Lucky Funking Horseshoe

Day 7 part 2 and I'd checked in to Mandalay Bay and gotten a nice king room with a view of the airport, as requested.

Funkhouser was on site and we met down in the casino.

"I have some gifts for you," he said, and after setting up my freeplay at the Players Club booth, we headed up to his Delano corner suite.

Funk has had some luck in the casino this year and I've accused him of suffering constipation from the diamond-encrusted jumbo horseshoe that he must have up his arse.

Well, besides some bourbon laced chocolates, Funk had brought me my very own lucky Derby horseshoe!

Track Dirt. Yeah, I know what that is.

Funk's view.

My view

We gambled a bit and then had a quick bite at the Noodle House. It was only a few hours until dinner, so we kept it light. I had two appetizers - pot stickers, and spring rolls. Funkhouser had the Drunken Chicken Noodles.

It has to be noted that Funkhouser Big Money Haircut is a righteous dude and a generous friend.

He's got a ton of comps and he's bringing me on board for meals, and even a room at Planet Hollywood in a few days.

It's really great, and Funk, I can't thank you enough.

And on top of that, he even brought me a Turf Pie encrusted lucky goddamn Derby horseshoe (which for some stupid reason I'd left in his suite).

With no table manners to speak of, I wiped out my thing of ginger soy sauce all over the table.

They responded instantly, by bringing me an even bigger thing of EZ-Spill ginger soy sauce.

A little video poker brought me some quads, and I cashed out up a bit on the exchange.

We broke for a break, to reconvene to break bread at 7:00.

At the appointed time, I fired up a Buffalo Stampede machine and hit a bonus!

In fact, the moment Funk hit the casino floor, we reckoned, was the moment I hit the bonus. And he was bearing the horseshoe. Maybe it was lucky, even at a distance.

I played on and just as he arrived, I spun circles in my chair with glee.

I'd hit a big one.

BUFFFFFFFALO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ain't that a thing of beauty?

I was now way up on the day, maybe $450. WOOHOO!

We had dinner at Border Grille, and it was excellent. 

Smoked Prime Rib Tacos

Braised short rib with purple 'taters.

After an amazing dinner, we hit the machines again. Funk actually managed to win on that crane your balls machine.

After that hit, he asked me if he should go again.

"Cash out. Cash out immediately," was my advice, convinced that he'd seen about as good as it was going to get on that frustrating machine.

We finally settled in at some bartops for a few drinks.

I had some luck initially, but then lost $100. And then another $100. And I was just about to pack it in when a band started up with "One Headlight". Well, I had to stay for some live music. Another hundy went in and I rocked out, played Triple Double Bonus, got three Aces and kicker twice instead of four Aces, and lost the hundy, drinking shitty Wild Turkey antifreeze grade bourbon.

It was great.

Day plus $110

Trip down $550