Meet the Cybertout

My name is Ed McNamara, and I'm a horseplayer.

"Hello, Ed."

I didn't get hooked on the horses until I was 31, but gambling is in my DNA. At age 8 I was handing out NFL picks to a gambler named Tony Stupiello at my uncle Pete's luncheonette in Paterson, New Jersey. Tony would ask who I thought would win each game, then say "By a little or by a lot?" It would be years before I figured out why that mattered. I must have been on a roll during that autumn of 1958, because every Monday after school I'd sit down at the counter and Tony would buy me a cheeseburger and a Coke.

In the past 27 years I've made on-site wagers at 74 tracks in North and South America, Europe and Asia, leaving thousands of torn tickets in my wake. Since 1993 I've covered every Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup and been to Hong Kong, Royal Ascot, Longchamp and dozens of obscure tracks. Besides writing and handicapping for Newsday, I freelanced as Eddie Mac at the Track from 1995-2006 for ESPN.com and even had a couple of articles published in French and Italian racing journals. (OK, somebody had to translate them, so I'm not truly continental).

So, with all that experience (some would call it wasted time and energy), you might call me an expert. Well, there are no experts, only people with a lot of information rattling around in their heads and the urge to spew it. My mother always feared I'd end up as an educated bum, and I'm afraid she was right. Being a thoroughbred tout is far from a distinguished calling, yet if you're on the money when the price is right, you're a hero for the moment to anyone who took your advice.

I've handed out many live longshots over the years and hope to do it again on this blog. As Newsday's racing writer, I'll be covering the big events, sharing insights and looking for winners, as I've done for nine years while battling the point spread as the Gridiron Guide. Picking horses that finish first isn't easy, but when you hit one, you collect regardless of the margin. Here's one to watch for, a turf horse named Morgan's Run who ran very well Feb. 7 at Gulfstream despite finishing out of the money. If it wins next time out and you play it, you owe me a cheeseburger.