Jim "The Hat" Bradshaw
 

Hello Race Fans,


I wanted to join your forum, meet those of you, that knew my Dad, Jim "The Hat" Bradshaw. In two months, Dad will have been gone for 11 years. There is not a day goes by, that I do not miss him.


Last year, I had to move Mom (LeRoi) to assisted living. She is doing so much better there. When I was cleaning out their home of 52 years, I came across many items from their life of racing. I found a letter from a gentleman from New Jersey that came to have a one on one training sessions with The Hat. However, the letter was not signed. The letter was so heartfelt, and funny, I wish I knew the author.


I have to set up a profile picture. It can't be denied, that I am "The Hats" daughter, I look just like him.


Looking forward to chatting with all of you.

Hi and welcome. I was fortunate enough to have been befriended by both your dad and mom. They were always so friendly whether it was racing related or anything else. I got a kick how LeRoi would give the the Hat a little needling at the many seminars I attended. I would swap some NYPD war stories [I am a retired NYPDLt] with them and Doc. Glad to hear that Leroi is doing well. Once again welcome and say hello to your mom for me.
Tim G

Hello Tim, thank you for responding, and your fond remembrance of my parents. I think you gave Dad, an NYPD cap to wear. I also think, that maybe an NYPD card, that is blue & gold. I believe that it is still in Dad's wallet at Mom's apartment.


My husband & I live in both Oklahoma, and Colorado. We are still in Colorado, so I can not look at Mom's apartment.

Guilty as charged. He also liked police patches that I was able to get from various Departments around the country. Like I said I was one of the fortunate ones to have been called friend by both Jim and LeRoi. We did manage to always seem to find the hotel watering hole at the end of the day where Jim would spin some of those Okie tales of his. One of the funnier stories the Doc told us was when he and Jim were at the track at Woodbine Canada, Jimmy noticed that what we called triples at the time was called a triactor Jim then turned to Doc and said look Howard they have tractor races up here. Needless to say we were rolling on the floor. Another of Jims' famous story was when he would stand up before the group at a seminar and proudly proclaim, that before he met Doc, he was once such a losing player that he once bet every horse in the race so he could say he had the winner. None of us could believe that but he swore it was true. I think that you will hear more stories as people see this thread. I know that Richie P has many of his own which he has shared a few times up at the Saratoga meet ups. They will keep you laughing for hours. Mitch 44 and RMath are 2 more who have good tales. In fact Mitch was living in NJ at the time and maybe the one who wrote that letter you mentioned. Well I rambled too long. Hopefully some more old timers will join in shortly.
Tim

Hello HatsGirl,


I was with Tim (LT1) at those waterholes after the classes were over. Always fond of both your parents who were terrific friends. I sent a big ham to Leroi so she would not have to cook when he passed. Some years later she still recalled that and asked how Tim was doing as we were always tight and together.


I brought and used your Dad's program of Aodds Gold and used it for quite sometime. I was living in NJ but honestly don't recall the letter and would have signed it, so most likely someone else.


Glad to here your Mom is doing well. Send her Tim's and I warmest regards and best of health.


Galen G. Mitchell AKA Mitch44

Welcome
 

Dear Hat's Girl

Welcome so much to Pace and Cap. It was such an honor to have your father contribute to our community. When I find my self feeling down, these days
I remember the joy your dad and Howard Sartin gave to Pace and Cap members.

He was a great teacher and his work will carry on for so many here.
We all loved and respected him, and miss him so much.

Yours
Bill Varone

Hi Rhonda and welcome!

Your dad was one of the most positive influences in my life when we met (phone wise!) in 2006. The stories he told me and the racing and life lessons he taught me all while your Mom was sitting next to him are priceless.

I hope all is well with your family and please tell LeRoi I said hi. I cant wait to see your pics!

Richie

Hello Richie, I was wondering what had happened to you. I have heard many stories that you have told my Dad. Will tell LeRoi that you said hello. Hope all is good with you.

Thank you for your kind words Bill V. Dad, and LeRoi so enjoyed all the time they spent with all of you. When I was cleaning out their home, I came across many pictures of all of you. When we get back to OK, I hope to get some from Mom, to post.

Galen, I saw your name many times, on letters at Mom & Dad's house. For me, this has been a walk down memory lane. To hear from all of you, that I have heard about for years. Now, I can't tell all the stories that I have heard. The Sartin Methodology & The Match Up seminars are like Vegas. What went on there, stays there!

I am so glad that what went on at seminars stays there. Woo had me worried there for
a minute. ha ha ha


Welcome home,
Mitch44

Boy Mitch thank goodness what happened at the seminars is going to stay there lol. We can always it wasn't us but our evil twins.
Tim

Welcome Rhonda! In addition to our emails, I can add that once I was at a Las Vegas seminar in 1993 (the one in the video collection where I had long hair and asked a question and Howard mocked my Canadian accent :)) - and one evening I heard a terrible ruckus at the hotel bar (Excalibur?) that I later learned was Hat and Doc (and likely Mitch and Lt. Tim and others) holding forth over excellent libations! For reasons I cannot now remember, I did not join in. But I was there.

