That was the call of my booming voice when I was an owner. Funny thing, never once did I take into consideration that all of the other owners in the race felt like they had the right horse at the right time….

Owners need to be kept tied up in a closet somewhere. Now, this doesn’t apply to the mega-buck guys who just don’t need the money, and say cool things like, “maybe we got what we needed from that race.”  Hell, every time my horse ran, I found a reason or many to find the answers to how he would score. I don’t think I am alone. I am just one of the few that admits this little secret.

It is not like we are misleading the public. We really believe the horse can run well, and it will happen today. When you see your silks on the track, it is like having your own professional team take the floor or field. Who doesn’t think they will win?

Inside scoop is just that… Scoop… Much about nothing…. Every trainer knows their horse hopefully, and they didn’t come over in their Stetson to get dusted. They believe, and the word spreads like a good thing. You are 20-1, and when you look at the board and you go to 8-1, you start believing that this is all true. How could everybody be wrong?

Funny thing when you convince yourself, it is like that mirage in the sands at high noon. It starts looking like found money, and the odds board is the joker that makes you dump more cash than you had planned. But, you look again, and now you are 5-1…. See, how could you be wrong? Never once did you think you were watching your own money.

I consider myself a decent handicapper. This is all except when I owned horses. I could throw out logic, and now I carry rabbits’ feet, mojo bags, and a four leaf clover.

So, I have put myself in check. I do not own anymore, and I stick to betting others. This way, I can eliminate the crazy owners and backstretch info. I stick to hardcore facts and trip handicapping. This seems a little less chancy, and I am saving my family and friends plenty of money.