Back From Alaska / Travers Week

August 26 - 29 

On Monday August 22 Kim and I returned from our nearly two week adventure to Alaska with our friend Patti.  We LOVE Alaska and this trip was every bit as good (or better!) as the first five times we went there.  Watch the fifteen minute highlight video here:

Alaska 6.0 Highlights

It was a long trip home and we were turning right around on Friday to drive to Orlando for our little man's birthday as Oliver turned six.  But it was time to get back into the racing game as the summer winds down and we head into the Fall Championship Season where I play a lot less frequently, gearing up for the Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park.  The typical routine has been to play some races on Wednesday or Thursday and then kick off the weekend with the twilight card at Monmouth on Friday.  But this week between the recovery from the trip, the massive amounts of laundry that needed to be done (especially with us leaving in just a few days), and most especially all the "wrap up from the Alaska trip, I didn't play any races until Friday.  But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that under the lights in West Virginia it was Charles Town Classic Night on Friday so I played both the Monmouth card and the Charles Town card, which didn't kick off until after 5 pm, after we'd arrived in Orlando.

Got right into the winner's circle in the opener on the Jersey Shore when Arcadia Calls pressed the leader to the top of the lane, collared the front runner and dueled to deep stretch before edging clear in the shadow of the wire.  Followed that up with a second win in the third when Free To Fly sat off the pace into the far turn, swung at least five or six wide turning for home and was up inside the final fifty yards for the win.  Closed out the Monmouth card - going 3-for-5 - in the sixth when Mystery Mo pressed the pace setter between horses to the top of the stretch, was in and among horses as five of them were across the track with a furlong to go, and held on gamely.

The Charles Town card started just as Monmouth was ending.  I ran 3rd and 4th with the first two picks from the West Virginia track, both as the short-priced 4/5 favorite.  The seventh was the Sadie Hawkins Stakes going seven furlongs, which at CT is a two-turn event.  The Sky Is Falling took aim on the odds on front runner turning for home and surged by to give me my first stakes win of the night.  The eighth was the Pink Ribbon Stakes and Bill Mott's Frank's Rockette was the top choice.  On paper by most standards she was a very deserving favorite, maybe not the 2/5 listed in the program but her resume certainly showed she'd been facing MUCH tougher.  However, the hurdles were these.....she'd never been two turns, and she'd not won since July of 2021, AND had lost as the short-priced favorite in two of her last four starts.  That being said, in her last six starts she'd faced graded company and had compiled a 6/0-4-1 record.  So IF you were willing to buy into the softer competition tonight would allow her to strut her stuff AND that the two turns wouldn't be an issue, then she would be the bet.  I did believe both those things.  She pressed the pace to the far turn, collared the leader turning for home.  They were on even terms for maybe 100 yards before Frank's Rockette easily kicked away to be much the best with my "prime time" wager on her.

Missed in the next three stakes (running 2nd twice) before it was time for the "big one," the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic.  Last summer Bill Mott's Art Collector had won the listed Alysheba going 9f at Saratoga and then came here to wire this signature race.  He'd repeated the pattern with an easy win in this year's Alysheba to prep for a defense of his title.  You COULD have considered Art Collector may be more vulnerable this year as being a year older, maybe facing some pace pressure, and earning a slower Beyer in winning the Alysheba.  But for me, this year Art Collector was coming off a long layoff for the Alysheba and really had never been asked.  As to the pace pressure, (a) he was drawn well inside of his lone pace foe, (b) going three turns on the small Charles Town Track he'd have immediate ground saving positional advantage, and (c) he was CLEARLY the class of the race.  Right to the front and I'll admit I was a little "concerned" that the longshot front runner did not let him have it easily.  All the way to the far turn and I thought, "well, we'll find out now how much the pressure softened him."  Not at all as he drew off in hand as my BEST BET of the Weekend!

Saturday was an even more successful day.  Because I'd not had a lot of time to handicap and because we were visiting family I only played Monmouth and Saratoga.   I won with a Brad Cox first timer in the Saratoga opener, then lost at Monmouth.  But in the first of the multiple graded events at the Spa Chad Brown's Technical Analysis held a lone front runner pace advantage and wired the Grade 2 Ballston Spa.  

In what will be considered one of the biggest upsets in the 163 year history of Saratoga, sprint champion Jackie's Warrior was run down in deep stretch to finish 2nd at 1/9 odds, spoiling his perfect six-for-six record at Saratoga.  Have to wonder what the connections will do with the Breeders' Cup Sprint looming as his career finale next.  Rebounded with two straight wins at Monmouth before I scored in Saratoga's Grade 1 H.Allen Jerkens at seven furlongs for 3yo.  Chad Brown's Jack Christopher had been unbeaten when he tried two turns in the Grade 1 Haskell last time out.  I thought he'd have no problem with the added ground, but he'd weakened late and was third.  Today he was back go sprinting and if the turn back didn't dull his speed he'd be awfully tough.....and he was.  Had to fight late, but he was the winner.

