Bukowski shares his strategy for winning at the track, only to admit he fails to follow his own rule (1 Viewer)

[mm12]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to find a Bukowski passage from one of his books and can't seem to find it. It's the part of some book (I can't figure out which -- I thought Post Office but didn't see it there when I looked), where he explains his secret at the racetrack (basically skipping the crowd favorite and betting on the number two horse), so he quits his day job, tells his boss to buzz off, and gambles for a living. Then a few months later he's back at a day job because he can't stick to his strategy and gets sucked into betting on favorites. Any suggestions as to where I originally read that would be great! (Not just which book but which chapter).I 've searched, but my concepts are too vague to pin it down in search terms.

I've quoted that passage to many people and would love to re-read the source. Thanks!

 

[zobraks]

Hi.

Bukowski wrote about his betting systems many a time, in a lot of forms (Factotum, Post Office, Notes of a Dirty Old Man, some poems...). One of his most comprehensive works on the topic is an essay called Picking the Horses: How to Win the Track, or At Least Break Even (Portions from a Wine-Stained Notebook, page 162), but I guess that's not what you're looking for.

P.S. Check chapter 11 of the part III of Post Office (and on). Perhaps that's it.

 

[mm12]

Thanks! The most relevant part of this passage for me was how he lays out the strategy so carefully, talks with pride about being able to quit his job and tell his boss to f**k off, but then ultimately repeats this cycle many times because he can't follow his own strategy. I will check the ones you just listed, starting with Post Office.

 

[mm12]

It's not Post Office -- read through it today, and I can see what you're saying -- Part III, Chapter 11 is definitely the first part of what I was looking for, but not the second. What would be your next best guess? Thanks!

 

[hank solo]

Probably Factotum. After Chapter 44. Been a while since I read it properly tho'...