Arlington Park racecourse was a gorgeous facility at one time.
It should have been.... I dropped enough money there over the years !!
A cousin by marriage of my mom, shoed race horses for a living. He was at one time the Secretary/Treasurer and later President of the labor union representing these blacksmiths.
We visited him at Arlington a couple of time.
He once told me that he knew thousands of people connected to horse racing: trainers, owners, jockeys, and many many regulars betting at the track. He also told me something I have never forgotten. Of all these thousands, he only knew one person who consistenly could pick winners and made a very good living from betting on the ponies.
I wonder if you ever met him. :)