Day at the track

Race 3 Results - We hit the quinella, exacta and trifecta

Bookies with their odds posted on the rail

The horses run the opposite way in Australia

After the watching the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament, we spent the afternoon at the Newcastle Jockey club and did a little tipping (Aussie word for betting) on the ponies. For the Kentuckians reading the blog, the NJC reminded Drew quite a bit of Keeneland (shirt and tie is pretty standard for guys, while females dressed up as well, with some wearing some seriously skimpy sundresses).

The main difference was you didn't have to bet with the track at their odds - bookies (yes, bookies) set up along the rail, and you had the option to wager with them instead of with the track. The main advantage the bookies offered was being able to lock in the odds at the time you placed the bet (whereas the track odds changed untilthe race began). We're convinced everyone in this country has a serious gambling problem. Also, the horses run clockwise, which was quite strange. And a cover band was playing Guns n Roses, Metallica, Incubus, etc. between races. So actually it was really different from the American track experience.

Melissa and I hit the exacta and trifecta on the first race of the day (putting us up $60), but went 0-for the rest of the day and broke even. The following week at work Drew learned the horse racing system in Australia is seriously corrupted - it's unfortunate we don't have any inside connections. All in all, it was a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon