16 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Always bet on the horse that poops in the paddock before the race.

?

You're in rare form early this morning J.

A-Jay 

47 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Always bet on the horse that poops in the paddock before the race.

Having trained thoroughbreds early in my working career, that's not a bad strategy but a better one is to follow the jockey's wives to the betting window and bet the same horses as they do.

2 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

Having trained thoroughbreds early in my working career

That's cool.  My family raised and raced T-breds.  I rode one once, it's nuts.  Much preferred our quarter horse, and western saddle.  I'd love to jump some barrels and do some flying changes again.  Not so much up for mucking stalls.

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

That's cool.  My family raised and raced T-breds.  I rode one once, it's nuts.  Much preferred our quarter horse, and western saddle.  I'd love to jump some barrels and do some flying changes again.  Not so much up for mucking stalls.

I can honestly say that there's no feeling in the horseworld like being on the back of a thoroughbred at ears back full speed.  I was younger and much lighter then but still outweighed the jockeys or exercise boys by close to 50 or 60 pounds.  When we had a problem horse that they just could not handle, I got to work them on the track.  I didn't especially like the English saddles and would always drop the stirrups down so I had better leverage when they acted up by doing anything from bucking, rolling or running off by getting the bit in front of their teeth.  Highlights of my short career was to help train one of Foolish Pleasure's colts and to be able to spend some time with Secretariat.  My daughter has been an equestrian for most of her 21 year life and currently has 2 horses, one being an off the track thoroughbred.