Pennsylvania Derby Day
THIS is exactly the kind of adventure I had envisioned when I retired. I have to admit that I thought nearly all of my retirement trips would be very much like this, and for quite some time they were. But then I branched out and have begun to take BIG adventures for multiple weeks to international destinations. But last spring I laid out a plan for 2016-17 that would include more weekend racing adventures. The first was intended to be a week ago to Erie for the Presque Isle Masters Stakes, but Kim's health forced us to cancel. With her well on the way to recovery I was free and clear to head out this weekend. What makes this THAT kind of adventure? It had all the elements - fly to a different city/state (check) where there is a big race (check); WIN the big race (check); have a good dinner following the racing adventure (check); and fly home relatively soon after the adventure (check)! Add in that this trip included being able to share the day with my buddy Jim Anderson AND that I had probably the single best day of handicapping on a racing adventure (or at least close to it) and you've got the recipe for a phenomenal weekend. Here's how it all went down......
First, making the reservations. I had considered making this trip ever since early August when I read that unbeaten champion Songbird was targeting the Grade 1 Cotillion on the Pa Derby card. But every time I looked for flights on Southwest Airlines web page the best I could find were to leave on Friday and return Sunday which required two nights at a hotel. And while I'd done that in 2012, I really was more about just flying in, enjoying the day and returning home (since, at the time I was schedule to be in Erie the previous weekend, Ohio the next weekend, and then in three weeks I'll be in France on a solo river cruise). I just wasn't happy with this set-up. Then about mid-month I tried looking on Expedia. And lo and behold there was the perfect set-up on American Airlines. I made a preliminary booking and discovered I could get round-trip airfare - direct flights no less - that would put me in Philadelphia the morning of the race and return by 1 pm the day after, with a hotel and a rental car for about $280. I decided to sleep on it and the next day I told Kim I was going for it. I went online to book it and the rate had changed.....it was LESS! The total package price was a little over $260 and I purchased it. So Saturday morning I was up around 4 am, at the airport by 5 am and we boarded about 5:45 am. Landed in Philadelphia at 8:45 and when Jim and I exited the terminal to catch the shuttle for the rental car we were greeted by delightful 62 degree weather! This is nice! We got the car easily and I set the GPS for the hotel which was located near the track. Since the trip from the airport to the hotel was less than 45 minutes according to our directions we would have plenty of time to check in before heading to the races since the first post was at 12:25. We got off of I-95 and followed the directions to a traffic light where we were to turn left - sure enough, there was the Extended Stay America hotel less than 200 yards to our left....but if we turned right, there was Parx race course! HOW CONVENIENT! We were unable to get the keys to our room but the "check-in" was simply having them see our reservation. The girl told me she'd have everything waiting for me when we returned after our day at the races and/or dinner. So we headed across the street to Parx. As we waited at the light, there on our left - a parking lot distance from the hotel - was one of my favorite restaurants, Carrabbas. We agreed that would be perfect after our day of playing the ponies. We parked, walked in and immediately got our free hat (Jim is wearing his in the photo below). We checked out the shirts for sale and it was disappointing - the only polo shirts had the Parx logo, nothing about the Derby/Cotillion like they had had in 2012, and the logo was MASSIVE. No thanks. The weather was so cool Jim remarked he might have to get one of the fleece sweatshirts! We went out on the apron and had one of the Parx staff take our photo before the beginning of the big day!
We headed upstairs to check out our table that I'd reserved in the clubhouse. This became the second, and fortunately last disappointment of the day. When I'd come in 2012 the staff had been so very nice and I had a table that overlooked the track. Nearly every table does. But today when we checked in the hostess said she recognized my name, but I could tell as she looked down the list that she wasn't seeing it. So she said "Here's your table" and gave us a table up against the wall, away from the windows. Not what I wanted. I asked about one with a view and she apologized but remarked that it was easy to "get up and look over the ledge" and that was true. Not ideal, but ok....at least we have seats for the day. Then they brought "the menu." It was a $26.99 three-course special. After having drinks we asked for a menu with more choices, "Sorry, that's it for today." So let me get this straight, we have a table, where we can't see the races, and a menu that requires us to purchase a full dinner/meal (which we were not happy with the items anyway). Jim and I quickly agreed we could do better on our own so we told them they could give our table to someone else as we were moving on. And so we headed down about 30 steps right up against the glass here on the fifth floor where we had a bird's eye view of the stretch and finish line (you can see in the video at the bottom). At the top of the steps were the betting windows and monitors for simulcast races. Who could ask for anything else? And as a "side benefit" the trips and and down the steps would be "good exercise" for the day (at the end of the day my FitBit showed I walked nearly 4 miles and covered 18 flights of stairs!). We were ready for some racing!
