The long week of racing kicked off with a GREAT night of racing from Canterbury Downs where it was Northern Stars Racing Festival Night on Wednesday.
There were five stakes races on the evening and I had bets in all of them as well as three other races. I kicked off the night by winning both the first two races, non-stakes - AND upped the bet on the second race. Missed when 2nd in the Curtis Sampson Oaks in R3 and 4th in the Dark Star Turf Sprint. Then in the MTA Stallion Auction Stakes - the only stakes NOT on the turf - the very fast filly Royal's Lil Diva ran them off their feet going wire to wire.
Ran sixth at 8/5 in the Lady Canterbury before scoring in the last two stakes events. In the Mystic Mile Mr. Dumas split horses at the top of the stretch and blew by to win. Then in the Mystic Lake Derby Florent Geroux let Stitched sit just off the pace - he'd previously been a confirmed front runner - before taking off turning for home to win by daylight!
Northern Stars Racing Festival Highlights
Finished the night 5-for-8 on the evening. Because Kim was still out of town until late Thursday I decided to play both the Belmont and Churchill Downs Twilight cards. I took particular satisfaction winning at Belmont in their 5th, a second level allowance. Marvelous Maude looked EASILY the best in this turf route but on America's Day At The Races, Acacia Courtney's sidekick pronounced that she was not a good bet at a short price and he would never bet her in here. Well Anthony, everyone at the track is entitled to their opinion, but for ME I bet who's got the best chance to win and in this case more people sided with me than you and we were the ones that cashed the ticket....big smile as I'm right and he's wrong.
Won two at Churchill before it was time for what turned out to be the BET of the Weekend in Belmont's 7th. Chad Brown's Goodnight Olive looked like an almost certain winner of this second level allowance. She'd debuted at Gulfstream during the winter and was second best behind a horse who's come back with some success. She won her next, a MSW at Keeneland with a huge 93 Beyer. Then she beat winners here at Belmont in an entry level allowance with an 87 Beyer at this 7f trip. The par for this level of racing is an 87, so she'd hit par in her last two....of the combined 94 starts by today's rivals they had ONE Beyer that met par and it came from a horse who earned it in a claiming race from which she was claimed and she'd not run back to even be IN the 80'x in four subsequent starts. Right to the front and coasted to the top of the lane before running away under a hand ride in an OH MY race visually.
Cashed big time and I'm on a roll :) Missed on the next three selections and then it was time to head to the airport as the 7th at Churchill was approaching. In this third level allowance Masqueparade looked almost as good as Goodnight Olive, but not quite. So she was the "BEST Bet" at Churchill and I hooked her up in a straight $5 late daily double with my selection in the finale. Right to the front and led into the stretch, as I watched in the parking garage at the airport on my phone. Then, instead of spurting away she was challenged! stretch duel for a 16th of a mile and then the other horse had a full head in front, but Masqueparade would not quit....PHOTO FINISH!
The results of the photo were announced - I WIN! WAIT....."Ladies and gentlemen, hold all tickets there has been an objection lodged by the jockey of the unofficial 2nd place horse against the unofficial winner claiming foul during the stretch run." Seriously? Watched the head on, OH pish-posh, that's not a big deal as I walked into the airport. Got all the way to the gate and STILL watched for another five minutes....what ARE they considering? Typically the longer they review an objection/inquiry the worse it is for the winner. Then....."NO CHANGE." WHOOOO HOOOOO.
While it wasn't a big payoff, it was a WIN and I'm alive in the double. In the finale Insignia was near the back to the far turn, then swept by on the turn and drew off.
Cashed back-to-back winning tickets AND the Daily Double where I'd taken two 2/5 favorite and had them pay off at 6/5 odds - sometimes I am just really good.
