Hockey & Birthday In Orlando

 August 25 - 27

Friday:  Charles Town Classic Night

This racing weekend coincided with a weekend getaway to Orlando as we celebrated our grandson Oliver's seventh birthday and got to see our youngest son Brad make his ice hockey debut.  Kim picked up our other two grandsons Cameron & Anthony from school Friday around lunch time.  We piled into the car and headed to Orlando where we drove straight to the ice rink where Brad, Oliver and Cameron all took the ice for some free skating/hockey time.  We then headed off to Chic-Fil-A for a birthday dinner as today was Oliver's actual birthday, with the big celebration set for Saturday.  I'd made the bets for the day before leaving home and once back at Brad & Lauren's house I checked the replays.  Rain had washed off my selections on the turf at Monmouth leaving me with just two races.  Off the board in the first and second in the other.  But I had also handicapped the Charles Town races where it was their big, signature night:  Charles Town Classic Night.  My first bet there came in Race 4, a non-winners of three lifetime sprint going the two-turn 7 furlong distance.  Foxy Sista had two recent Beyers that would win this race by a pole.  She was the 9/5 favorite when the gates sprung open, but she missed the break and was at the back of the pack.  Recovered quickly to get into a stalking spot.  She was hard ridden and got to the front turning for home and I thought for just a minute that the use of early energy might not be enough to cost her, but she was caught and finished second.  The fifth was the Last Enchantment Stakes going 4 1/2 furlongs.  Little Roo had won six of her last eight and her LAST FOUR Beyers would beat everything on the page.  She was the prohibitive 3/5 choice going into the gate but in an identical start to the previous race she was away last.  Got to the leader on the turn but could never get by....second, again.  Next up was the Autumn Stakes and Great Spirit was the 8/5 favorite.  AGAIN left the gate slowly and trailed to the far turn before making a big run, but only good enough to get the "show dough."  Race 7 was the Russell Road Stakes and my upset choice was Coastal Mission.  There were a couple of out-of-town shippers who looked to take a lot of money but I went with the local heroine.  'Coastal had won four in a row and boasted a remarkable 9/8-1-0 local resume.  She tracked the pace into the far turn while third, moved to challenge heading for home and edged clear late.  Best of all she was a generous 4/1 and paid $10.40 allowing me to collect nearly $30 on my first winner of the night.

The Pink Ribbon was my "best bet" of the evening as it looked to me like Society would be a runaway winner.  She'd won six of her ten career starts with her losses coming to Breeders' Cup champions Goodnight Olive, Malathaat, Gr 1 winner Nest and a loss in Churchill's Grade 1 La Trioenne.  The main threat looked to come from Bill Mott's talented Frank's Rockette who won this race last year as the odds on favorite.  She'd been stellar at Gulfstream, winning two graded stakes - as my big bet choice - but her most recent had earned much slower figures that put her well behind Society.  Jockey Tyler Gaffalione put Society on the lead and she ran away as much the best.

The Robert Hill Memorial was next and my pick ran off the board at 7/2.  The Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks was next and I went for the mild upset with Chad Brown's Undervalued Asset.  I didn't like the top two betting choices and nearly got paid for my opinion, but she was 2nd at 3/1 behind the morning line and post time favorite.  The last bet of the night was in the the featured Grade 2 Charles Town Classic where the nine furlong event would go three turns.  Skippylongstocking was the class of the field, having run in ten straight graded events - hitting the board in five of them and winning three of them.  Jockey Tyler G was on board the top choice and like with Society he went right to the front and was long, long gone to cap off a big night.

And best of all, I'd played Charles Town on my Xpressbet platform which was offering a "Bet Back" promotion.  And so for the night I'd played eight races....won three and got money back on FOUR of them so I "cashed" on seven of eight selections :)

Saturday:  Travers Stakes Day & Birthday Party Day

The day started off with Brad and I heading back to the rink where I got to watch him go through a hockey "class" and I was so impressed with how well he did.  Made me such a proud Dad to see him play so well.  He was such a gifted rollerhockey player as a youngster but never played ice hockey.  And now some twenty years later here he is on the ice AND he looks very smooth, and very good.  Was a great way to start the morning.  After the practice we met Lauren at the grocery and then the party was at 11 am.  The kids had a great time and we were back home by early afternoon where I could watch the races.  The big Travers Day card only brought one win, but it was my BEST of the Day when Echo Zulu ran away with the Grade 1 Ballerina.  And I picked up two wins at Monmouth to end the day 13/3-3-1.

