‘Mechanic’ Stresses Patience, Discipline

Fire Back turned out to be the favorite in the second race at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 15, when 3-year-olds competed at six furlongs for claiming prices of $35,000 to $40,000 and a purse of $21,000. The nag, from the No. 11 post position, quickly jumped out of the starting gate into second place but fell back to third at the quarter-pole.

Although it seemed as if Fire Back was going to be just another also-ran, since horses don’t usually come on again after falling behind, something gave the nag a second wind. By the half-mile pole, Fire Back was in front by half a length and had increased his lead to two lengths by the stretch. At the finish, Fire Back was four lengths in front and laughing all the way to the bank.

Fire Back returned $3.60 to win for $2. Although it was a short price, going off at 4-5, system players were happy with the result. And no one was happier than “The Mechanic,” who had lost one race, then started a streak that resulted in four more wins for the day.

“The Mechanic” is a big man with extremely wide shoulders, a huge chest, totally gray hair, bright-blue eyes, a prominent nose, thick lips and a ruddy complexion. Although he is easily recognizable at the track, he is better known for his card dealing, his extraordinary ability in playing and his artistic talent in marking up a deck of cards so that it is nearly impossible to detect the markings. These decks he never uses himself but sells for hundreds of dollars to other “mechanics” who work them into their games.

Since “The Mechanic” doesn’t begin his real work until about 11 p.m., when big-money card games usually start, he attends the races to pass the time.

“The Mechanic” finds that watching the ponies run relaxes him. As a result, winning is not that important, just as long as the losses aren’t huge. He tells people: “Don’t bet a lot. Don’t try to break the track--just have fun!”

This philosophy resulted in his devising a system, which he started betting at least 30 years ago, that works well for him. He bets only on favorites that go off at 7-5 or less when the second choice is 3-1 or higher.

To follow this kind of a system, however, means that players must have patience and discipline, because such races turn up only about two to four times a day. Many times no such race turns up, and “The Mechanic” goes home without making a bet. And sometimes only one race presents itself. So waiting and not betting very often are the keys.

Of course, it was an unusual day when “The Mechanic” won five out of six races. Here’s what the odds were to $1 when Fire Back won:

1--Believe In Winning $59.10

2--Wind ‘N Wine 5.40

3--Ash Hab 8.10

4--High Forest 30.50

5--Speed Boat 6.70

6--No Doubles Match 12.80

7--Spar Of The Moment 134.60

8--Dad’s A Cad 122.70

9--Lexington Lawyer 141.20

10--Flying J 15.70

11--Fire Back .80

12--Check Collector 17.90

All system players needed to do was scan the totalizator board just before the race. Since Fire Back was less than 7-5 in the betting and the second choice, Wind ‘n Wine, was 3-1 or higher in the odds, Fire Back was the system choice.

In the third race that day, only six horses competed at 1 1/4 miles for 4-year-olds and up. The favorite was Spirit Bay, which took the lead at the three-quarter pole and ended up winning by three lengths. The second choice at 3-1 was Achirante, enabling “The Mechanic” to bet the race. Spirit Bay paid $4.

“The Mechanic” then won the fourth race with Hat Parade, paying $4.60; the eighth race with Opening Verse, $3.40, and the ninth with Aloma’s Tobin, which paid $4.80. For the day, on $2 betting, “The Mechanic” wagered $12 and returns amounted to $20.40. Profit for the day came to $8.40.

Why a favorite of 7-5 wins more often than other favorites when the second choice is 3-1 or higher in the same race is anyone’s guess. Some experts believe that these horses are bet down to such low odds because they are far superior to all other horses and the public that wagers on the other ponies in the same race are only going for a price. Thus, the horses 3-1 or higher in the betting aren’t real contenders but only goats out for the exercise.

This season at Santa Anita, for the first 50 days from Dec. 26, 1989, to Feb. 28, 1990, “The Mechanic” wagered on only 91 races, investing $182 on straight $2 bets, and came out about even, losing just 40 cents. And during 13 of the 50 days there was no betting.

“The Mechanic” admits that varying the system to a money-management progression would probably be more fun and a lot more interesting. Any kind of progression should work, he says, just as long as the player goes back to the original straight bet after a win.

What players get with this sort of system are lots of winners and action for the betting that does take place. Of the 91 races “The Mechanic” bet, 46 won, for a .505 winning percentage. Of course, higher payoffs would have put system players in the black for the period. However, system players will find that the highest possible mutual can only be $4.80, while the lowest will be $2.20.

When this is pointed out to “The Mechanic,” he only shrugs: “I’ve been betting for many, many years,” he says. “Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose. It’s not whether you win or lose the race, but how much fun you get out of it.”