Pennsylvania Derby Weekend

 September 24

This weekend I found myself alone as my wife Kim had flown to Pennsylvania to visit her family.  And so I had a full day of racing while following college football.  The action started with a first post five minutes after noon in the Parx opener, and concluded when the horses left the gate at Churchill Downs at 10:45 pm!  In between there were a total of thirty-five races where I had an investment.  Here's how the action unfolded!

In the opener at Parx with a 12:05 post time was a 2yo maiden claiming event going seven furlongs.  All the "big name" riders were in town for the multiple stakes races, but I found it very interesting that nearly all of them had a mount in this maiden claiming event.  Several of the ones with experience would be no surprise, but for me one of my favorite angles is the bullet workout.  And Tuskegee Airmen was a first time starter for local trainer John Servis who had many near-bullet works for his debut and had topped off his preparations with a best of 46 bullet move.  Saved ground in fourth on the rail to the top of the lane when jockey Luis Saez tipped him into the clear and he drew off to score at a generous $7.80.  Wish I'd gone in for more than the minimum.  Missed on the next four, then scored at Belmont in a non-winners of three lifetime with the obvious choice.  Kinetic Sky was the only runner in the race facing claimers and restricted company for the first time, and he ran to those angles.

Over the next hour and a half I missed on seven in a row, two runner-up and three third place finishes in the mix.  The next race on the sheet was my BET of the Day and it was the STORY of the Day!  And that becomes even more especially true with the way the rest of the day turned out.  So, having now compiled a 2-for-13 record through the first three hours of racing AND run 2nd and 3rd twice in the last four my pick in the $200K Parx Dirt Mile was Todd Pletcher's defending champion Mind Control.  On paper he was a standout as a multiple Gr 3 winner, had run faster than the competition and looked ready to roll.  Sent off at 3/5 odds he tracked the 12/1 pace setter in hand through the far turn.  Swung up to go by but could not get by.  Appeared to stick a nose briefly in front before the longshot came back, then finished a half a head back in second.  It APPEARED to me that through the lane the winner had drifted out from about the three path to the six or seven path.  In and of itself that probably would not be cause for questioning his win.  But at one point he came awfully close to bumping Mind Control and for just an instant he seemed to go off stride.  I've seen worse not even get a review and I've seen less result in take-downs.  Then the announcement there was both an inquiry and objection.  And then the DQ.  So I snap out of my slump via DQ, on the BEST BET, and all on an "iffy" call.  But I'll take it!  Ten minutes later I scored at Belmont in a second level allowance with Let Her Inspire U.  This filly had just missed in a stakes last time out to an undefeated filly.  Oh.  Easily best at 3/5.

Missed on two stakes before it was time for the Weather Vane at Pimlico - a restricted 3yo sprint going six panels.  The question surround my top choice, Smash Ticket was would the filly run back to her most recent numbers as she stepped up in class.  She'd won three of her last four and IF able to compete at the stakes level, she'd win.  Right to the front, repelled a challenge into the stretch and drew off in a "smashing" performance as track announcer Dave Rodman called it (clever guy!).

Missed off the board in the next two and then had back to back scores AND with PRIME TIME plays!  The eighth at Belmont was an entry level allowance - ALWAYS difficult to predict.  But it seemed oh so clear that the winner SHOULD be Shug McGaughey's Celestial City.  In the colt's last seven starts he'd been in stakes, the most recent two in graded stakes.  Last time out in Saratoga's Gr 2 Saranac he'd been second to a multiple stakes winning, loose on the lead Pletcher colt.  Turning for home he made his bid three wide.  Grinding away, this wasn't going to be an emphatic score!  At the 16th pole there were five across the track....OH MY....surging .... and in the shadow of the wire he poked his head in front.  WHEW!  But the reward was great as he paid a whopping $6.90 and so I cashed for almost $70 for my handicapping success!

Next up was the tenth at Pimlico, the Laurel Dash.  Wait...what?  The LAUREL Dash?  Yes.  Go figure.  This five furlong turf sprint I thought Carotari looked really tough IF you did some filtering with his past performances.  Check out the above.  Toss the four graded stakes and toss the one at Monmouth where he ran over a course favoring closers.  In the other six races showing he'd made the lead in four of them - and WON THEM ALL.  So to me....if he made the lead and got a fair race course, he was gone.  Only one of his seven rivals had ever shown front running speed, and that was an outside drawn, first time turf runner who was 15/1 in the program.  Right to the front and cleared the field.  Looked in hand through the turn, and then the challengers came, he seemed good into the lane, but at the furlong pole he got a challenge....nearly head to head and the outside challenger looked to have the momentum, but you could almost see it in the horse's eyes as he saw the rival....looked to be saying, "Uh uh pal....not going by me!"  PHOTO FINISH, but I was nearly positive he'd won.  He did and I cashed for almost another fifty beans!

Third and fourth in the next two before it was time for Churchill to begin their "Downs After Dark" program which featured four stakes events.  The opener at Churchill was a maiden claiming sprint going six and a half furlongs.  The only negative about the program favorite, Candy Island, was that she was PLUNGING from MSW to MC $10K for a first time tag.  But, lightly raced (only three starts) and the only filly in the field to have hit the par figure....on the drop, looked best.  Even money when right to the front and long gone.  While the Louisville program was just starting it was time for the New York finale.  Capital Gal was the choice in the maiden claiming turf route.  Very similar to the angles for the Louisville winner....the most lightly raced runner in the field, and all five starts had come in MSW company.  Her lone turf try came in her last when she had all kinds of trouble and still passed half the field.  Saved ground along the hedge while fourth through the turn.  The rider opted to stay inside and a narrow opening appeared....SQUEEZED through, got clear and edged away late!  Two in a row!

