Once upon a time there was a man known as Toney Betts who wrote about horse racing for a newspaper known as the Daily Mirror, a New York City publication. Betts’ square name was Anthony Zito, but as Mr. Racing for New Yorkers, the tag of BETTS was more appropriate.

In 1956 he wrote a book titled ACROSS THE BOARD and for its honest look at the Sport of Kings at the time it has never been surpassed. The modest price of $3.95 entitled the buyer and reader to a "cavalcade of bettors, bookies, touts, handicappers and other personalities who have created America’s number one sport…"

As a boy in Brooklyn Toney had gambling and printers ink in his blood. He began playing horses at age twelve. As a teenager in his first big crap game he had a pair of loaded dice planted on him by a team of cheaters and when some tough guys spotted the dice he was rescued from mayhem by a man he calls the "g