Sunday, unlike most visits to Orlando where we leave around lunch time to be home in time for dinner (and drive while it's light outside) we stayed through an early dinner because Brad's first ever ice hockey game started at 5:30pm.  It was so fun to watch him play, to watch his son (and  his nephews) be so excited to see him play, and for his sister to join us for the event.  AND after trailing throughout the game they scored with 3 minutes left in the final period to tie the game and won it dramatically in overtime.  Couldn't have been a better way to end the day.  As for racing, I went winless through the first five races I bet, but then closed out the day with three out of five wins including the featured stakes at Monmouth and two stakes at Woodbine.

It's "standing room only" for the big game!

Social Media this week......

This week I had very little contact with my social media pals.  But I was excited on Friday before we left for Orlando "my Viking TV girl" Ciara replied to my email about setting up a planning meeting and we exchanged a series of emails in a "conversation" over the time span of about half an hour.  On Tuesday we'll meet in a video call to set up the following week's presentation which she told me to regard as a "pilot" for a series of episodes.  Very cool.

Viking TV Production/Planning Meeting Screenshot

Also I was very pleased when my gal-pal Trish from CBS-Miami, who's in Greece on vacation reached out and "hearted" three things I'd posted on Facebook :)

Finally, after "talking" with Ciara I messaged my gal-pal Kimmy with the news and she and I texted for a bit regarding my "new job."

August 18 - 20

 August 18 - 20:  Back To School

Typically I have multiple stories to tell in my weekly journals which chronicle my racing adventures.  But this week, not so much.  After a rather slow weekend of racing last week I felt pretty confident that despite there not being a lot of big races this weekend that the percentages would balance out and I'd have a good weekend of racing.  This feeling was reinforced by the results on Friday where I played the always abbreviated card at Monmouth.  On the eight race card I passed the first two but had bets in the last six.  In the third I liked Just Beat The Odds in a MSW sprint.  Was under a very snug hold while pressing the leader into the far turn.  When let loose he ran off and scored under a hand ride.

Ran 2nd at 2/1 in the fourth before another MSW sprint, this one going five furlongs on the turf.  My pick, Poet's Wish went right to the front but was quickly joined by the second choice in the wagering.  They dueled through the turn and I fell back by about a head turning for home.  But 'Poet's wasn't done yet and she began to mount another challenge.  You have to understand the configuration of the Monmouth turf course to understand what followed.  All turf routes on the Jersey Shore start in a chute that angles down to the main turf course.  So as you round the far turn into the stretch at about the furlong pole there is a "gap" providing open ground to run on up the inside.  BUT the problem is if you are pinned inside as you approach the end of the chute the rail "reappears" and you need to get "out of the chute."  Well, Poet's Wish was doing just that and her challenger drifted in as they crossed the "gap" so that once the chute ended 'Wish was about to run into the rail so she had to take up.  Both the INQUIRY sign and OBJECTION sign came up and I was moved from 2nd to first so I could cash my ticket.  

Right back in Race 6 where Coach Adams was MUCH the best in a starter optional claiming to score going two turns by a pole.  And finally, in Race 7 Love Me Not was 9/2 with less than ten minutes to go when the on-air analyst told everyone that this was her bet.  By post time she was hammered down to 7/5 and went last-to-first to score going away.

Saturday I had high hopes for the day but for the day from twenty-one selections I had only five wins while running second SIX times and third twice.  Fortunately two of those were "bet back promotions" so I "cashed on seven of twenty-one so it wasn't a terrible day.  The lone highlight was a win in Gulfstream's featured Sheer Drama Stakes with R Adios Jersey.

