Teachers teach in summer, but they do it trackside

Like a lot of teachers, Kimberly Miller finds Saratoga Race Course the summer place to be.

A third-grade teacher at St. Joseph's/St. John's Academy in Rensselaer during the academic year, Ms. Miller has spent nearly ten summers working as a pari-mutuel clerk at the flat track. She enjoys returning to the Spa for the racing season year after year.

"I love working at Saratoga because the people are so friendly," she said. "Nobody gets too upset about losing -- and they get really excited when they win."

Teachers' spot

Ms. Miller is one of several Catholic school teachers in the Albany Diocese who spend the better part of summer recess at Saratoga. Teachers make ideal pari-mutuel clerks because their schedules permit them to work throughout the meet, which runs from late July through Labor Day. They also possess instructional skills that help them deal with novice bettors who might need some guidance in their wagering.

Joe DiBenedetto, a science teacher at Saratoga Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School, is working for the third summer in a row as a pari-mutuel clerk at Saratoga. The crowds have been superb thus far, thanks to the gorgeous weather and full fields racing, and he is glad to be back at his window between sections D and E on the ground floor.

"It's a nice change of pace for the summer," he said. "You get a lot of people who have never bet before. I do a lot of teaching behind the window and try to put people at ease."

Mr. DiBenedetto likes the family atmosphere at Saratoga, even if some horseplayers don't have the most advanced handicapping strategy.

"I do enjoy a mother coming up with a couple of kids, and their kids will pick a number and they'll put a bet in. It's a family fun kind of thing," he said.

Maiden summer

Matt Hebert is spending his first summer at the Spa as a pari-mutuel clerk. A Spanish teacher at St. Mary's Institute in Amsterdam, he has seen a mix of horseplayers at his window, from major bettors who put $1,000 on a race to first-time wagerers who could use a crash course in placing bets.

"There's a lot of families. You have to do a lot of explaining," he said. "People come to your window and have no idea how to bet. You take two, three minutes to explain the bets."

Mr. Hebert used to visit the track two or three times each summer and bring his grandfather along. Now that he's an employee, however, he figures that he'll work every day of the meet.

Taxing work

Ms. Miller also sees a wide range of horseplayers during a typical day, although people tend to shy away from her window: She works at an IRS window, where winners who are collecting $600 or more on a $2 bet must cash their ticket. She also can accept wagers and cash tickets for lesser amounts as she would at a non-IRS window, however, so anyone can visit her window for betting or cashing.

Usually, Ms. Miller, who works at the IRS window underneath the clubhouse, can spot the serious horseplayers quickly.

"I have some people who I know, just by looking at them, that they are large bettors," she said. Some people are superstitious and will bet or cash their tickets only with Ms. Miller throughout the day.

Lessons

She also gets to brush up on her teaching skills by instructing people who aren't too familiar with horse racing on how to place their bets.

"I enjoy helping them learn a little bit about the races. You can tell the people who need a little bit of guidance," she said.

There are folks who put $1 win on every horse in a race, for example, while others will approach the window with their children in tow and bet their favorite horses to show. After the race is over, some people aren't even sure if their ship has come in.

"A lot of people hand you a stack of tickets and ask, 'Can you tell me if any of these has won?'" she said.

(08-13-98) [[In-content Ad]]