I have to admit I was a big anxious because when Jim had traveled with me last fall to Toronto for the Woodbine Mile I'd had one of my worst handicapping days. It was a great trip and we enjoyed the racing, but I'd gone 0-for the day. So the first race saw both of us on the rail runner, Apache Queen who looked to take them wire to wire. She was a healthy 9/2 and the short-priced favorite wasn't even in my top three. The gates popped open to start the day and the announcer's first statement was, "Apache Queen reared at the break and was left way behind." Really? Yes, really. Trailed the entire trip and was a distant tenth. Wow. And the favorite won. In the second I liked Pea Shooter Pro. Sat farther off the pace than I thought he would, made a strong bid on the turn at 2/1 then hung through the stretch as a 35/1 horse won and I was a well-beaten sixth. Next up was my first play from Monmouth where I thought Irie Mon looked much the best. Sent off at 4/5 he stalked the pace, and then ran evenly to be fourth. This is NOT going the way I envisioned the day! The third race at Parx was on the turf, going nine furlongs in a 2nd level allowance event. I thought Best Bard looked really hard to go against in here. First of all he was the only one with experience at the nine furlong distance (brought to mine the racing adage that you "never bet a horse to do something he's never done before"), including a WIN at the distance last time out. Also, he was shipping in from Woodbine which I would say is a notch better company than runners here at Parx. He he'd won twice this summer over the Woodbine course. Finally, he was bringing top Woodbine jockey Eurico DaSilva. I typically don't often like horses coming off of a win - unless they are consistent stakes winners - so that was a knock against Best Bard. Conversely three of his last four Beyer speed figures would win this by daylight. Two back he'd been a very close third against a horse named Glenville Gardens who had exited that race to set the pace in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile last weekend. Best Bard tracked the pace to the top of the stretch and DaSilva made his move. As they passed the sixteenth pole there were five of them head-bobbing for the lead. Three of them hit the wire together PHOTO FINISH! I was pretty sure from my vantage point that I'd been just in front. And the photo proved me right. Best Bard had been the favorite, but at a fair 9/5 price so with my triple investment I cashed for over $40 and suddenly I was nearly even for the day! WHOOO HOOO!
The next race on the sheet was the 4th from Parx. This was an entry level allowance sprint and Javier Castellano was on board Imperial Hint who was my top choice. The race looked very competitive, but there appeared to be a lot of speed signed on. With the wide draw in post 12 I figured he'd get a good pressing/stalking trip. He'd debuted with a blow-out victory at Tampa then won the state-bred Sophomore Stakes with a big 94 Beyer. Either of these would win today. After that he'd been in back-to-back graded stakes without success. Off for several months he'd returned to be a solid second at Monmouth while clear of a next-out winner who was third. AND since that race he had two sharp works - a near bullet in a sizzling :59.2 and a best of 83 bullet work. He broke sharply but Castellano let him settle as he glided down inside in front of the majority of the field. They hit the turn and while he was wide, he was fourth and in a perfect spot. As heads turned for home he was asked to open up and he burst away from the field! TWO IN A ROW! I'd doubled the bet so I cashed for nearly $30.
I told Jim that already it's been a VASTLY better day than Woodbine Mile Day was :) I was third as the 1/2 favorite in the first stakes of the day at Laurel when Two Notch Road finished evenly. I passed the fifth at Parx and made a series of bets which included the sixth here. I backed up to look at the monitors to check the prices on my three runners and noted that my horse here at Parx was a remarkable 9/1. OK, granted it's early in the betting, but that doesn't seem right. Checked my analysis and I noted that he was the program favorite. Hmmmm. Opened up my program and saw that my horse was #5, but I'd listed him as #6 on my sheet. Uh oh - NEVER return a ticket like this, the "racing gods" may be trying to give me a $100 bonus. I considered keeping it, but then thought better of it and took my ticket back to my new-found teller friend. I told her what I was doing and she might want to bet the #6! At Monmouth Rhythm Queen was a juicy 5/1 and led into the final 100 yards then was nailed in the final strides. Man, that would have been nice! In the sixth at Parx my 5-horse, A Fleet Attitude beat every runner in the field, except the 25/1 lone speed. Best-of-the-rest second. Thankfully that winner was NOT number six! The next race on my sheet was the first of two stakes races on the turf at Belmont Park, the Ashley T. Cole. This nine furlong race was a state-bred stakes and there were four in here that had taken turns beating each other, and I recognized three of them who'd been doing this for several years. So when I see this kind of collection I always look for the "new shooter" to the race. No good ones. Did any of the "old pals" look to have an edge over the others? I found it! Kharafa - who've I had winning tickets on before - was the ONLY one of these who likes this extended distance with a career mark of 3/2-0-1. I also liked that two back he was a sharp second in the Grade 3 Oceanport at Monmouth for jockey Antonio Gallardo who was riding today. This is all good enough for me! Gallardo gave this one a masterful ride as he saved ground all the way to the turn, then when he could have steered him outside to be clear for the stretch run, he smartly saved ground to the stretch. The longshot leader had separated himself and a seam opened up. Gallardo hit the GO button and Kharafa took off. He got a big jump on the late running favorite and was easily clear to win.