Now they were loading in the gate for the national feature, the Grade 1, $1 Million Pennsylvania Derby.  As I looked through the field, it appeared to be an ultra talented line-up.  But I was immediately drawn to Taiba.  He'd broken his maiden and come right back to win the Gr 1 Santa Anita Derby for trainer Bob Baffert.  Then all the suspensions for the "white-haired wonder" and he didn't run well in the Derby.  Off for several months he was a just-miss 2nd in the Gr 1 $1 Million Haskell.  Today, Baffert was back in charge and had the colt working bullets.  Money Man Mike Smith had flown in to ride.  How could we go wrong?  made him "prime time."  Burst out of the gate on top but settled on the rail, tracking in fourth through the far turn.  Swung into the clear turning for home and in a flash he'd caught, and passed and opened up on the leaders.  It was a runaway.  WHOOOO HOOOO!  Cashed for nearly $50 AGAIN!

A little less than a half hour later they were in the gate for the finale at Parx, the Alphabet Soup Handicap going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf.  Buy Land And Sea had four turf wins and his rivals had a combined seven.  None had his kind of speed figures, and his LAST FOUR starts would beat 34 of the combined 36 turf numbers on the page.  Right to the front, easily in charge.  Into the turn he began to widen and through the stretch was clear by a pole under a hand ride.  WOW.  Cashed for the eleventh time on the day!

Missed on three Churchill picks - the most notable the Seneca Stakes where Falconet went right to the front at 3/1 and was clear into the lane.  Caught in the shadow of the wire :(  It was now almost 9:30 pm and I had three bets left.  The eighth and the ninth at Churchill were 3yo stakes where I had PRIME TIME bets, my last two of the long day.  In the Harrod's Creek Gunite looked really tough.  He'd been beaten by tonight's rival Conagher last time out when that one got loose on the lead.  I anticipated jockey Tyler Gaffalione sitting right off of him to the turn.  Exactly what happened.  Asked for more turning for home and he was long gone.  Cash for over $30!

The ninth was one of the most anticipated races of the day for me.  In her two-year-old debut Echo Zulu had WOW'd the crowd at Saratoga with a runaway win.  She came back in the Grade 1 Spinaway and was every bit as impressive.  Sent off as the favorite in the Grade 1 Frizzette at Belmont going a one turn mile she was dazzling again.  On to the BC Gr 1 BC Juvenile Fillies to try two turns and was simply sensational running away.  Opened her 3yo campaign in the Gr 2 Fair Ground Oaks and was life and death to hold on.  But, off a long layoff, pointing for the Ky Oaks, I was ok with that.  Ran a good 3rd trying nine furlongs in the Oaks.  Was the favorite in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont on Belmont Stakes day going a one-turn mile but scratched at the gate.  So now she was in listed company and on the rail.  If she was her old self she'd be long gone with these.  Right to the front....got some pressure into the turn....now we'll know....opened up and ran away.  WHOOOO HOOOO!  Thirteenth win as I collected another $30.

For the day I was 13-of-35 for 37% with a flat bet profit.  It was a L-O-N-G day, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute!

Pennsylvania Derby Day/ Downs After Dark Highlights

Social Media This Week.....

All last week on the CBS-4 Evening News my gal-pal anchor Lauren Pastrana had been off.  So when she returned this Monday I gave her a shout-out to welcome her back.

A few months ago on CBS-4 Weekend anchor Karli Barnett's Saturday evening Facebook chat the conversation had centered around recent films, and in particular "Where The Crawdads Sing."  We watched the movie this Wednesday and afterwards I messaged Karli about that, and she replied back - you'll note the message time stamps, yes.....she replied back while she was on the air :)

At gal-pal Kimmy's wedding, her partner in crime Christy was obviously there.  Those two have been attached at their attractive hips ever since I first met them as sophomores in my World History class.  Christy posted a photo and I remarked, which she recognized and "liked."

Speaking of newlywed Kimmy, while out on my walk this week one morning she and I chatted for about half an hour....

Friday evening when I turned on the local news Lauren Pastrana's eyes just seemed to jump off the screen - so attractive.  So I reached out to her....WHILE SHE WAS ON THE AIR....and remarked how good they looked, and asked if she was using a new make-up or had done something differently this evening.  She replied right back.....WHILE ON THE AIR.....and remarked that she thought her eyes always seemed to "pop" when she had green on; to which I replied, as I've said to her before, that I personally think green is her best color.  And she "liked" that as well.

Later that same night, all the Twitter followers of the Florida Panthers were alerted that we had a new sideline reporter.  We "lost" our girl Katie Gaus to the Colorado Avalanche but we got a "new Katie" when local high school graduate Katie Engelson tweeted out a short video announcing she was joining the 'Cats as their new sideline reporter.  I began following her - as I do all the Panthers reporters - and welcomed here - and got a quick reply.

Saturday evening as the first race approached for "Downs After Dark" at Churchill Downs I turned the TV to the "America's Day at the Races" and found my girl, hottie-handicapper Acacia Courtney on the desk from Aqueduct.  I messaged her that I was staying up with her as they covered the late races and got a "like" back.

Finally, later in the evening I heard back from one of my all-time favorite former students Tatiana.  I'd reached out to say hi to here earlier in the evening and she replied back to me.  Hoping we can hook up sometime in the near future to catch up.

Sunday was "National Daughter's Day" and so I shouted out on Facebook about my own adorable daughter.  But I also sent a private message to our "adopted" daughter Jillian.  She sweetly replied :)