Veteran PariMutuel Betting Experts Dazzled by Retama's Derby Payout

Justified may have won Saturday's Kentucky Derby, but veteran parimutuel managers are more amazed at the performance of Margaret from Austin, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.

The woman. who has allowed the media to use her first name but requested little publicity, walked into Retama Park in Selma Saturday morning and placed a 'high five' bet on the winner not just of the Derby, but of the four races that preceded the Derby.

All five of the horses she picked won, so her $18 bet saw a payoff of $1.2 million.

"I would never believe the story if I didn't see it happen," Retama Racing Manager Steve Ross told News Radio 1200 WOAI.  "If this was like in a movie, I would say those people were crazy."

He says to pick the winners of five consecutive races, which included several long-shots, is so off the charts that there is no mathematical formula that could predict it.

"I can't even describe it," Ross said.  "I have never seen anything like this before, and I have been in the business for 24 years."

Ross calls it the 'unicorn of parimutuel betting,' a reference to something that is so rare it has reached legendary status.

The winner requested limited publicity, but she told 1200 WOAI news we could refer to her by her first name.

IMAGE: MARGARET AND RETAMA RACING MANAGER STEVE ROSS.  COURTESY OF RETAMA PARK


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