And best of all, despite being 9/5 in the program he was 5/2 at post time! The $7.50 mutual meant I'd cash for nearly $20 on a minimum play! NICE! In Laurel's 5th, the Grade 3 Commonwealth Oaks I liked Stella Rose. I was encouraged when Laurel handicapper, and GP analyst last winter, Gabby Gaudet also liked her. She was the 8/5 favorite and made a strong bid on the turn but was carried wide into the lane. She was fourth under the wire and while the incident didn't help her chances I'm pretty certain she would not have won anyway. Next up was the first of the four stakes races here at Parx - The Alphabet Soup Handicap. Ever since I was here in 2012, Pennsylvania Derby Day has always been a big day for me (much like Preakness Day has been). And on that day when I was last here I won this very race! I thought this was a toss-up race, but last Monday I made the mistake of not siding with top national rider Florent Geroux and his horse beat mine in the featured Grade 2 Masters at PID and paid $22.20 for winning the headbob. I vowed not to let that happen again. So with all other factors being equal, I went with his mount, Granny's Kitten trained by Michael Maker and sporting the familiar silks of Ken & Sarah Ramsey. He had him stalking the pace into the stretch, made his move up the rail, but he could not get away from the top two. Stretch duel to the final 100 yards before the Kitten edged clear by a narrow margin! My THIRD WIN at Parx! Sent off as the 7/5 favorite I only had the minimum, but still, I'd rather cash for $12 than toss the ticket. As an added bonus Jim had the winner as well!
I missed at Monmouth before it was post time for the next at Parx, the Pennsylvania Derby Championship - not the Pa Derby mind you. This race also looked wide, wide open. But as I went through the race I determined I did NOT like four of the seven slated to go. Mr. Jordan had been DQ'd from a win in a listed event at GP when he was TONS the best. But he came back to win the Grade 3 Pegasus as a 3yo a year ago June. But since he'd lost eight straight including a simple handicap on the Tampa Bay Derby undercard where again I thought he was tons the best and bet him. He's NOT for me. Encryption had two stakes wins locally in similar races, but he'd twice been badly beaten by Mr. Jordan - toss. Bodhisattva was a deep closer who was too slow. And War Story had last won in a 3-lifetime race in the slop at Thistledowns - no. Two others looked to be destined to run each other into the ground leaving me with my top pick, Cyrus Alexander. This colt was listed at a big 6/1 in the program and was trained by Jerry Holldendorfer who was here with his star, Songbird. Top west coast rider Rafael Bejarano was slated to ride and he looked like he'd stalk the dueling leaders. He exited three straight graded stakes, including a win in the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap three back. I was spot on with my handicapping as one of the front-runners emerged with the lead into the lane with Mr. Jordan in hot pursuit. Cyrus Alexander was in third but at the furlong pole but was spinning his wheels. As they raced to the 16th pole I knew I was not winning. But suddenly it was like he opened his eyes and accelerated like his hair was on fire to be just up in time to hand Mr. Jordan his ninth consecutive loss and I was cashing my fourth ticket at Parx. I am having a pretty good day!