Sunday was "King's Plate Day" at Woodbine with multiple stakes races and I played the Jersey Shore.  Won with two of the first four plays, though at even money and 1/5.  Then went winless over the remaining seven races to close out the weekend.

Monday marked the start of school in Broward and I began my 12th year of retirement.  In many ways it seems like just a couple of years ago, but in other ways it seems oh-so-long ago since I was working.  In "honor" of the event I posted a 3:30 video highlight of where we'd been :)

Eleven Years of Retirement

Social Media this week......

I interacted with three of my social media gal-pals this week.  First up, Trish Christikas from CBS-Miami posted that she was taking two weeks off to return to her home country of Greece.  I messaged her to have a good time and that we were excited to be traveling to Greece next spring, which drew a response from her.

Next up, new gal-pal Teri Hornstein and I exchanged multiple contacts.  I sent her the highlight video from my eleven years of retirement and she watched it and commented on it.  And then on Monday morning as I began my 12th year of retirement she was on the anchor desk, so I messaged her and got a reaction.

I also sent the "Retirement Collage" and video link to Karli Barnett.  She was so sweet to reply back to me in a private message.  Then during the Saturday evening FaceBook chat we had several exchanges talking about frozen cappuccinos and Dairy Queen Blizzards.  I sent her a photo on Friday morning of my frozen cappuccino and she sent me a private message back on Monday :)

But the best exchanges of the week came with long time most favorite gal-pal and former student Kimmy.  I sent her the Egypt "teaser trailer" and she replied back; and later that day my "Egypt hat" arrived so I took a pic and sent it to her, to which she immediately replied.  On Friday I shared a photo of me enjoying the frozen pumpkin cappuccino and she replied back.  But THE BEST exchange came on Saturday as Kim and I began looking at flights to visit our families in late October/early November.  Kim's flight home didn't return until nearly midnight and the planned flight I had got home mid-afternoon.  Not sure why it popped into my head but I thought, "what if instead of flying directly home from Columbus I flew to Charlotte, North Carolina where I might squeeze in a visit with Kimmy and her family.  Sure enough there it is a possibility so I reached out to her and she was very receptive to the idea.  We'll see how that plays out in the weeks to come!

Arlington Million Weekend

 August 9-13

It was Arlington Million Weekend and the good news was I had an excellent time in Minnesota, virtually as I played Canterbury on two of the four days I had selections.  Even better, I rallied on Saturday from a 2-for-16 start to end up with a 33% win average including wins in BOTH the big Grade 1 events on the Million Day card.  The bad news is that on Friday and Sunday I could hardly get a sniff at a winner despite being on odds-on favorites many times.  So for the purposes of this journal - and my long term memories of the weekend we'll just chronicle the good times and move on!  On Wednesday I played the Canterbury card.....  The opener was a maiden 2yo race and I liked on filly in particular, a first time starter but noted that I'd let the board be my guide.  Xtreme Diva got hammered at the windows so I upped the bet.  Pressed the pace to the top of the lane and then drew off like a graded stakes winner - ultra impressive.  Good decision to up the bet.

With rain in the area of late the turf races and three of my bets were off.  Missed on another maiden sprint at 2/1 but on my final selection, a maiden event for older Sweet Curalina was every bit as impressive in drawing away as my first winner.  So I closed the night 2-for-3 with a nice profit and thought I was about to have a good week.  Then I went winless on Friday - oh.  This game, so humbling when you think you're really good at it.

Million Day Saturday started the way Friday had gone.....missed with the first two, then won the opener at Colonial Downs where the "Arlington Million" was being run today.  And I was 1-for-3, about my typical win percentage to start the day.  Then lost the next seven and eleven of the next twelve to be sitting at two-for-sixteen at a little before 5 pm as the big stakes events were starting.....

And as it turned out to be throughout the day today, when I won again it was once again with a minimum bet.  I just didn't have a lot of confidence in any of two-year-olds competing in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special but I thought enough of Rhyme Schemes based on his runaway maiden win to make a bet on him.  I liked as well that he was trained by Norm Casse who's married to hottie handicapper and TV analyst Gabby Gaudet - not that this has an impact on the race, but still.  Pressed the pace into the turn and then WOW was every bit as impressive as he debut daylight score.

