After four consecutive racing days, the last three filled with stakes races and top runners throughout the Belmont Festival of Racing weekend, today I was back to my Monmouth Park handicapping project. I had handicapped this Sunday card on Friday while watching the races online. I made my plays early in the morning and then we drove up to Orlando to spend the day with Brad, Lauren, and Julie while enjoying Brad & Lauren's newly purchased first home. Really impressed with the neighborhood, their house, and how hard they've worked to turn it into a home so quickly. As I worked through the card, and perhaps it was that I was distracted with the races while I handicapped, but it seemed that this was a particularly weak card, even for a Sunday. Still, I was able to find five horses with enough of an advantage to make investments. I passed the first three races and in the fourth, on the turf in a claiming event, it was the one pick I had the most confidence in of the eleven race card. Exclusive Strike was a thirteen-time winner on the grass, dropping in class, an earner of almost half a million dollars and had top rider Paco Lopez riding for trainer Jason Servis. The two have won at an absurd 45% over the last two years. Four straight runner-up finishes was a concern but they were all against better. Go back one additional race.....it's at this level and is a WIN, HERE! Sent off at 4/5 he lacked clear running room through the turn, found a seam and shot up the rail only to be stopped dead in his tracks. Even the track announcer remarked about the "brutal trip" he had. Fourth at 4/5. Passed the fifth and then supported Tiger Bourbon in the 6th, another claiming event on the turf. This runner was a woeful 2-for-26 with TWELVE 2nd and 3rd place finishes, but he was going first off the claim for top trainer Jorge Navarro today. Claimed away from a barn with only five wins in 2016....the Navarro barn has racked up SIXTY-THREE - a major upgrade :) Multiple bullet works sealed the deal. Sent away at even money he pressed the pace to the turn then blew by to open up. But he was all out to hold on at the wire .... still, a win is a win! Doubled the bet so I collected $20. Passed again in the 7th. In the eighth it was a wild scramble with no one having any form, but Guchi Gold was a Monmouth 40% Club angle with Jose Ferrer riding for trainer Kathleed DiMasi. Guchi Gold had only been on the turf twice since January, but was a sharp second last out beaten 1/2 length and a good 3rd off a five month layoff at Tampa in January. Was well back to the turn, then began weaving in and out, between and around horses to reach third turning for home. Got to the front and just held on over my second choice, the post time favorite! Missed in the last two when both ran fourth. But for the day a steady 40% (2-for-5)....I'll take it as we head off to Alaska this week.
I had to wonder going into today's huge racing day, just how well could I reasonably expect to do? I was coming off an amazing 23 win day last Saturday; and had followed that up with two days at Belmont this week going 9-for-18, 50%. Seriously, the numbers have to "return to normal" at some point, and I noticed when I was finished handicapping that several of my picks - unlike last weekend - were NOT on the obvious favorite. I got tickets for Keith and I to sit in the Silks Simulcast Center and then Jim Anderson contacted me and I got him a seat next to us. Even getting the seats on Wednesday all of the individual seats with a personal monitor were gone. I got us "front row" right underneath the big, flat-screen HD screens. No problem! First post for the initial race on Belmont Day was an early 11:35 am and it was a stakes race. I had picked Cupid to win the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby off an impressive outing in the Rebel Stakes, but he gave way at the top of the stretch. He returned in the listed Easy Goer Stakes with valid excuses and was listed as the 3/5 program favorite. I bet the race online as Keith and I headed out at 11 am. We had no sooner picked up our tickets when the replay was being finished on the big screen in the paddock - fifth of five as the 4/5 favorite after pressing the pace he gave it up again. :( I passed on the next race but had the winner listed as my top selection. NOT the way I was thinking the day would go! Next up was the Grade 1 Acorn for three-year-old fillies. This was the gal's version of the Belmont Stakes for the colts. But, unlike the boys, this "third leg" of their "Triple Crown" was a turn-back to a one-turn mile. This seemed to be an OBVIOUS play into the wheel-house of Kentucky Oaks heroine Cathryn Sophia. She had absolutely dominated the 3yo filly stakes at Gulfstream this winter and both of those had been one turn events, the Grade 2 Davona Dale at this one-turn mile. I had planned to make her the bet of the day on Florida Derby Day but she passed to make her first two-turn start in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland. I made her the bet that day and she seemed to show she did not want any part of two turns. But on Oaks Day she surprised everyone but my son Jeff and won at over 4/1 odds. So today, the return to an established one-turn mile she would be tough to beat. Not so fast my friends! On Oaks Day, even with as impressive as Cathryn Sophia had been, I thought the most impressive performance had come in the Grade 3 Eight Belles by Bill Mott's Carina Mia. She had been on the AE list for the Oaks and Mott had publicly said he really liked her chances in the Oaks and wanted to run there. When she didn't get in she went to this seven furlong event. That day she looked to be the controlling speed but right out of the gate she was squeezed back to last. Not good. But on the far turn while settled into stride she kicked into high gear and blew the doors off the field in the most visually impressive outing of the day. This was something that even several NBC analysts remarked about on the broadcast. Today, at this one-turn mile, there looked to be little speed so I explained to Jim and Keith that I would not mind at all her going to the lead today. I thought it interesting that Mott remarked in the pre-race interviews that we had found out she could utilize a different running style to win. So how would she run today? What was the plan. I personally thought today she could wire the field. But right out of the gate jockey Julian Leparoux restrained her .... to the back of the short field. Not so sure this is a good idea. As they began to spin out of the turn post time favorite Cathryn Sophia accelerated to the lead! But then with the same burst of acceleration we'd seen on Oaks Day Carina Mia found a whole new gear and swooped up five wide and blew past the field winning as easily the best! As they came down the stretch I was snapping my fingers and whooping it up with a very loud (and obnoxious I'm sure) "Leeepppppppaarrrrrrrooooooooo!" WHOOOOO HOOOOOOO!