The ninth at Monmouth was their feature, the Sapling Stakes going a two-turn mile for two-year-old colts.  None of the juveniles had ever gone a route of ground but I thought Todd Pletcher's Lost Ark looked every bit the part.  And the fact that he'd won from off the pace AND was being sent here from New York were all positive indicators.  Sat mid-pack into the far turn, then made a sweeping move to the front some five or more wide and drew off impressively.

The big "upset" of the day - and big time congrats to me for picking her - came in Saratoga's Grade 1 Personal Ensign with Pletcher's champion Malathaat.  Today she was renewing her rivalry with Clairiere who'd bested her in both of their 4yo meetings.  The consensus among the "experts" was that Malathaat had been the better 3yo but as older fillies, her rival had become the better race horse.  I did not agree, at all.  Turning for home Malathaat had left her rival in the dust and had dead aim on the two upset minded front runners.  Wore them down in the final strides and despite being a multiple Gr 1 winner, including a big win here last summer she paid a very generous $8.40 allowing me to cash for over forty dollars :)

There were a lot of questions about 3yo Epicenter heading into the Travers.  In the Derby preps he'd established himself as the leader of the division.  He'd taken the lead turning for home in the Kentucky Derby but was caught late by 50/1 upsetter Rich Strike.  Then in the Preakness Chad Brown's Early Voting upset him.  Today he met both rivals again and he had appeared to be on the improve with a decisive score in the prep for this, the Grade 2 Jim Dandy.  I thought he would prove best today but wasn't sure if he was as good as I thought he was.  Turning for home he had dead aim on the leaders and was well in hand.  Blew by in an ultra impressive romp in the "Mid-Summer's Derby" to reestablish himself as the clear leader of the sophomore class.

Sunday and Monday I went winless with a limited number of Monmouth picks to close out the weekend.  But clearly the highlight had been the remarkable 8-for-11 Saturday of racing!

August 26-27 Racing Highlights

Social Media Highlights......

Despite being out of the continental US I was able to connect with some of my social media gal-pals.  On the day I was flying high over the mountains and glaciers of Denali National park I exchanged messages with CBS-4 Weekend anchor Karli Barnett.

While winding up the cruise I saw Channel 10 Morning Anchor Jacey Birch post another of her "fashion" pics.  The simple white dress certainly looked good on her and she was appreciative of my compliment.

Saturday we were cruising through the Inner Passage of Alaska - which is normally very scenic, but on this day we were surrounded by fog.  With the time change it was late afternoon when Karli Barnett held her weekly Saturday evening FB Live chat.  I greeted her and noted where I was.  I was very happy that she responded by wishing us well, and by noting that she'd been looking at my photos and videos.  I was so taken by her interest that I used this video clip at the end of my Alaskan highlight video to underscore the more than 1,700 social media hits we'd had while on our journey.

Several weeks ago my gal-pal Kimmy had reached out TO ME and I'd been surprised at her comments that she had been surprised she had not heard from me lately.  So, she wants me to stay in touch more often I thought.  As a result I've tried to be more diligent about contacting her.  So on Thursday before we headed to Orlando I reached out to her to share that it was our son Brad's little boy's birthday (she knew Brad in high school).  She responded "how cute," so I HAD to ask....was she indicating that Oliver was so cute, or was it me the compliment was intended for?  He he he, I'm such a funny fellow.  Being the sweet girl she is, Kimmy replied that both of us were cute.  She is tooooooo sweet.

When we'd disembarked from the ship we spent the day in Vancouver and so I'd sent the pic to Karli Barnett.  I used the opportunity to offer to share insights on Alaska as in her FB chat reaction she'd mentioned she'd "always wanted to cruise to Alaska."  I was pleasantly surprised that she didn't just "LIKE" the comment and photo but "LOVED" it :)

A shout out to my sister-in-law Karrie who before we left had asked for my help to build a blog so she could post pictures - and be like me! - of their trip to Kosovo and Greece.  I got her started and was proud of her for how quickly she picked up on it.  When I posted about our leaving for Alaska she replied in a text that "I couldn't leave her because she needed me" :)  As her trip has continued she's done a great job, especially for a first time blogger, of posting pics of their trip.

