July 20

Last Pick WINS - Nearly Draws Me Even

Wednesday night at Woodbine and I leave the racing with a good feeling after I won the last play of the night.  It was interesting in that Kim and I went for a walk about 6:30 and it occurred to me that I had races this evening (that I'd handicapped yesterday) and had forgot to bet them!  When we got back I watched the first race and I had picked Rocco Point because not only was he a Woodbine 40% Club play but was one of the few who did NOT want the lead.  The gates open and he shoots right to the front and duels with the 3/5 favorite.....weakens to be the best of the rest 2nd. Sigh......We watched "Big Brother" and "America's Got Talent," and then Kim went to bed.  I stayed up and watched "American Gothic" and as I was turning out the lights I recalled, duh, I had races!  So I returned to the computer and watched the replays.......led to the stretch as the 6/5 favorite in the 2nd with State Jewel before being run down late, 2nd again.  In the Deputy Minister Stakes Songs and Laughter had the perfect tracking trip to the turn as the 6/5 favorite, then faded to be a well-beaten 4th.  But finally in the 6th, I won!  Glasgow Kiss was one of several who seemed to be a "need to lead" and would set the table for a closer.  But as is so often the case I thought this one was the speed of the speed.  And, more importantly, I use Jim Mazur's "Woodbine Handicapper" to look for picks that the public would normally ignore, like this one.  Trainer Mark Fournier has several "club angles," the most powerful of which is when jockey Eurico DaSilva rides - over the past two Woodbine seasons he's won an amazing 71% of the races when the top jock is on board!  I doubled the bet.  Glasgow Kiss went right to the front and was clear in mid-stretch when he started tiring.  The wire was coming.....PHOTO FINISH!  I was nearly certain I'd won and the photo confirmed it!  The $6.40 payoff meant I'd collect to come within $3 of breaking even with just a single win. 

The highlight of the day however was this afternoon when I met one of my former students, cutie Giovanna for lunch today.  So proud of yet another former WISE student who is following her project from high school as a career path.