Friday we left mid-day to drive to Orlando for the weekend and spend it with the grandsons (and their parents) On Saturday, Ohio Derby Day I had selections from Monmouth, Gulfstream, Belmont, Churchill Downs, and of course Thistledowns where the Ohio Derby card had multiple stakes events. What was interesting to me is this story....for years my youngest son Brad has been convinced that he's a jinx when he plays the races with me. And oddly enough it is more often than not the case that when he plays I do not do well, and when he does not I DO do well. I didn't think he was playing with me, but about mid way through my selections I'd won one of the first seven and then rattled off three in a row. THAT is when Brad showed me he was playing along. Ran 2nd and then won another four in a row. And a while later I found out that was when Brad stopped - good for him as he made a profit of $100 and got out. For me, I won four races at Thistledowns, only one stakes race (and a close second in two others). Went winless at Gulfstream, as I expected with sooooo many races on the all-weather. But I did have the Belmont feature when Eminent Victor was much the best in the Wild Applause Stakes as the second choice, and then cashed a nice ticket in the Grade 3 Chicago - the Churchill Downs feature - when Lady Rocket wired the field beating three multiple graded stakes winners who took all the money. Collected nearly $50 for that upset win. At the end of the day I was sitting on nine wins and had one bet-back promotion in the bank. The final race on the sheet was the Ohio Derby. A win, and I'd profit on the day....a loss and I'd have a small loss on the day. Took the lead at the top of the stretch but was outfinished, second.
The boys playing on Sunday :)
Still, for the week at good 38% wins with twenty winning tickets cashed and so very much enjoyed the Wednesday Canterbury big night of racing. Next week is Closing Weekend at Churchill Downs.
Social Media.....
While I was watching the races on Wednesday they were being carried by "America's Day At The Races" and Acacia Courtney thanked me for watching when I reached out to her.
The first contact came when it was former WISE student Christina's birthday early in the week.
Then a photo of my friend Mishelle who is having such a good life now that she's out of what apparently was not a good marriage.
Later in the week it was our friend Michelle's birthday....
Reached out to my gal-pal Lauren on the anchor desk on Tuesday....
It's a "terrible curse" to bear, but I often have this "problem" but rarely to this extent. What problem would that be you wonder? That I had SO MANY winners this week that to write the entire week up in detail would be to write a novel of epic proportions :) So I'm just going to give the highlights, of the highlights of a most, MOST amazing week.
The first thing to mention is that for the majority of the week I was actually IN Louisville. To see the photos and read the highlights of the trip (not the racing) visit my travel page:
CLICK HERE for the travel page "Louisville Weekend"
And I must say before we get into the racing, that the Ghost Tour on Friday may have been THE highlight of the weekend. You might react with a "oh wow," but no.....you don't understand. Until you read through how amazing the racing week was, THEN you can appreciate that "OH WOW" indeed, the ghost tour must have been really something. Check out the page above for highlights of that tour as well as the trip itself. Ok, on to the racing. The week started off early with Tuesday racing. Yes, that's because this was "Royal Ascot" week. The prestigious five day week in jolly old England kicked off on Tuesday morning and I liked three runners on the opening day card.
The first race of the meet was the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes which featured the unbeaten Baaeed. Everything I read said he would be the most likely winner of the week and I couldn't find anyone who thought he'd lose. Made him the BEST of the Ascot meeting. And he was a decisive winner. In the second I had reservations about US-based Golden Pal beating the top Euro sprinters, but backed him anyway because trainer Wesley Ward said he was the best horse he's EVER trained. Missed the break losing all chance as he is a front runner. Was "interesting" that top NA rider Irad Ortiz said it was his fault they missed the break. Then in the last bet of the day I liked Coroebus in the Group 1 St. James Palace. It was close, but he won. A good start to the week.
I handicapped the Thursday card in anticipation of Keith and I going to the Twilight Thursday event but the heat in Louisville was so bad that live racing was cancelled for both Wednesday and Thursday. As a result, once I'd arrived we decided that we'd go to "The Downs" Friday afternoon in between our two excursions (to the Mega Caverns underneath Louisville & the Ghost Walking Tour in the evening). I was good by that even though I had no analysis for Churchill. I was appreciative of my ability to stick to the plan as I played only the Monmouth card which began at 2 pm. I did play one last race from Royal Ascot where Changingoftheguard was, by everything I read, the one and ONLY front runner in the field of the Group 1 King Edward VII Stakes. He won, but by the SLIMMEST of margins, but hey, a win is a win! I won with the first race, missed with the second. Then finished the day with three straight winners to finish off a glorious 4-for-5 day.
