Rare Find: Tip From Owner That Paid Off

The co-host of a handicapping seminar cashed a $3,501.60 bet at Del Mar because the owner of one of the winning horses was so enthusiastic about his chances.

Larry Weinbaum and Bob Ike, who run a daily seminar at a hotel across the street from the track, had no strong opinions when they analyzed Wednesday’s sixth race for 2-year-old maidens.

Most of the horses hadn’t even run before. “I don’t have a clue,” Ike told his audience.

Also puzzled by the 12-horse field, Weinbaum reluctantly mentioned four horses that might have a chance.

In the back of the room was Robert Moore, the owner of Roan Shark, a first-time starter who was not one of the four mentioned by Weinbaum.

“This horse will win,” Moore said. “We were close to running him in the Hollywood Juvenile last Monday. And he won’t be 20-1 after I get through betting him.”

Roan Shark, 20-1 on the morning line, went off even higher and paid $73.20 to win.

Roan Shark was running in the first race of the late triple, a bet in which players try to pick the winners of three straight races.

Weinbaum added Roan Shark to his late-triple ticket, as his bet grew from $72 to $90, and it paid off.

“Several people came back to the seminar today (Thursday),” Weinbaum said. “Every one of them said that they had bet Roan Shark because of what the owner said the day before. You’re always hearing people talking about their horses around the track. But this was one guy whose horse backed up what he said.”