In the heyday of Southern California racing's greatness every night at 8pm on KUSI replays would come on from Southern California tracks.
We all waited to see the replays, but to get to 8 PM we would see the last few minutes of Hogan's Heroes, a TV sitcom about a group of allies POW in Stalag 13.
One of the main characters was Sgt Schultz, Hans Schultz, played by John Banner, a heavy set, German soldier, who was constantly threatened to be sent to the Eastern Front.
I know many handicappers today that bemoan they know nothing, after another losing day. Yet, they don't want to do anything about it.
Don't be a Sgt Schultz, be a Colonel Hogan
Colonel Hogan used his smarts and cleverness to outsmart the Germans, on the TV show, of course.
Be clever in your handicapping and find more than one way to get a winner, some players have the same tools over and over, if its not figures, its stats, to be a good horseplayer you need more.
The last frontier for a handicapper is recognizing horseflesh potential and sharpness, and on the flip side, negative behavior.
And, most of all, stay away from the spirits when you are gambling, I have been with many of players, drinking and gambling under the influence.
Just say no! especially if you have been waiting on a horse.
I seem to recall one afternoon after the races at Del Mar, we decided to go down to the paddock bar and play harness racing from Sacramento.
We scoured the past performance and there was a number next to the running lines, like the Beyers figures in the form.
We hit three races in a row and the drinks were flowing.
A man walks over and asks: "you guys are on fire what are you using?"
We showed him.
He starts laughing, and yells to his buddies "they are using the nights temperature as a speed figure". The number next to the running lines was the temperature that night.
We knew nothing!