For years I made treks to Beulah, Louisville-Trackside, Churchill, Keeneland, Arlington, Turfway, and many others. The trip with friends and conversation was worth a million bucks. – As we would walk into large buildings prepared to put on the best contest possible. The top three would be going to Vegas, and the rest would be going […]

The winds of fall blow gently through the trees as the sweltering heat of summer fades into the sunset. The Happy Horseplayer readies for the fall racing season with dreams of cool days and autumn foliage in Kentucky. Maybe its the thought of going to Keeneland or the Breeders’ Cup around the corner. But the […]

This is not the latest horror movie to hit the big screen, – These were the words I once heard during a handicapping contest in Las Vegas. ” If you’re playing the pick-four you’re chasing the dragon.” – I assume it was the difficulty of picking four winners in four separate races. When you start hearing […]

Kentucky Downs is located on the border of Kentucky / Tennesee. – No, really. You can see the last weigh station, where the 5/8th’s pole would be located at Kentucky Downs. Offering the highest average daily purses in North America at $1.68 million for 2017, Kentucky Downs attracts the best jockeys and trainers and some of […]

  There are not many magicians who will take you back stage and reveal the truth behind the magic. – I’m not much of a magician unless you count making money disappear at the windows from time-to-time. – I set myself a $200 bankroll for last Saturday and I was wanting to build a bankroll […]

The good, the bad, and the ugly. – This is one way of categorizing your day at the races. For the longest time, I’ve watched the cyclical trend of having a good run go cold. I look back and wondered what was the cause, or were there any signs I should have been on the […]

                  I stand up every race and look out the windows for a few minutes. I’m looking for the longtime faces that have been coming to the races as we both have gained a little age to our looks. – The fans are the best part of […]

Nothing like a cliff note version of what’s going on. Don’t think of it as a cheat sheet as there are many issues that deserve a fuller explanation. – But here are a few items that caught my eye and as usual, the opinions here are just that. Remember what your high school teacher used to […]

There are good days, great days, and ones you would rather forget about. For me, the most painful losses used to be getting snapped right at the wire. You know the feeling where you have the lead and even start believing you may hang on as the wire is coming. Only after what seems a […]

Another month in the books and “The Happy Horseplayer” enjoyed every minute. – The eternal optimist looks forward to more fun in the sun as racing is just starting to heat up. The past month left me with fond memories, nice scores, and a few bad beats. But all in all, I wouldn’t trade it […]