THE BIG WEEK of Racing

Parx / Saratoga / Charlestown

Talk about the summer season ending with a BIG BANG!  This week is the next to last week of the summer racing season and I had stakes races ALL WEEK LONG!  By the end of the week I'd played almost triple the number of races I usually play during a summer week and scored at a huge 40% win clip.   Here is how the amazing week unfolded......

Tuesday August 24th
Today I had an added day of racing as Parx was hosting their "Smarty Jones" day card which featured four stakes, two of them graded and multiple starter handicaps.  Well, the first thing of interest was it POURED down rain over the weekend and on Monday so management took the Grade 3 Parx Dash, a turf sprint and cancelled the race, moving it to next week.  The second item of news was that this afternoon, in the midst of the racing, Kim and I went to get new phones.  That might not seem of importance, but keep reading, it was!  As I had gone through the card on Monday I found a "BEST Bet" in the second race, a starter handicap going around two turns at a mile and a sixteenth.  In the third race, another starter - this one a 6f sprint - I narrowed it down to three prime contenders.  And in the 5th race, scheduled on the turf I had one horse I liked on the grass.  With the weather changes, the fifth became a short field of four.  So, I had planned to play a Pick-3 ticket and now I structured it like this:

After winning the first race my BEST Bet, Sheer Flattery was much the best.  In the 3rd, as they came to the 16th pole my one pick was 18/1 on the lead and being chased by my other choice (who ended up winning).  I'm IN!  So at this point Kim and I headed out to get our phones.  Because I figured that would take a while I made the rest of the bets for the remaining races I liked on the card.  The phone process did take several hours and when I got home I found that the Pick-3 had paid off for over $20 for the bet.  I'll take the profit!

Hit the first leg with my BEST

SCORE on the second leg, I'm in!

I won another off-the-turf race before losing the next two, my first losses on the day.  As I completed watching the replays it was ten minutes to the featured, Grade 3 Smarty Jones.  I liked Brad Cox's Fulsome who had won the Grade 3 Matt Winn for me in July.  He looked much the best and the planned bet was $15.  He was an awfully short price so I checked the multi-race payoffs and he was heavily favored.  Up the bet?  YES!  So instead of the planned triple investment I went prime time.  He roared by the leaders in mid-stretch and drew off handily to complete a 5-for-7 day.  I pulled up the daily total screen on Xpressbet and their numbers did NOT synch with my totals.  According to their numbers I had won MORE MONEY that I calculated.  How is that possible.  Then I realized what I'd done.......I had made ALL my bets before leaving to get the phones.  When I got home and bet the $20 to win on Fulsome, it was actually an ADDITIONAL bet.  Oh my....but I won!

How cool is that?  And then as I was doing this my email went off, five times in succession.  What the?  Oh my....MORE good news!  I had lost about $40 last Saturday on Alabama Stakes Day and Pacific Classic Day.  But what I'd forgotten was that Xpressbet had a promotion at Del Mar.  Any race, all day long, if your WIN bet finished 2nd or 3rd they would refund you up to $10.  Well, I'd run 2nd and 3rd on FIVE different occasions on the card...

BINGO - another $50 "free dollars."  So in a matter of moments my balance on my Xpressbet account had leaped by first a "surprise $35" with the double bet on Fulsome, and then another "bonus $50" with the moneyback special!  WOW, what a day.

Smarty Jones Day Highlights

Wednesday August 25th 
Today was a "Saratoga-only" day and my practice has been to simply play the Progressive Handicapping Angles.  But today I actually had races on my sheet.  The opener on the day was my first pick and Pocket Square, for Chad Brown looked formidable.  AND he was another Saratoga 40% Club play on the class drop.  Patiently waiting to the far turn while the leaders sprinted away, then turning for home of the nine furlong turf event, he blew by handily.  Ran 4th at 4/1 in the fourth before another Chad Brown runner, Digital Future was tons the best in a maiden special for older.  He was the DRF Best and handicapper Mike Beer next to never goes with the favorite, but this one he didn't even list in his top three.  If you're a public handicapper advising the betting public, I'd think you "owed" it to them to at least talk about the favorite.  Missed in the sixth when a Todd Pletcher 2yo firster got cut off in the stretch.  Not sure he would have won, but the 2nd place horse that denied him the opportunity was DQ'd so I got promoted to second.  In the 7th it was ANOTHER Saratoga 40% Club Chad Brown class dropper.  Gandy Dancing went off at a generous 2/1.  Handled patiently by Javier Castellano in one of his rare "return to Hall of Fame form" rides, he timed the move perfectly turning for home and ran away.  Cashed for well over $30.  And in the featured John's Call Stakes going 13 furlongs on the grass it was the THIRD Saratoga 40% Club Chad Brown class dropper of the day with Serve the King.  The crowd obviously has not read Jim Mazur's book, nor seen my online analysis because he was allowed to go off at better than 3/1 and ran away in deep stretch.  Paid a huge $8.90 and I collected for nearly $45 to top a 4-for-6 day with a profit of over $50.  WHAT A DAY!

