I can't think of anyone who deserves this more than she does. Obviously she's had enough bad breaks in life that a few wins have to be out there. Hopefully another will come along and pay for that trip to New Zealand. That's one of the places I would really like to visit myself. Everything I've read about it tells me it's a special place, with special people.

Congratulate her for me! I hope she hits on the Preakness. That might be the New Zealand ticket!

 

[Thirteen Below]

I think this is wonderful! I can't think of anyone who deserves this more than she does. Obviously she's had enough bad breaks in life that a few wins have to be out there. Hopefully another will come along and pay for that trip to New Zealand. That's one of the places I would really like to visit myself. Everything I've read about it tells me it's a special place, with special people.

Thanks... we weren't hoping to go for a trip; she's already lived there a couple of years. Her first husband was some sort of investment banker in New Zealand. What we really wanted to do the last few years was move there, but she never got around to getting her citizenship first time around. Now I'm too old to immigrate (66), she's younger (45) but too sick, and even her ex and his wife can't get us in (and she's a government official of some sort). New Zealand apparently figures they've taken their fair share of Americans; not desperate for more.

So our only ticket in would be to invest between $1.5 and $2M in a new business venture employing "x" number of Kiwi residents, and we're just not willing to go all in like that at this stage of our lives and take those risks. Just seems very rash, and unwise.

But.... if she'd had, say, $500 on that trifecta, suddenly the math and the risk assessment changes a little bit, and who knows?

Congratulate her for me! I hope she hits on the Preakness. That might be the New Zealand ticket!

Thanks; I told her. She giggled a lot (she's got a nice giggle). She actually hit the superfecta in the Preakness, but she didn't have enough on it to be that big a deal. Paid a lot less than the trifecta in the Derby, because it was only a 9-horse field instead of 20, and she had several other superfectas as well. Most of her money was bet on the assumption that the track would be a lot drier, and she put a lot on Mystic Dan to win and a Mystic Dan-Seize the Grey perfecta. She won a couple hundred, but if the rain hadn't continued all afternoon, I think she would have done well.

But she had fun. She's a numbers geek, a math whiz; she has a degree in accounting and a master's in computer science, and she tried to analyze the strategies of the most successful handicappers and "reverse-engineer" their processes. She knows she'll never be in their league, so her goal is be able to break even for the most part while putting herself in a position as often as possible to pick the right long shot. She tried to explain it to me, but she might as well have been speaking Martian.

I hate to say it, but she just gets this perverse thrill out of outsmarting the whole rest of the world every chance she gets. She's just always got to be the top dog; but at least she doesn't gloat or openly boast about it.

 

[Voyageur]

Thanks... we weren't hoping to go for a trip; she's already lived there a couple of years. Her first husband was some sort of investment banker in New Zealand. What we really wanted to do the last few years was move there, but she never got around to getting her citizenship first time around. Now I'm too old to immigrate (66), she's younger (45) but too sick, and even her ex and his wife can't get us in (and she's a government official of some sort). New Zealand apparently figures they've taken their fair share of Americans; not desperate for more.

So our only ticket in would be to invest between $1.5 and $2M in a new business venture employing "x" number of Kiwi residents, and we're just not willing to go all in like that at this stage of our lives and take those risks. Just seems very rash, and unwise.

But.... if she'd had, say, $500 on that trifecta, suddenly the math and the risk assessment changes a little bit, and who knows?


Thanks; I told her. She giggled a lot (she's got a nice giggle). She actually hit the superfecta in the Preakness, but she didn't have enough on it to be that big a deal. Paid a lot less than the trifecta in the Derby, because it was only a 9-horse field instead of 20, and she had several other superfectas as well. Most of her money was bet on the assumption that the track would be a lot drier, and she put a lot on Mystic Dan to win and a Mystic Dan-Seize the Grey perfecta. She won a couple hundred, but if the rain hadn't continued all afternoon, I think she would have done well.

But she had fun. She's a numbers geek, a math whiz; she has a degree in accounting and a master's in computer science, and she tried to analyze the strategies of the most successful handicappers and "reverse-engineer" their processes. She knows she'll never be in their league, so her goal is be able to break even for the most part while putting herself in a position as often as possible to pick the right long shot. She tried to explain it to me, but she might as well have been speaking Martian.

I hate to say it, but she just gets this perverse thrill out of outsmarting the whole rest of the world every chance she gets. She's just always got to be the top dog; but at least she doesn't gloat or openly boast about it.

Your wife is a winner. Some people are. No matter what curves life throws at her, she's not going to lose, because it isn't who she is.

 

[Poppa San]

What we really wanted to do the last few years was move there, but she never got around to getting her citizenship first time around. Now I'm too old to immigrate (66), she's younger (45) but too sick, and even her ex and his wife can't get us in (and she's a government official of some sort). New Zealand apparently figures they've taken their fair share of Americans; not desperate for more.

I had a politically charged response about immigration typed up and ready to hit "post reply" but thought better of it after realizing what forum I am on.

 

[Thirteen Below]

I had a politically charged response about immigration typed up and ready to hit "post reply" but thought better of it after realizing what forum I am on.

Well, damn.... now I can't stop wondering what I missed...

Feel free to PM it at me; I'm way too curious now to take any sort of offense!