November 5 - 7, 2021
After spending the first half of the week in Ohio - flew home on Tuesday evening - we headed over to Cape Coral for a birthday party for my young grandson, Anthony and to see my oldest son, Jeff's season finale football game. But it was also Breeders' Cup Weekend! While at the game, on the sidelines I was simultaneously watching and wagering on the "Future Stars Friday" card. Was a great weekend from start to finish. Here's how it played out.
Kim and I arrived at the restaurant to meet my daughter-in-law and grandson for a bite to eat and the first race of the day had gone off. Last March trainer Bob Baffert had unveiled 3yo Triple Tap who left the gate at 1/9 going the demanding 7f distance and he romped home. BUT, that was the last we saw of him. Returning today with sharp works I thought if he was ready, he would be tough to beat. As the field headed into the far turn he was near the back and looked very much out of it. But suddenly jockey Mike Smith got busy on him and he was passing horses quickly. He was five wide into the lane but had made his way up into fourth. Still, too much work to do it would appear, but then he found yet another gear and blew by the rest of the field and won not only going away, but in hand and motored down. VERY impressive for just his second start and coming off a layoff.
I was off the board in the next three, the 2nd and 4th being stakes and the 6th being the first Breeders' Cup event, the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint. The seventh was the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and Echo Zulu was my BEST BET of the day. Echo Zulu had debuted in late July at Saratoga and was my top choice as a Blue Chip Trainer Angle for trainer Steve Asmussen. She'd paid a nice 4/1 price that day, and from that day on she was the "buzz filly" and everyone was excited to see her run back in the Grade 1 Spinaway on closing weekend. She romped that day going seven furlongs and again in the Grade 1 Frizzette at Belmont going a one-turn mile. And that was my ONLY concern - she'd never been two turns before. But as a daughter of Breeders' Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup champion Gunrunner I had little doubt she could get the trip. Right to the front and won impressively.
Next up was the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. In looking at the card, I'd felt very strongly that Echo Zulu would make a solid SINGLE in a multi-race wager. I had a longshot win bet in the 7th, which ran third at 5/1, and I felt that the 9th race was a two-horse affair between Jack Christopher and Corniche. On Friday morning, Jack Christopher scratched out. So I decided that the Juvenile Filly Turf was wide open enough that it was worth an "ALL" play on the ticket and I'd single the front and back end of the Pick 3. So I'm alive! In the middle leg my horse looked to be making a winning move, but was outfinished by a 9/1 winner up the rail - that's good for my Pick-3 play! The Breeders' Cup Juvenile was next, and typically the winner is immediately crowned the Kentucky Derby favorite for next spring. But the obvious choice - I thought as did most bettors - was Bob Baffert's talented 3yo, Corniche who is ineligible to earn Kentucky Derby points because of the current yet-to-be-settled legal dispute between Churchill Downs and Bob Baffert, involving 2021 Derby winner Medina Spirit. Such a mess. But despite drawing post 12, I thought he was going to be MUCH the best. Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith asked him for a quick burst of speed and he immediately cleared the field. Looked to be taking pressure into the far turn but when heads turned for home he opened up and was clearly best! Cashed on my triple investment AND the Pick-3. ALL the while standing on the sidelines at the high school football game - the wonders of technology.
THE major story coming out of the Breeders' Cup for 2021 was about to unfold in the most unlikely of manners. In the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf I liked Modern Games who was 5/1 in the program. He looked like a solid Euro pick and he had a strong angle for trainer Charlie Appleby, who's been on fire with his Euro imports, who had won this race twice before with colts who had form nearly identical to his. I liked Tiz The Bomb at a price second, and he was also a "hunch play" as in 2015 I'd won this race with Hit It A Bomb who paid $16.40....yes, Tiz The Bomb was his son! They got all fourteen juveniles in the gate and then the #2 flipped over. Began backing them all out while trying to get that colt on his feet and out. At that time, Modern Games was now the 2/1 post time favorite. Because he was right next to the struggling horse, the starter walked him out the front of the gate. The announcers told everyone that the #2 was scratched. The horses circled around and then there seemed to be some hold up and confusion as the jockeys got of and/or the circling continued. The announcers then said, "We've just got word that #1 Modern Games is scratched, but that's not confirmed." Then on the odds board the odds for #1 went to "---" indicating a scratch. "It's official, Modern Games is scratched." But wait, the jockey is getting back on Modern Games. What is going on? More confusion. Then it's announced, Modern Games is NOT scratched but will run for purse money only because all of the refunds have already been given out. What? Into the gate they went, and Modern Games comes flying down the outside to win. The deafening roar of BOOOOOOO's was unprecedented at a Breeders' Cup World Championship! Later it was announced that the vet (one of six on the grounds) had THOUGHT Modern Games had reared, hit his head AND broke through the starting gate. NONE of which was true and under normal circumstances they would have looked the colt over before scratching him. But not today, just out he went. WOW.
Well, he WAS my pick and he DID win. I count it. Ironically the winner - for pari-mutal wagering, was the 4, Tiz The Bomb who I almost bet to win but he was 8/1 and I didn't want to "waste" the money - he paid $17.60 for a $2 bet. Sigh......
