October 29 - 30
This weekend was an "interesting" weekend for me because, first of all, the Florida Panthers were at home on Saturday. Now that's not unusual, and when that happens it always is an "issue" for me as to how I will play/watch the races (and in the fall college football). But what made today's hockey game most unusual is that it was a "Sunset Saturday" 4 pm puck drop. And so when I looked at the races I would be playing I knew I'd watch a portion before the game and then watch most of them via replay. Secondly, this was the last Saturday of racing before the Breeders' Cup World Championships.....the last Saturday of the Keeneland Fall Meet.....and the last Saturday before Kim and I head out on our epic, once in a lifetime adventure to Antarctica. These are some of the sights we expect to see......
So here's how the race day unfolded for me. Unlike last weekend I got off to a "normal start" hitting my third selection, the third at Belmont at the Big A when Winit demonstrated how much he likes the one-turn mile configuration and he opened up to score at a generous $7.20 price for me. After missing at Keeneland it was time for the first stakes of the day, the Awad Stakes going a mile and a sixteenth on the NY grass for juvenile colts. As I looked at the runners, all lightly raced with little to separate them my initial thought was to pass the race. But then I noted that Irad Ortiz signed on to ride John Terranova's colt, Freedom Trail. And this runner had the best "late pace" figure. That would serve him well if the rest of them ran their usual "go as fast as you can as far as you can" style. Midway on the far turn Freedom Trail was still at the back but Irad looked to be riding him confidently. Waited, then swung wide off the turn, at least eight wide and had to angle even wider out when one of the leaders started drifting out. But at the furlong pole you could tell, he had the field measured and he won by a confident
Missed on two more and that brought us to 3 pm and it was time for Kim and I to head to the hockey game. We played well, dominated the game but as is often the case it was close until the late stages before we buried an empty-netter to guarantee a 5-3 win. Got home a little after 7pm and watched the replays from the races I missed. The opener at Santa Anita was the Lure Stakes going a mile on the turf. Air Force Red looked to be the LONE SPEED of the race, and that my friends is one of the best bets in racing. The "problem" was that in his last two he'd gone so fast early he had nothing left for the stretch run. I thought the turn back today was perfect and it was. Right to the front, never threatened and when the rest of the riders asked for a kick on the far turn, 'Red opened up and ran away. Cashed for over $30 on the first replay.
The next replay was the Pumpkin Pie Stakes from Belmont at the Big A where I liked Boston Post Road. Her last two speed figures were "paired" (95-96) and beat 123 of the career 125 numbers earned by the rest of the field and one of those didn't even have the number showing on the 12 pp lines. Pressed the leader while saving ground to the top of the stretch....split horses and took over to score by a comfortable length and change.
The next win was another So Cal stakes, and it was THE BET of the DAY - the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes on the turf going a mile. I thought MAYBE I'd get a "fair price" on Going Global who is clearly the best middle distance turf runner on the west coast because last time out Avenue de France had swept by him unexpectedly on the turn and he just missed catching him. But almost all the players were thinking the same as me, that's not going to happen twice in a row. Going Global was under a tight hold while saving ground to the far turn. Edged off the rail into the clear, blew by the leaders and scored "stylishly" as Frank Mirahmadi called it. Too bad he was a short price, but it's as much about being right as the money for me.
Scored again in the first of the two juvenile stakes, the Golden State Juvenile Fillies when Cast Member pressed the pace to the furlong pole and then accelerated past the leaders. And I closed out the day by with my "Upset Special" in the Senator Ken Maddy Stakes going down the hill at Santa Anita. I LOVE these races down the hillside course - so unique. It looked on paper like Connie Swingle was the obvious winner. She was a perfect 3-for-3 down the hill - a very important angle - and had the right running style. BUT I had her last time and I was counting my money as she was open lengths in front at the furlong pole then held on in a life-or-death photo finish. Maybe that was a sign of her form beginning to go the wrong way? And then there was Amy C - she was conditioned by the same trainer as the favorite, oh that's always a good angle: with an uncoupled entry, play the longer price. And then her one time down the hill was a WIN with a speed figure as good as those of the favorite. I was watching live by the time they were approaching the gate and I considered switching to 'Connie because all the on air handicappers said she was obvious and she was taking a lot of money. But then I told myself, "this is the time to get a nice score." Sat fifth well off the pace as they came down the hill. As they crossed the main track she split horses and began to wind up. Connie Swingle was in front but Amy C had all the momentum and blew by in the final 100 yards. WHOOOO HOOOOO - cashed for almost $50 to close the day out.
Sunday was Opening Day of the November meeting at Churchill Downs - a day of all 2yo races. With nothing else to do and knowing I'd not be playing much the rest of these upcoming two weeks I decided to handicap the card and play. Got a nice 4/1 winner in the second when Parody drew off through the final furlong. Scored a good win in a MSW event on Joking Way in the seventh. In the eighth a rider was tossed heading into the first turn....as they moved up the backstretch my double wager pick, at 2/1, glided to the front and I KNEW I was about to cash for over $30 when track announcer Travis Stone announced that because the rider was still down the race was being called and all the horses pulled up. WOW - that's a first. But I closed out the day with my "best" bet, Pretty Mischievous winning for fun.
Social Media......
It was a fairly active week for "hooking up" with my social media pals. When Lauren Pastrana said on the evening news about how they handled running out of candy for Halloween I messaged her and got a quick reaction.
Mishele was a counselor at Cypress Bay HS when I was there and she's a big time Gator fan. So we "see" each other and will message from time to time on Facebook. She updated her profile pic and as you can see, she's quite attractive.
Kimmy and I "chatted" via text for quite a while on Friday and in one of my messages I showed her that I'd framed our most recent photo together. Nice reaction. We just have a great connection :) Later I sent her daughter Livvy a penguin ..... not really from Antarctica, but we can pretend, right. Kimmy was most appreciative :)
Karli Barnett had her usual Saturday evening chat on Facebook and I chirped in. Got four comments and replies, all of which where Karli mentioned me by name :) Check out the video highlight from this week for Karli's comments.
Sunday was party day for several of my social media pals and two of the girls had on "hot" outfits that showed off their curves nicely. Shelly, who was Kim's asst. volleyball coach for a couple years and worked with us at Cypress Bay was a rocker and Mishele was a pirate :)
Shasha was the office manage at Cypress Bay and we worked together closely every year on graduation. She was "out on the town" with her husband and some friends and posted a great photo of herself.
And finally, "little" Jillian has been absent from Facebook for quite a while. But they went out to the beach with some friends and she was sporting a pretty skimpy bikini which she wore nicely as you can see. :O
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