Friday August 27th:  Charlestown Classic Night 
Typically on a Friday I'll have a couple Saratoga plays, a couple from Del Mar and a couple from the abbreviated Monmouth Twilight program.  But today / tonight I had TWENTY races.  Wait a minute, what's that you say?  "What about Thursday's races?"  Not talking about that 0-for-9 run yesterday which included two runner-up finishes and three show runners.  In just the second race on my sheet, from Monmouth Park, Mi Cleopatra and I went right to the front and held on for the win at nearly 4/1 leading to a quick nearly $25.  Missed the next four and I started wondering if I was going to have two days in a row of disappointment.  But then the stakes action started at Charlestown.  In the Sadie Hawkins Star of the Night had won 8-of-10 career starts and was the 2020 W Va Horse of the Year.  She was meeting a familiar foe and as the field hit the far turn the main rival was in front but 'Star was rolling from mid-pack.  Caught her at the top of the lane, they dueled for a 16th of a mile and then she edged clear to score as the 1/5 favorite.

Missed at Monmouth and in an allowance at CT before getting to the 10th on the Jersey Shore.  It was a cheap mile - 70 route event and Curlin's Thrill was an intriguing play for me.  Took TEN tries to break his maiden, but to be fair those first nine were on the turf and synthetic.  Got his first taste of dirt and ran away by nearly ten lengths.  Came right back to score narrowly in a $7.5K route here.  And out of that last race he was claimed by trainer Darien Rodriguez who scores at a big 39% and $2.64 ROI with those kinds.  He confidently raised him up in price here to a $12.5K "beaten" affair.  Looked like a bad bet approaching the far turn when he was far, and I mean FAR back - at least ten lengths back and then the rider asked.  It was an "Arazi-move" - and if you don't know what that means, you need to Google the Breeders' Cup Juvenile from 1991.  Blitzed by the field in a quarter of a mile in devastating fashion and was ridden out for the score as the 3/2 choice.  Next up was the Sylvia Bishop at Charlestown.  This 7f two-turn stakes looked wide-open with the exception of Doorbuster.  This filly had run some powerful races against state-breds and was exiting an OPEN allowance try on the turf to return to the level and distance that best suited her.  She saved ground along the rail to the far turn and was ready to take command but was completely blocked and hemmed in.  The rider patiently waited, and waited - all the way through the turn just crying out for running room.  As the field turned for home the rail opened and she shot through.  I thought the announcer's call was clever as he announced, "....the rail's open for Doorbuster and she KICKS IT DOWN in the Sylvia Bishop...."  Was the 4/5 choice but another winner and I cashed again.

Right back in the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon with Lady Rocket under Florent Geroux for trainer Brad Cox.  It looked to me like two primary win threats but this filly had the better early speed and on a small track like this it's really hard to make up ground.  Right to the front, clear to the far turn, looked like the field was going to inhale her as they turned for home, but Geroux asked her to find another gear and she kicked clear to draw off late for the win, my third stakes victory of the evening.

Two runner-up finishes and a dismal eighth place finish set the stage for Del Mar's 7th, a turf sprint which held a Del Mar 40% Club play for trainer Phil D'Amato.  The angle here was with runners making their second start off a 30+ day layoff.  She looked the part of a winner from the get-go tracking the leaders on the hedge to the top of the lane.  Swung out into the clear and powered by to win by daylight as the 9/5 choice allowing me to cash for nearly $30.  At about this time everyone was heading to bed so I retired to the spare bedroom at our son's house and turned on the TVG broadcast to watch the Grade 2 Charlestown Classic going a mile and an eighth around three turns.  I'd seen Art Collector runaway with the Ellis Park Derby as a 3yo and then win his 4yo debut at Saratoga last time out.  That top Saratoga rider Luis Saez came here for this single mount told me they thought that the colt had a big chance.  As the TVG analysts discussed their choices I was intrigued with a So Cal import that had shipped across the country for this AND had lured top rider Victor Espinoza to fly here also.  And he was 9/1....should I make the change?  NO.  Stuck with my original thinking.  Art Collector tracked the front runner - last year's winner who was double digit odds tonight - to the top of the lane.  Collared him and drove by the edge clear late.  I tripled the bet and his odds floated up from 3/5 to 6/5 late allowing me to collect nearly $35 on my 7th and final win of the evening!

