Crazy Legs Conti

“Buffalo” Jim Reeves, left, beats Crazy Legs Conti by a fraction of a dog in Monday’s eating contest at Saratoga Race Course.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Who's hungry? Eight competitors of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at the Saratoga Race Course on Monday volunteered to eat as many dogs as they could in 10 minutes without palming it in their hands or worse, vomiting. "I eat for a living and love every bite of it," said second-place winner Jason "Crazy Legs" Conti, who is ranked 11th in the world of competitive eating. Conti was the subject of the 2004 film "Crazy Legs Conti: Zen and Art of Competitive Eating," which played at Tribeca and Los Angeles film festivals. According to his Web site, Conti is not only a competitive eater but also a window-washer, nude model and avid sperm donor. But eating for a living is his claim to fame. "Nathan's hot dogs taste so good you should enjoy one in 10 minutes, but I happen to like about 22 in ten minutes," he said. "I'm a 'progurgitator' in every sense of the word. Whatever they put in front of me, I consume it."But Conti was bested by "Buffalo" Jim Reeves, a math teacher from central New York, in an upset, something not unusual to fans of Saratoga Race Course. Reeves, who's ranked 28th in the world, shoveled in 23¼ dogs, slightly more than Conti. "It's kind of odd," Reeves said. "I was always self-conscious about eating in front of people, being a big guy, but I don't know these people. I don't do this at home in front of friends and family." Reeves won a year's supply of - what else? - Nathan's hot dogs."I'll put the supply in my freezer and use them to train for next year's circuit," Reeves said.

CRAZY LEGS CONTI (The DVD): Zen and the Art of Competitive EatingCrazy Legs Conti is an eccentric New York window washer, nude model and sperm donor, and huge fan of the annual July 4th hot dog eating competition. When he casually breaks the world oyster eating record in New Orleans, he decides to dedicate himself to fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a professional competitive eater.Join Crazy Legs as he travels across the country, sharing his insights into the sport of competitive eating, working on his technique, and striving to attain the Zen-like focus and capacity of the great Japanese eating master, Takeru Kobayashi.Will Crazy Legs complete his journey from mere aficionado to professional by avoiding the dreaded "urge contrary to swallowing?" Does he have the eating prowess to ultimately earn a spot at "the Super Bowl of Competitive Eating" - Nathan's Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest?