Ever Had a Hunch?

Several years ago, when I was working in program production for Santa Anita Racetrack, I made a hunch bet I will never forget. As I was driving in to work in the morning, I heard Pink Floyd's tune, "Free Four," on the radio. One of the lines in the song goes, "Who is the master of foxhounds, and who says the hunt has begun?" I was still singing that line to myself as I walked into my office.

I picked up the daily program, which included the card for the opening day of the Fairplex meet, and the name of a horse running that afternoon at Fairplex jumped right off the page at me -- Master of Foxhounds. Well, I put $2 to win on him (I'm not a big bettor!), he won, and I cashed a ticket for $100.

Now, I'm not saying I make bets on hunches all the time; but, when I get a really strong hunch like that, I know -- really KNOW -- that it's going to win. Like many racetrackers, I'm a big believer in luck. I believe that luck is a real phenomenon, and that it is cyclical. Some people are just better than others at recognizing when they're having a "streak."

I'd love to hear anyone else's "hunch" experiences. Please leave a comment and share your stories!