The Day My $36 Pick 6 Won at Aqueduct | One Last Trip Around the Big A (1986)

As Aqueduct Racetrack closes after 132 years of live thoroughbred racing, I wanted to share one of my favorite memories from the "Big A." On March 21, 1986, after three consecutive days without a Pick 6 winner, a carryover of nearly $391,000 attracted thousands of bettors and pushed the total Pick 6 pool to more than $612,000—the largest Pick 6 pool since the wager was introduced. Armed with a $36 Pick 6 ticket, I correctly selected the winners of six consecutive races, becoming one of only nine winning ticket holders and collecting $57,160. This video combines portions of each of the six winning races, the complete and dramatic eighth race, original race charts, and newspaper articles that I've held onto for nearly forty years. Although my YouTube channel is devoted primarily to wildlife photography and nature, the closing of Aqueduct inspired me to revisit another lifelong passion—thoroughbred handicapping. It seemed like the perfect time to finally tell this story. For many New Yorkers, Aqueduct was much more than a racetrack. It was a place where generations gathered to cheer, hope, celebrate, and occasionally experience a day they would never forget. This was one of mine. Thank you, Aqueduct. It really was a good run. — John M. Martello #AqueductRacetrack #HorseRacing #Pick6 #ThoroughbredRacing #NewYorkRacing