Racing Weekend - Post Breeders' Cup
The weather was SUPPOSED to be cooler on Saturday so I planned on a day at Gulfstream since Kim was out of town. Then the cold front was delayed by nearly two days so I ended up playing at the Sunrise Simulcast Center. I smiled in the morning when I got a text from my youngest son Brad who'd played the races with me last weekend for the Breeders' Cup. He asked if I had handicapped for the day and when I sent him my picks he replied a bit later that his betting app, FanDuel, didn't offer all the tracks I was playing but the ones that it did offer he was betting today. Think I may now have TWO sons that enjoy playing the ponies like their Dad! After a fading third at even money in the Aqueduct opener I was able to score with FOUR in a row! The opener at Gulfstream saw one of my favorite riders, Chantal Sutherland - who's moved to So Fla for the summer, and I hope she's here over the winter - romp on board Papi Bello. As you can see, Chantal is not only a talented rider, but she's a model, no...she really is...and has the looks to carry on that career. I wondered what kind of ride we'd get with Javier Castellano on Rally Squirrel on the turf at Aqueduct and he reverted to his former Hall of Fame talents as he wired the field in a masterful ride on the front end. Scored in Gulfstream's second when Bronx edged clear late after a stretch duel, and capped the sequence when Alberta Sun drew off in the Churchill Downs opener.
Missed on two before the second at Churchill. Ring Me Darling was described as "very tough to beat" in the pre-race handicapping show, but you had to wonder when she was near the back heading into the far turn. Swept up and blew by the field to score easily as the short-priced favorite. Was surprised when the 1-2 favorite was only fourth in the next at Churchill before I got on the board at Laurel. Princess Kokachin looked best but also looked to have company on the front end. She'd shown the ability to press and finish and the rider cleverly read the pace scenario to take that approach. Sat right off the leader through the turn and then drew off as much the best.
Missed on the next four before picking up my first stakes win at Laurel in The Smart Halo, a six furlong sprint for two-year-olds. Buy The Best sat off the pace to the far turn, then accelerated to the front and blew by to run away as easily best. AND at a very nice 2/1 price. Wish I'd had more confidence and had at least doubled the play here. Happy Medium was a prohibitive favorite in the eighth at Aqueduct and when she turned for home she ran to her odds. And I capped my second multi-race winning streak with my second stakes win - again at Laurel, and again in a 2yo stakes sprint. Local Motive was the top choice of ALL THREE online handicappers. And while he had "paired Beyers" that were among the best on the page, neither were wins. AND three back he'd been pulled up as the 4/5 favorite. Which runner would we get today? He pressed the pace between horses through the turn, moved to the front three-wide and looked clear. But then an 11/1 shot came flying down the middle of the track - PHOTO FINISH!
He held on, narrowly and at a very nice 3/1 price. Again, I wish I'd upped the bet, but still cashed for over $20 with the minimum bet. The difference in the bottom line came over the next hour and a half and half a dozen races where I ran 2nd once and finished off the board in the following races. Add in that nine of the eleven winners on the day were short prices and that was the difference between winning money AND having a big win percentage, or just the percentage. The final two wins came in Louisville and the last one was the BET of the Day. In the ninth Girl With A Dream trailed the field into the far turn but swept up four wide to collar the leader at the 16th pole and then edged clear to score. And in the featured event, the Dream Supreme I won with Bell's The One. The race looked to be a re-match between my top pick and her arch rival Sconsin. But that one scratched out and with that being the case I upped the investment from a double bet to a "BET of the Day" wager. Even though the early pace was hot, I still was concerned when she was STILL in the back as the field hit the far turn. I thought the winning move came when jockey Corey Lanerie opted to stay inside through the turn, saving ground before easing into the clear at the top of the lane. Caught the filly who'd run second two her narrowly last time out in a Keeneland graded event and edged clear late. How this "Horse-for-the-Course" went from 1/5 as they approached the gate, in a six horse field, while dropping from a Grade 1 win to a $100K listed event to leave the post at 4/5 is beyond me. But I was delighted to take all the money from "value players" and cashed for over $50.
On the day I had 42% winners and I was very content with that.
Saturday November 13 Highlights
Social Media This Week....
My online friendship connections this week could be characterized by and large as a "Karli Week," as it was CBS-4 anchor personality Karli Barnett that I hooked up with most. Early in the week it was Sha Hilbon's birthday. She is a gal-pal from my days at Cypress Bay. Such a sweetheart and I could always count on her to be a hard working member of the Graduation Team as we put on graduations for the largest graduating classes in the country, truly we were the biggest in the country multiple years.
Then on Saturday as I played the races I had on the Georgia Bulldogs game. They are clearly the best team in the country, and they are the alma mater for Karli Barnett. I tweeted out to her that I was supporting her 'Dawgs and over the course of the afternoon we exchanged multiple tweets.
After the racing was over and the Georgia game had ended we were watching the late college game when I opened Facebook to discover that Karli and her gal-pal, meteorologist Jennifer Correa were having a Saturday Night Live Chat on Facebook. So I chirped in about the Georgia Bulldogs and Kari noted my comment, adding "Love that!" And then later the conversation turned to the Buckys franchise which is chain of stores which are mega-service stations. I'd first been exposed to them in Houston where my oldest lived for a while. These places have some twenty to thirty gas pumps, but inside it is a Deli, a restaurant, and almost the size of a supermarket. My favorite treat there were the spicy "Bucky Bites" which were like cheese curls that are HOT. So I commented to that affect and again, my girl Karli noted my contribution with, "Mark is talking about Buckys" with a smile.
And then after the chat was over I messaged Karli to tell her how much I'd enjoyed the chat and she messaged me back. I get it, it's me....but I find that very cool :)
Finally, on Sunday CBS was broadcasting a live Adele concert which - with the NFL games - was pushing back the start of Karli's 11pm newscast. So I responded to her comment that I'd be waiting up. To be fair, I tried and was up until almost 11:20 before I passed out. Sorry Karli, I tried :)
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