There's nowhere else to post this story, so since I actually heard it in the break room, I'll put it here. It's easiest to tell this story in the first person, so realize that the "I" in the story is not me:
I was over at [insert name of racetrack that has poker] playing in a cash game. A dealer walking past the table asked the dealer in our game, "You're in, right?" Our dealer replied, "Hell yeah, give me $20 on it."
This mysterious exchange naturally piqued our interests, so we all immediately started to interrogate the dealer to see what was "on".
He explained that one of the dealers had a hot tip on a horse (knew the trainer or something), and they were all going to bet on it.
Guess what our next question was?
Churchill Downs, "Larry Bird". Really? The horse is named Larry Bird? "No, but he's #33. Three horse, third race." Well, that's an easy way to remember it. The dealer added, "He should go off at about ten-to-one."
Naturally, we pester the floorman to put Churchill on one of the tv's next to our table. I decide what the hell, I'll throw $10 on it. I told my brother, who was playing on another table, and he also planned on throwing away $10 on this silliness.
The third race goes to post. It turns out that I'm the only player at our table to actually bet money on this race, but everyone at the table is rooting for us.
They opened the starting gate, and our Larry Bird dominated just like the real LB used to. The three horse led by daylight all the way around the track, winning easily by about ten lengths. A thoroughly, completely dominating performance, he absolutely mopped the floor with his competition.
Our whole table was whooping and hollering throughout, all the other tables looked over at us quizzically.
Naturally, my next concern was if my brother got the bet down for us. He came over shortly after the race, all smiles, alleviating my concerns. "But that horse didn't pay ten-to-one. He paid THIRTY-to-one!", and my brother handed me $310.
Everyone is smiling now...except the dealer. He's not seeing any other dealers smiling, he's not hearing any cheering from the break room. He's completely distracted, paying no attention to the poker game, dealing completely on auto-pilot.
Finally, his tipster walks casually past the table again. Our dealer, confused and desperate, calls out, "You put the bet in, right?"
The tipster looks confused. "Not yet. I can't bet the horse until Friday, the day of the race."