September 8

A BIG DAY Of Handicapping

I decided to handicap the races today and spend some time playing at Gulfstream, Delaware, Arlington, and Presque Isle with races from 1 pm until 8 pm.  I had wins at ever one of those venues and scored with my BEST of the Day for a sharp 6-for-14 day at the races!  Not bad for a Thursday afternoon without any stakes action!  After running 2nd with Cheech Thunder (who had won five in a row but NOT today when I've got him, wow) in the opener at Gulfstream I received a handicapping gift when I watched the 2nd from Delaware thinking I'd bet, but turns out I didn't!  WHOOO HOOO, that third place finish won't count :)  The third at Gulfstream was my BEST of the Day.  As I wrote in my analysis, and have said multiple times - one of the great things about handicapping is that you can have a "BEST BET" with a multiple graded stakes champion like Songbird in a Breeders' Cup race, or in a maiden claiming event on a Thursday afternoon!  Dudes Rockin Lady was 0-for-4 but she'd never run poorly on the main track, all against better.  Dropping in class today - the only one in the field to do so - she projected to move forward after making her first start off a ten month layoff last time out.  And her two most recent figures - 47 & 49 - while not going to scare off any stakes runners, towered over these as the best two figures in the field.  She stalked the pace, moved easily to the front and drew off in hand.  A bogus objection by both the trainer and rider of the runner-up was quickly disallowed and I cashed for over $50!  

Off the board at both Delaware and Arlington before winning at both of those tracks in the next two selections.  The third at Arlington was a claiming sprint and Case Cracker was dropping out of allowance company with seven wins locally.  Sent out by top Chicago trainer Larry Rivelli he looked much the best, and was going wire to wire.  

Half an hour later I won a maiden claimer on the turf at Delaware where I tripled the bet on Cort'n Asong who had not only the best Beyers, but had faced far faster pace fractions in his most recent.  He was confidently ridden and ran away through the lane.  

Missed at Arlington with another Rivelli runner and then was 2nd in back-to-back race selections at Gulfstream to close out the racing at Hallandale.  I won the finale at Arlington where it was another triple investment - this time on Sweetbaby in a MSW turf event.  She projected to be odds-on I thought as both of her two most recent numbers were best in the field....and the most recent came off a layoff.  Should move up today considering that last one was a sprint on the main and her "thing" is turf routing.  The crowd let her go off at 6/5 and she stalked the leaders to mid-stretch and edged away as easily best.

I closed out the day at Presque Isle where I won the opener on Spiced Commander who was bet down from 3/1 to 3/2 at post time in a maiden claiming event; then came back with Symphony Forty One who was also pounded down from 3/1 to even money.  

Lost the last two, the last on my sheet with a prohibitive 2/5 favorite who was second to a loose-on-the-lead front runner.  For the day the 6-for-14 and profitable day made for a nice Thursday at the track - virtually!