And that brings us to the big, BIG day. We met my cousin for breakfast right across the street from Churchill Downs at Wagner's, which is a local diner known for being a hangout for track people. That was fun to go there and to catch up with my (if the truth be known FAVORITE) cousin and her "beau." We arrived at the track midway through the big Monmouth card where it was Haskell Preview Day featuring four big stakes. The first live race from Monmouth for me was the 6th and Todd Pletcher's highly regarded 2yo Major Dude ran away for the win. Interesting side story, a year ago when Keith and I had done this same thing we discovered next to none of the food places opened until the racing began at Churchill Downs. So our plan to have lunch and watch the races was going to need for us to find a place to eat. I had a question about my Twin Spires account so I went into the VIP Room for Twin Spires members to ask and then asked about places to eat. We were invited to eat here, since I'm a member. And when the bill came, we got 40% off because I AM a VIP :) As we sat there after the Monmouth win I looked up at the Belmont telecast and saw it was a stakes race. I remembered now that I'd seen this earlier in the week and the likely winner was a Chad Brown horse I knew. So I made a bet - and won when Masen drew off late to score in the Grade 3 Poker Stakes. Posed for a pic in the paddock in my "fancy duds" (so I'd fit in with all the hotties and "people of stature" who would surely be here under the lights!). In between two stakes at Monmouth where I ran a dismal 8th in both (ouch) I looked up at the monitors and there was a very short priced horse at Gulfstream. Who's that? Did a little research and saw it was a Saffie Joseph 3yo Of a Revolution who was dropping out of a 3rd place finish in the Grade 3 Swale to run in an allowance event. Using my TwinSpires app I saw that he was everyone's top bet, was the top class - speed - pace - and BEST Bet horse. So, Gulfstream's giving away money, eh? COUNT ME IN! Walked to the window and put a double investment down. Won for fun. Sometimes I'm so very smart :) Finished off the "early wagering" with another Chad Brown turf stakes star, Sacred Life who blew by the field to win the Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes on the Jersey Shore. As the night time racing began I was off to a big 6-for-10 day.
I did, I'll admit it, have the thought cross my mind of "What if I've won the majority of my races for the day already?" And I answered myself - that's not good - that I was here to enjoy the atmosphere of being at Churchill Downs for the night time racing and I'd enjoy the experience regardless of the outcome of my handicapping of the local races. And I had the thought again when in the opener I had the 4/5 favorite who was all, ALL by himself on the front end, clear by daylight turning for home and was caught in the shadow of the wire to be second. But not to worry, I came back in the second with Western River as a triple investment. He'd been entered to run a week ago Thursday and was my top choice going nine furlongs. He scratched to run here instead going a mile and a half. I believed that the trainer must have thought this a better spot. He was right as he ran home by open lengths without ever being threatened. Came right back with my BEST BET of the Night in the third on Master of Arms. It's an excellent example of how to play the game, and I often say "it doesn't have to be a Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Million Dollar race to cash a best of the day," and here we had a maiden claiming event where my choice had already been out five times. But, he'd earned "paired figures" of 78 & 79 - often a sign of a move forward. That alone would have made him the bet. But the "best" figures earned by the rest of the field were 56, 70, 69, 49, and 69. He should win by a pole. So not only did I make him the BEST of the night, but I had linked him with Western River in a straight $5 Daily Double ticket. Just as predicted, Master of Arms was a pole clear under the wire and I cashed the WIN ticket and a nice bonus double ticket.
Didn't like anyone in the fourth and I was happy that I stuck to my guns, again, and didn't play the race as it was won by an upset runner. The fifth was the "featured" Monomoy Girl Stakes. Steve Asmussen's Society was unbeaten in two starts and had the best speed figures in the field. BUT she'd never been two turns and this was a mile and a sixteenth route event. Still, she looked more than capable as a daughter of Breeders' Cup Classic & Pegasus World Cup winner Gunrunner. Right to the front and coasted all alone to the top of the lane. Confronted by the second choice there the two fillies put on quite a show in a stretch long duel until Society edged clear late. WOW what a night, three for four with a daily double as a cherry on top!
