It was the Holiday season and I'd studied the night before looking to pay for my shopping that coming afternoon. The favorite in the first at Aqueduct looked solid. Listed at 6/5 in Sweep's drf handicap, I was surprised to see his
odds 5/2 as I entered the local O.T.B. The current favorite was 6/5 bet down from a morning line of 4/1. This horse A One Jet had just won for 7500 and was being double jumped in class after racing just five days before. He'd been claimed by a high % trainer named Greg Martin. Still I planed to play the horse I came to bet in the first place. I hesitated once a saw the horses in the post parade. As a capping tool I always try to look at a horse before wagering. A One Jet was doing an Irish Jig as they paraded in front of the stands. He looked really good. I decided to watch the odds and sure enough money started to come in on the morning line favorite. As the horses neared the starting gate I got another look at A One Jet. He was dancing and looked as if he was a coiled spring ready to expand outwards. Against my better judgment I changed my betting plan and put 50 to win on A One Jet and two ten dollar doubles keying him to two horses in the second race. All based on the betting action and the way the horse looked and acted pre race. As the gates open he was the second favorite at 9/5 with the favorite settling in at 7/5.
A One Jet opened up on the far turn and won by 10 posing an improved Beyer # of 30 points. I hit the double, lost a couple races after that, then took care of my shopping responsibilities. I'll never forget that race!
In the months to come trainer Martin was charged and later convicted of fixing A horse race. He was sentenced to five years in prison. He and others conspired to administer a Co2 milkshake which delays the onset of lactic acid in the muscles. A One Jet never repeated that effort again during his racing career.
Its experiences like this that makes me think some horse races can and have been fixed.