Would you like to earn money every time you go to the races? That was a goal of mine since I ran handicap in my first race many years ago. I come from a long line of horse lovers and racing fans. In one of my first photos, I’m sitting on a horse while people are outside having breakfast. As a little boy, he had seen the horse’s hooves echoing from the view under the lower railing in Narragansett Park. That and a natural inclination towards voluntary inertia probably led to my desire to make “easy” money in racing.

As anyone who has tried to make a long-term profit from handicapping horse or dog racing can tell you, however, betting, kicking, handicapping, playing ponies, call it what you will, is not easy. That fact was proven by many trips to the races and many trips home with empty pockets. I learned some lessons along the way. First of all, buy something to eat first. In those days when I said I’d get something to eat after a few races, I sometimes lost the money and had to live off my dream of being a professional handicapper.

I was writing about racing at the time and started putting out a newsletter based on local tracks. Advertising paid for printing, and sometimes there was a little left over for a meal or a bet. A friend from the publicity department of one of the tracks offered me a job as an announcer. Take the chance. My reasoning was that I would be right at the race track and also working in the offices, I would get all the buzz. I wrote promotional articles for the publicity department and called the races and every day when I left the track I made money. Unfortunately, as an official, I was not allowed to bet on the races. The money came in the form of a paycheck.

Here’s another thing I learned, be very specific when you ask the universe for something because the cosmic wish-fulfiller is literal. My dream had been to make money every time I went to the track and make money at horse racing. I was getting paid to do what I loved, handicapping, because one of my duties was handicapping racing and creating a morning line for the show. My dream came true, but I no longer bet on my choices. Be careful what you wish for. I quit my job and went back to being a race track dweller. I traveled from trail to trail and had a great time honing my skills and living the life of a hiker.

That was many years ago and one would think that it had taught me a valuable lesson. But recently, with a bit of pressure from some well meaning friends, I started a disability service to help other people benefit from my years of experience. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday I handicap both Harness and Thoroughbred breeds and send my Weekend Warrior Newsletter to subscribers. At first I just felt like the computer selected and key horses and fit and ready horses, but now my subscribers have also asked for the best bets.

Once again, I am working so hard, handicapping so many tracks, that I rarely have time to get to the track. One would think he would have learned his lesson years ago, but apparently, he needed a refresher. As you go through your schedule and stand at the finish line watching your horses win, think of old Bill Peterson, slaving away at the computer and poring over past performances and muttering expletives, as he picks the winners that others don’t. people are. cash in Once again I make money handicapping races and once again my dream came true and once again I don’t bet on my picks. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, he just wishes he could remember the old tricks!