Finally, one very first social media gal-pal was Lauren Pastrana who I began following as a morning reporter, then as a morning anchor and now the evening co-anchor.  We've had many exchanges for several years, so once we'd returned home I reached out to her saying I was happy to see her smile as she caught us up on what was going on since our return from Alaska.  Two things of note here.....first, more than just a "LIKE" she welcomed us home; and more importantly (if you follow me you know I really appreciate this), you'll note in the pic below that my message to Lauren was sent at 5:16 pm just after she had started the evening news broadcast.  Note her reply time......WHILE on the air at 5:26 she saw my message & pic and took the time to "LIKE" and then type a reply to me :))))

Whitney Week

 August 3 - 8

It was another extended week of racing as I played Canterbury on Wednesday and then the big stakes action continued through Sunday at Ellis Park, and finally another Monday racing card at Monmouth closed out the five day span as Kim and I prepare to take off for Alaska on Wednesday August 10th.  Here's how the week played out.  In Minnesota for their twilight Wednesday card I had six selections.  Five of them were minimum wager races for me and I had one horse I liked quite a bit.  Lost the first two races when I was second in both.  Then with the third event I upped the bet to a triple investment on Kierkegaard and he drew off easily.  His odds floated up from less than even money to a generous 9/5 by post time and that allowed me to cash for over $40 guaranteeing a winning night even if I failed to cash another ticket - which I didn't!

On Thursday the only winning ticket came in Saratoga's featured Alydar Stakes.  Last year multiple graded stakes winning Art Collector wired the field and he looked loose on the lead today.  How he went off at 4/5 instead of 1/5 in a short field was amazing to me as he rolled all the way around uncontested to score.

Friday Wesley Ward's very talented Golden Pal WAS 1/5 in the Grade 3 Troy Stakes.  Typically he bursts out of the gate and goes wire-to-wire but today he was beaten to the early lead.  I've seen him press the leader and win, but when he was sitting in third about a length and a half off the pace I was mildly concerned.  Made his move entering the stretch and I thought "Here we go," but when he collared the front runner that one did not give way.  Inside the final sixteenth as the duel continued a closer was flying on the outside.  Jockey Irad Ortiz seemed very confident and Golden Pal proved him correct, but by the narrowest of margins.  WHEW, but a win is a win!

Saturday was a stakes filled day as I was playing Monmouth, as usual, but it was Louisiana Cup Day at Louisiana Downs and West Virginia Derby Day at Mountaineer Race Track.  That added to the multi graded stakes action at Saratoga and I had a few late races from Del Mar.  The started off nicely as I won back-to-back races at Monmouth.  Missed on two and then scored with my first added money play, this one at Saratoga where Chad Brown's lightly raced and talented Good Governance made short work of her second level allowance rivals.  After a scratch and two losses at Saratoga - the first a prime time play in the Lure Stakes on a Brown runner that didn't fire - I got my first win in stakes action.  This came in Mountaineer's fourth, the West Virginia Speaker's Cup going an abbreviated four and a half furlongs.  Hollis tracked the leaders in the clear from his wide draw then surged past to draw off through the final furlong.

I thought Net A Bear was a "free bingo square" in Louisiana Downs' Louisiana Cup Turf Distaff but she ran a dismal 7th at even money.  Then I went on quite a stakes run!  The fifth at Mountaineer was the West Virginia's President's Cup scheduled for a mile-70 on the turf.  But the soggy conditions moved it to the main track.  I was curious when I saw the surface change that my original pick, Adventuring stayed in.  Re-examined his pp's and saw he could run on anything.  When the early betting opened and he was the clear choice not only in the WIN pools but all the multi-race payoffs I kept the triple investment wager.  He tracked the pace confident to the far turn, took over willingly and ran off as easily the best.

Came right back with my co-BEST Bet of the Day in the Grade 2 Glen Falls at Saratoga going a mile and a half on the turf.  Bill Mott's War Like Goddess was a superb 7-for-9 lifetime and one of those losses was in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf against the best marathon females in the world where she ran third, beaten a diminishing half of a length.  She tracked the tepid pace in hand and under a strangle hold to the far turn.  Let loose she easily inhaled the field and ran by in an easier than it looked performance while jockey Joel Rosario never moved a muscle.

Made it three in a row when the very talented Free Like A Girl continued her domination of the filly division in Louisiana when she blew by the leaders entering the stretch in the Louisiana Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.  I had decided to UP the wager when I made the bet and got paid for the wise choice!

Finished off the run of four consecutive stakes wins when Special Reserve went right to the front in the Senator Byrd Memorial at Mountaineer.  Even when confronted on the turn and you might have had concerns, jockey Ricardo Santana was looking under his shoulder confidently.  Let the big horse go and he drew off handily.

