Now that gamblers are our sports’ VIPs, relied upon to sustain or grow TV rights payments, I was struck last Saturday by the sight of the man who first taught me about the sick and twisted fickleness of those who place the bets. 

Before the running of the Belmont Stakes, this year at Saratoga, NYRA did a nice thing by having legendary former jockey Angel Cordero Jr., now 83, to provide the “Riders up!” call. 

Cordero was legendary for inspiring love and hate, often from the same people on the same afternoon. 

When I was in high school my dad brought me to Aqueduct, where we stood near the rail, closest to the action, for a bit. Cool!