Even as men in suits gathered in Chicago to save racing from its obvious demise (I mean, the total amount of money bet nationally on horse racing was through the roof in 2001 and the mountain of cash pushed through the windows at this year's Breeders' Cup was an all-time high), a player in Maryland was working on a slightly less sophisticated level to instill some support for the game. That's his story and he's sticking to it.

The guy hit the Pick Six six times and had the consolation 108 more times for a total pre-tax windfall of $3.1 million.

As opposed to using this man's good fortune as the lure to bring in more players, the men in suits launched an investigation as to how anyone could actually make money at the races.

Headline: Lucky Bastard Hits Pick Six, Feds to Investigate

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The cause for alarm, apparently, was that Lucky Bastard had "singled" four straight winners and then played "all-all" to win.

Just so you know, one could single any horse in just about any Breeders' Cup race and end up with a live runner.

One could throw a dart at the Racing Form from 10 feet or draw names out of a hat as the means of selection.

Using one's favorite number could also land a player a quality runner. Number five, for example, would have gotten you favored High Chaparral in the Turf and 26-1 long shot Domedriver in the Mile.

The point is, with fields as strong as these were, choosing any horse in any field wouldn't leave a bettor thinking he'd burned his money at the window.

For goodness sakes, I know three people who actually bet on Volponi in the Classic at 43-1 odds!

While the investigation continued into Lucky Bastard's big hit, I counted my blessings for having lost the trifecta in the running of the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

In addition to my scientific calculations to produce my "real" bets, I also bet some two dollar "straight" trifectas during the card based on the birth dates of my children.

With about 50 yards remaining in the Sprint, I was counting my money and counting my good fortune that my daughter had been born on 1-10-01.(The closest thing to January 10, 1001 is 1-10-11; Just before the wire that's how they stood, with 45-1 Thunderello on the lead)

Then Jerry Bailey (that jerk) pushed the favorite, Orientate into the lead and to the wire first -- 1-10-11 became 10-1-11. No, I didn't box. She wasn't born on October 1st.

So anyway, I didn't have to suffer through the IRS line (they're painfully long and others get mad at you for getting shut out).

Nor did I have to cope with the following:

Wife: Why are federal investigators going through our den? The den isn't even finished yet.

Me: They're looking for evidence.

Wife: Evidence of a den?

Me: No. Of a fix. They think I knew something when I bet 1-10-11 in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Wife: You bet on horse racing?

Me: Just two dollars. Well, two on that bet anyway.

Wife: 1-10-11? Does that have something to do with our daughter's birthday?

Me: October babies are nice also.

Wife: (nothing)

Me: But what a day 1-10-01 was.

Wife: You said there would be minor discomfort for me but that you'd hold my hand.

Me: I did say that. Yes.

Wife: Why are you in handcuffs?

Me: We misplaced our daughter's birth certificate.

Wife (potentially): I'll love you always.

As of this writing, Lucky Bastard hadn't been cuffed. This is due, most likely, to the fact he has a finished den.

Whatever the case, I'll continue to back my children.

I may even reopen my OTB account, if nothing else to show faith in the system.

By the way, can you believe those three idiots who backed Volponi? They're so stupid. They bet on Volponi before the race.