Missed on two before getting back into the Mountaineer winner's circle.  The Grade 3 West Virginia Governor's Stakes was for older and I liked 4yo Fulsome who had consistently performed at this Gr 3 level.  Midpack to the far turn he had no where to go.  Jockey Paco Lopez let him drift to the back, then asked him to go outside the field.  Circled the entire field entering the stretch four or five wide and ran by them all to edge clear late for the score.

Missed with four picks, including what had appeared to be a "gimme" in the Grade 1 Test for 3yo fillies but Matareya came up empty in third as the prohibitive 1-5 choice.  Race 10 at Saratoga was the featured Grade 1 Whitney and I thought Life Is Good for Todd Pletcher was clearly the best horse in the field.  But as a confirmed front runner I had questions about him getting loose on the lead AND getting the entire nine furlongs - especially in just his second start since going to the Middle East and weakening in the stretch.  His return romp had been at a comfortable seven panels and now he needed to not only go two turns, but get two more furlongs.  He was facing the red-hot Olympiad who had earned huge numbers on a five race winning streak, the last four as big bets for me.  But when the betting opened my confidence was buoyed with the large wagering on Life Is Good.  Upped the investment from a $30 bet to a BET of the Weekend $50 level.  Right to the front and never looked back.  Going off at 4/5 I cashed for over $90!

Missed on the late races, but still had a great day.  Sunday, instead of just playing Monmouth I also played a few races from Ellis Park and Saratoga.  Had five wins on the day :)  Near the end of the racing sheet Kim and I headed out to our favorite restaurant, Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant, for dinner.  When I got back I watched the final two races on the sheet and was happy to see my top selection in Saratoga's De La Rose Stakes on the turf, Our Flash Drive rally to draw off and win at a generous 4/1 price!

Monday was the final day of the extended racing week and on the eight-race Monmouth Card I had five selections.  In the opener Wedontbelieveher dueled to the turn while inside, took back and fell two or more lengths off the leader, then rallied outside to be up in time!  Came right back in the third with Fran's Warrior who I thought would be loose on the lead.  But instead she dueled with a long shot through insanely wicked splits of :21 and change and :43 and change.  Put that rival away and was clear with a furlong to go.  Then visually tiring badly she desperately hung on by a diminishing head.  The payoff of $9.20 was very generous.  Missed in the sixth and seventh when running 3rd and 2nd.  But in the finale, it was my BET of the Day!  It was a starter optional claiming event carrying a qualifying $16K price tag going a mile and a sixteenth on the inner grass course.  No Valla had earned a number two back when winning a similar event that would beat 100 of the 102 Beyers earned in the collective careers of her rivals.  And her last figure beat them all.  She had the class when noting that she had scored her maiden win for a $40K tag.  Tracked the leader to the far turn, blew by under a hand ride and drew off by more than seven lengths while under wraps.

Loved ending the day, the weekend, and the week with a winning day and a BIG WIN!  Note, I'd upped the wager by a click from "prime time" to an increased $25!  This Wednesday Kim and I are off to Alaska for nearly two weeks so how much racing takes place will be a "post time" decision :)  

Whitney Weekend Stakes Highlights

Social Media

This week I heard from two of my very, VERY favorite former students and both exceptionally good looking young women as the highlights to the social interaction.  My week online started with a couple of interactions with my co-favorite CBS anchor, Lauren Pastrana.  She posted a short clip of her laughing and asked what had made you laugh this weekend, so I responded about my grandson blowing out the candles on the cake.

Next I had a "conversation" with Lauren when she posted on Twitter about gas prices.  I responded, and referred to her post earlier this summer about drinking hot coffee every morning (which we've "talked" about several times).  I noted that when I went to get my HOT coffee at Wawa what my price was.  She wrote back that she was getting HER HOT coffee at a Wawa when she posted her pic.

I'm so proud of "my girl" Tatiana who after graduating got her medical license and now practices.  Her birthday was this week and I sent her well wishes.  Typically I don't see her on social media so I also sent her a personal text message.  Later in the day she replied to me via text and it was very touching for me AND agreed we should get together for drinks when she is next in town.  :)

Saturday evening I tuned into to CBS Weekend Anchor Karli Barnett's LIVE chat and commented on what looked like her cute black dress, but when she thanked me for the compliment she noted it was actually navy :)

Then later in the chat the topic turned to the oppressive hot weather and I reminded Karli that this was why we were headed to Alaska.  She replied - in a way that I KNEW she'd seen my post about the trip - that it was a "very good call" on my part to head to the cooler climate and wished us well on our trip.

