There are long shots. And then, there are long shots.
On Monday, a horse that was sent off at odds of better than 200-1 won the seventh race at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Ohio. R B Wild Promise paid $415.60 to win for a $2 bet.
R B Wild Promise delivered with a late run through the stretch to take the 5½-furlong race in 1:09.36. The winning time was basically a crawl, as some horses can win six-furlong races in that time.
R B Wild Promise is not exactly a speed merchant. The 4-year-old gelding bested a field of $5,000 claimers.
He was ridden by jockey Luciano Hernandez. R B Wild Promise went off at considerably longer odds than his 30-1 morning line.
Before anyone thinks many people got rich off the victory at the betting window, a grand total of $149 was bet on R B Wild Promise to win out of a pool of $23,725.
Two other horses had less money bet to win on them than R B Wild Promise, while another in the field of 12 had $2 more. So, as one can see, horses of this ilk tend not to find the winner's circle.
And forgive people if they are suspicious about the result.
In November, at the same track, a horse thought to be Ruby Queen won a race and returned $222.40 to win against a bunch of $5,000 claimers.
However, after the race was made official -- means bets had to be paid off -- it was discovered that the 3-year-old filly Ruby Queen had never left the stable. And, accidentally, another horse, a gelding from the same barn, had somehow run in Ruby Queen's place.
To watch Monday's race, click on the link and go to the seventh race on Dec. 28.
A 206/1 shot wins at Mahoning Valley in Ohio. Bombs away! pic.twitter.com/0z0yVyE6IC
— John Piassek (@theyreoff) December 28, 2015