And best of all she'd been a generous 2/1 price so with my triple investment I was cashing for over $45! I missed in the opener at Pimlico when short-priced favorite Miss Wilby ran evenly through the lane to be 4th. In the opener at Monmouth, Tyrrhenian had earned back-to-back figures of 58 and 50 that are not stakes quality, but good enough to beat these maiden claimers. Led into the stretch, dueled and was JUST up in a photo finish at 6/5! In a five-horse field including a 2/5 entry - my choice - I ran 2nd and 3rd! Really? Only three horses to beat and NEITHER of my Woodbine picks can win. Just further ammunition for Keith's absurd claims that "no one ever cashes a ticket at Woodbine!" In the Grade 2 Brooklyn I liked the favorite Kid Cruz. I considered upping the bet when I read a couple of public handicappers said he was easily the best "single" for multi-race bets today. I wasn't so sure about that, so I kept to my original bet. He came with a middle rally then hung like day-old laundry - 7th! I was second best at even money at Churchill in a maiden sprint before getting back into the winner's circle with a turf sprint at Pimlico with even money favorite Cinder Block. Third at a nice 3/1 at Churchill then I got an easy-peasy-pie win at Monmouth. Twizzle was a Todd Pletcher runner initially but now was in the hands of top Jersey Shore trainer Jorge Navarro. Coming off a long layoff is a Monmouth 40% Club play for the barn and she ran to her 1/1 odds - right to the front and easily kissed the field goodbye for my fourth victory of the afternoon. Next up was the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps going a one-turn mile and a sixteenth at Belmont. As I'd handicapped the field, and then as Keith pointed out, this was a stellar field. No surprise if any of them won this. But I had "upset" on my mind. If you'd asked me a month ago when they'd run the prep for this, the one-turn mile Grade 2 Ruffian, what I thought of Cavorting I would have said she was not only a "TOSS" for that race but an obvious "play against" today in spite of her affinity for Belmont Park. Cavorting has consistently shown she's a star of racing when she's sprinting and allowed to settle for one run. But ANY TIME she went a mile she ALWAYS coughed it up. So I was against her in the Distaff. For the first time she showed a huge closing kick and walked with that race. Could she go even further? I thought there was a good chance that she'd suddenly discovered how to handle a route of ground and IF she could stretch out, then that late kick from last month would be devastating today. As they were mid-way on the turn she was at the back, but when her jockey - another Frenchman - Florent Geroux asked, she gave that same big response and was oh-so-impressive in drawing off to an ultra-impressive win!
And check out the price - a HUGE $10.60 meaning I was collecting well over $50 on my second Grade 1 win of the day at Belmont! I am playing Delaware today because of their feature race (more on that later) so I have a few picks there, the first of which was the 3rd a maiden claimer where Germaine's Rose was 1/2 at post time. Was making a big run when carried out about ten-wide into the lane, third. An interesting story on the next race and winner. I got up to make my next sequence of bets at about 1:40 and one of those was the opener at Arlington Park, set for 2:15 pm EST. I looked around and I couldn't find an Arlington big-screen picture. Odd. I went to the window and was half surprised that when I said "Arlington, Race 1, $5 to win on #1" that the ticket immediately came out. I've been here before where GP is not taking the signal from a track but you can play in in their online platform, Xpressbet. So when the bet went through "LIVE" I assumed there has to be a monitor with the live feed. No. All day I kept looking, even went to the other simulcast area and they too had no live Arlington races. Than goodness for the wonder of technology as I simply pulled out my smart phone, opened my Xpressbet app and watched the race on my phone. Two Minute Man was away slowly, but patiently allowed to find his stride up to the rail and he was in front before they hit the turn. Kept right on going to be LONG GONE as my sixth of the day. The rest of my third page of selections were disappointments - two thirds and a second. That one runner-up was an interesting story. Keith, who was being conservative with his betting, looked at the Form and my sheet and saw that in Monmouth's 4th race Hissy Fit was a HUGE standout. No surprise she was pounded down to 1/5 favoritism. As they turned into the stretch she was almost a pole in front. But the filly rallying was a 16/1 longshot, but she was Keith's play in a cold 7-6 exacta which was paying $45 and he had it five times. A cool $200 and change in the bank until in the final 16th Hissy Fit shortened stride and in the shadow of the wire the longshot went by. Did he box it? No. Can't even cash on a 1/5 favorite when you HAVE the 16/1 second half of the exacta. LOL. I got back into winning mode when Uno Emayo led at 3/2 at Pimlico then was life-and-death to hold on is a desperate photo. In the Grade 2 Woody Stephens going seven furlongs I thought it was a WIDE open race. I settled on Sharp Azteca who was locally based and had run huge to take the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile. But I noted that the "dangerous longshot play" was Tom's Ready who had broke his maiden in impressive fashion at this seven furlong distance, but had been on the Derby/Triple Crown trail and had run in the Kentucky Derby - but with little success. Maybe the turnback was all he needed. Sharp Azteca made his bid, got to the leaders turning for home then hung. In the shadow of the wire here comes this blur - it's Tom's Ready at 7/1 - oh my. Paid $17.60 and I am thinking I SHOULD have gone with the upset. No time for crying over spilled milk as I scored in back-to-back-to-back races. First in the sixth at Monmouth How You ran away at 3/5 in a 3-lifetime two-turn mile. Then No Distortion scored in a Delaware allowance as the 4/5 favorite, much the best. And at Arlington, their 4th was my BEST of the Day there. Rivzinthehouse had run three recent turf sprints in $25K, $50K, and $100K optional claiming events. He'd won the first two and lost the $100K only when dueling through insane :20.3 & :43.3 fractions - still she held 3rd at Tampa, a course that always favors closers. Today's $30K STARTER Optional Claiming event was a huge class drop. Looked to wire these with ease. Right to the front, kissed them GOOD-BYE and was gone at even money - a huge price considering the facts.
In Belmont's Grade 1 Just A Game on the turf Jeff called me and said he liked Celestine, what did I think? I told him she looked like many of the others, a speed type. And with it being wide-open I was going with an 8/1 closer, first time here from Europe. Celestine sat just off the pace and won at a nice 7/1 price. I texted, "did you have it?" No was the reply, I went with you - I felt badly. Lost at Woodbine - to Keith's continued cries that "nobody cashes a ticket....." when Conquest Boogaloo stopped badly. Losses at Monmouth, Arlington and Pimlico all followed, all added money plays (6th, 3rd, and 8th at 7/1, 3/1, and 9/5). Then it was time for the Grade 1 Met Mile at Belmont. The racing world might have a completely different opinion of Frosted for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and Godolphin Stables had he not had the misfortune to be born the same year as champion American Pharoah. So he chased him all year long, but still was able to carve out an excellent 3yo season with a 9/2-3-1 record and earnings of $1.9 million. Now that Pharoah is retired he's looking to establish himself as a top older handicap runner. Big aspirations saw him sent to Dubai where he won a $250K prep race for the Dubai World Cup by five widening lengths as "easily best." No disgrace running fifth, beaten only 5 1/2 lengths in the Group 1 $10 Million World Cup last out. Today he returned to New York and if able to repeat - maybe even improve - on any of his triple digit figures from last season he could be a big time threat. I thought he was sitting on a HUGE effort and looked to get a perfect set-up from a pace flow. I made him a prime time play. He rode the rail through the turn crying to run, and when let loose on the outside, O-H M-Y.....I cannot describe in words what happened, you will have to watch the highlight video below. He was at least a furlong better than the field, under wraps while setting a new stakes record.