Then THE highlight of the social media week came when my most MOST favorite former Kimmy and I had a text conversation.  I noted to her that we needed to get together and that I needed an updated photo of the two of us for my bookshelf.  She replied that she agreed and I said I should come to her new home in North Carolina.  But she informed me she was coming to So Fla and that she would make me the promise that we'd hook up while she was here.  Such a cutie.

Birthday Week: July 27 - August 1

 Happy Birthday To Me!

It was a great week personally, and a good week for racing.  Spent nearly a full week with my grandson here at the house, especially enjoying each and every morning when he'd awaken early and say, "Grandpa, is it time to go to Wawa now?"  And he'd ride with me and fix the coffee for me and his Grandma.  And with my family from Ohio here for a week, and my daughter and youngest son & wife for the weekend, it just couldn't be much better.  Below you'll some of the many (nearly 300 social media hits) friends and family that reached out to wish me a happy birthday which made it an even more special weekend.  But we're here to talk about racing right now.  Here's how the week unfolded.......

Wednesday I went winless with three picks at Saratoga, and with the way the week played out I've made the command decision that it just isn't happening at the Spa with the Progressive Handicapping angles, so I'm putting a stop to the daily picks from there.  Thursday I had seven selections from Saratoga and Del Mar.  The good news I won with the BEST of the Day at Saratoga when Chad Browns Price Discipline drew off handily.  The bad news is I lost the other six with two seconds and four thirds.

Friday was a much better day.  At Monmouth I only had three selections from the standard, abbreviated eight race card.  And the first one scratched.  But the other two were much the best.  None of the races at Saratoga provided anything worth betting, so it was a "No Bet" day there for me.  Then at Del Mar in the opener trainer Brian Kornier has one angle that gets him in the 40% Club - class droppers.  Yo Yo Mama set the pace to the top of the lane, was headed, then came back and edged clear at a big $9.80 payoff to allow me to cash for nearly $50 and make my Friday!  And in the other Del Mar winner, Little Rachel was the DRF's Brad Free's BEST Bet in a $20K nw3L sprint.  Drew off as tons the best with my triple investment to top a 4-for-5 day.  WHOOOO HOOOOO.

Saturday I had handicapped four cards but still only had fourteen picks.  I played Laurel because they had multiple stakes events, as well as my usual Monmouth, Saratoga, and Del Mar selections.  I only had one win on the Jersey Shore, but it was in the featured 2yo stakes, the Tyro when Sharp Aza Tack ran away impressively.  Of the multiple Laurel picks I had only one win, and Divine Huntress was a narrow nose winner in a three-way-photo in the Miss Disco Stakes.  The BET of the Weekend came in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga where sprint champion Jackie's Warrior looked to make history as the only horse in the more than 150 year history of Saratoga to win a Grade 1 there at ages 2, 3, and today 4.  Well in hand while collaring the leader on the turn and then jogged home in an amazing and decisive win.  WOW.  That he went off at anything more than 1-9 was free money.  Topped the day with two winners, one of which was a Bob Baffert firster that I went "prime time" on.

Sunday I had the three tracks going.  I thought I was heading for a good day when Truancy ran away with the Sunday opener at Saratoga.  But I missed on the three graded events of the day and only had a single winner at Del Mar when Laurel River was easily best.

Monmouth began their season with races only on Saturday and Sunday.  Then in June they began their standard Fri-Sat-Sun programs.  This year, for the next six weeks they are racing on Fri-Sat-Sun AND on Monday, and with it being my birthday it was a perfect way to end the extended weekend.  It's a late start (2 pm) and a short card (8 races) just like Friday.  And like Friday's card I had a scratch in the opener.  Then lost.  Then another scratch but went with my second choice, Golden Bell who won for fun.  And finished the day when Pugilist was much the best on the turf.

So for the week I was 14-for-40, my standard "well done" 35% win average!

Birthday Week Highlights

Happy Birthday Wishes

My very favorite birthday wishes came from many of my former students and former colleagues....

Social Media

Right after our return I sent CBS-4 Weekend Anchor Karli Barnet a link to our video from the cruise where I'd used her greeting to me on FB Live chat as part of the video.  She not only watched it but thanked me for sending it.

Heard from Jen after I complimented her daughters as being adorable like their Mom :)

Lauren Pastrana - CBS Evening News anchor posted about teachers spending their own money and she loved my reply.

Our friend Shelly asked for my help on looking at Alaskan cruises and I told her that as her "travel agent" my "fee" would include an air ticket to come visit her personally :)