The Last Horserace

Abstract

Brandon Arvesen’s creative thesis, “The Last Horserace,” follows the author’s father, James, as he attempts to conjure up one last win. James, a semi-retired statistician and professional gambler, finds a new and altogether complicated target: pick six horse races held daily via simulcast at New York State’s Belmont park. The piece—part memoir, part biography—chronicles James’ past achievements and present conflicts as he, at seventy-seven years old, searches for relevance in a field he once dominated. Over the course of a year, James struggles to find a win while his son searches for meaning in their relationship—trying to understand what motivated his father back to the races when their family faces a looming crisis no amount of money can solve.