Every dog has his day. That old adage gets proven every once in a while.

A few years back, I went to the dog races at The Woodlands racetrack and, while scanning the racing book, a dog named Higgy Baby caught my eye. For some reason, I just needed to bet a couple of bucks on this dog. Years later, I’m not sure what compelled me to bet on this Greyhound. I don’t know that he’d ever won a race.

I just had a feeling.

The friend I was with told me I was crazy. The dog was a loser, he said. There was no reason to think that this animal could even finish a race, let alone win, place or show. My friend was one of those guys who studied racing and knew how to place bets. He wagered on trifectas and superfectas and boxed quinellas. He got to know the trainers and handlers. He played the odds.

Of course, Higgy Baby came out of nowhere to win his race, and though I collected a nice little wad of cash, the really sweet thing is that Higgy Baby’s win spoiled what would have been a lucrative superfecta for my friend. I tried not to celebrate too much as my friend ripped up his now worthless betting slip.

Like I said, every dog has his day. Even me.

Soon, no dog will have any kind of day at The Woodlands, which announced recently that its final day of racing will be Aug. 24. For years, the track has struggled mightily in the face of fierce competition from area casinos. For years, the owners — the Grace family from St. Joseph — tried to save the track by lobbying the state of Kansas to allow them to install slot machines. But no deal could be reached, and the track will be closed.

What’s the benefit of slot machines, you may ask?

Well, let’s see. Slots generate piles of cash, never call in sick, don’t unionize, never steal and can work all the overtime you need. Need more money? Well, just tighten those slots down and squeeze more coins from each player.

Good luck getting that performance from a cocktail waitress or blackjack dealer.

The irony is that slot machines actually caused The Woodlands’ downfall. But for years now, they’ve been trumpeted as its savior.

Hmmm ... that started me thinking.

Casino gambling has pretty much laid waste to pari-mutuel betting all over the country. And, as they see attendance and profits dwindle, track owners and executives try (usually in vain) to introduce casino gambling in order to save their business.

But I think they’ve got things backward.

Instead of installing slot machines at racetracks, we should instead build racetracks at casinos. In other words, don’t bring the slots to the dog. Bring the dog to the slots.

Think about it. Would Terrible’s St. Jo Frontier Casino generate huge amounts of additional revenue if it were to build a dog track adjacent to its casino? Odds are it would, because the casino would attract both pari-mutuel bettors and casino gamblers.

Personally, I hate to see The Woodlands close.

While I’m neither a regular track bettor or casino gambler, I would rather play the horses or dogs any day then perch on a stool and mind-numbingly feed coins into a slot machine. With racing, there’s a contest involved. You can cheer for the animal you’ve staked your money on. In fact, most people do consider horse racing a sport.

Also, with racetrack betting, you have greater control over whether you win or not. Casino odds are established and always stacked against you. In track betting, the odds are there, but you can choose to bet against them or with them. I know some bettors who comb through the tout sheets and win money every time they go to the track.

But the lure of the comfortable, air-conditioned casino is too great for most people. That’s why gambling on the future of racetracks that aren’t associated with a casino is a sucker’s bet.

If every dog has his day, that day has passed for pari-mutuel betting in Kansas — even if there’s a cute little puppy named Higgy Baby entered in the fifth race.

Steve Booher’s column runs on Monday.