Charlestown Classic Week Highlights

Saturday August 27th:  Runhappy Travers Day 
Today was the big birthday bash for our newly turned 5yo grandson Oliver.  There were nearly 20 friends and relatives so I didn't feel like I was too anti-social to duck back and forth from the bedroom where the races were playing all afternoon.

Happy 5th Birthday Oliver!

Because of the party I only was playing the Monmouth card, the Del Mar KEY plays, and of course the massive Saratoga card where there were seven graded events....SIX Grade 1's.  As hottie handicapper Maggie Wolfendale said (and note below how we exchanged greetings this week), it was like a mini-Breeders' Cup program.  My first pick was a "Main Track Only" and he scratched; ran 5th, then 2nd at 3/2 and third and finally 4th at even money to start the day.  Not the start I was looking for.  The fourth at Saratoga was the first of the graded events, the Grade 2 Ballston Spa going eight and a half furlongs on the turf.  My main concern with the Chad Brown favorite Viadara was that since coming to North America her three wins had been by a neck, a head, and a nose.  BUT those came in stakes, including a Grade 1 win and her numbers made her the clear favorite.  As they came to the top of the lane she moved to the leader and had clear run to the wire.  Got a length in front when two closers were coming....PHOTO FINISH!  But no, clearly the winner by half a head and I was cashing my first ticket on the day.

The fifth at Monmouth was a turf sprint and Hay Boy ran away as much the best at a generous price paying $7.00.  One of the SEVEN wins on the day for top rider Paco Lopez.  He RULES the Jersey Shore.  Another MTO scratched before it was time for the BET of the Weekend.  Hall of Fame trainer had brought Gamine here for the Grade 1 Ballerina.  She was the defending Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint champion and no one, and I mean NO ONE can run with her when she breaks on top and is on her game - which by the way has been in seven of eight career starts.  Was interesting because when Baffert's Medina Spirit tested positive leading to a cascade of challenges and suspensions, the New York Racing Association banned Baffert runners.  But he fought it in court and won, so here she was.  Not only was I sure she was the best in the field, but I thought Baffert would be out to "show you" that he could still bring home the big ones.  She just needed to break cleanly from the rail slot.  Right to the front and as they spun out of the turn I briefly wondered if she'd kick on with it, but easy-peasy-pie she drew off.  The $2.70 payoff was more than fair as I cashed for nearly $70.

Right back at Monmouth where Saratoga Affair wired a second level allowance on the turf and then in the eighth at Monmouth Plato lived up to his 2/5 favoritism by running away.  Then came one of the most interesting races of the day, the Grade 1 Forego at seven furlongs for the boys at the Spa.  Many of the contenders in here were exiting the Grade 1 Vanderbilt a month ago where the winner had scored at a huge price.  I didn't like ANY of those.  So for me it looked ripe for the taking.  I went with Steve Asmussen's lightly race Yaupon who drew wide and should sit a comfortable trip.  Last year as a 3yo he'd rattled off four straight with such ease and big numbers that he not only went to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint, but was the post time favorite.  Didn't fire that day but he'd come back with the easiest of wins in a Pimlico listed event to prep for this.  Right to the front and clear into the turn when multiple graded stakes winning Firenze Fire came to him.  The two laid it down, shoulder to shoulder until inside the furlong marker Firenze Fire all of the sudden had had enough of this young whipper-snapper and began trying to bite him, or what's called savaging.  OH MY!  Irad Ortiz, the rider, pulled him away from Yaupon and the duel continued to the wire where Yaupon prevailed in a sensational performance.  Had Firenze Fire finished first he most certainly would have been DQ'd, so it was best that the best horse won.  This was so unusual I called several of the adults into the bedroom to watch this most unusual event.  

YOWZA!

