Mark Paul is the author of “The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told,” a captivating and inspiring narrative about three fun-loving gamblers who believed that Winning Colors could be the unlikely female winner of the 1988 Kentucky Derby and were willing to bet a million bucks on it.

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Future Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ spectacular 3-year-old filly Winning Colors won the Santa Anita Oaks by eight lengths and the Santa Anita Derby by 7 ½ lengths leading up to a bid to defeat males again in the 1988 run for the roses. In the Derby — against a loaded field that included standout males like Forty Niner, Risen Star, and Seeking the Gold — another future Hall of Famer, jockey Gary Stevens, gave Winning Colors a Hall of Fame ride as she became only the third filly to win the Derby in more than 110 years for her owner, Eugene Klein, the billionaire owner of the National Football League’s San Diego Chargers.

“The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told” follows along for the ride with author “Miami Paul” and friends Dino Mateo and Big Bernie as the gamblers unknowingly place their seven-figure bet with members of a suspected drug cartel at a racetrack in Tijuana, Mexico.

The trio must then figure out how to claim their prize without getting killed in the process and face a pulse-pounding race of their own across the U.S.-Mexico border, where they come face-to-face with suspected killers, are arrested by Border Patrol, and fumble their way through the riskiest bet of their lives.

Author Mark Paul seeks out action and adventure. He began his gambling career by sneaking into Hollywood Park and Santa Anita Park as a teenager and has made a 5,000-mile journey on a sailboat to attend Caribbean and South American horse races. Paul, who has enjoyed a long commercial real estate career, has owned interests in 38 racehorses to date. He and his wife, Renee, have raised more than $750,000 for City of Hope cancer research through their events held at Santa Anita.

Paul took some time to chat about his adventures and “The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told.”

1. When did you realize that your story, as told in your best-selling book “The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told,” was one that you wanted to chronicle in a book?

The author in Los Angeles (Mark Paul photo)

I always wanted to tell the story but was afraid of the Cartel element as depicted in the book. I was very careful to footnote all the Cartel elements with the true news stories of the time in 1988.

2. When and how did you first meet Dino Mateo and Big Bernie?

High School in 1971, and Big Bernie in 1985

3. Where was the first horse race you attended in person and how old were you?

I was 15, so 1971 at Santa Anita Park. My first big bet was Ancient Title winning the Malibu [Stakes] in 1974.

4. What did you find alluring about the sport of horse racing and betting?  

The very first moment I attended the races, I thought it was the greatest thing I had ever seen! I was a fan in a moment! Exciting, beautiful, mentally challenging to pick a winner, AND you could gamble on it! It was Heaven found …

5. What was it about Winning Colors that drew you in and compelled you to go all in on her for the Kentucky Derby?

It was Dino — who is a track genius — who convinced me she could do it! She was huge and incredibly fast out of the gate!

The author in Tijuana, Mexico in 1988. (Mark Paul photo)

6. How did you guys end up in Tijuana, Mexico for the Kentucky Derby?

We were afraid the Cartel would rob us — or set us up to be robbed — so we thought it would be safer to collect on Derby day 1988 at the Agua Caliente racetrack, as there would be thousands of fans there for the simulcast race, but they refused to pay us that day!

7. Who gave you the nickname “Miami Paul,” and do people still refer to you as that?

I dressed like Don Johnson from the hit show of the time “Miami Vice.” Some do still call me “Miami.”

8. What did you do with your winnings from Winning Color’s Kentucky Derby?

I paid off my second mortgage, paid off my debts, drank 500 margaritas … and kept going to the track!

9. Do you have a favorite racetrack you’ve attended?

Santa Anita Park

10. Do you have a favorite jockey?

Gary Stevens, who rode Winning Colors! Then, Laffit Pincay Jr. is second.

11. Why do you think readers are so drawn to your book, resulting in more than 50,000 copies of the book being sold? 

Because it is a true story … because Winning Colors had to overcome so much adversity to beat the best colts in the world (it was an amazing field of horses) … because the readers connected with her hard-working groom, Luis … because racing is such a beautiful sport conducted at the most gorgeous venues in all of sports … and because the gamblers were characters the fans wanted to root for as we tried to survive the story and live to tell about it!

Paul praying at a racebook in Las Vegas. (Mark Paul photo)

12. Have you had any interest from Hollywood or the streaming platforms to turn your book into a movie?

I have been on over 20 podcasts featuring the book, including the huge one on NPR’s “Snap Judgement” titled “Winning Colors – Snap Classic” with over four million downloads, I’m told. I have the book with several Hollywood producers now — that have written a great script — and have several studios giving script comments. Nothing is set, but I’m optimistic!

13. What’s your favorite bet to place in horse racing?

A great win bet on a horse with early speed! When they go to the front, I start chanting, “Stop the race! Stop the race!”

14. Besides the story in your book, what’s the biggest payday you ever had at the races?

A few exotics of say $15,000, but the most memorable was John Henry winning the 1981 Santa Anita Handicap.

15. What three things would you change to improve horse racing if you were commissioner for a day?

I could go on forever and have written Blogs on my book web site: https://markpaulauthor.com/

Here are my top ones: 

1. Lower the Takeout (we can’t compete with sports betting at the current rates).

2. Eliminate CAWs (computer-assisted wagering entities)!

3. Provide free handicapping data. 

4. Televise (or stream) series of races for top horses with points and bonuses.

5. Promote the sport on social media to younger fans.