Like Granny's Kitten I had the favorite and had only bet the minimum. But again, I'd much rather cash for nearly $15 than toss the ticket :) Typically I do not like to add up my numbers for wins and losses, but especially don't like to add up the bets & wins for fear of trying to "get back to even" so my guess was I was probably near even for the day as we headed into the final two hours of racing. And now was "fish or cut bait" time because the last ten races on my selection sheet were all added money investments with seven of those above the double down play and three of them being "Best of the Day" bets. First up I was looking for a big upset in Monmouth's 7th with Battle Tale who loved the distance of this allowance race. He was 6/1 - fifth without much of an effort. Then I KNEW if I won any races at Laurel it would be with American Patriot, a Todd Pletcher turf horse, in the Grade 2 Commonwealth Derby - my "Laruel Best." He was cooking at 8/5 into the stretch, then ran evenly while finishing a close fourth. Booooo. Here at Parx the first of the graded stakes was the Grade 3 Gallant Bob, a six furlong sprint. I had Castellano on Threefiveindia at 3/1. Strong move up the rail and bid for the win.....couldn't get by, third. Because there is no outdoor grandstand I knew there'd be a HUGE crowd at the rail to watch Songbird in the 10th, the Grade 1 $1 Million Cotillion Stakes so Jim and I headed down. While we were waiting at the rail I opened up Xpressbet to try and watch the feature from Monmouth, a second level allowance, but the race had already finished! I watched the replay later and my top choice, Fuzzy Muzzle looked out of it on the turn and the announcer even remarked in his race call that he "didn't have it today." But as they hit the stretch he came FLYING up the inside and was up in time!
I'd doubled the bet and would cash for over $20. It was approaching time for the Cotillion and this looked to be a great race. Many national handicappers had said that today was "the day" to get Songbird. She was coming off of back-to-back wins at Saratoga and had shipped across the country to run in those races in the heat and humidity AND had been tested to a degree she'd never been tested, though to be fair she won by daylight in both. In addition she now was coming back across the country, running on a new track, AND was obviously pointing for the Breeders' Cup in her next start against older star mare Beholder. She wouldn't want to have a taxing race today so you could believe she wasn't 100% cranked up here. In addition she'd face to two best 3yo fillies other than herself in Grade 1 Acorn winner Carina Mia who made Songbird work hard in the Grade 1 CCA Oaks, and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia. This filly also had the advantages of (a) being based here, and had been visually impressive in the prep for this race HERE a month ago. She was the strong 5/2 second choice in the betting. Early in the day Jim asked me what price we'd get and I said I'd be surprised if we didn't get 2/5 and probably 3/5 because of all these factors. But with minutes to post time Songbird was 1/9 on the board! The starting gate was just down the stretch from us and we got to see the break and watch as these great fillies blew by the first time. Songbird broke sharply, but conceded the lead to Carina Mia (surprising she'd go to the front, but hey, they'd tried rating off of her and that didn't work) into the turn. I wasn't sure but it looked to me heading into the far turn that Mike Smith was having to ask Songbird to run, but then she glided up to challenge and I thought "HERE WE GO!" But instead Carina Mia wasn't about to concede easily and now Cathryn Sophia had begun her run and was closing in from third. They turned into the stretch and it looked like a horse race! But then as we were cheering on the rail Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith gave Songbird the "go ahead" cue and under a hand ride she accelerated to the finish line in an easy, daylight score! Well worth the price of the trip to see the unbeaten champion run right by us!
When Smith was the regular rider for unbeaten champion Zenyatta he took her to the middle of the track in front of the grandstands on several occasions so the crowd could appreciate her. Today he did the same with Songbird and when he turned her to face the crowd they were right in front, and I mean RIGHT IN FRONT of Jim and I. Truly a memorable moment and I captured it all on video - watch the highlights below! I had debated about how much to bet, and had been a little leery because we'd traveled here and what the "experts" were saying. I didn't want to "lose" the day with one single bet, but the more I thought about the more I was convinced that this is simply one special filly who probably could win the Pa Derby coming up next against the colts. I was ALL IN with a BET of the Day $100 investment!
The crowd had poured in the late money on Carina Mia, knocking her down from 40/1 to 6/1 in the final minutes and this allowed Songbird to float up to 1/5, which honestly was a fair price. Then she paid a click higher at $2.60 and I was cashing for $130 on my second win in a row and FIFTH of the day here at Parx! We decided to hold down the fort at the rail so I opened my phone to watch my "BEST" of the day at Belmont in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel where I liked Ms McDougal. Like the Monmouth race the results were already in. If I'd watched it I would have known to be concerned because this filly is a stalker or closer but right out of the gate she went to the front. This cannot be good. But through the stretch she widened her margin with every stride and ran away with ease!
