Week of October 3-10
The Keeneland Fall Meet opened with "FallStars Weekend" and the host of big stakes events which nearly all serve as preps for the Breeders' Cup. And so before heading over to Cape Coral to see one of our oldest son's high school games I handicapped the Saturday card and had eight picks on the day. In the opener I liked Golden Bear in a two-turn maiden claimer. Pressed the pace in third to the far turn and stopped to finish ninth at 6/1. In the second, a 2yo MSW sprint I was torn between a Steve Asmussen first timer and a Brad Cox second time starter. That one, Kaely's Brother had finished a nondescript 6th beaten a little more than nine lengths as the tepid 3/1 choice in an Ellis Park debut. None of that is material worth recommendation my friend. But hang on a tic.....he was "bounced around at the start" and ran evenly during the race. Second, the top two in the field finished SEVEN clear of everyone else so Kaely was only two lengths out of hitting the board, with trouble. And finally, since then he'd worked a bullet over the Keeneland strip. With second start improvement I thought he looked best and wanted to see how the crowd played the Asmussen runner. BUT, we were in the car heading back home with the race went off so I had to go with the initial bet. He was stalking in fourth around the far turn, made a 4-wide bid to the front, cleared and then held off the closers to score as the 3/2 choice.
Ran third in back-to-back races at 9/2 and then 7/1 before the stakes action started. The 6th at Keeneland was the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes, a five and a half furlong turf sprint. Golden Pal was the 4/5 morning line favorite and I'd tabbed him at Saratoga. While watching the pre-race analysis on America's Day At The Races they had interviewed trainer Wesley Ward and he commented that this guy was "the best horse" he'd ever trained. WOW. And he looked the part that day. Off of that win in a Gr 3 he'd been sent to Europe for a Group race and finished close, but out of the money. IF that trip did not take too much out of him he looked much the best in here. The bullet work over the turf here last week eased any qualms about readiness and I made him the BET of the Day. Right to the front, and appeared to be in hand under Johnny Velazquez to the far turn, but entering the stretch he was collared by the third choice and I had that "Uh oh" moment. But Velazquez had saved something and when asked, Golden Pal spurted away to draw off handily.
The $3 payoff was generous I thought and I cashed for $30. Next up was the Grade 2 TCA Stakes for older female sprinters. Belle's The One is a Churchill Downs sprint specialist, though to be fair, she's also won a couple of races outside of Louisville. But last time out I'd bet her and she'd just missed there while closing quickly. I noted that at this six furlong trip, she was at her best. And with the open-air outside box draw I thought she'd have a clean trip. The field broke away and quickly three of them went to the front setting the table for my top choice. She was quickly multiple lengths behind, more so than I expected, but as the field neared the far turn she noticeably quickened. She glided up to challenge for the lead into the lane and got her head in front with a furlong to go. It had seemed to me that she moved too early and with a sixteenth to go the 14/1 longshot began to gobble up ground. But the wire came first and I had my third winner on the day.
Missed on the last two, both Grade 1 events, but both minimum investments. In the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity for 2yo going a mile and a sixteenth my pick, Todd Pletcher's Double Thunder was a sharp second at a big 7/1 - oh that would have been nice. And then Order of Australia - who'd upset the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile last fall here at a big price, ran like a big price instead of the 6/5 favorite he was today when 12th of 12 in the Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile. Sunday there was more racing action from Keeneland but I didn't want to handicap for the day and honestly didn't have time. But I had read that current Breeders' Cup Distaff favorite Latruska was running in the Grade 1 Spinster on this day. I read hottie handicapper Gabby Gaudet's analysis of the race and Latruska seemed even more formidable when Gabby noted she was the lone speed. I have NEVER felt like she was nearly as good as she is given credit for. I bet with her in a win at Churchill this summer and that race, like this one seemed light for the level of competition. As she skipped away to the easiest of leads while watching the race I said to my buddy Keith (who's staying with us now for a while), "She's going to win today but the best part is she'll be way too short a price in the Breeders' Cup and we'll get good value on someone else because I WON'T be betting her that day." She won by four lengths officially but if you watch the replay that was an awfully "close" four lengths and she seemed to be working hard to hold the lead over these overmatched foes. Still, got the win and finished a nice 4-for-9 for the weekend.
This week's other news and photos.....
While in SW Florida, after the game Keith and I joined Jeff to re-hash the game at the local bar which we'd frequented many times last fall, the Big 10 Tavern. We caught up with "our girl" Morgan who always remembered us (and still does to this day) and met a new cutie - Bailey - as we stayed up way too late for our age :)
During the week I had several "conversations" with my Twitter gal-pal, CBS weekend anchor Karli Barnett. The most fun of which was when Texas A&M kicked a field goal as time expired to knock Alabama out of the top spot and make room for her alma mater, the Georgia Bulldogs to assume the top spot. Note that I messaged her as the ball sailed through the uprights at 11:49 and she immediately replied from the anchor desk at 11:50 :)
And on Sunday, Karli posted regarding mental health, and I commented and she responded. An important issue to be sure.
No comments:
Post a Comment