In the sixth and seventh I missed which led to "my teller girl" Amy telling me it was time for me to get back in the winner's circle! It was a perfect time for a photo op so I had Keith take one as we stood in the front row of the second level overlooking the finish line. The eighth was a Maiden Special and while you might not care for Warrior Johnny when isolating on just his past performances, it's all about the match-up. The par for this level going a one-turn mile was an 82 Beyer and in his last three starts 'Johnny had run 88-84-85, clearly he SHOULD have won by now. But tonight he faced a field where those numbers beat all 30 lifetime figures of the rest of the field. The crowd was not fooled by the early DRF morning line which remarkably made him the third choice - who makes those lines? Sent off as the prohibitive 1/5 choice he was under a hand ride by Tyler G from the get-go and won by a pole in basically a public workout. For me, it was all about the next race however. Why is that you ask? Because I knew I wouldn't make much on Warrior Johnny, and in the 10th it was pretty much between two fillies. So I linked the two races with three horses in the 9th in a Pick 3. And because I wanted to be rewarded if I was right on the money I got a second Pick 3 ticket with just my top choice in the 9th and the top two in the tenth. As the field turned for home in the 9th my top choice, Lord Dragon was dueling with a horse who was NOT one of my top three, and fortunately he dug in and got the win. I felt awfully good about my chances of hitting the Pick 3 now. The 10th was a second level allowance for 3yo fillies. Tarabi was the one to beat IF she ran back to her 2yo races when she was 2nd best, twice to 2yo champion Echo Zulu. But you never know if they will come back the same at 3. Was a good sign that Javier Castellano flew in from NY. But the main rival was Ontheonesandtwos who had more recent form and had run well over the track. That one went right to the front and turning for home I was running 1-2, but there was no catching Ontheonesandtwos. While I didn't have the win ticket I did have TWO Pick 3 tickets with her (which paid more than if I'd had the favorite) which enabled me to cash the Pick 3 four times. My teller Amy was pleased for me :)
One final race on the card. Ans as I noted, AFTER the race it would be very obvious that backing Repealing was a very good or very bad idea. She'd debuted at Saratoga and finished third behind Echo Zulu and another next out winner. But that was it. L-O-N-G layoff, but got first time Lasix and Tyler G who was having a massive night. I noted in my analysis to see how much the crowd likes her. They made her the 8/5 favorite and that was good enough for me. Was a handy winner by almost a pole as my SEVENTH win on the night - wow, what an evening!
Downs After Dark at Churchill Downs Highlights
Was up at 4:45 am for the trip to the airport home. Only to have my flight delayed, then re-scheduled. The airline wanted to send me to Orlando, then Baltimore, and home arriving at the airport at 9pm. I said no thank you, I'll stick with the first leg to Orlando. The flight after being delayed to 10:25 was rescheduled for 7:35 and I arrived in Orlando at 9:30 am. As I flew out of Louisville we flew right over Churchill Downs. The first photo is what I actually saw, the second, zoomed in :)
Actually got to the desk in time to board my original flight home, putting me at the airport at 11 am, but because I'd been rebooked and then cancelled those rebooked flights they couldn't get me on. So I rented a car and made the 3 hour drive home. Walked in the door at 1:30 pm, much better than after 9 pm. While in the car I'd watched the first two races I had from Monmouth (which I bet at the airport). Won the first one in a narrow decision with Paco Lopez on Kitten With A Whip. Then lost the second. I was home in time to watch the rest of the card. I won the 8th with Forty Stripes who went last-to-first and drew off at 6/5. Then Paco was on an upset winner on the turf, Unleveraged and he paid $9.20. Missed in the feature but scored in the finale with a Todd Pletcher first timer with Paco up again. So for the day Sunday I was 4-for-6.
Now if you have been following the daily totals you know I had a very, VERY good week. Just a reminder that I typically score around 35% to maybe 40% and that's really high for handicapping. But for the week......
How about that my friends? It was indeed a VERY good week!!
Downs After Dark Week Highlights (other than Churchill)
Social Media.......
The first incident came when CBS-4 anchor Lauren Pastrana posted a pic on Facebook and talked about how much she liked coffee, regardless of if it's hot outside. I originally became "involved" with Lauren when she used to post hypothetical questions and "did you know" posts like this. She doesn't do it nearly as much so I enjoyed seeing this and of course replied.
The second social contact came on Friday when I turned on the CBS evening news on my phone WHILE I was at Churchill Downs and saw "my two girls." Reached out to them and of course they both liked it AND Karli replied - all the while they were on air doing the news.
Followed this up when they posted a photo of themselves and the weather girl, all in red. Commented and got a follow up from Karli - while on the air.
And then later when we were finishing up the ghost tour I sent a photo to Karli (first time I've done that) to explain that now I was on a Ghost Tour and she wrote back to me :)
Kelly Colwell - our trainer at Oasis and a real cutie - posted she was back home in Minnesota, don't you know - and I commented, which she "liked."
Finally Sunday, while traveling - on Father's Day - my "adopted daughter" Jillian posted on my timeline wishing me a Happy Father's Day!