Best of all, he was a generous 2/1 and paid a whopping $6.70 allowing me to cash for nearly $70 on my THIRD Grade 1 win on the Belmont card - and NONE of the three were the favorite! Moments later they were off in the Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park. I'm A Chatterbox had been one of the top 3yo fillies in the country last year and had scored an impressive, runaway win in the $1 Million Grade 1 Cotillion. Her comeback race in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare had been a disappointment when she was unable to find clear running room. The drop from those kinds of races to this listed stakes was significant. She was a prohibitive 1/9 until post time when finally she was a fair 1/5. Easily the best as my BET of the Day at Delaware. Lost again at Woodbine, this time at even money, and then at Churchill at 3/1 when both ran sixth.....dismal showings. Picked up a victory at Monmouth when Delta Bluesman looked REALLY hard to go against. He wired a Gulfstream allowance two back and a listed stakes field here last time out. Today in a conditioned allowance with a best-of-30 bullet for the top trainer. The gates sprung open, he went to the front and was G-O-N-E. The $3.20 payoff was more than fair. Disappointed in the 7th at Arlington when Richie's Sweetheart looked to be the speed of the speed but couldn't get to the front and faded badly to 9th as my co-BEST in Chicago. We had discussed how long to stay at the races and it was at this point that we decided we'd hit the road for home and get there with plenty of time to watch the big race on the 65" flat screen in high definition. My only reluctance was that my BET of the Day would run while we were on the road - the Grade 1 Manhattan on the turf at a mile and a half from Belmont. The first item of note is that the DRF linemaker, who is nearly always way, WAY off posted Flintshire, my top choice, as the 2/5 morning line favorite. I sincerely doubted he'd be that short of a price considering all the facts, but he WAS the deserving favorite AND that was probably a realistic assessment of his value. He'd only run in the US twice, but both were sensational efforts and would win here for fun. The first was in 2014 he came for the Breeders' Cup Turf and was beaten a head by Main Sequence - who was in the midst of seven Grade 1 wins and an Eclipse Award. Then last summer he shipped to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Sword Dancer and was an overpowering winner while earning a huge 114 Beyer figure and winning by daylight. He'd run big when 2nd in arguably the biggest race in the world, best-of-the-rest in the Group 1 Arc de Triomphe in October and then best-of-the-rest second in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase behind talented Highland Reel. The only, ONLY concern was the career mark of 19/5-10-1. Does he just like to be second a lot? I thought the answer was no, he has just been in against some of THE BEST runners in the WORLD. No such threats today. Didn't hurt that he got Javier Castellano today. And it was a big plus to me that he'd been in New York since April with a recent bullet work. He was away cleanly from the wide post and while sitting near the back he was not that far off the lead. On the turn he began picking off horses and I could tell as we watched the replay once we'd arrived home that Castellano was sitting on a ton of horse. He circled up as they turned for home and Castellano asked. The response was immediate and the outcome was immediately a foregone conclusion. EASY.
The 4/5 final odds were vastly better than the 2/5 DRF projected odds. I cashed for nearly $90 on my BET of the DAY without ever having an anxious moment. It was about twenty minutes to the Belmont so we fast-forwarded through the commercials and caught up just prior to post time. I thought that the last leg of the Triple Crown was a wide, wide open affair. I even remarked to Keith that if it were not the Belmont I'd probably pass. There were three things I felt confident about. The first was that Exaggerator - the Derby runner-up and Preakness winner would not only not win, but wouldn't hit the board. When I went to make my bet at GP my teller friend asked who I liked and when I made the bet I added this fact and she rolled her eyes. We'll see I thought. Secondly, I felt really confident that the winner would be a big price. And third, I thought that Destin, the Tampa Bay Derby winner would get the best trip. The field of thirteen had at least ten closers in the lineup and very little speed. He projected to sit just off the leader and get first run to the wire. With a soft pace he should be able to hold off the deep closers. As they went in the gate Destin was 10/1. The race was as though I'd sent in my vision and it was being played out EXACTLY as I thought. They turned for home and Destin made his move. Glided to the front and was quickly daylight in front with a furlong left. Oh my, I'm going to win! Now the closers were eating up ground, but I was pretty sure they would run out of room....closer, closer, WHERE'S THE WIRE! PHOTO finish as the Arkansas Derby winner came flying up. My initial reaction was "maybe" but if I had to bet I thought he caught me. The photo.....SOOOOO close. I texted Jeff and said, who did you end up going with. He sent me a text photo with his bet - se at the bottom of the picture......
Well, if I had to lose, then I was glad it was to Jeff's horse on a huge and gutsy play. I still had a few races to watch from earlier. Lost the Monmouth feature - my "Monmouth Best" when Joya Real didn't fire at 4/5 odds, but I had a nice score in the feature at Churchill in the Grade 3 Mint Julep when Cash Control looked the best off of three consecutive 90+ figures. I was surprised he was NOT the favorite, and when he opened up through a rail-skimming move into the stretch I was smiling. But then here came the 9/5 favorite....put his head in front, I fought back, PHOTO FINISH! This time I was pretty sure I DID win, and it was confirmed with a big $6.80 payoff so I'd collect almost $35.
Two final races at Belmont. The 12th was a 2nd level allowance going nine furlongs on the turf. I thought Chad Brown's Inordinate with Javier Castellano was a sneaky good pick at 4/1. He had been 4/5 in his NA debut and closed willingly but off the layoff, the continental change, and into a slow pace he couldn't get there. But the winner came right back to score over the projected favorite, Fundamental. Castellano had him perfectly placed, but as they turned for home he was walled in. At the furlong pole a small seam opened, he went for it and brushed a non-threatening runner. He closed with a rush.....PHOTO FINISH!
Check the price out - whoooo hoooo - at 6/1 I'm cashing for $70 on my double bet! The camera shows Castellano shaking hands with Chad Brown and then, "Ladies and Gentlemen, hold all tickets there is a steward's inquiry and rider's objection......" Really? They showed all the angles and there wasn't anything even remotely worth a DQ. Jeff texted and said, "they won't take him down." But the longer it went the worse I felt. Then the result, took him down - this was the "obvious" infraction. BOOOOOOO.