On Saturday the racing kicked off early but I didn't have a bet in the opener. The horse I listed on top as "the one I'd bet if I WERE betting" won and paid $10.40. The second race was the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Stakes going a mile and 5/8th - formerly known as "The Marathon," which at one point had actually been a Breeders' Cup race. Lone Rock had been the dominant marathon dirt runner east of the Mississippi and he was facing the best mile-and-a-half west coast runner, Tizamagician today. That one looked to be loose on the lead but I thought Lone Rock would prove best. I was delighted when as post time approached the crowd made 'Magician the favorite. Relaxed on the front end he looked to be in complete control until Lone Rock took off after him on the far turn. Collared him at the furlong pole and drew clear. Paid $5 and I was in for nearly $40 with my first winner of the day.
Ran third in the Grade 2 Goldikova when my horse was favored. Then it was time for what nearly everyone though was the most likely winner of the weekend, defending champion Gamine in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Set the pace and looked ready to set sail for the wire when she just just didn't have anything. Faded to third. Missed on the "big bet" but got my money back on both of these misses thanks to the Xpressbet promotion. Fifth with an 8/1 price play in the turf sprint when the horse I originally though was one of the most likely winners DID win at 2/1 odds. Outsmarted myself. The next race was the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the horse EVERYONE "knew" who would the Kentucky Derby, the ultra-talented Life Is Good was running here and he looked LONG GONE. Set right out to the front in this two-turn mile, but then the fractions came up.... :21 and change for the opening quarter and an insane :44 and change for the half. He'll NEVER last the mile. Turning for home jockey Irad Ortiz asked the 3yo for run and he exploded to a multiple length lead and ran away in easily the most amazing race of the weekend. Had bet $30 to win so I cashed for a tidy little profit. WHOOOO HOOOO.
Jackie's Warrior was "everyone's single" if they weren't on Gamine and was predicted to be the shortest priced winner of the sprint in the 34 year history of the race. Stopped like he was shot at the top of the lane and ran sixth - wow. Got back in the winner's circle when Space Blues rallied from third to be best in the Breeders' Cup Mile on the turf. The $6.20 payoff enabled me to collect nearly $30.
But that was the end of the winning. Missed in the turf when the favorite, and last year's winner was way up the track and then couldn't decide between Essential Quality or the front running Knicks Go in the Classic. Figured that there were at least four horses who wanted the lead like Knicks Go and certainly, CERTAINLY not all of them would let him get out there on his own. Perfect set up for a stalking Essential Quality. Right to the front, all by himself and never in doubt was Knicks Go. Was fortunate to get the money back when the 3yo champ ran third.
Sunday - Breeders' Cup Aftermath
After staying up to watch our Panthers win AGAIN to run their record to 10-0-1, the best in the NHL, we were up early for coffee and when we returned the boys asked if I'd handicapped the races for today. I explained that typically in the fall after playing on Sunday I'd look at the entries and find two or three on name alone that I'd bet. So I looked and found four. Ran second at 1/5 with the first one at Belmont, ouch. Then Ultimate won for me at Churchill Downs. The great thing here was he was the prohibitive 1/1 favorite in the program and hovered there until they were in the gate. Then late money poured in on another horse and he was the 4/5 favorite, and he led to the top of the lane when Ultimate ran by him and drew off easily at 8/5 and I cashed for over $25. In Woodbine's third, it was the Ontario Jockey Club Stakes and 24x stakes winner and two-time Canadian Horse of the Year, now 9yo was the 1/9 favorite as they walked to the gate. When he clicked up to 1/5 I told my son Brad that we were getting a more than "fair" price. They left the gate and before they hit the far turn the odds bumped all the way up to 1-2. WHAT is the crowd thinking? Won under a hand ride and while the margin was close officially, he was never asked for his best. Then as we were driving home Bob Baffert's 2yo Rockefeller wired the Grade 3 Nashua going a one-turn mile at Belmont. Three-for-four on the day with a solid profit and closed the weekend an amazing ten-for-eighteen.
Breeders' Cup Weekend Highlights
Social Media Action
Right after the 11 pm news anchor/gal-pal Karli posted a Halloween "look" with Minnie Mouse ears. I responded about my love for Disney and how I'd themed my class to the Disney Corp. Karli reached back out and "talked back" to me :)
When I taught at Western High MANY years ago, one of my former students was Jen Herrera who is a reporter and host on the local NBC station. About six months ago one of HER friends, who was also a student of mine, Jen Greb "friended" me and I accepted. I "see her" frequently on FB and this week she posted a cute video of her and her two little girls dancing.
The weather has finally turned "cooler" (by Florida standards) and CBS-4 anchor Lauren Pastrana posted a pic in her "winter outfit." I reached out, and got a reaction :)
One of my most MOST fav former students Kimmy had a baby about a month ago and we chatted online this week. She is always so sweet and her baby is adorable.
We were getting ready to head to the Florida Panthers hockey game on Thursday when the CBS-4 news team did a feature on the unbeaten 'Cats. I snapped a photo of the crew talking about our awesome team and then sent it to my gal-pal Lauren on the desk :)
After the hockey game Saturday I sent a personal tweet to my anchor-gal-pal who'd given the shout-out to our 'Cats on Thursday that we were so excited with their 10-0-1 start. That was at about 10:15, on Saturday - when Lauren would be home with her family. Less than ten minutes later she reached back out to me :)
The first race on Breeders' Cup Saturday was what used to be "The Marathon." About six weeks ago the horse Lone Rock had run while I was watching hottie handicapper Acacia Courtney and I tweeted to her that day. When Lone Rock was approaching the gate today I reached out to her on the BC telecast.
On Sunday, it was our good friend Melissa - and her husband Ben's son's birthday. I noted that they were two of my most favorite people and Melissa made me feel good with her reply/
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