April 29-30
Saturday night was Opening Night at Churchill Downs under the lights, "Downs After Dark." And as I continued my quest to reach WIN #10,000 I was visiting in Ohio for the week. I arrived in Columbus on Wednesday evening and after hitting Win #9,993 last weekend I decided I really did NOT want to hit the magic figure while away from home where I could pose for a photo op in front of the big screen. So my plan was to only play the Opening Night card at Churchill Downs on Saturday. But on Thursday I saw where one of my favorite older turf fillies, War Like Goddess was the favorite for Friday's Closing Day feature at Keeneland, the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes going a mile and a half. Her record spoke for itself as she'd won all but one race last season and that was a just-miss third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Might be a bit of an issue to return off the layoff in her 4yo seasonal debut going a mile and a half here, but she towered over the field with even her "B" race. She sat closer to the front in third through a moderate pace and with only a field of five. Made the decisive move on the turn, split horses and drew off as MUCH the best - chalk up another "W" for Mr. Mark!
On Saturday morning I visited our friends MP & Tom in Cincinnati and I asked them if they minded if I had the Opening Night races on my computer running during/after dinner as I was approaching the milestone win mark. MP asked "What do you get for winning that many races?" I smiled, extended my arms and said, "Whoooo hooo, I've won 10,000 races" and we all chuckled. On the ten race card I only had five selections. In the opener I was the short-priced 4/5 favorite. Right to the front and clear into the lane, then stopped like he was shot to finish sixth and last. Hmmmm. Passed the second. In the third I liked Frills in what looked a virtual rematch of race from opening week at Keeneland between her and Delta Gamma Cats who'd bet that day. The latter went off as the even money favorite and my pick was 8/5 at post time. The 9/2 third choice set the pace to the top of the lane where Frills took dead aim on her and collared her at the 16th pole and edged clear to score. The nearly $27 put me into the black for the early part of the evening.
I ran an even fifth in the next race then passed the 5th, 6th and 7th before we came to a turf sprint. The probable favorite looked much the best IF you were willing to overlook her last against several of these same rivals. Bay Storm went off as the 4/5 favorite, tracked the leader into the lane and seemed to be poised to go by when 10/1 longshot blew by to win the race, I finished second. BUT I'd opted in on a Twin Spires promotion which was good for the ENTIRE week - if your WIN bet runner finishes second or third you get your bet back, up to $20. So I "WON" the bet :) WHOOOO HOOOOO!
The featured Roxelana Stakes was a six furlong sprint and my BET of the Night was unbeaten Caribbean Caper. But Saturday morning when I went to make my bets before driving to Cincy I saw that she had scratched out. Hmmmm. I re-read my analysis and was reminded that Horse-for-the-Course Bayerness was a legitimate contender even with the unbeaten favorite in the line-up. So I scaled down the play and made her the pick. I was trying to stay up until the 10:30 post time but right after the eighth there was a weather delay. This went on for over fifteen minutes so I went to bed. In the morning I watched the replay and the field that went to post was a very short three in number. Bayerness tracked the "longshot" into the turn, drew alongside and then ran off to score handily!
With the money-back promotion I finished 2-for-5, a solid 40%, and profited ten dollars! Now I'm set to hit the 10,000 plateau on either Oaks or Derby Day!
My Social Butterfly Week....
When I arrived in Ohio, the first big social event was to go to my niece Khloe's track meet. She is a star thrower in the discus and hammer for Ohio Wesleyan University. In the discus I believe that most people thought she would win - who knew what was going on. But it was exciting none-the-less as she hit a new personal best in her winning throw which was also the best throw in the collegiate conference her university is part of. Then in the hammer, she's good but it's only her second year doing it. And there is the girl who's the best in the conference that she's never beaten. On her second throw Khloe hit a new personal best and was just 15 CENTIMETERS from the lead. In her third and final throw she set another new personal best and bested the reigning leader to win the hammer throw as well. GO KHLOE!
Saturday I drove to Cincinnati to visit our great friends Tom & Mary Pat who we met on our Portugal Viking River cruise. I've visited them four times now and we went to Gatlinburg with them, sailed the Puget Sound with them, and will go on a Viking Great Lakes Expedition in July. I got there around 11 am on Saturday and spent the night. A great time, especially on Saturday when we visited a winery and walked around the shops of Lawrenceburg on the Ohio River.
Last week my gal-pal anchor on CBS-4 Lauren Pastrana returned from a week's vacation and when I welcomed her back she responded to me while on the air.
Saturday night my other gal-pal weekend anchor Karli Barnett hosted another of her live chats and I joined in briefly. Got a very cheery hello to my greeting and asked how I was doing :)
With our Florida Panthers about to host the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, hottie sideline host Katie Gaus posted an "Are You Ready" photo that was hot in many ways. She liked my comment.
And finally, after getting to see cutie Kelly Colwell at my older son's Jeff's house last weekend, Sunday was her birthday. So I sent her a message thanking her for "saving me" when I was "injured" on the sideline when we were both part of the Oasis Football staff.
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