SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- You know there are usually better things you can do with your money than playing the ponies at Saratoga. For Tom Welch, he doesn't really have a choice. Welch won $1,000 worth of bets from local car dealer Saratoga Nissan and the deal works like this -- all that cash had to be riding on the Woodward Stakes.
Once Welch was at the window, the sure bet Curlin got the goods with four $200 show bets. That's when a horse can finish 1-2-3 and you still take home some loot.
"It's a pretty good bet, but nothing is for sure and I picked the top four that would come in besides him," said Welch.
Those other four horses were part of four $50 exactas. All this from a man who admits he's usually not a better too far out of the $2 exacta box.
Curlin came to Saratoga and while it was a shot at glory for the thoroughbred, one racing fan had a whole lot more riding on the race. Our Curtis Schick explains.
And they're off with Curlin, a heavy one to four favorite and after a slow start, arguably the world's best horse came through with a Woodward win.
"Good horses like Man O'War, Secretariat have had problems here. I'm glad the horse showed he can be up to it," said owner Jess Jackson.
So the graveyard of champions didn't take Curlin and while Welch didn't make a killing, he didn't end up in the hole either.
"They were setting a pretty good pace and then I saw Curlin come up and I was pretty happy," said Welch. "That's free money. You can't beat that. Thank you."
So for Welch, it is a safe bet that made his day. And it also a safe bet that the Woodward is a day that he won't so forget.