Working as a security guard at Dover Downs soured me to any horse racing, after what I saw going on in the stables before the races, back in 1974-1975.
Are you going to leaved us hanging? Do tell...
What did you see?
Funny, in that same exact period of time I, as a 17-year-old kid, worked at Belmont Racetrack in New York. I was holding a horse that was to run later that day while a vet looked him over. The vet then took out a syringe and gave the horse an injection. Afterwards I asked the groom if he was supposed to do that, given that the horse was running that day. He told me to hush. I did and very quietly put my entire paycheck on the horse when he ran, thinking he was given some sort of energy booster. Anyway, the horse went off the 6-5 favorite, led til the stretch and then faded to 6th or 7th. Turned out it was an (I believe illegal) pain killer. Apparently, the horse was too sore for the pain killer to make much of a difference.
I worked at the track from '74 to '76. Incredible decade for racing, the 70s. We had THREE Triple Crown winners! Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), and Affirmed (1978). Hasn't been a TC winner since then ('78) And let me not forget one of the greatest horses of all time, the amazing filly Ruffian. Forego, yet another star of the 70s.