Lost the finale - so for the day I was a sharp 15-for-38, that's 39% and a profit of $55 on the day. Excellent results. But oh what could have been - a nose in the Belmont and a non-DQ in the next race and I'm 17-for-38 and profit of close to $200. You gotta love the races! Off for the next two weeks while we are in Alaska - at least one spot play next Saturday when Songbird returns in the Summertime Oaks though.
While today's racing at Belmont won't be confused with Kentucky Oaks Day, or Black-Eyed Susan Day, it was a day filled with good racing and some stakes races. So I continued to play the three-day Belmont Festival of Racing. And, today was the beginning of the second three-day weekend of racing on the Jersey Shore so I had selections there as well. In the opener at Belmont it was a maiden special sprint for three-year-olds. Bombs Away looked like the most likely to win in here, sent out for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey who rarely has them ready to fire in their debut, he was a sharp 3rd and today was coming off a best-of-53 bullet work. Second time maidens winning at a sharp 23% with a $2.44 ROI made him even more appealing. After being difficult to load, and walking right through the opened front of the gate, he was sent right to the front and was LONG GONE. The nice $6.90 payoff was a great way to start the day.
Right back in less than five minutes with the opener at Monmouth where Fairbanks E Jet was a Monmouth 40% Club play. Trainer Tony Wilson has won at an amazing 50% clip over the past two seasons with all maiden claimers. In this case the top choice was dropping out of MSW company and he had a poor break in his last while coming off a long layoff. The only time she had previously tried a maiden event for a tag she was a best-of-the-rest 2nd in a turf sprint. She broke sharply and dueled with the 6/5 favorite to the turn, then drew off to score at a generous $6.80, so my doubled investment - standard for any "Club plays" - returned nearly $35! WHOOOO HOOOOO!
I missed in the 2nd at Belmont when Pine Needles was given a very shaky ride and was checked in mid-stretch when trying to get through on the rail. In the third at Monmouth we were sprinting on the turf in a MSW event. Bam Bam Brown was the obvious choice and as I wrote in my analysis, ".....he should win at a short price...." The 4yo gelding had debuted in a GP turf sprint two months ago and had pressed insanely quick fractions through the first half mile of :21.1 and :43.2 before finishing as a best-of-the-rest second - clear by more than seven lengths of the show runner. Dueled between runners into the turn, edged clear and then ran away as much the best as the even-money favorite.
The third at Belmont was the first stakes event of the day, the Rags to Riches, named for the filly champion of the Belmont several years ago. The crowd liked Mei Ling from the Todd Pletcher barn, but I have found her to be most unreliable. I shook my head and smiled when NYRA analyst Andy Serling, who is so condescending in his remarks like he is SO obviously right and you are SO obviously wrong if you do not agree with him, picked the favorite because she was the lone speed. I've seen Mei Ling run and she often does not want the front, and has in fact been successful from off the pace - or going to the front. More times than not she is not on the lead so I easily dismissed his opinion as when on the lead I've seen her cave at a short price.....not for me! I had seen Theogony run on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard and liked her chances off of two straight strong efforts. Mei Ling sat off the pace and Theogony stalked the pace through the mile and a half journey to the top of the stretch then drew off as tons the best! Cashed for nearly $25 on another double investment, my fourth victory of the day. I'm having a very nice day!
I missed when Hey Mike was 2nd at even money in Belmont's 4th, the Tremont Stakes for 2yo colts and then Hiyo was a disappointing second as my "Best of the Day" on the Jersey Shore at 3/5 odds under top rider Paco Lopez. The fifth at Belmont was The Jersey Girl Stakes for 3yo fillies and my top choice came in here with "a history" for me. I've remarked several times that most KEY race of the year so far was an April event at Keeneland where the winner was odds on and ultra impressive. Several fillies have exited that event, or events behind runners from that race to win for me. So with the winner resurfacing here, she was the obvious play. Kareena had show tremendous potential that afternoon in Lexington and I thought she'd be the favorite, but never as an odds-on choice. Instead she was being absolutely hammered at the windows so with minutes to post time I upped the bet to a "Best of the Day" level. She stalked the sizzling pace into the stretch, dueling through a :21.3 quarter and insane :43.2 half mile. I thought as she edged to the front and that second fraction came up that she was done. Instead she drew off impressively and stopped the teletimer at an amazing 1:07.4 to win as the 1/5 favorite. WOW - so impressive!
Next time out she's in graded stakes for sure! While I didn't make a lot of money, I was very satisfied that my decision to raise the ante was proven correct on my fifth win of the day. Debut runner Otto disappointed when 2nd best at Monmouth on the turf after a slow start at 5/2; then Adulator was fourth at even money in Belmont's 7th. But in the eighth at Monmouth Silver Majorette was my top choice at 8/5 when she was coming off a long layoff for top trainer Jorge Navarro. That's a 40% club play! She rallied belatedly to be 4th, but thankfully her entry-mate wired the field! Oh yeah, better to be lucky than good sometimes because I wasn't a fan at all of Jackie's Disco :)
My BET of the DAY was in the Grade 2 True North, but when trainer Brian Lynch was suspended for positive tests on some of his horses his top sprinter Private Zone was withdrawn. Why the horse wasn't entered in the name of another trainer was beyond me, but I switched to Catalina Red who went off as the 1/1 favorite off a scintillating win in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs on Derby Day. He should have been a closer in a field now filled with dueling front runners. Instead he was up close, and as is often the case had no closing kick - fourth. My final win of the day came in the finale at Monmouth, a nw3L event on the turf. Film Making had two recent figures (75-76) in her last two starts that would require a near-career best by any of her rivals if she repeated anything close to those. The pace was hot, and she sat off the pace, eased out into the stretch and ran away as easily best under top rider Paco Lopez as the 7/5 favorite.
The day ended when 4/5 favorite Sea Calisi was much the best in the Grade 2 New York but sat off a slow :50 / 1:15 pace then had all kinds of traffic through the lane - questionable decisions on her ride - then was FLYING late to be a close 2nd.
One last "feel good story" from the day. When I got up this morning and checked my Facebook, the "memory" for today was a photo I'd posted five years ago on my final day of work. It was a picture of my classroom where I put the seats back exactly as I'd found them - though I NEVER used this room configuration - and the picture showed the empty walls and boards. All the character gone from "my world." That day I wrote, "Turn out the lights, this party's over; left Room 314 exactly the way I found it nine years ago." I reposted it with a comment about how wonderful the last five years have been and that I missed my "kids" and co-workers. The rest of the day I got so very many "likes" and comments from former students and work pals. Here's the post with a few of "my girls" who I am so lucky to count as friends!
