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 :)