Three graded events at Saratoga and I'd collected on them all!  I really thought I was going to win the next at Monmouth when I was 13/1 but I settled for third - good bet, no cash to show for it.  Then perhaps the best race of the day from Saratoga and ironically I didn't win.  Unbeaten Life Is Good had not been seen since March and he was taking on multiple graded stakes winning and Saratoga Horse-for-the-Course Jackie's Warrior.  I liked Life Is Good who tracked the front running Jackie to the lane, made his move, went eye-to-eye with him and in the final jumps was just edged out....but what a terrific horse race it was.

Missed in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign when Swiss Skydiver didn't fire and no one went with front running Latruska - STILL don't think she's as good as advertised.  Because Monmouth had to cancel last Sunday they had two feature races today.  The first was up next, the Rainbow Heir going five and a half furlongs on the turf.  I did NOT like the favorite who had disappointed for me several times, and his last win had come in December of 2019 when I had him at Gulfstream.  The big 94 Beyer speed figure Belgrano earned in his last was by far the best number on the page.  BUT - that had come in a two turn starter allowance.  Hmmmm.  He loved this turf course and trainer Frank Russo had only sent out a dozen runners at the meet, but won with FIVE OF THEM!  Clearly knows where to spot his runners.  Belgrano saved all the ground in fourth through the far turn as three pace setters dueled.  The rail opened up and jockey Issac Castillo shot through and she ran away.  Paid a very handsome $8.40 allowing me to collect over $40!  WHOOO HOOOO.

The Grade 1 Sword Dancer going a mile and a half on the Saratoga turf looked like a crap shoot, but I thought Gufo was rounding back into top shape for trainer Christophe Clement.  Through the first mile, around the first two of the three turns jockey Joel Rosario had him comfortably off the embattled pace setters.  Into the far turn he began to pick off horses and was within a length at the top of the lane as Rosario asked him for his best.  He spurted clear and held off the closing rivals in the late stages for my FOURTH graded win on the big card!

Thought I had the 2/1 winner of the co-feature at Monmouth only to see Paco roll by with his record-tying seventh winner.  Now it was time for the BIG ONE.....the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes, the Midsummer Derby for three-year-olds.  I have been convinced that Essential Quality is clearly the best 3yo in the country if not one of the best runners, period.  He'd won the prep for this, the Grade 2 Jim Dandy off a layoff and with a less-than ideal trip.  I was convinced that trainer Brad Cox had been pointing for this race since winning the Belmont Stakes and his interviews seemed to say that the colt could not be doing better.  I considered making him a co-BET of the Day, but as I considered it, as much as I was sure he'd win, I had to admit that I was sure beyond any doubt that Gamine would win.  And I didn't have quite that much confidence in him.  Sat the ideal trip behind the Asmussen front runner and the two went eye-to-eye through the stretch until inside the final 16th the champion edged clear.  What a great way to close down the huge Saratoga card.

But I still had a couple races left at Del Mar.  Won with one of them to finish 10-for-24 on the day.  Very happy with the biggest day of the summer!

Sunday August 29th  - New Jersey Bred Festival Day at Monmouth 
This state-bred day on the Jersey Shore always features multiple stakes events and I seem to always do well on this day.  But the highlight promised to be in the Del Mar feature late in the evening when Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit would run in the Shared Belief Stakes and face off with Santa Anita Derby Champion Rock Your World who bested the Derby winner which led to the big priced payoff of Bob Baffert's 6th Kentucky Derby champion.  The first selection on the special Jersey Shore card saw me run a close 2nd at 2/1.  Then in an entry level event I thought that Smithwick's Spice was as good as any IF you were willing to filter out his bad races.  Listed at 7/2 in the early DRF program, nine of his running lines and Beyers would make him a legitimate favorite.  But before the last break he ran poorly.  Often if a poor effort is followed by a break it's indicative of an issue.  But he came back off the break last time out and ran poorly.  IF you could excuse it on the sloppy going AND the long layoff then you might have something.  Pressed the pace to the turn, moved three-wide and drew off in the lane.  But the best part, the crowd let him go off at better than 7/1 at post time!  Wish I'd doubled the bet to cash big, but still collected over $40 with my first winner of the day.