Nowadays - it's just us, celebrating sometimes at various Saratoga bars, but with the spirits and memories of Jimmy and Howard never far from our hearts and minds.

Hope you enjoy reconnecting with old friends here. My best to your mother!

Ted

Thanks, to all of you "Rowdy Bunch Racers". I was talking to Mom this morning, and reading all the post. Then she started telling me stories, so now, I have plenty.

Rhonda you are beginning to become a clear and present danger to the rowdy bunch. We may have to make you take a blood oath to keep our ids safe lol. Hopefully some of our secrets are still safe. Glad to see your mom still remembers this crew.
Tim

Hello and welcome Rhonda.
I never met your father, but I feel I know him through Richie P. who was teaching me the ins and outs of handicapping at the time. For many years he regailed me with stories about his phone calls with him with your Mom sitting beside him. . As for all these rowdies on here, having met a lot of them, I can assure you they haven't changed one bit

Glad to meet you Barb. Yes, I too have not met anyone on this forum. However, I feel I know them all well.

Hi Rhonda. I got to talk to LeRoi today. We talked for about a 11/2. She sounded great and as sharp as ever. We shared a few laughs and stories. I'm looking forward to many more calls and laughs. Thanks so much for starting this thread.
Tim

I received a surprised call today from LeRoi. Apparently she still had my number in her book. What an unexpected surprise it was and made my day.


She is doing really well and is really upbeat. Loves it where she resides while surrounded by friends.
She loved "The Hats" Aodds Gold program when it came out and was good with it. She told me about the time they were at the track and she took the top 3 and ran up and played an EX. It came in and paid over $300. All three horses came in for the Tri. which paid huge as all three were longshots. She said the winner was 65-1 and ridden by Joe Bravo. I told her he still rides and is still very good. Jimmy was pleasingly surprised.


One thing I always liked about LeRoi was she is a free sprit and a joy to be near. Always positive which is infectious. Jimmy talked of Indian sprits but her free child sprit was and had to be a profound influence on Jimmy's game.


When the Doctor came into her room she told him "I'm on the phone with my boyfriend." She asked of LT1 and is anxious for that connection also.


Mitch44

Mitch that was some hit she made. The reason she didn't get the tri was they were at a location that closed out betting 2 mins to post for out of town races. She used Aodds to perfection and could hold her own with anyone in the group. She does sound very happy at her new place with a lot of friends. She hopes to hear from a few more of the old gang.
Tim

Tim & Mitch, so glad you got to talk to LeRoi. Yes she likes her apartment, and she is well taken care of there. With us living out of state, it was a Godsend that we find such a nice place. I know she has fond memories of her time with all of you.

Hats Girl
 

Rhonda, I met your Dad and Mom at one of the earlier seminars (late 80s or early 90s).
We became good friends right away.
It was at one of the seminars that your Dad spoke up about me, ( after I was written up in the Follow UP for winning several tris and supers.)
He told everyone that he would not give out my name but that he called me
(Dan Dan the color man) because I used several colored markers to highlight my contenders.
I still use them to this day.
Next time you talk to your Mom ask her if she remembers the cards I sent to them.

Good luck
Rmath
Dan Dan the Color Man

Hi Rich[or should I say Dan Dan the Color Man] Nice to hear from another of the old gang.I completely forgot about that name lol. We should have added King of Mountaineer also.
Tim

Thanks
 

Thanks LT.
I stopped using that nick name after Jimmy passed away.
I used to call him a couple of times each month until he got sick and then I would check in and talk to LeRoi to see how he was doing.
I miss talking to both of them.
They were and are very special people.
Rmath

I love it, Dan Dan the Color Man. Dad was always very creative. I can't tell you all the names he had for me. You all will have to ask LeRoi how she got her nickname. That is for her to tell.

Hello
 

Hello Rhonda

I drove out to Tulsa from New Jersey in 2006.
I stayed at your parents home for a week, I went out to meet Jim, He taught me the matchup. Your mom Leroi was so nice, She told me so many nice stories,

Jim and I sat at a table near the kitchen and worked races'
When I would get a race correctly working with your dad she would
make me feel so happy, Jim would call me into one of the rooms down the hall,' He had it set up like a library and we would work some races in there
on the computer

I have so many nice memories, Not just about learning about racing
from Jim, but also making 2 new friends, We had some life-changing for me talks each evening when Just Jim and I and the little dog, went for his walk.

One evening Howard Sartin called, I got to sit in on a magic conversation
between two of my idols

Tell LeRoi I said hello

Bill Varone
"Binder"

BTW Jim is the one who came up with that nickname
He would ask Richie P "How is Bin - Der"

Bin-Der, it might be you that wrote the letter that I found, while cleaning out Mom & Dad's house. It talks about riding in LeRoi's Honda, until one day, The Hat came to get you, in a big Cadillac with horns on the front. Was that you?

