I really want to thank the many (and I mean many!) people who got back to me about last week’s article on how horse bettors are treated as second class patrons in the casinos. I was amazed at the great response. Thank you.
This week being the celebration of our Independence on Thursday, the casinos are going all out with the giveaways – free six packs of beer, drawings and gifts – all for slot players. Again, your support in our race books is much appreciated.
I say not one casino in the state of Nevada is offering any giveaway for the race bettors. Thank you again. I guess they just expect us to come into the race books and bet everyday; so why give these dummies anything!
I just may save gas and mail them a check every month.
You know, every week I see double points for this, 10 times points for that, but when is the last time you saw double points for horse bettors on any day of the week?
As for the response to my article from any casino top dogs, well, I did get one – not from the top of the food chain, but the middle.
Joe Porrello runs the race and sports book out at the Cannery, which has a free handicapping contest for horse players with a player’s card. You get one entry. They use the first eight races at the current Southern California track that is running.
For complete rules call either Cannery (Craig Rd. or Eastside Boulder Hwy. locale) or just stop by and see Joe. He loves betting and talking the ponies. At least we have a bone to start with my fellow horse bettors and I want to see more.
So, toss us a bone every now and then. We don’t ask for a lot and don’t want a lot, just for someone to say thank you for coming in and playing at our race book.
Thanks, Joe Porrello and the Cannery.
The beginning of July marks the dog days of summer. That’s an understatement with the current boiling hot temperatures. As for my dog Dino, he runs out, does his business and then scoots back in as fast as his little feet will carry him.
Independence Day is Thursday and as my dad would remark, “Say it ain’t so.” The Pirates are sitting in first place with the best record in baseball and possibly the best pitching staff in baseball.
I really did not want to mention them as when I did last year they went into the tank after a long extra-inning game. Well, they pulled one out this past Sunday in 14 innings, 2-1. I hope this will not be a repeat of last year for my friends in the “burg” out for playoff tickets.
My good buddy Sal Marino is sitting on a huge future bet on the Pirates and big fan “teaser Tom Noonan,” who is a lucky charm for the Pirates, will gladly come back if the organization will fly him to Pittsburgh and supply him with a case of beer a day for the rest of the season.
Well, I hope the poison pen is out of ink as the Pirates look to be moving toward the playoffs and a long awaited winning record. They are 21 games over .500 and that in itself is worth the price of a ticket to beautiful PNC ball yard and a stop off at my cousin’s Clark Bar and Grill right across the bridge from the stadium.
The B & G has some great food and drink for its many players and fans. Ask for Joey Lamatrice and tell him Saber from Vegas sent you. Get the steak salad.
When I was young, the Fourth of July was a big deal in our family, which came here from Sicily via Ellis Island in New York. They loved this country. My grandmother Anna Lamantia and my grandfather Frank were soooo proud to be American citizens.
We would have a cookout with real charcoal and some cheap hotdogs and cheap buns. They were great – black on the outside. My grandfather, when it got dark, would get his box of those long matches he used to light up his stogie and give us all sparklers.
He would then put a match to them and we would run around the yard all having a great time. My brother and I would chase the electric bugs as we called them – fire flies. Life was good, and after my grandfather snuck to his truck a few times to get a little swig out of his secret bottle, my grandmother, “Bangles” as we all called her, would have nothing to do with his drinking.
He would kiss the ground and say, “Thank you, America!” I say thanks to all of our troops that have given up family, life and limbs to keep us free. Let’s all have a happy and safe Independence day as that is what the Fourth is really all about.
Freedom.
Stay cool, enjoy family, friends and “America the Beautiful.”
Richard Saber, a former director of race and sports at the famed Stardust book, is GamingToday’s horse racing and sports handicapper. Follow Richard on Twitter @SabesBet. Contact Richard at [email protected].