Based on your story I'm a couple of years older. I was a senior in high school when there was a DQ in the Ladies Handicap, although I never went to the track until I was 18 and some friends & I went to the old Roosevelt Raceway. The 1st time I went to the thoroughbreds, I drove to Elmont, found a parking space about a mile away from the track because parking would significantly dent my bankroll and bet $5 on a 15/1 shot. Here's why I bet him-I found a program on the ground & the horse's name sounded so familiar I bet him to win. After he wins I found out the program I found was from the day before. The same # in the same race won 2 days in a row & the reason the name sounded familiar was because I had heard it called the day before on the radio by Harvey Pack on "Pack at the track" where he would recreate race calls for the races at Aqueduct & Belmont.