September 7

Three For Nine To Start The Week

With the holiday racing on Monday Woodbine was closed this evening.  So, after reading online that Indiana Grande had several stakes races today I handicapped both there and Presque Isle.  The first bet of the day was my BEST of the Day in the Florence Henderson at Indiana.  They were going 8 1/2 furlongs on the inner turf and Lady Fog Horn was not only the defending champ, but showed a similar trainer pattern for today.  She had been a sharp second in a Grade 3 to top off 2015 and looked to be on her way to another strong effort today.  I was a touch concerned when near the back down the backstretch, but when she kicked it into gear approaching the far turn there was little about who would be the winner, just a matter of how far.  I thought the 3/5 odds were more than fair and I cashed for a $40 return to start the day's action. 

Ironic that I missed with my next bet in the 4th, a longshot value play at 11/1, but passed the 2nd and 4th where BOTH races were won by my top choice as was the first race on the card.  WOW.  Was unable to find another winner at Indiana and so I moved on to Presque Isle for the evening's races.  I scored in the fifth when Wisenbossy looked like the main speed from the rail but was STILL not the post time favorite.  She set measured fractions of :25 and :50 for the first quarter and half mile.  When the stalkers and closers, and in particular the 7/5 favorite made their move she had plenty left and ran away. 

I had tripled the bet so I cashed for nearly $40 again!  The difference in the day came in the 6th at PID where Kylie's Wildcat was my best bet.  The field was reduced to only four and that left the #2 as the lone speed.  I thought Antonio Gallardo would sit just off that one and blow by, but when they came out of the gate and he was content to sit about half a dozen off the speed I knew I was in trouble.  Made a strong rallying move, but there was no catching the loose on the lead front runner.  Second best at even money.  I cashed on my final ticket of the day when Red Hot Looks wired the maiden special field.  I might have upped the bet, but it was hard to swallow 1/5 on a runner that had been clear on the pace call in five of his seven previous starts and was run down in all of them.  But tonight there was no catching him.  So I had a 33% day but lost a little cash on the day.