The Loop
Watch: Gambler loses out on more than half a million dollars when jockey falls off horse at finish line
A jockey recently fell off his horse at the finish line to cost one gambler more than half a million dollars. Yes, this is a true story. Yes, you need to see it to believe it. Yes, you probably still won't believe it.
The horse race in question happened at Florida's Gulfstream Park on Dec. 29. The unnamed gambler had hit on five consecutive races and needed to pick the winner in the final race of the day to win a Pick-6 prize that had grown to $571,744. And it looked like he had pulled it off when his play, Cryogenic at 8-to-1 odds, pulled away down the stretch. But then the unthinkable happened as jockey Emisael Jaramillo inexplicably fell from the horse just lengths away from the finishing pole.
Fortunately for Jaramillo, he avoided serious injury from the other horses running by him on the ground. Unfortunately for the gambler, he still suffered one of the worst betting beats you'll ever see. Check it out:
In an incredible coincidence(?), Gulfstream Park was the sight of a similar unbelievable finish about a year before when appropriately named Fallen Leaf also tossed its jockey right before the finish line to throw away what would have been an easy win. ESPN's Kenny Mayne documented that wild race, which included the same track announcer, Pete Aiello, who called Cryogenic's crazy race:
The moral of the story? It ain't over 'til it's over. Especially at Gulfstream Park. Oh, and gambling is bad for your health.