In the Charles Hess Handicap I ran second again, at 7/2.  The next selection on the sheet was a Saratoga 40% Club play for trainer Shug McGaughey.  The Hall of Fame conditioner made the list with two angles and Breaking the Rules qualified on both.....first start off a 90+ layoff and with Joel Rosario up.  As the field turned for home you had to think it was a bad call, but from dead last, "hopelessly out of it," he came F-L-Y-I-N-G up the rail to be just up in time!  Paid $6.60 so I cashed for over $30 on that winner.

A 2yo MSW at Monmouth and I ran SECOND again, as the 3/5 favorite.  Followed this up in an entry level allowance on the turf at Monmouth.....even money favorite, second AGAIN.  Off the board with a longshot at the Spa before it was time for the New Jersey Breeders' Handicap.  I liked Horse-for-the-Course Golden Brown.  Yep, you guessed it....SECOND at 3/5.  WOW.  The tenth at Monmouth was the last of the state-bred stakes, the Eleven North Handicap.  It looked wide open to me but Alta Velocita had won three of four since moving to a new barn.  Paco up made the difference, but as the field moved through the stretch he was W-A-Y back.  Suddenly you could see he had found a new gear.  Was absolutely flying, PHOTO FINISH.....

YES :)  Collected over $15 on my final winner of the week from the Jersey Shore.  The eighth at Saratoga was NOT a 40% Club play, but as I noted, either Beau Liam was something special or we were about to find out that he was just another disappointing what could have been runner.  He'd won his first two starts - the first by seven widening lengths, then first time winners he took heat all the way before prevailing by a nose.  But that tough effort had earned a huge 106 Beyer.  Now, he'd either build on that and look to a stakes next out or he'd bounce.  I thought it was the former and planned to go in for a double investment.  As we approached post time he was being hammered in the win pool so I checked the multi-race payoffs and he was a definitive favorite in those as well.  Decided to up the investment.  Pressed from the gate into the turn, he opened up in the lane and ran away in a sharp 1:15 for six and half furlongs.  Stakes action next for this guy!

Missed when 2nd - AGAIN - this time at Del Mar before in the 7th Bella Vita came rolling from just off the pace through the turn to win going away.

Missed in the eighth at 7/2 before it was time for the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar and the return of Medina Spirit.  As I watched the lead-up on TVG the analysts brought up what I thought was the most intriguing question about the race - other than the fact that it was the Derby winner for Baffert who was still embroiled in the controversy - how would the pace unfold?  Medina Spirit was a front runner; but he'd lost the Santa Anita Derby when Rock Your World went right to the front.  And there was a price play horse who probably would show speed.  As the gates opened jockey John Velazquez, who'd flown out from New York just for the mount was dead set on the lead.  Rock Your World let him have it and the price play obviously had been told NOT to duel on the front so he too conceded the front.  As they hit the far turn I recalled what Johnny V had said after the Kentucky Derby, that once Medina Spirit gets in front of a horse he'd NEVER allowed a horse to pass him.  As the field spun into the stretch there wasn't one challenger but three as they were nearly four across the track.  But Johnny V was spot on as the Baffert colt dug down, held the front and edged clear late.  Good for him.....good for the connections.....and good for Bob Baffert.  I've felt since the beginning that somebody had an axe to grind with Baffert for having so much success in the Derby.

Cashed for almost $30 on the triple investment.  And with that I'd piled up a whopping thirty-two wins while scoring at a 40% clip....yowza, well done Mr. Mark.

Travers Weekend Highlights

Social Media.....

This week saw me reach out to one of my local favorites, Karli Barnett who was on a mini-vacation to the beach and we exchanged greetings.  And then on Thursday it was hottie handicapper Maggie Wolfendale's birthday.  Sent her my birthday wishes and less than ten minutes later (while on air) she replied back to me :)

Alabama Stakes Weekend

 August 18 - 22

It was a week of highs and lows.  I'm nearly certain that when I reflect back on this week of racing the things that will stand out to me will be the three-day getaway to Minnesota, highlighted by the evening at Canterbury Park for Minnesota Derby Night, and the three "BEST Bets" that I hit on Saturday.  But for today in the immediate aftermath of the five days of racing, I must admit I'm more disappointed that excited with the racing results.  But, to conclude the "pity party" - there's no rest for the horse player as there are stakes races at Parx on Monday and Tuesday....then we're right back at it with racing on Wednesday.  Charles Town Classic Night is Friday and Saturday is the big Travers Day at Saratoga.  AND all the while we will be traveling to Orlando for the grandson's birthday.  It's going to be a busy week for sure.

