September 9 - 10

A B-I-G Friday / Saturday Disappoints

The theme continued from Thursday's big results as AGAIN on Friday I had considered since there was no racing at Monmouth I'd have a "dark day."  But Friday morning I decided after the success on Thursday I'd handicap and play the afternoon's races from Gulfstream, Belmont (where it was opening day for the Fall Championship Meet), and Woodbine.  After a late running fourth in the opener at Gulfstream I ran second in three straight races.  In the opener at Belmont I was surprised Play Big was a big 5/1 price as he broke sharply and took the field easily into the stretch, but weakened in a maiden claimer.  At Woodbine Reimagined was Jim Bannon's BEST of the day in their second, a nw2L claiming event, and I could see why.  He was dropping from $40K to $20K, his BSF had improved with each and every start, and today he was cutting back from 7 furlongs in his first try against winners to a better distance of 6 panels.  Strong bid into the lane but could not get by the front runner.  Then in the third at Gulfstream my initial thought was that Lady Naura would not be able to wire the field after two straight wins, but she was the LONE speed and looked to coast home handily.  Sure enough, right to the front, no pressure whatsoever, but weakened late to be 2nd.  Not the way I saw today going.  But in Belmont's third race I scored with Todd Pletcher's stakes winning Prontico.  His last three had not been good efforts and he was coming off a layoff and BOTH John Velazquez and Javier Castellano were riding other horses in here.  Still, Pletcher is strong with layoff runners and Prontico had multiple bullet works for today.  He rallied into the lane from a stalking trip, dueled to the wire with the 6/5 favorite.....PHOTO FINISH! 

Up just in time!  I'd doubled the bet and was rewarded with a payoff of nearly $35!  Right back in Belmont's fourth in a maiden special for two-year-olds.  Mission Command was my BEST BET of the day.  He was 6/5 in the program after clipping heels out of the gate in his debut but still rallied to be third; then was a best-of-the-rest second last time out at Saratoga behind a Pletcher colt that came back to romp in a stakes event.  He was sent off as the prohibitive 2/5 chalk and sat just off the pace to the turn.  He swept up to the leader, but just when I expected him to blow by he was engaged by the leader who wouldn't go away.  One head up and one head down......PHOTO FINISH!  Again! 

But he was the winner and I was cashing for nearly $30 with my second victory on the opening day card in New York.  When's the last time I won with both photo finishes, in back-to-back races?  This has to be a good sign! 

In Woodbine's third Apple of His Eye was a disappointing third at 6/5.  And again at Woodbine where the DRF Best Bet Jade Dragon rallied and couldn't hold even second while picking up a show check.  But the 7th at Gulfstream was my BEST BET in Hallandale - a maiden claiming event.  The last two Beyer figures earned by Boot N Loot, meager numbers of 36 & 23, won't scare any stakes runners, but in the field he faced today, those were equivalent to Breeders' Cup championship figs!  The only fear was a debut runner could surprise, but none came from an outfit that had demonstrated an ability to produce a first time winner.  Didn't hurt that the top choice was dropping in class and I anticipated that "these boots were made for walkin'" today!  He shook off early pace pressure as they went through the turn, opened up and was L-O-N-G gone! 

I thought the 6/5 price was a handicapping gift and I cashed for over $45!  I decided to back off of Interject in the 7th at Woodbine and he was a dull 7th at 2/1.  A good decision - I'd done the same in the opener at Gulfstream.  Unusual decisions as nearly always the only decision changes are to UP the investment.  In the 7th at Gulfstream While Ye May looked really strong in an entry level AOC turf sprint.  All of his numbers were strong and he'd been competitive in every start.  The last was his first start off of a six month layoff while rallying wide.  During the handicapping show prior to the first race both Gulfstream handicappers had questioned why they had not singled him.  I had considered making him a "best bet" but when I considered his chances compared to those of Boot N Loot, I decided that one had a better chance so I "only" tripled the bet.  Right out of the gate I had a good feeling as the rider was restraining him all the way to the turn while pressing in third.  When allowed to run While Ye May drew off easily!  WHOOO HOOOOO! 

Cashed for nearly $40!  I'm having a very good day!  In the Christiecat Stakes, the opening day feature at Belmont, I went with Miss Katie May as an upset winner.  She slipped through on the rail and at the 16th pole she poked her head in front at a big 6/1 price.  But was nailed in the final 50 yards by the favorite who rallied down the middle of the course.  That would have been nice.  The last play of the day was in Gulfstream's finale, a starter optional claiming event going a mile and a sixteenth on the grass.  I thought Quiet Force was the obvious choice and deserved to be 9/5 in the program.  The only two claiming events showing in his pps were BOTH wins.  The crowd foolishly let him go off at an inflated 2/1 price and as the field entered the stretch Quiet Force was picking off horses while weaving through traffic.  At the furlong pole he split horses with dead aim on the 8/5 favorite and edged by in the final sixteenth. 

The big $6.20 price allowed me to cash for over $30 on my fifth win of the day.  Have to say I was delighted with eleven wins over the past two days after my initial plan had been to pass both days!

Saturday September 10

There weren't any "big" races on the national calendar today.  And with travel plans for five of the next six Saturdays I decided to stay home and watch college football and just spot play a few races.  The best news about Saturday was that my Florida Gators chomped up on the Kentucky Wildcats - the last time a Kentucky football team beat a Florida Gators team was in 1986 - that's 30 in a row for those of you without calculators!  As for racing - at Monmouth Park top jockey Paco Lopez was certainly off form through the first half of the card.  In the 2nd Cee No More was the 4/5 favorite and was never pushed - an even third.  In the third, Aripeka was the 4/5 favorite and much the best on paper.  But first, Lopez sorely misjudged the pace and had her WAY to far back to make a serious run, and then as he asked for run it seemed like he assumed everyone would open the rail for a dream trip.  Instead he was stopped on the turn and checked sharply into the stretch.  Very disappointing fifth.  In the fourth, a maiden claiming sprint he was on the heavy 3/5 favorite Super Chub who was clearly the horse to beat as they approached the turn.  Lopez was riding with that "condescending" confidence as it's been described, like he's saying "I'm just gonna draw off when ever I want."  But midway on the turn the rider of my second choice launched an all-out bid for the front.  Lopez, WAY too overconfident never saw her coming and by the time she'd caught him as he glided to the front it took him a second or two to ask for run - too late.  Best of the rest second.  But give Paco props for his ride in the 7th in a turf sprint.  My only concern with Thinking of Mom was the rail draw and off the pace style.  With the way the day had gone I wasn't surprised when she was far back into the turn and seemingly out of it.  But in a perfectly judged ride she came roaring through the stretch and was easily best though the margin of victory was small. 

The best of the day was in the Grade 3 Violet where Todd Pletcher's Isabella Sings looked to be long gone, loose on the lead.  She was a multiple graded stakes winner who was 4/3-1-0 here on the Jersey Shore.  I mean, she'd been caught on the wire by Breeders' Cup champion Tepin at Tampa, she should make short work of these.  Long gone to the stretch and stopped despite setting moderate fractions.  Wow.  I also played at Arlington, Louisiana Downs, and the feature at Kentucky Downs.  I was close a couple of times but never a real threat.  At least my selection of Da Big Hoss in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup was spot on.  Only two wins today dampened the enthusiasm of all the wins on Thursday and Friday.