The Belmont Stakes, the end of the Triple Crown Trail, is Saturday, but unlike Churchill Downs and Pimlico which have big stakes on Friday, the Belmont Festival began on Thursday. So after playing the Woodbine races last night I had selections from Belmont today, including a BEST Bet. After going through the nine races on the Thursday card I found five that I thought were solid enough angles to play. In the 2nd Core Portfolio held a big edge over the field in his last race 83 figure at today's one-turn mile. The problem was he was stepping up out of the maiden ranks. But the "ridden confidently" made me think he would handle the rise. Set the pace to the stretch at 4/5 and stopped badly. In the fourth we were on the turf and it came down to either On Leave who was the 8/5 program favorite or Chad Brown's Tailoredforsucces who was 5/1. I went with the price. Evenly all the way around while On Leave ran away as tons the best. In the sixth it was a nw2x allowance going seven furlongs and there appeared to be a lot of speed in the 13-horse field. I liked the lightly raced So Noted who had a bullet work for today's event. Just as I thought he was about six off the lead heading into the turn and there were eight bunched on or near the lead as he began making up ground. But as they were mid-way on the turn he was behind a wall of horses. Found a seam and then moved wide into the lane, hit a high gear and ran by them all to score.
The pay off of $6.40 got me back to nearly even despite just a minimum bet. The 7th was The Astorita for two-year-old fillies. I thought that Olive Branch had a good chance as the only one that had broke her maiden when coming from off the pace. My second choice was Bode's Dream who, if he could clear, could wire the field. I watched them come on the track, then went back to handicapping. When I flipped over with two minutes to post time my filly had scratched! I briefly considered Bode's Dream, but watched instead. He wired the field at 2/1. The good news was that later my son Jeff called and told me he'd hit with So Noted AND Bode's Dream. The 8th was my final bet of the day and it was BET of the Day. It was The Intercontinental Stakes going seven furlongs on the turf. The distance is a unique distance on the turf. At Gulfstream a 7 1/2 furlong turf event is a two-turn event. But at Belmont, a seven furlong turf sprint IS a sprint. But it's too far for a five furlong specialist and typically too short for traditional turf routers. Two things point out my selection - Zindaya. First, she had last been seen when a best-of-the-rest second to Lady Shipman in the License Fee Stakes here. Lady Shipman had exited that race to dominate The Very One at Pimlico as my Bet of the Weekend on Preakness Saturday. Secondly, last year she'd won the License Fee and come back to win this race, the seven furlong Intercontinental. So the distance, obviously was NOT going to be a problem. I also liked the fact that Zindaya had actually run faster in defeat to Lady Shipman in the License Fee than she had when winning it last summer. I shook my head at analyst Andy Serling - who you remember I am never a fan of, and especially of his condescending attitude that everyone else is obviously wrong - when he said he just thought that the distance was wrong for her.....duh, she WON this race last year Andy! She was patiently handled by Javier Castellano stalking the leaders through the turn, swung out and was cut loose to run away!
The crowd also did not buy Andy's off-base analysis and had made Zindaya the even money favorite. As the "BET of the DAY" I had made her a prime time play so I would be cashing for over $40. So for the day I was a sharp 2-for-4 and a profit of a little less than $20. I am hopeful that tomorrow there are not so many storms in the area as I plan to go to Gulfstream to play a few races where I have picks from both Monouth and Belmont.
Wednesday Night Racing - The Finale Saves Me......AGAIN
It seems like many times since I began playing the Woodbine races regularly last August, that I end up watching the replays of the races after Kim goes to bed, with just enough time to catch the finale live - and I up the wager and WIN! Such was the case on this Wednesday evening. I had run a dismal 6th in the opener and then ran back-to-back 2nds in the 3rd and 5th (the former at a nice 3/1 price, the latter as the 6/5 favorite). And so with minutes to post time Warbred was being hammered down suddenly from the 2/1 price when I opened the live video stream with three minutes to post, to now 3/2 odds as they approached the gate. I re-read my analysis and I hesitated because in this nw3L sprint I was picking a horse who was 32/2-9-8 on top, and thus the reason that initially he was a minimum play. I checked the late double pool and he was the short priced favorite. Top rider Eurico DaSilva and like I wrote - though he SHOULD be a play against, sometimes you have to think outside the box. Upped the bet. He stalked the pace, moved as they turned for home and drew clear in the final 16th. Suddenly I lost less than $2 for the evening and it was a great story for the night!
The three days at Monmouth Park resulted in six wins from seventeen selections, a nice 35% winning average. Only one victory today however. That's the bad news....the good news was I upped the play to a "prime time / best of the day" just before they went into the gate so I was able to make a little extra money. When I analyzed the Sunday card of nine races I found five that I felt offered me an advantage. When I logged onto Xpressbet this morning one had scratched....down to four plays for the day. In the opener Divine Child was 7/5 in the program and 3/5 at post time. Class plunger with Paco Lopez on board she towered over the field.....third after hanging through the stretch. No bet until the 6th which was a little after 3 pm. So I happened to be online about 3:30 and I logged in to watch the replay. Money Game was a Monmouth 40% Club play and was a juicy 5/2 but was completely outrun by a last-out maiden winner who was 4/5 with....yes, PACO on board! Grrrrr. With the 7th just a little over ten minutes away I opened up the live video feed. My top pick was Upset City. Despite being a Monmouth 40% Club angle for trainer John Mazza AND having Paco Lopez up, AND being 7/5 in the program she was 5/2 when the video first came on. Interesting I thought. As we got to the "two-minutes-to-post" call, I re-checked the odds and she had dropped all the way down to 4/5. WAIT! I went into the "Will Pays" and for both the Daily Double and Pick-3 payoffs she was MUCH the favorite. Now the first two fillies were in the gate....yes, or no? YES! I clicked the "Wager" button and doubled my bet to make it a $20 WIN bet. The gates opened and literally in two jumps she was four in front. Never threatened as she won under a hand ride by nearly a pole. Smart call Mr. Mark! Too bad the price wasn't any better.