Tuesday-Thursday:  Canterbury Park Getaway

Kim and I flew out of Fort Lauderdale International on Tuesday morning and landed in Minneapolis a little before 6 pm.  We returned home late Thursday and arrived about 10:30 pm.  For all the details on the getaway, CLICK HERE.  But for the details on the racing, here's how it played out......  First post for Canterbury was at 5 pm, so before we left I had two races at Saratoga, with a third later in the day scratched.  After running third at 5/2 I picked up the first win of the day in the fourth.  It was NOT a Progressive Handicapping angle play but rather my own analysis of Todd Pletcher's Blewitt and the way the race shaped up.  This horse, who is owned by Repole Stables - and they point for wins at Saratoga - was named for analyst Jason Blewitt who recently gave up his analyst position at Gulfstream to work for West Point Thoroughbreds.  The horse had faced much stiffer while losing until he finally broke through at the Championship Meet when dropped into an Allowance-Optional Claiming that carried a price tag of $25K.  He had come off the shelf last time out and showed speed for six furlongs in a second level allowance before backing up.  Now today he was back for the same $25K price tag.  The classic "Early Speed, Class Drop" angle!  Right to the front, fended off the challengers throughout and opened up late.  SCORE!  And it was really cool to watch Blewitt, the man, leading the horse into the winner's circle and posing for the photo.

Blewitt - the horse

Blewitt - the man!

I noted in my analysis for the races at Canterbury that I was playing some events that typically I would NOT be playing because, after all we were AT the track on a vacation.  And as I told Kim, I always try to have the frame of mind when I'm on a "Track Trip" that it's about enjoying playing the races at the venue more than it's about having sharp handicapping results like when I play at home.  Still, it had looked to me as I went through the card that the favorites were standouts in most of the races tonight.  A good example came in the opener, a starter-optional claiming going six furlongs.  Drena Star was 8/5 in the program and she'd won a stakes race here.  She had the rail in a short five horse field and easily could wire them if the rider chose.  Then my second choice scratched out and she opened at 1/9 odds.  Looked LONG gone, but they don't run the races on paper.  I noted in my analysis that the #5 was the only "real threat" on numbers but her best races were on turf.  'Star left the gate at 2/5 and was on an easy lead to the top of the lane, then the 5-horse blew by and won by nearly half a dozen.  WOW.  I normally would have passed the second, but played....9/5 second choice in race going a mile on the turf.  Tracked the leaders in third to the turn, asked...evenly in third while my third choice won at 5/2.  Interesting side story - when I went to bet the guy in front of me said "I'd like $160 to WIN on #5."  Oh my....that horse wasn't even the favorite!  He was the winner.  OH MY - squared :)  The third was a Maiden Special going five furlongs on the turf.  There seemed to be a lot, A LOT to like about Le Tub who was moving from the strong So Cal circuit to Minnesota.  How would he adjust?  Well he had several sharp works including a bullet work and a near bullet work.  Broke wide from the 3-hole, raced wide to the far turn, advanced three-wide and was floated 4-wide into the lane.  But in the final strides he wore down the leader to get the win as the 3/5 favorite.  Cashed for nearly $20 and I was happy as our dinner arrived while we looked out over the track.

The fourth and fifth were so wide open that I didn't even bet the fourth and in the fifth I bet the minimum on a 9/1 outsider.....sixth.  We'd finished our meal and the big races were about to start so Kim and I headed downstairs to the second level and sat outside as the sun began to set.  There was a steady breeze and while the Minnesota natives were overheard to be whining about the heat and humidity, to us Floridians it was GLORIOUS!  The Minnesota Derby was next up going a mile-70 with the starting gate right in front of us.  It was great to be AT the races and hear the roar of the sizeable crowd as they left the gate and then as they came thundering down the stretch.  I liked the favorite, Thealligatorhunter who seemed a standout.  Five of his last six Beyers topped 17-of-the-18 numbers on the page for the other 3yo's in the field.  And the only number that could top one of those six was earned in a debut MSW win in a sprint - and that turned out to be the second choice in the wagering.  The 'Gator was wide around the turn and very wide down the backstretch - what's the rider doing?  Then on the turn he began to move up and took command into the lane while at least five wide.  For every two strides forward he was drifting one stride further out and the second choice was closing ground.  At about the furlong marker, Thealligatorhunter suddenly dove down towards the rail and crossed in front of the second choice.  Then in the final fifty yards be began to drift back out again and as they crossed the wire it appeared he and the runner-up actually clipped heels.  Immediately the INQUIRY sign went up.  As the replays were being shown on the big screen and I'd looked at them a couple of times I said to Kim, "I've seen much less get taken down and much worse stay up, but in MY opinion.....when he ducked in he was clear of the other horse who didn't even break stride.  When he came back out and it looks like they clipped heels, he SHOULD be taken down for that EXCEPT, that happened just PAST the finish line.  And while it is an infraction, the rule is supposed to be a horse is DQ'd only if you cost the other a higher finish position.  And since the race was over, as wrong as that was, that is not cause for a disqualification."  They continued to watch and then the announcement - "There will be no change!"  And when the announcer walked the crowd through the decision it was explained exactly as I'd explained it :)

