Originally Posted by regnis View Post
Kewl-i have read that book. His beyer numbers are still used in the racing form (although very unreliable as too much human input now. Cool that grampa used to take you.
Funny story. I would sneak out of high school and go to the track. My grandfather was basicly an invalid as he was born with a hole in his heart. He could barely get around with a cane. So i am walking thru the grandstand and i see grandpa. He had to walk and take 2 busses and a train to get to the track.he was a former bookie and had info on a horse named crack the whip. He wins at 40-1. We both made a good lick.
I get home and i see the concerned look on my parents faces. I ask whats the matter. They say pops disappeared. I cant tell them anything cause i blew off school and i didnt want to rat him out. Finally several hours later he got home.

Track bias is one of my main tools. That is why i used to call the track maintenance guy every morning.
Good thing you didn't rat him out or monet would be calling you a rat.

That hole in the heart can be fixed now a days, for a much more normal quality of life than your grandfather probably experienced. It is a shame that wasn't the case back then. A lot of people don't know it but being born with a hole in the heart is actually a pretty common thing. Many times it will close on it's own during childhood. But if it doesn't surgery can fix it. I think they now can even do that with a much less invasive type surgery. (used to be open heart).