My "prime time" play earned me over $40 for my third win in a row! I changed tracks on my phone and was in time to see the field hit the far turn in The Oakley Stakes at Laurel - a 5 1/2 furlong sprint. Rapid Rhythm was in mid-pack as they turned for home and looked too far back. But she too found a whole other gear and ran by the first five like they were tied to the rail to win going away!
I had tripled the bet here and so would cash for nearly $25 more! In the Pennsylvania Derby I told Jim that I thought the most likely outcome was that a "go figure" longshot would win. But I also thought I'd give Kentucky Derby champion one more chance. If he would just rate off the leaders I thought he had a good shot. I read on Friday that that was the plan and I felt even more confident. He sat third off the pace to the stretch and made his bid for the lead......and ran evenly to the wire to be 4th at a fair 6/5. The winner - 10/1 on a Javier Castellano-ridden horse. For Chad Brown no less. Wow. We went inside as they were getting into the gate for my final race, the Bert Allen Stakes at Laurel. My pick Rose Brier was the heavy favorite but she was fourth into the turn and I had my doubts. But top Maryland jockey Trevor McCarthy had a ton of horse and when he let her go she blew by and won by double digit lengths as TONS the best - my FIFTH win in a row!
When I went up to the teller's window I was able to hand over winning tickets that added up to $232 in winnings and now I was pretty certain I'd had a good day :) In retrospect it didn't take that long to get out of the crowded parking lot, though at the time it seemed to be moving slowly. We shot across the main road to Carrabbas and sat down at the bar and ordered drinks and dinner. Jim and I reviewed the day and added up our totals - I finished an amazing 10-for-22 on the day and made a profit of well over $100. WHOOOOO HOOOOOO! What a great day! We watched college football for a while then were up around 6 am for a 7 am departure to return the car and head to the airport. While we waited to board I picked up the local paper and read the write-up on Songbird's impressive win.
We were boarded around 9:30 and flew incident free back to South Florida where we landed about 12:45. By around 1:30 I was sitting at home with a giant smile on my face from a great racing adventure.
Like Granny's Kitten I had the favorite and had only bet the minimum. But again, I'd much rather cash for nearly $15 than toss the ticket :) Typically I do not like to add up my numbers for wins and losses, but especially don't like to add up the bets & wins for fear of trying to "get back to even" so my guess was I was probably near even for the day as we headed into the final two hours of racing. And now was "fish or cut bait" time because the last ten races on my selection sheet were all added money investments with seven of those above the double down play and three of them being "Best of the Day" bets. First up I was looking for a big upset in Monmouth's 7th with Battle Tale who loved the distance of this allowance race. He was 6/1 - fifth without much of an effort. Then I KNEW if I won any races at Laurel it would be with American Patriot, a Todd Pletcher turf horse, in the Grade 2 Commonwealth Derby - my "Laruel Best." He was cooking at 8/5 into the stretch, then ran evenly while finishing a close fourth. Booooo. Here at Parx the first of the graded stakes was the Grade 3 Gallant Bob, a six furlong sprint. I had Castellano on Threefiveindia at 3/1. Strong move up the rail and bid for the win.....couldn't get by, third. Because there is no outdoor grandstand I knew there'd be a HUGE crowd at the rail to watch Songbird in the 10th, the Grade 1 $1 Million Cotillion Stakes so Jim and I headed down. While we were waiting at the rail I opened up Xpressbet to try and watch the feature from Monmouth, a second level allowance, but the race had already finished! I watched the replay later and my top choice, Fuzzy Muzzle looked out of it on the turn and the announcer even remarked in his race call that he "didn't have it today." But as they hit the stretch he came FLYING up the inside and was up in time!
