Horse Racing

I first got into horse racing through the poetry of Charles Bukowski. You see, growing up, horse races were far removed from my experience. My dad was not a macho guy. He didn't drink, he did not go to the horse races, he never bet, and he usually went to bed pretty early. Needless to say, horse betting was out of his zone of experience, and he wouldn't have approved of it if he knew that I was interested in it. As a matter of fact, I really wasn't interested in horse racing at first. Seeing horse races on TV kind of bored me, and I usually would change the channel. That all changed when I picked up some Bukowski.

Horse racing was Charles Bukowski's central passion – that is besides alcohol. He really portrayed it with the gritty glamor that made it all the more appealing. He did not try to sugarcoat the experience. He was tense, he was drunk, he could lose big or win big at the drop of a hat. Nonetheless, it spoke to something very primal in me. I knew that I had to go and check it out for myself.

To tell you the truth, I didn't know what to expect. I suppose I expected everyone to be drunk like the poet had been. To my surprise, horse racing was actually a fairly civilized affair for the most part. Don't get me wrong – there was a lot of drama around the betting counter, and the fans got really into it. And yes, some people were pretty drunk. Still, the horse race track was – for the most part – a calm, even tame place to be. It was nothing like I imagined it.

Nonetheless, I got very interested in it anyway. I had been learning about  horse race handicapping, as well as betting systems. I have always had a passion for mathematics, and I was intrigued by the possibility of winning an upset. My first few forays into betting did not go exactly as planned. There was more to it than I had thought. I wasn't surprised – if it was as simple as I had made it out to be, there would be no point to horse racing. Everyone would make a killing off of every bet, and the sport would go bankrupt. It took some time, but sooner than later I got the hang of it. Nowadays, it is not just a sport that I like to watch, but a way to make a little bit of money on the side.

Summary: Horse racing is a passion for some people. Many are not interested due to believing the environment may be a little more wild than they would be comfortable in. It is not. Open yourself up to a new experience and visit a race or two.

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