Next up was the Minnesota Oaks and nearly everyone agreed Star of the North was a "free bingo square" at miniscule odds.  Star of the North had finished third in her debut but since then she'd rattled off SEVEN wins in a row at increasingly longer distances.  She was exceptionally fast and had gone wire to wire in all wins, extending her margin of victory through the stretch each time.  Of the combined 44 Beyers on the page for her rivals tonight none of them, ZERO of them could beat her LAST FOUR SPEED FIGURES.  AND she was the lone speed.  Cruised to the front, turned for home after a leisurely :48 opening half mile and 1:12 for three quarters.  But then the #1 horse - who's connections were the owner, trainer, and rider of Thealligatorhunter - blew by like Star of the North was standing still.  The most incredible part - the winner had won her debut in July 2020 going five furlongs.  Since then she'd lost eight in a row.  And in fact she'd not even hit the board until the last two which were both on the turf!  The barn had a 3-for-32 for horses going turf-to-dirt, but tonight, it was their night at 9/1 odds.  WOW.  Normally would not have played the 8th, but took what looked like the lone speed at 2/1.  Led to the far turn then stopped like he was shot.  In the finale it was another "how does he lose" type.  But we'd already seen Drena's Star go down, Thealligatorhunter ALMOST go down, and Star of the North go down.  What would happen with Ready To Runaway?  And another concern I had was that all of the losing favorites had gone to the front and had been run down - 'Runaway was a front runner.  But the more I looked at it - and especially with the "most likely alternative" scratched - the more convinced I was he was going to be a decisive winner.  I UPPED the bet!  Right to the front, and as they hit the far turn third choice began closing resolutely.  Uh oh was my immediate thought, but then I noticed.....the closer's jockey was working hard to get his horse to pick up the pace while my rider was sitting motionless.  Once heads turned for home Ready To Runaway let out a notch and took off as much, MUCH the best!  WHOOOOO HOOOOO! 

Finished the night 3-for-8, I'll take that and I'd won the "BIG" race, the Derby.  I also found it oh-so-ironic that when I first came to Canterbury it was to visit my great pal Jim Anderson who was my "track buddy" as well as very close friend.  He passed away suddenly in March of 2019 and I miss him all the time.  On Sunday morning my Facebook Memory popped up - it had been exactly four years, to the day that I'd been here with him.  Sigh.......

Canterbury Park Getaway Highlights

Friday August 20

Today I had selections from Saratoga, Monmouth, and a couple from Del Mar.  Missed with the first play at the Spa on the turf but in the 7th Todd Pletcher's ONE Saratoga 40% Club angle is when a horse goes turf to dirt.  Such was the case with Gimme Some Mo.  Only one-for-ten lifetime, running for a $25K nw2L tag, but he kept Irad Ortiz today.  Pressed the leaders to the far turn, caught the leader, exchanged bumps and edged away.  Brief objection and inquiry but no way Jose!  Scored at $5.10 and I cashed for over $25.

Right back in the Monmouth opener on their Friday Twilight card as Rob The Treasure split horses at the top of the stretch and drew clear late as the 4/5 favorte.  Missed in the 2nd and passed the 3rd before I doubled the play on Nick the Cardshark in a claiming sprint.  He had been claimed by the leading barn out of his last and top rider Paco Lopez took the call - a 35% jockey-trainer combination.  He was away quickly but was steadied on the rail.  Moved off the rail then was shut off and steadied again heading into the turn, oh my.  Moved five wide into the lane and ran them all down for the victory as the 6/5 choice.  Ran 2nd as the 4/5 favorite on the turf in the fifth when chasing a loose-on-the-lead front runner.  In the Jersey Shore finale Absolute Anna went off as the 6/5 favorite and rolled home as tons the best giving me a 3-for-5 afternoon at Monmouth Park!

