July 28 - August 1
It was my birthday weekend and the Ohio family came to town on Tuesday; followed by my Orlando kids on Thursday. It was a wonderful time and I managed to follow the racing while hanging out with the family. On Wednesday, excessive heat cancelled all the thoroughbred races at Canterbury so all I had were the Saratoga KEY Plays. Originally had four plays but after the first one scratched I came back with a Brad Cox first time 2yo going two turns on the turf. But the key was that this was a Saratoga 40% Club play with Luis Saez up. Sat off the leaders to the far turn, surged to challenge the leaders and the top of the lane and edged clear for the first win of the weekend.
Thursday I had only one Saratoga play and two from Del Mar. In the first at Del Mar trainer Peter Eurton was a Del Mar 40% Club member with two angles. Any runner in for less than $40K has won at a 55% clip and class droppers win at a 60% rate, wow. This made Morning Addiction the play. Breaking from the rail he went right to the rail and gamely wired the field.
Lost the other two races, but like the first racing day I finished 1-for-3 with a profit. Friday I had picks at Monmouth, Saratoga and Del Mar. I was able to score wins at two of three tracks I played today. Steve Asmussen's American Xperiment was a first time 2yo who would only run if the race came off the turf. It did and he was very impressive taking heat early and then widening through the lane.
On the Jersey Shore I won with Kalu in the third when he dominated the third, drawing off by double digits under the wire. Came back in the finale and Jo Jo Katz was equally dominant, being eased through the final 16th.
Shut out at Del Mar where the most difficult loss to accept was when 1/5 prohibitive favorite The Chosen Vron was only second in their listed feature. Saturday had multiple graded stakes on the menu and I played the races from Saratoga, Monmouth, Pimlico, and Del Mar. By the end of the day I'd cashed out on NINE of nineteen plays and showed a flat bet profit. The best scores of the day came, first at Pimlico where I won two of the three stakes on their program. In the Alma North, a six furlong sprint, Hello Beautiful looked dominant on paper. Right to the front and drew away through the lane as easily best - my Pimlico BEST BET. Came right back with a solid price on Harper's First Ride as he went wire to wire in the nine furlong Deputed Testimony Stakes.
At Monmouth I had three winners on the card, but one of them came in the Tale of the Cat Stakes where Founder was last on the turn and then roared by the field to score impressively.
At Saratoga I cashed on two of the big three stakes. And they were both note-worthy. In the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, top 3yo in the country Essential Quality was making his first start since proving best in the Grade 1 Belmont. My thought was that (a) he was pointing for the Grade 1 Travers, a month away so this was NOT a must-win situation, but (b) that his connections seemed to run him only when they believe they are going to win. Jockey Luis Saez kept the champion wide throughout the nine furlong race and I thought in the end it might cost him as he probably ran closer to a mile and a half, but his class and talent prevailed late. Was more than a few anxious moments as he was my BET of the Weekend!
He'd been my pick last year and he'd gotten me the money even though he finished second as the winner was DQ'd. But what popped off the page to me was that he LOVED this course. With everyone else having "issues" I thought he could run a big race and at a price. He sat the most ideal of trips from the moment the gates opened, third behind two front runners. Into the final turn he waited to the top of the lane, eased into the clear and shot to the front. No one threatened late and I had my winner at a BIG 6/1 price. Oh how I wish I'd doubled the bet, but to be fair I thought he was one of many who had a real chance. Still, I was happy to build on the winning numbers AND cash for well over $30 on a minimum play.
Lost the last three at Del Mar (I'd won twice earlier on their card) to close out the day. Today was also the official birthday celebration at Jaxson's Ice Cream parlor which we all thoroughly enjoyed, especially my 4yo grandson Oliver who was making his first trip there :)
Sunday again saw me with multiple tracks to play. As the day wound down I finished with five wins from twelve selections and all five had good stories to accompany the win. In the third at Monmouth, a two-year-old maiden claimer, my top choice scratched. Typically I do NOT go with my second choice but in this case, Kingdom Queen had looked like the one to beat. I went with him and he went off at a generous 3/1 price allowing me to cash for $20 on a minimum bet.
In Monmouth's 7th I made Bold Tactics a "PRIME TIME" play and the Jersey Shore BEST of the Weekend. Tracked to the top of the lane and ran away as much the best at a 4/5 price. I was irritated because as they left the gate he'd been 6/5....late money cost me nearly $10 :(
In the featured Grade 2 Amsterdam from Saratoga it was a rematch of the Grade 1 Woody Stephens from Belmont Stakes Day between Drain The Clock and Jackie's Warrior. That day I'd picked Drain The Clock and he'd won. On that day I continued to NOT be a fan of Jackie's Warrior who had won four in a row to start his career. I bet against him in Oaklawn's Southwest when Essential Quality made his winning 3yo debut. I went against him in the Pat Day Mile, but he won, narrowly. Then in the Woody Stephens he lost, but it was the most remarkable effort that in losing, he gained a ton of respect from me. That day he broke last, as a front runner, rushed to the lead and was pressured all the way through sizzling splits. Was JUST caught on the wire. I thought today he'd run HUGE. Made him a "PRIME TIME" play also. Clean break, right to the front over the muddy going. A wicked :21 and change opening quarter followed by a sensational :43 and change half mile! Oh my, he'll never last I thought as they turned into the lane but the jockey was sitting motionless. CRUISED to the wire as tons, TONS the best - a WOW performance.
In Del Mar's 3rd, it was a two-year-old maiden special and Bob Baffert had not one but TWO first time starters. They were difficult to separate and BOTH were Del Mar 40% Club plays. I noted in my analysis that I'd let the wagering be my guide, or I'd pass the race. With about two minutes to post, Pinehurst on the rail was the favorite - not by a lot - but in the WIN pool and the multi-race wagers. As the field hit the far turn it was Pinehurst and his stablemate Anbarr dueling head up and head down. But in the final fifty yards I'd picked the right one as Pinehurst edged clear late.
The last play of the day came in the featured Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch going a mile and a sixteenth on the main track. You COULD make a case for several, but when Brad Cox sends his older filly Shedaresthedevil across the country instead of running in a big race "at home" at Saratoga, you have to believe they are serious. And that Florent Geroux was along for the ride, was a big plus. The anticipated showdown between 'Devil and the Bob Baffert filly never materialized as Shedaresthedevil swooped to the front heading for home and ran away as much MUCH the best.
That topped off the day and a good weekend of racing as I closed it out with 19 wins from 39 selections, nearly 40%.
Jim Dandy / Clement Hirsch Weekend Highlights
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