In the last bet of the day, the featured Grade 3 Red Bank going a mile on the turf I knew I did NOT like Middleburg. While Joe Bravo has been riding like the "old Joe Bravo" that used to rule Monmouth, especially on the turf, I had seen Middleburg at Gulfstream. In the Grade 3 Miami Mile he was TONS the horse to beat there and went off as the short-priced favorite and my co-best of the day. Second best behind a loose-on-the-lead longshot. So I looked for alternatives. Rose Brier had won three in a row, all on the front end and was the inside speed with top Maryland rider Trevor McCarthy up. I thought he could steal it. When the gates opened the outside longshot insisted on the lead so McCarthy was patient instead of dueling and the fractions were moderate. Made his move on the turn to the lead, but Middleburg blew by to win. Figures. Ahhhhh, the track :)
Indeed, what a day for cashing tickets! When I began handicapping for the weekend's races, I knew I'd have a lot of selections, but I never would have imagined that I'd have over FIFTY bets. And to be honest, like happens so often (in spite of my knowing better), the thought crossed my mind, "what if I don't cash any tickets and run out of money?" I mean with fifty bets, if I went on an extended streak, I'd be out of cash before even making it to THE BIG BET, which was historic in it's own right this afternoon. I was able to start handicapping as early as Thursday and by the time I'd finished I'd gone through nine different cards and had selections from a little before 1 pm until 10 pm at night. There were fifty-four original selections including twenty-four stakes races - five of which were graded - five "BEST BETS" and a "BET of the MONTH" on the sheet. But the day started out with something that was very cool for me. When I wake up in the morning I typically watch about 30 minutes of the local news, and my station of choice is the local CBS station with "my girls" Lauren, Vanessa, and Lissette. However, one of my former WISE students, Erica Rakow, has pursued her project's topic of broadcast journalism and became a reporter, then an anchor in Jacksonville before recently moving back to South Florida. Now she appears on the ABC station, so it's not uncommon for me to flip over there to try to catch her doing a story live on air. She has begun to work her way into the anchor chair on some occasions which is always cool. Well, on Saturday & Sunday mornings the CBS Morning news doesn't start until later so we always turn on the ABC News because they start at 5:30 am. Today when I woke up at 6 I turned on the TV and there was Erica as the anchor. What a treat to see her first thing. So about half an hour later I sent her a message that I was so happy to "see her" this morning. Then, and this is the coolest part, I immediately got a message back WHILE SHE WAS STILL ON THE AIR! For the next 45 minutes we were texting back and forth and all I could think of was how cool this was, that this news anchor, who is ultra attractive, is on air in front of all of South Florida and when she's not reporting, she's talking to me. Very cool indeed. Made me feel quite appreciated as her former teacher/mentor.
When Keith and I sat down at our desks in the Silks Simulcast Center at Gulfstream I told him, "Well, either I'm going to have a good day, or a lot of people are going to have a bad day with me." I said this because when I went through all the online selections nearly every one of my picks was in the top three choices of the "pro" for that track. The first bet on the sheet came in the opener at Churchill Downs, and it was a Maiden Special for two-year-olds. There was little question that my selection, Thirstforlife, would be the favorite because he was the only one with racing experience. In fact, he'd debuted on the day before Oaks Day in a stakes, the Juvenile Sprint, and run third in spite of waiting in the gate before rallying to be a good third. Still, the field he faced that day was full of either debut runners like him and/or last out maiden winners. There was really no way to tell how much quality was in there at this point. But as the horses approached the gate he was 2/5. Pretty short odds....then he dropped to 1/5. Now we're talking really short. Then, just as they got into the gate someone dropped a bomb on him and his odds plummeted to 1/9. So glad I only had $10 to win on a runner with ONE race under his belt facing a field of all first-timer starters that we knew nothing about. But the money was spot on as he sat professionally off the dueling leaders and then blew by as TONS the best. My bet netted a profit of a dollar, one. But hey, better than tossing it on the ground! Within minutes I was on the rail for the opener at Gulfstream where it was a claiming event on the turf. Easement looked like the one to benefit from an anticipated hot pace. He was pinned on the rail as they spun out of the turn, but was able to "ease" out (LOL) into the clear at the furlong pole and run by to score.
Only had the minimum on him, but the return was close to $15. I shot my video intro and first two race reviews and posed with my two-for-two tickets and posted it on my Facebook page :) My next pick was in the first of SEVEN stakes races locally as today was "Summit of Speed Preview Day" at Gulfstream. I liked Requite who was listed at 3/1 in the DRF line, but figured to be a short priced favorite. He had debuted with a win at Saratoga so you know he has to have some ability. Next up he ran a sharp fourth in the Grade 1 Hopeful. Off for several months then won back-to-back starts here, the second in a listed stakes like this. Then back to the Spa for a start in the Grade 2 Amsterdam where he was a best-of-the-rest second. Easily the class - would he be ready off the layoff? He'd done it before so I had no worries. Right to the front and was TONS the best here.
I tripled the bet and was amazed he was 6/5 at post time (especially in light of the 1/9 2yo at CD!). Cashed for nearly $35. You never know when you are or are not going to get paid! I was surprised when Bully Proof was 2nd best at Monmouth as the 1/2 favorite and then I lost again, this time at Woodbine where Klinghorn was 5th at 5/2. But I bounced back at Churchill in the third, a claiming event going two turns. It was a wide-open race and I thought several COULD win, but I was going with a class dropper, with a good trainer and top rider Corey Lanerie. Stalked the pace to the stretch and took over, edging clear as easily best. Missed in the third at Gulfstream when Arborville disappointed in The Bonita, a turf sprint. But I was cashing again minutes later on the first of just two bets from Philadelphia at Parx. Second Mat was third in a stakes (state-bred) at Tampa behind two Chad Brown runners and looked the best, especially with sharp works at Monmouth including a bullet move. But he was chasing a loose-on-the-lead front runner through a pedestrian :51 half mile. Still, no problem easing out at the top of the lane and dismissing that one as the 4/5 favorite. Flipped channels right after the payoff to see First Charmer go right to the front in a seven furlong turf sprint. He was caught turning for home, and actually fell a head back of the new leader, but he battled back. Dueled to inside the final 100 yards and edged clear late. As I turned the page following a 5th place run at Woodbine when the 6/5 favorite was outrun in a 2yo MSW event I was a very good 6-for-10 to start the day. My phone "quacked" and it was Jeff saying, "man, you're hot today!" Third at Monmouth at event money when Starship Thor dueled to the stretch and gave way and then I went on a SIX-RACE WINNING STREAK! At Belmont, in the third it was an optional allowance going a mile and 3/8th on the turf. My top pick was Achnaha. Keith and I talked about how ironic it was to make this the top pick because she was 19/1-5-4 in her career! BUT.....she exited the KEY Grade 3 Bewitch which had seen Al's Gal come back to romp in stakes company last Saturday, and her last three turf speed figures (87-89-86) would all win for fun. But the 6/5 post time odds were a very short price. Seemed too short when she trailed into the turn, but then jockey Javier Castellano hit the "GO" button and she blew by them all to win going away! Next up was the Royal Palm Stakes at Gulfstream. Dearest had won her first two starts, both sprints. Then she tried the Grade 2 Davona Dale going a mile. A decent third. The winner - Cathryn Sophia came back to win the Grade 1, $1 Million Kentucky Oaks; the second place filly, Lewis Bay, came back to win the Grade 2 Gazelle at Belmont. Better than a "decent" third. Off the shelf today with three bullet works.....she made short work of them as my co-BEST BET of the Day at Gulfstream!
