Three-horse blanket finish. Dead Heat for the place with my P5 beat a nostril for huge with those two.

And yet I think the toughest beat I ever witnessed didn't involve me.

Years ago I was working at Grumman laying voice and data cable and across the street was Vito The Sandwich King. Great bar and kitchen - Tina Tits was the bartender and not 50 yards away was a branch of the Nassau OTB. One day I was off early and into Vito's bar. Walter Zirk was there. Walter was a huge man, elderly and out of Hempstead High School like I was except he graduated 33 years before I did. Ever see an old man six-foot eight and 280? That was Walter.

I think my son John had cut high school that day and was running the bets to the OTB. Walter wasn't a big pony player but he'd get into the action for some deuces. Belmont was running and Walter plays a $2 exacta box in a huge turf field - 60/1 with 30/1.

Down the lane the 60/1 pony is clear by almost ten lengths while the 30/1 runner is full of run holding the place by five lengths. Forty yards to the wire the 60/1 horse goes left and goes over the fence while the 30/1 wins easily. That exacta was paying almost $3,000. That's the toughest beat I've ever seen. Walter said, "I lost four bucks" and that's the attitude to have when you're investing in galloping horse flesh.

True!!!! Especially Aqueduct since opened...no turf...distance changes...slop...cold...long shots... beat like you today at Big A!