First family of Las Vegas sports betting handicaps the Kentucky Derby

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The Associated Press

Jockey Mario Gutierrez rides Nyquist, center, to victory ahead of Exaggerator, front left, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, in the 142nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 7, 2016, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The Desormeaux brothers, Exaggerator’s trainer and jockey, still think they can beat Nyquist. They’ll get their chance Saturday in the Preakness Stakes.

Sun, Apr 30, 2017 (2 a.m.)

Las Vegas favorites

• Classic Empire: 5-to-1

• Always Dreaming: 6-to-1

• Irish War Cry: 7-to-1

• McCraken: 8-to-1

• Gunnevera: 10-to-1

• Irap: 35-to-1

• Hence: 40-to-1

When: 3:34 p.m. May 6

Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

TV: NBC

Learn from Vega

Tony Vega will participate in a free Kentucky Derby seminar at 6 p.m. Friday at the Railhead inside Boulder Station, along with fellow race experts Gordon Jones and Joanne Jones.

But he’s not keeping it a secret on the horses he’s looking to build his tickets around on the big race.

“I’ve got three horses I’ve been watching for a while — Irish War Cry, Hence and Always Dreaming,” he said.

Which one of those stands out to his wife, Shannon Vega?

“Irish War Cry,” she said. “I’m Irish, so I’ll go with him.”

Gamblers would often bypass Shannon Vega when she worked as a ticket writer at the Boulder Station race and sports book and head straight to her supervisor when they approached the betting counter.

She became mystified enough as to why bettors always flocked to Tony Vega that she decided to investigate.

“Why do people always come over here and ask you questions?” Shannon asked him.

Tony chuckled and responded, “Well, that’s just the way I am around town. A lot of people know me through horse racing.”

Shannon would come to know Tony for much more. They struck up a friendship, and kept in touch after she was transferred to Red Rock Resort.

About five years after they worked together at Boulder Station, they started dating and eventually got married, becoming the unofficial first family of the local sports betting industry. Tony currently works as a casino host at Boulder Station, serving the casino’s horse players specifically, while Shannon is a supervisor at the Fiesta Henderson sports book.

“As we got together, I pushed her more toward horses,” Tony said.

It was no small feat, considering Shannon had no previous interest in the sport and was only familiar with it through a now-shuttered harness track that operated in her hometown of Jackson, Mich., growing up. Tony, on the other hand, found a lifelong love in horse racing at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita in his native Los Angeles when he was in his early 20s.

He became an accomplished tournament handicapper, and moved to Las Vegas to get closer to the gaming industry. He bet on horses professionally for a few years before accepting a job at Binion’s Horseshoe.

Shannon tired of the Michigan winters and decided to move to Las Vegas years later. Partially inspired by her passion for football, she caught on at the Rio sports book before moving to Station Casinos.

She never really understood horse racing, let alone expected it to play a big role in her life. But there’s no separating Tony from the sport, meaning the ponies have accompanied every stage of their relationship.

They realized how deeply they felt for each other after Tony went on his annual trip to Del Mar Thoroughbred Club near San Diego following their first two dates. Usually a week devoted entirely to spending time with his buddies, Tony found himself texting Shannon constantly.

One morning, he went for a walk on the beach and didn’t realize how much time had passed during their conversation.

“The poor guy walked miles and miles because he didn’t realize he was talking to me so much,” Shannon said. “You can’t miss someone that much after two dates, and not be like, ‘OK, he’s the guy.’ ”

Tony looks back on the trip with similar fondness.

“We made some money, had a really good week,” Tony said. “Of course, I got a little ribbing from the fellas but that’s how it goes.”

Less than a year later, Tony and Shannon wed in Michigan. They carved out some time in Chicago for a Cubs game at Wrigley Field beforehand and, of course, a matinee at Arlington Park afterwards.

Tony also took her on dates to see his old stomping grounds at Hollywood and Santa Anita.

“I like going to the track a lot,” Shannon said. “There’s something about being there live, seeing the horses, going down to the barn and petting them. ... I know what I’m talking about when I talk horses now, but I’m more into sports.”

Shannon has built up impressive betting credentials of her own. Last season, she placed second in Gaming Today’s annual Bookie Battle, where a representative from every property in town picks every NFL game against the spread.

She puts more energy into picking football games than horse races.

“I’m still like, ‘I like the way this horse looks, or I like this name,’ ” Shannon said. “It takes a little more attention span than I have to sit there and handicap.”

Tony has plenty of people in the casino with whom he can talk about a horse’s past performances or how to stack a superfecta. When it comes to Shannon, having a spouse to share in his passion is more than enough.

He doesn’t try to change her methodology.

“I never try to convince her otherwise,” Tony said. “She picks winners that way. You’re either into handicapping or you’re not. It’s very time consuming, but just happens to be something I love.”

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