Right back moments later on the simulcast television at Churchill Downs for their fifth, a claiming sprint. When I started the analysis I was about to write how Control Stake would never last on the front end and then I realized it was only 5 1/2 furlongs. LONG GONE at that distance. A price horse insisted on the lead so my rider was very smart, sat patiently to the turn, blew by and was gone to the wire, holding off the closers - tripled the bet on that 1/2 shot. At Parx I scored in their Foxy JG Stakes when Disco Chick was a pole better than her rivals. She exited a stakes win on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard in the Skipat to run in this softer spot AND brought Trevor McCarthy from Maryland to ride. Easy-peasy-pie at 1/5. At Monmouth the crowd let Paco Lopez get away at 6/5 first off the claim for Eddie Plesa - they win together at better than 35% - and I was cashing for nearly $25. And in the Monmouth 6th Shaft of Light ran like so many Jorge Navarro claimers did here this past winter. Looks like cheap speed, but takes lots of money at the windows, goes right to the front and runs away at a short price. Yep, happened again for my 12th win of the day. MAN I'm have a great day. Galina Point showed nothing at Woodbine at 4/5 before I won at Arlington in their 3rd race, an entry-level open allowance. Dom the Bom was a multiple stakes winner in state-bred company and had dueled on the lead before getting caught late last time in open company like this. He faced no pace pressure that I could see today and looked like a wire winner. He was as the 4/5 favorite for top front-end rider E.T. Baird!. Back to Gulfstream where I had a nice price on My Point Exactly in the Raymond Earl, 4/1. Moved to the lead at the top of the lane, but was outfinished, third. At Churchill Downs my BEST of the Day was in a Maiden Special where Annathela was exiting races that had been ultra KEY and had led me to multiple winners. But after fighting to the front between horses into the stretch she was outfinished on the sprint home to the co-favorite, second. That 5/2 price would have made my day. Fifth at Woodbine with a 40% Club play - juicy 7/1 was never in it. Then Pearl of Silk was 4/5 at Arlington and pressing the lead as they hit "the forest" as it's called there - mid way down the backside the camera briefly loses the horses through the trees in the infield. And when they emerged, where's Pearl of Silk? Keith is telling me "there she is in the green silks." "We finished fifth, watch the replay, in the green silks." I'm telling him we did NOT have green silks heading "into the forest" and when we watched the replay from the start we saw her drop out, didn't finish the race :( The string of misses continued when Paco Lopez was a HUGE 7/1 with a 40% Club play at Monmouth and was a good third. I returned to the windows with a winning ticket finally after Running Cat was off slowly at Gulfstream in a claiming sprint, but recovered, went to the front and wired the field.
Penn Mile Day - Part 1
Another 3/5 favorite, but I did triple the bet. Massena was a good 4th as a 9/1 upset pick at Belmont, but Hogy disappointed in Churchill's Mighty Beau Stakes, a turf sprint, as the 7/5 favorite. FLYING late, but wide all the way and just missed. Monmouth provided another loss when No More Music was 8/5 and made a bid, then weakened to be fifth. And in Gulfstream's Sea Lily, my pick Dogwood Trail took all the money to be the 8/5 favorite but was outrun through the lane after pressing the pace, 6th. In the 8th at Belmont I wanted to try to beat Camelot Kitten who was a Ken & Sarah Ramsey colt coming off a double-digit price win in Churchill's Grade 2 American on the Derby undercard, but truly he simply looked best. Jockey Irad Ortiz saved all the ground to midway on the turn, eased out for clear running and then there were four of them across the turf at the 16th pole.....JUST up on the wire!
I doubled the bet so I cashed for nearly $30. I liked the upset in the Grade 3 Aristides at Churchill and went with Barbados. A big 8/1 price at post time he ran on belatedly for a non-threatening fourth place finish. Missed AGAIN at Woodbine when Mozambique Gold was third at 2/1. Keith began ranting loudly that no one ever cashes a ticket at Woodbine! Everyone in the simulcast center was staring - well, ok, that may be an exaggeration. Next on the sheet was the feature from Monmouth Park, the Crank It Up Stakes - a five furlong turf sprint. I liked Brandy's Girl who was listed at 7/2 but was destined to be the favorite I thought. She was coming off a sensational win five weeks ago here when she set a sizzling :21 flat opening quarter and then an unreal :42.4 for the half mile....and she kept on going to win! Post eleven was no bargain but I trusted top jockey Paco Lopez. Cleverly ridden as two inside fillies insisted on the lead so he rationed out the speed of Brandy. Midway on the turn he cut her loose and it was, as track announcer Frank Mirahmadi said, "lights out" for the race.
I had doubled the bet so I cashed for over $15. Missed at Arlington when Silver Lode was never a threat, fifth. Then in the first bet at Santa Anita Mr. Roary was a huge 3/1 when loose on the lead. Caught in the final strides on the turf, second. That would have been nice. My best of the day on the Jersey Shore was in their finale, a maiden special with Shuffle Up. Wayne Catalano is a 40% Club member with two angles here - first time starters like this one and any time Paco Lopez rides. Sent off at even money she was checked sharply out of the gate and lost all chance. WOW....that's not right. The horse that cut her off was DQ'd but to not avail for us. The eleventh at Gulfstream was my BEST of the Day. I know, Dearest was the co-BEST earlier, but if I had to pick, this one would rate as the 1 vs. 1a for Dearest's race. Awesome Banner had won both the Grade 3 Hutcheson sprinting here and the Grade 2 Swale, sprinting here. Then his connections got Derby fever and tried the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth going two turns. Stopped like he was shot on the far turn. Enough of that, right? No, on to the Tampa Bay Derby. Again, stopped badly. Laid off from that March two turn try to a return to sprinting in listed stakes. Easily best I thought. A near bullet, second best of 39 set him up for new trainer Mark Casse. He pressed the pace under jockey Elvis Trujillo to the turn; was three-wide but in hand turning for home and drew off handily when asked. WHOOO HOOOO!