I'd doubled the bet and would cash for over $20. It was approaching time for the Cotillion and this looked to be a great race. Many national handicappers had said that today was "the day" to get Songbird. She was coming off of back-to-back wins at Saratoga and had shipped across the country to run in those races in the heat and humidity AND had been tested to a degree she'd never been tested, though to be fair she won by daylight in both. In addition she now was coming back across the country, running on a new track, AND was obviously pointing for the Breeders' Cup in her next start against older star mare Beholder. She wouldn't want to have a taxing race today so you could believe she wasn't 100% cranked up here. In addition she'd face to two best 3yo fillies other than herself in Grade 1 Acorn winner Carina Mia who made Songbird work hard in the Grade 1 CCA Oaks, and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia. This filly also had the advantages of (a) being based here, and had been visually impressive in the prep for this race HERE a month ago. She was the strong 5/2 second choice in the betting. Early in the day Jim asked me what price we'd get and I said I'd be surprised if we didn't get 2/5 and probably 3/5 because of all these factors. But with minutes to post time Songbird was 1/9 on the board! The starting gate was just down the stretch from us and we got to see the break and watch as these great fillies blew by the first time. Songbird broke sharply, but conceded the lead to Carina Mia (surprising she'd go to the front, but hey, they'd tried rating off of her and that didn't work) into the turn. I wasn't sure but it looked to me heading into the far turn that Mike Smith was having to ask Songbird to run, but then she glided up to challenge and I thought "HERE WE GO!" But instead Carina Mia wasn't about to concede easily and now Cathryn Sophia had begun her run and was closing in from third. They turned into the stretch and it looked like a horse race! But then as we were cheering on the rail Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith gave Songbird the "go ahead" cue and under a hand ride she accelerated to the finish line in an easy, daylight score! Well worth the price of the trip to see the unbeaten champion run right by us!
When Smith was the regular rider for unbeaten champion Zenyatta he took her to the middle of the track in front of the grandstands on several occasions so the crowd could appreciate her. Today he did the same with Songbird and when he turned her to face the crowd they were right in front, and I mean RIGHT IN FRONT of Jim and I. Truly a memorable moment and I captured it all on video - watch the highlights below! I had debated about how much to bet, and had been a little leery because we'd traveled here and what the "experts" were saying. I didn't want to "lose" the day with one single bet, but the more I thought about the more I was convinced that this is simply one special filly who probably could win the Pa Derby coming up next against the colts. I was ALL IN with a BET of the Day $100 investment!
The crowd had poured in the late money on Carina Mia, knocking her down from 40/1 to 6/1 in the final minutes and this allowed Songbird to float up to 1/5, which honestly was a fair price. Then she paid a click higher at $2.60 and I was cashing for $130 on my second win in a row and FIFTH of the day here at Parx! We decided to hold down the fort at the rail so I opened my phone to watch my "BEST" of the day at Belmont in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel where I liked Ms McDougal. Like the Monmouth race the results were already in. If I'd watched it I would have known to be concerned because this filly is a stalker or closer but right out of the gate she went to the front. This cannot be good. But through the stretch she widened her margin with every stride and ran away with ease!
My "prime time" play earned me over $40 for my third win in a row! I changed tracks on my phone and was in time to see the field hit the far turn in The Oakley Stakes at Laurel - a 5 1/2 furlong sprint. Rapid Rhythm was in mid-pack as they turned for home and looked too far back. But she too found a whole other gear and ran by the first five like they were tied to the rail to win going away!
I had tripled the bet here and so would cash for nearly $25 more! In the Pennsylvania Derby I told Jim that I thought the most likely outcome was that a "go figure" longshot would win. But I also thought I'd give Kentucky Derby champion one more chance. If he would just rate off the leaders I thought he had a good shot. I read on Friday that that was the plan and I felt even more confident. He sat third off the pace to the stretch and made his bid for the lead......and ran evenly to the wire to be 4th at a fair 6/5. The winner - 10/1 on a Javier Castellano-ridden horse. For Chad Brown no less. Wow. We went inside as they were getting into the gate for my final race, the Bert Allen Stakes at Laurel. My pick Rose Brier was the heavy favorite but she was fourth into the turn and I had my doubts. But top Maryland jockey Trevor McCarthy had a ton of horse and when he let her go she blew by and won by double digit lengths as TONS the best - my FIFTH win in a row!
When I went up to the teller's window I was able to hand over winning tickets that added up to $232 in winnings and now I was pretty certain I'd had a good day :) In retrospect it didn't take that long to get out of the crowded parking lot, though at the time it seemed to be moving slowly. We shot across the main road to Carrabbas and sat down at the bar and ordered drinks and dinner. Jim and I reviewed the day and added up our totals - I finished an amazing 10-for-22 on the day and made a profit of well over $100. WHOOOOO HOOOOOO! What a great day! We watched college football for a while then were up around 6 am for a 7 am departure to return the car and head to the airport. While we waited to board I picked up the local paper and read the write-up on Songbird's impressive win.
We were boarded around 9:30 and flew incident free back to South Florida where we landed about 12:45. By around 1:30 I was sitting at home with a giant smile on my face from a great racing adventure.
Pennsylvania Derby Day 2016
Highlight Video
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