Race books cathedrals for devout horseplayers

Bob Cloud

Tuesday, July 9, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Each and every day, thousands of them trek religiously into race books throughout Las Vegas, providing the color and ambiance, as well as forming the core constituency of the betting establishments.

The horseplayers.

For some it's strictly entertainment, for others it's all business. Some come only occasionally, while only an act of God could keep others away. But whether they employ guesswork, science, or a combination of both, they all share one thing in common -- an excitement for racing.

"I just love the horses," longtime bettor Ava Smithson of Las Vegas said Saturday, in between races at Ballys. "To me it's different than other sports. There really is a lot of unpredictability. The races come and go so fast and they're very exciting. Also, there's so many of them, you get a lot of entertainment in a day."

A.J. "Billy" Gregory said he's been wagering on horses since he was a boy growing up in New York. Now that he lives in Henderson, Gregory can be found at a local race book on any given day -- he moves around depending on his luck -- continuing what he sees as a life-long love affair.

"I can remember going to the track as a kid with my dad and my brother," Gregory said. "Those were such good times. It's stayed in my blood all these years. I just love it. If I couldn't stay in touch with racing, I'm not sure I could ever find anything to take its place."

Julie Havens and her husband, Skip, were at Sam's Town Sunday, trying their hand at picking the ponies for the first time ever. The couple, visiting from Canada, weren't having much luck, but yet were enjoying every moment.

"We haven't won a race yet," Julie Havens said. "You'd think we'd be lucky enough to get one right. But I guess it doesn't matter much. It's fun, and you're really only throwing a couple dollars here and there. I look at it as a cheap good time."

Like many visitors, Skip Havens said he was intrigued by the many bettors in the book who obviously took things a little more seriously than he did.

"I've been watching these people study the charts and forms all day, and it looks so serious for them," he said. "I guess they win more than the average guy, but I kind of wonder if it is worth it. I think I prefer just taking a guess and having fun."

But veteran horseplayer Harvey Morehouse of Las Vegas, claimed the fun of betting is being prepared, and seeing your knowledge and expertise pay off -- literally.

"I've been doing this for 25 years, and it just doesn't make sense to me not to do your homework," said Morehouse, who frequents Sam's Town and the Las Vegas Hilton. "We're talking money. Yes, I can see for many it's just a game, but it's a helluva lot more fun to win than it is to lose. I'm a lot happier making money than losing it."

While Morehouse says he's won "much more than I've given back," he agreed he's one of few who can actually make that claim.

"I've seen so many come through who actually believed that they could make a living playing the horses," he said. "That's a joke. Even if you were willing to put the time into it that I or some others do, there's still no guarantees. It's the same with all forms of gambling."

Bob Gregorka, race and sports director at the recently-closed Sands, said any prospective bettor should see wagering on horse racing as simply a pleasurable diversion.

"Horse-playing should always be treated as fun and as a form of entertainment, like going to a show," Gregorka said. "I love horse racing, and I love the horseplayers. We get to see old friends every day, and meet such characters. We all owe a lot to our horse bettors."

Odds and Ends

* ALL-STAR PROPS: Major League Baseball's All-Star game is Tuesday in Philadelphia, and the National League is currently a -120 betting favorite, with the American League a +110 underdog. A wide variety of All-Star propositions are being offered at area sports books, including first team to score (National +120, American -140); last team to score (National +120, American -140) and most home runs (National +110, American -130). Other props offered include total combined home runs, winning margin and total hits by Cleveland players in the game.

* NUMBERS CRUNCHING: Richard Krajicek captured his first Wimbledon crown Sunday as a -400 favorite over American Mal Washington, a +300 underdog. Saturday, women's champ Steffi Graf won on the fabled English grass again as a -600 selection ... For the second consecutive week, the PGA tour winner was a pre-tournament field selection, as Steve Stricker won the Motorola Western Open Sunday in Lemont, Ill. The field's odds were 3-1 ... Football is just around the corner. The NFL Hall of Fame game, set for July 27 in Canton, Ohio, currently finds the Indianapolis Colts a 1.5-point favorite over the New Orleans Saints. On the same day, the Pittsburgh Steelers face the San Diego Chargers in Tokyo. Pittsburgh is currently favored by a point.