Yes
 

Hi Rhonda

Yes ,😊 your mom and dad drove me all around in the family car, Then on the day
Jim and I went to the simulcast center to work races, Jim picked me up in the white caddy with the horns an " The Hat" license plates

I had a great time

Bill
BIN. DER

Hi Bill how you doing today?. Thank for sharing another great Hat story.
Tim

Bill V. I will try to find that letter, and scan it in to show all. If that is OK with you. It was a nice letter, and so creative.

True story
 

so Jim and a couple of buddies used to fly in a small plane to tracks from time to time. One day they took off for Fairgrounds and Jim and a friend were in the back drinking a bit of bourbon. All of a sudden the pilot (forgive me I cant remember his name) comes in the back and takes a swig of the booze! :eek:

Hat asks him "who the hell is flying the dang plane?" He answered the auto pilot was on. Hat yells at him " get back up there and fly the dang plane and when we land Im gonna kick the crap outta you!"

Of course they landed safely and Hat went and ………………..

LOL

Hi Richie how you doing my friend. Thanks for this story. I hope you will share some of those you told us up at the Spa. Had me laughing my butt off.
Tim

Richie P, that is was great story. I had heard it, but had forgotten all about it.

The day it rained money at Belmont
 

Hat used to love playing New York racing and as he put it "taking that smart NY money"!

He went to the simulcast one day and when he got home he told me he played Belmont and lost bad. Told me he had unfinished business there! A week later he called me up wanting to play but I told him it was raining and he said PASS til it was nice out.

Couple of days later weather was gonna be nice and he told me during our nightly phone call to get the pp's for the next days card and to call him early and we'd go over the card beforehand. I called early and LeRoi answered. I said hi and she said" Richie he has that look in his eye, Ive seen it before! We should play his horses in daily doubles and pick 3's and include his "other horse"" When she put him on the phone he went over the whole card giving me ONE horse in every race and in a few of them gave me his "other horse", telling me to "play them Rich"

Ok so the card runs and he goes 7 for 9 with his horse and in one of the other 2 races his "other horse" wins. so 8 out of 9 and a few were double digit payers too! I called the house later, before speaking with Hat LeRoi asked me how I did :( I told her I played my own horses and while wining a few bucks ….... LeRoi laughed telling me I was a stubborn … said if we had played them all in doubles and pick 3 's we could have won enough to buy a car! This was true!

Hat comes in and gets on the phone" told you Rich we were gonna get them good"! He hit like 3 or 4 cold pick 3;s , doubles, win bets everything! He cleaned up and when he asked ME about my play and I told him what I had done he paused for a couple of seconds then said " Rich I like that you follow your own path but today you're a dumb sonofa…..! LMAO I told him he's right


I really miss Jim and our talks which to be honest were much more about life and being a good person over horse racing. I am Blessed to know him


Richie

PS - Hi Tim! We are doing great, Karen says hi and cant wait to hook up again at the Spa :)

Oh Richie, I loved that story. Thank you so much for sharing. I remember the last 7 weeks before he passed and he was in the hospital, that you would call, and brighten his day. When they thought, that they may be able to do radiation on him again on his 5th cancer, he said he might have to change his name, from "The Hat", to "The Cat", because it looked like he may have 9 lives.


I miss him so much. He would call me, and say "uh Mac", "I may have gotten you in trouble with LeRoi". I would say, "Dad, why did you do that"? He would say "I really didn't mean to", and just laugh. This would happen about every week.

Hey Rich that was one of the great stories that you share with us at the Spa. I can almost hear Jimmy giving you heck. lol. Say hi to Karen and hopefully we will meet at the Spa again this year.
Tim

Rhonda your dad was one tough son of a gun.
Tim

mild
 

The thing I will always remember about all my talks with Jim and Leroi was
they never played the game of talking negatively

I had so many questions about past members of Pirco
Some who left under good terms and lots who left for greener pastures
and pots of gold using Jim and Doc's programs under their own brand.

They always spoke with respect and or no comments

I appreciate their high road life choices
they earned my total respect

Bill "Binder"

Thank you so much Bill "Binder".

You are right Tim. Sort of a long story: Dad & I use to watch Everyone Loves Raymond. One time, Ray wrote an obituary for his Dad Frank, but Frank was not deceased. Frank found out, and liked what Raymond had said. Dad & I were talking, and he wanted to know what I would say in his obituary. I said, "well, I have to say how smart you are", Dad says "OH YES". I said, "I have to say how good lookin' you are", he says, "that's a must". Last but not least, "I have to say you are the toughest SOB that I know". Dad say, "you have got to say that".


When he had been moved into hospice, he kept hanging on, and the nurse did not know why. When it was just Dad & I in the room, I went over to him, and took his hand. I said "Dad, you are the toughest SOB that I have ever known, but you have to let go". "I am going to let go of your hand, and when I do, I want to you to take The Lord's hand, and go with him, he is waiting on you" I was praying so hard, to be as tough as my Dad, and not cry. I left go of Dad's hand, and stepped back, and he quit breathing. I went to tell the nurse, "I think my Dad just died". All hell broke lose, and they came running in, and yes he was gone.