Cashed for over $30! In the Penn Oaks, the opener at Penn National I thought Conquest Serenade could surprise. Despite never going long or on the grass she was the 5/2 co-second choice. Led into the lane, gave way and then was cut off, clipped heels and fell. Appeared to be ok afterwards, but that was bad race riding by the offending horse who was DQ'd. In the tenth at Belmont it was a one mile turf event for a claiming tag. Aripeka was my choice. In the winter of 2015 she'd been in graded company and was a photo finish away from winning that winter's Grade 3 Appleton. Too much class and speed for these I thought. Pounded down to 4/5 she was daylight in front in the stretch but was life and death to hold on - so close, but a winner none-the-less. The finale at Gulfstream saw Vroomvroomvroom as the heavy 3/5 favorite based on a Double BSF advantage earned against $30K runners. Dropping in to a $12.5K race today he looked easily best on the turf. Mid-pack to the turn and then......nothing, sixth. Finally we watched Ben's Cat come up just short as the 6/5 favorite when 3rd in the Pennsylvania's Governor's Cup at Penn. Keith and I packed up after I made my last set of bets and made my last video of the day. While driving home two more races had gone off and so I watched both stakes race replays. In the third at Penn S'Marvelous was part of a four-horse-across-the-track stretch run, but he outfinished them as the 6/5 favorite to score! In the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita I initially had doubts about Heart to Heart being able to wire a quality Grade 1. He NEEDS the lead. But when I went through the field the only other pace horse was outside and Heart to Heart had the rail. It was obvious that he cannot win from just off the pace. He might win if dueling, but he HAS to be up front. That seemed to be a foregone conclusion with the rail draw. He went quickly to the lead, but when challenged jockey Julian Leparoux who seems to often confound my horses with "what are you doing" rides, let the other one go on with it. Heart to Heart made a bid on the turn but was out run to the wire, a credible third.....who won? The horse on the lead that SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME! It was almost post time for the 4th at Penn, the featured Grade 3 Penn Mile. My plan was to make Catch A Glimpse - the filly - my "BEST" of the day at Penn against the colts. But two back when she won I thought, "she's a play against next time." Then on that day, on Oaks Day, I thought she was best and made her the BET of the Day. Again, she won to keep her turf record perfect, but I thought after the race, "she's a play against next time." And now here she was, but again I was with her. I watched the DRF handicappers and BOTH said the same as me, and both went with her stablemate who had been poorly ridden on the Derby undercard (yes, by Leparoux!). So I began to wonder. With a new rider maybe......so I stuck with the filly, but cut the bet in half. Right to the front, never challenged and ran away as TONS the best to beat the boys, collect the $500K purse and keep her turf record unblemished.
At least I had a winning ticket and cashed for almost $30. It was about twenty minutes to the BET of the MONTH as I called it - Beholder in the Grade 1 Vanity Mile at Santa Anita. Even her trainer had said this would be the toughest test she'd had in a while, though they were confident. Because of this I was hoping for maybe 3/5 odds. I had been thinking about this race for two weeks - not who to bet, but how to much on Beholder. I wanted to make this a really strong play. But a strong test, second off the shelf at a short price. One side of me said to just be happy with a winning ticket. But when I actually handicapped the race two stats jumped out at me.....Beholder looked ULTRA imposing. Going back to 2013 any of the ten speed figures she'd earned, except her most recent, would win for daylight. That last race 89 had been earned when she literally jogged around the track. She was a winner of 16-of-21 career starts - fourteen of them stakes, thirteen graded, and nine in Grade 1 events. Her main competition came from last year's 3yo champion, Stellar Wind. But (a) her wins had been against far lesser; (b) her second in the BC Distaff was credible but Beholder would have been 1/9 in that field; (c) she had not raced since that November race and (d) trainer John Sadler was 0-for-his-last-26 with layoff runners like that. So in the last few days I had a number in mind, but the only time I'd ever made a bet like this was when I bet on Untapable in the 2014 Kentucky Oaks. Even that day, despite supreme confidence I'd made four separate bets to have four tickets. Similarly in two recent races - one on Songbird and one on Tepin - I'd done the same, made three separate bets to reach $150. But here, I knew, I KNEW she'd win. Before we left I went to the windows and made a "first time ever" bet - "Santa Anita, Race 7, TWO HUNDRED TO WIN on number 2!" One ticket, BOOM! As I watched the wagering she was a paltry 1/9....certainly SOMEONE will be a "value" bettor and play the others. Finally with about five minutes to post 1/5, then back to 1/9. Oh......but then at post time Stellar Wind was bet down to 3/1 and Beholder floated to 1/5. Considering everything I knew, in a five horse field, that was literally stealing. She sat patiently off the longshot leader as the approached the far turn. Glided handily to the front opened up with asking and sprinted home under mild urging as TONS the best. WHOOOOOO HOOOOOO! I had been hoping, before we left Gulfstream, that I was not jinxing my chances. And I know, you can say that's silly, you're being overly superstitious, but I don't like filming a "winning comment" like I did on Beholder where I brazenly showed off the $200 ticket and then I took it a step farther and took the above photo. I had it ready "just in cases" as the character says in "Love Actually" to post on Facebook after the anticipated win. But I was indeed that confident. So when she won I was happy to have THAT video and immediately called up the photo and posted it!
The $2.40 payoff meant I'd cash for $240.00 and collect a profit of $40 on a near certain winner. But it was the thrill of watching a special champion run with an all-time-big bet that was the rush for me! Spent the remainder of the evening watching television with Kim and Keith before both went to bed. Then I came back to the computer to watch the final six races of the day. I won with two of them. Extra Credit won The Lafayette at Evangeline Downs under the lights and Edzactly wired an allowance field at Penn National. That was interesting in that he not only set a track record but it was a good example of the power of Beyer figures. Edzactly had been running against low-level claimers at Santa Anita. But three of his last four Beyer figures, 84-84-84, would win for fun here. But in allowance company? As I wrote, "how do you compare a major league claiming event from Santa Anita with an allowance event at a smaller track like Penn?" You use the Beyers. He was much, MUCH the best as my twenty-third victory of the night from fifty selections (four scratches). From the texting with Erica this morning to the late night wins, highlighted by the biggest single bet I've ever made, it was an amazing day!