In Del Mar's 2nd, which went off minutes after the Monmouth finale, I liked Zero Tolerance for trainer Peter Miller.  Debuted in a 5f turf sprint and had all, ALL kinds of trouble STILL only beaten a nose when second.  Moves to the main track and stretches out a furlong as the DRF Best of the day.  Broke on top, took heat all the way but held the lead determinedly all the way to the wire for another winner, giving me FIVE on the day.

Saturday August 21:  Alabama Stakes Day

Today was the day that epitomized the week.  Because of the long trip back home from Minnesota I'd had to do some handicapping for Friday on Friday morning.  And I was finishing up work on the web page and video.  So by the time I started working on the race selections for Saturday it was mid-day and when I'd finished Monmouth, the big Alabama Stakes Day card at Saratoga, and the Pacific Classic Day card - with multiple graded stakes - at Del Mar, it was early evening.  I'll have to settle for playing just three tracks today.  But Saturday morning I went through all the selections online for Gulfstream and added a few more plays.  Won the first two at Gulfstream and then ran 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th with the last four.  I was "ok" with the playing of the local races as it gave me more races to watch and I won with a third of them.  I also won three at Monmouth with the highlight being the Monmouth BEST Bet in the featured Grade 3 Iselin.  Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey brought back multiple graded stakes winner Code of Honor off a long break in this one and if even "mostly" right he'd win for fun.  But, he was going to be a short price and now a year older????  Swooped by on the turn and was TONS the best - the even money price was absolutely stealing considering who he ran against.

I won a race early on the Saratoga card but in THE big race I made Todd Pletcher's Malathaat the BET of the Weekend.  She'd suffered her first loss in the Gr 1 Coaching Club of America Oaks last time, but I thought (a) she'd taken all and I mean ALL the worst of it being challenged early and late and still, off the bench, she was beaten a head.  And (b) her Beyer was better than her last!  Often the really good horses improve off a tough beat and I thought she'd run huge, especially at the longer mile and a quarter classic distance.  Tracked the pace to the far turn and then I couldn't decide if John Velazquez was riding her hard because she wasn't interested or he was just trying to get the long-striding filly into top gear.  Three-wide into the stretch she rolled to victory, pulling away decisively late.  And best of all, before the race began I opted to up the bet from $30 to WIN to $50 TO WIN!  WHOOOO HOOOO!

Finally, out at Del Mar.  I ran 3rd and 6th before the better races started.  2nd in a MSW at even money with a Bob Baffert 2yo that was hyped as his best juvenile and maybe a favorite for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November.  2nd at 5/2 in another MSW on the turf .  Then in the first graded event I took Private Mission who was light years the best and earned announcer Trevor Denman's trademark stretch call, "....they would have to SPROUT WINGS TO CATCH...." as she cruised home to victory.

My BEST Bet at Del Mar came in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on the turf.  Mo Forza loves this one mile trip and he'd won this race last year.  The problem was he'd not been out since January when he tried the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf, which was obviously too far for him.  Other than that, he'd won all six turf starts - four at a mile - since August 2019 AND had won last year's DMR Mile off a layoff.  He was Brad Free's Best and I thought he'd get the most ideal trip.  Everything was exactly as planned, except when he turned for home he was fanned five wide and the Del Mar stretch is short....took every inch given to him before he was JUST up in time but the rider was riding him confidently all the way.

Three of the last four races all went to upset winners that were "go figure" at best.  So I ended the day with nine wins, but I'd lost many more races than I usually do.  So at the end of the day I had mixed feelings - very happy to have hit the "big ones," the races I had the most confidence in and put the most money on.  Disappointed to NOT have won the "usual" amount of other races that typically keep me in the game making the outcome for the day dependent on winning those BIG Bets.

Alabama Weekend Highlights

You also may have noticed....what about Thursday and Sunday?  Winless from five picks (one third) and on Sunday the tropical storm forced Monmouth to cancel and I lost all the bets that day as well.  Added to the "downside" to the week.  But, as I said at the top, what I'll remember is the trip and the big wins!