August 10 - 12

A New Week

So, after returning from Houston and a very successful week of racing I was anxious to kick off another week and to get back to Wednesday Night Racing at Woodbine.  I handicapped the card and even though I was very cognizant of being conservative in my selections I ended up with four picks in eight races, including a "prime time / best bet" in the 4th.  In the opener my pick showed nothing.  Then in the next three races I had bets I was in complete control on the lead turning for home and was run down in each of them finishing 2nd, 3rd, and 3rd again.  Not the start to the week I had imagined.

Friday:  Handicapping Seminar

Today I had picks from three tracks - the usual selections from Monmouth with picks from Saratoga and the twilight card at Arlington.  I had been invited to Jim & Stephanie Anderson's house so Jim could "pick my brain" about racing angle and handicapping.  I put together a multiple page handout with some thoughts and suggestions and we talked about these over lunch before we began watching the races over the internet as he played them on the big screen TV.  Early in the day my phone rang and it was our youngest son Brad, who's wife Lauren is expecting their first baby any day now and sure enough, the message was that they were headed to the hospital where the plan was to induce her because her blood pressure had been high during a routine check-up.  I stayed at Jim's until about 3:30 and then headed home where Kim and I had a light dinner, packed and headed out.  We gassed up and I texted Brad we were on our way and then my phone immediately rang.  It was Brad - false alarm :(  Seems EVERYONE at that particular doctor's office was reading high blood pressure.  Lauren was perfectly normal and not ready for delivery.  Sigh.....so we went back home and I watched the rest of the races.  It wasn't a bad day, but it wasn't a good one either.  I scored in back to back races early in the day while at Jim's with two Monmouth selections.  The first winner came in the 4th where Armour's Charm had earned a Beyer of nine, yes - 9, in her last race.  But today she was a Monmouth 40% Club play for trainer Jason Servis.  Dropping out of a $25K 3L sprint to a beaten $7.5K led her to go off as the 8/5 favorite.  She stalked the leader into the stretch and then gradually wore that one down to get the job done.  Right back in the fifth where Scottish Sweetie tracked the leaders on the turf course to the far turn, glided up four wide and drew off handily. 

I had doubled the investment on both so as I turned the page I was two-for-five to start the day and in the black!  I was loose on the lead in the Saratoga 4th, but caught late - 2nd; ran third at 6/5 at Monmouth and then in the 7th on the Jersey Shore my pick Mamma's Pajamas was a huge 20/1 and led into the stretch before weakening to be a solid fourth.  Good pick, no money.  My BET of the Day scratched out of the 8th and it was off to home and we thought Orlando.  After getting back home I revved up the computer to watch the last few races.  Faded in the 7th at Saratoga; pressed the leader on the Spa turf in the 8th was my Saratoga "Best" before fading to 6th at 8/5.  This seems to be a theme.  :(    Loose on the lead in the Arlington 3rd, caught, 2nd at even money; dueled to the stretch at 4/1 in the Saratoga feature, stopped to be near the back.  And rallied at a big 7/ at Arlington but only 4th.  FINALLY in the 10th at Saratoga Know Your Customer was my "UPSET of the Day" where Know Your Customer was 8/1 in the program.  He had been fifth behind the program favorite, but as a Chad Brown turf runner I thought he'd run big today.  Javier Castellano was taking over today so your choice was the program favorite who had been second in back-to-back races for a barn that was 2-for-27, or the upset choice for Brown who's winning at a 44% clips with MSW droppers?  He went right to the front and won easily at a generous 7/2 price. 

The $9.10 payoff meant I'd cash for over $45 dollars and I was close to even on the day!  It had started to rain at Arlington but the 6th stayed on the grass for what turned out to be my final pick of the day.  Flying Around had an inside post and the top rider in Jose Valdivia.  He pressed the pace into the stretch and took the lead, but through the lane he kept drifting out toward the grandstand making it easier for the stalkers to close the gap.  Finally Valdivia straightened him out just enough to stay in front to the wire! 

For the day a respectable 27%.  And with no trip to Orlando I'll be headed out to Gulfstream for Arlington Million Day!