Racing luck pays off for Neal family
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By John Sacco
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
A little racing luck is a good thing for horsemen.
Being in the right place at the right time can also be beneficial.
The Neal family, who races their stable of horses at The Meadows and in fairs are thankful for a little racing luck and being in the right place last fall.
After making purchases last fall at the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, the Neals were standing near the horse that they were informed was available for $3,000 – a bargain basement price.
Why not, thought Randy Neal, an owner and trainer.
“At that price, I figured to take a shot,” he said.
It might not be a slam dunk, but it is certainly a half-court swish.
When Always Bet On Me – the bargain basement purchase – crossed the finish line at The Meadows in July, the first career win by the freshman – in his first career start – it made that buy profitable.
The son of Betting Line was a yearling purchase at the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg.
The victory returned his owners, Neal Racing Stable and Eric Neal, the driver, 150 percent of the gelding’s purchase price.
It wasn’t a stake race.
Always Bet On Me was one of the lowest-priced horses to sell at the multi-day auction.
His win in the $9,000 purse non-winners of one race was worth $4,500. The first-place finish was not a fluke. Always Bet On Me had won his first qualifying effort in 2:00.3 and then finished second in an extra qualifying race in 1:56.3.
He came from sixth at the ¾ pole in his career debut and pulled away in the stretch, winning in 1:55.3 by more than two lengths.
That was just the start for Always Bet On Me.
He finished with four wins, four seconds and two third-place finishes in 10 races, earning $25,973 – eight and 2/3 times more than the purchase price.
The Neals turned Always Bet On Me out after his race Oct. 9.
He’s currently at a farm in Uniontown.
“We were just standing there (at the sale) and a guy kind of pointed at (Always Bet On Me),” Randy Neal said. “They couldn’t get a bid on the horse. Eric looked at him and we decided to buy him at $3,000. We signed the papers.”
Randy Neal said he and Eric liked that Always Bet On Me is Pennsylvania eligible and they will prep him to race in Sire Stakes and Stallion Series.
“He did well for us,” Randy Neal. “We had him in fairs.
“I think he’s going to get faster. He’s a nice horse, a big horse. He’s good looking and when we brought him home, he was pacing as good as any horse we had. We’re just going to get him ready for the spring.”