WOW What A Weekend At The Shore!
When I made the decision to handicap the Monmouth racing cards throughout the summer, it was based on memories of weekends like this! For Preakness Saturday it was a big plus to get off to a fast start with three straight wins, and while I didn't "get rich" with my selections on Saturday it kept me "in the game" and positive while I was waiting to score at Pimlico. Who wouldn't take a 40% day with a positive profit? But it was Sunday that was the B-I-G day on the Jersey Shore......
After the very successful weekend, and such an enjoyable time in Ohio, I was scheduled to fly out at 1 pm. My sister and niece arrived a little before 11 am and the plan was to head to the airport about 11:45. Then at about 11:25 I got a text from Southwest that my flight was delayed until 2 pm; minutes later another that said it was delayed until 3:20; and about half an hour later a third saying it was delayed until 4 pm. Sigh....... So I was able to stay with my family for a while longer. We headed to the Columbus airport around 1 just in case the flight was moved closer to it's original take off time. I walked into the terminal and on the big display board it showed that the flight was scheduled back at 3:20. Better than 4 pm I thought. I got through security easily and when I headed to my gate I passed another monitor; a quick glance and then I did a double-take.....it NOW said we were LEAVING ON TIME at 1:30 - and it was 1:30 at this minute. I hustled to the gate and sure enough people were boarding! I asked the SW clerk was this the flight to Fort Lauderdale? No, this was to Fort Myers, "your flight is scheduled for 4 pm sir." Oh. So as I awaited the boarding process to begin I worked on the highlight video for Preakness weekend. At about 2:45 pm they announced that we were moving to another gate so I took my stuff and plugged my computer in, figuring I would have time to check out the first few races from Monmouth. I had handicapped the card Friday morning and made the investments before leaving this morning. In the second race I liked Johnny U - named I'm sure after Johnny Unitas who was my hero growing up as QB for the Baltimore Colts. This one would be hard to swallow at his near certain odds-on price with nine losses already and still in maiden claiming company. But the first six had been in MSW and the majority of the nine were on the tough NYRA circuit. The move to Monmouth and to top rider Paco Lopez meant he was a likely winner. I opened the replay and Johnny U was 2/5 and ran like it, under a confident hand ride with Paco Lopez doing his usual "I'm better than you" looking around through the stretch for the competition. I'd doubled the bet, so I will take the easy money. I missed on the 4th where I tripled the bet on the turf and Vipera was a non-threatening sixth at 2/1 odds. In the fifth Silver Majorette was the 6/5 post-time favorite and a Monmouth 40% Club play. After stumbling at the start she recovered, made a bid on the turn and fell back to finish 6th. It was post time for the 6th and I could see they were preparing to begin the boarding process, but I knew I'd have time to watch. My choice in this 2-lifetime claiming sprint was Hissy Fit. The conditions for the race read, ".....for 3yo or 3yo and up which have never won two races....." The other nine in here were maiden-winners only and fit the nw2L condition; but Hissy Fit was 2-for-5 lifetime and dropped out of nw3L company! That alone would make her the bet, but with Lopez riding for long-time client Eddie Plesa, who was training the filly for his wife Laurie Plesa it was a "duh" selection. But as they left the gate I was amazed that the crowd had NOT made her the favorite! As they hit the far turn a long shot was on the lead with Lopez confidently handling the Plesa filly. The 8/5 favorite was making a bid as Lopez let it out a notch. Though the chalk made up ground the rider was imploring his filly for all she was worth while Lopez sat there like a statute. As heads turned for home he asked and it was ALL over. Romping victory at a huge $6.80 price. And I'd tripled the bet! Cashed for over $50 and I'm having a great day.
As I was shutting down the laptop I got a text from my son Jeff who'd had both winners and he was grateful and excited as he'd passed on the other two, losing, picks of the day. He asked if there were any more picks, and I said to check out my selections as the "BEST of the Day" was in the featured 9th. We boarded and the flight went by smoothly, looked like we'd be about a half hour early as we approached from the west and I thought to myself I always like when the flight comes into Fort Lauderdale from the west. When you fly down the coast they always circle out to the western edge near our home and the Sawgrass Mills Mall, turn around and land. So when they approach from the west you avoid this ten minute or more delay. But as we approached Fort Lauderdale International I knew we were too high to land - seriously? We're flying out over the Atlantic to circle back around? Yes. Took about ten minutes, but what ever. As we made our final descent I thought we were too high and we passed the beginning of the runway and were even past the terminal as we closed in on the ground. Still, we'd make it, close, but I was confident that the crew knew what they were doing. We got about 20-50 feet off the ground and suddenly we swooped back in the air. WHAT THE??? The airline attendant came on and said "when it rains it pours" in regards to the delayed flight and now delayed landing. We flew out to the Sawgrass and headed back - surely we'll land from the west, yes? No. Flew right on by, out over the Atlantic and circled back again. The pilot came on and said there had been a "gust of wind that blew us out of the landing zone" - uh, yeah. Seemed to me like they just mis-judged the runway! We landed at about 6:35, so we were pretty much "on time" but a good 30 plus minutes from when we could have landed. I was near the front and was quickly off the plane. As soon as my phone came on I could see there was a text from Jeff. Would this mean we'd won or we'd lost the feature at Monmouth? I was walking to the parking garage carrying my luggage and trying to manipulate my phone to the video replay with my thumb and as I finally got it playing it looked like 1-Full Salute - who was the LONE SPEED in a five horse field under Lopez was leading them into the stretch, but was under pressure. Why am I not hearing the call I wondered....oh, the sound is off. As I flipped the sound on the #7 blew by and the announcer said, ".....and the favorite blows on by....." That's odd, I would have thought the #1 with Lopez would be the favorite. So, now knowing that I'd lost I opened Jeff's text. He didn't mention the result, just a quote from our favorite racing movie, "Let It Ride" - but the quote was from a part of the movie where they had WON the bet. That's odd. As I arrived in the garage at my car I quickly pulled up the chart of the race....I must have clicked on the wrong replay because Full Salute was the winner. And oh my, at a HUGE 3/1 price! WOW. As I put my phone away and got in the car to drive home it clicked in my head that the winning margin I think it said was a nose. That must have been thrilling. So when I got home I was able to watch the replay - WHAT A FINISH! Lopez had the lead into the turn but then not one but two rivals came to him. They passed him, but he fought back, and then up the rail came a fourth horse with all the momentum. Two jumps from the wire I was beaten, but a final surge and it was a FOUR-HORSE PHOTO FINISH! Luckily for me I already knew the result.....
The "prime time" investment coupled with the GIGANTIC $8 payoff meant I'd be collecting $80 on this race alone. For the day I was 3-for-5 and had won $75! I found it ironic that over the Preakness WEEKEND I'd won $65 on twenty-five races, but today, just playing Monmouth, with NO STAKES races, I'd won more money. That's one of the many great things about this racing game, you never know. Later in the evening Jeff called so we could share our good fortune :) Good times on the Jersey Shore this weekend my friends!
Monmouth Park Highlights
Preakness Weekend: May 21-22
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