Thought I had the winner in the Grade 2 Fourstardave when Todd Pletcher's Annapolis sat the perfect trip and shot to a daylight lead at the furlong pole, only to be run down by the defending champion Casa Creed, again.  But then the day turned and I felt really good about myself as I closed the day out with SIX WINS from the last eight bets.  In the Grade 1 Beverly D my pick had scratched.  It was only going to be a minimum bet and so I looked at my comments and noted that I remarked Fev Rover would be the one to beat and I thought - probably even more so now.  Right to the front and never looked back - and again, with just the minimum.

In the Canterbury opener Cupid's Crush was the prohibitive 1/9 favorite in the Minnesota Oaks, but as was typical of the day, 2nd best.  WOW.  But I came right back in a maiden 2yo race when Xtreme Smoke Show - note the similarity to the first winner Wednesday...and had the same human connections - was a dazzling winner. Luckily in racing they pay the same on a winner regardless if it's a stakes or a 2yo maiden event.  And for the first time today, it was with a double investment.

The highlight race of the day was the Grade 1 Arlington Million going a mile and a quarter over the Colonial turf course.  I thought that there were multiple legitimate win possibilities but I've always been a fan of Brad Cox's Set Piece.  And when he won two back they did a feature on this horse where Cox was obviously very attached to him.  I thought (a) he had as good a chance as anyone and (b) if Cox was going to run him here they had to think he had a good chance.  Didn't think much of my opinion as they hit the far turn and Set Piece was dead last.  He began to pick up momentum but turning for home as he swung at least eight wide he was still last of eleven.  This can't be good.  But then he just FLEW past the entire field and won going away.  Certainly the highlight of the day - and he at least partially saved the day because (a) I did have a double investment and (b) he paid $13.40 for the win.

Missed in Canterbury's Glitter Star before winning the next two stakes events (both with minimum bets, of course) when Thealligatorhunter went wire to wire in the Wally's Choice and Roses For Liam split rivals and ran off in the Minnesota Derby.

Lost money but finish 8-for-24 (33%) on the day.  Certainly things will "balance out" tomorrow I thought.  And I had more bets than usual because it was Ellis Park Derby Day in Kentucky.  Won the first race at Ellis and lost every other race at Monmouth and Ellis.  NOT a good day, but there's always next week!

Arlington Park Memories

Social Media this week.....

I had an unusually active "social life" online this week - saw NO ONE "live" of course, somewhat sad that my "human contact" comes through virtual friends, but I guess it's better than not having ANY contact :)  New CBS weekend morning anchor Terri Hornstein and I exchanged multiple comments during the week.  First, she appeared on last Friday on the evening news and that was after appearing on the morning news during the week.  So when she appeared again on the weekend morning news I reached out remarking on how busy her schedule was.  Then when she reappeared on the weekend morning news I reached out again; and we exchanged messages when she posted a Facebook photo regarding the hot weather.

I had a long text conversation with my girl Kimmy who nearly always messages me right back when I reach out to her to "chat."

Gal-pal Lauren Pastrana and I exchanged messages regarding the BILLION dollar lottery which we didn't win.

I also exchanged messages with CBS-Miami reporter Trish who posted she was going to go home to Greece for a break.  I found it interesting that she posted her pic & message and when I wrote to her, she wrote right back in less than five minutes :)

And I had several exchanges with WPLG Channel 10 morning anchor Jacey Birch who is on holiday in London, where we just were.

But has become typical, the most exchanges during the week came from gal-pal Karli Barnett, now a news anchor in Atlanta.  Several private messages and the weekly chat produced comments back and forth.  It won't mean much to anyone but me, but I KNOW when I greeted her on the Saturday chat that I got a "knowing smile" that several others did not get :)  And listen, I get it.....probably make more of it than there truly is to it BUT I had messaged Karli and sent her my Egypt "teaser" video to which she reacted, so at the end of the chat I thanked her for watching it and while signing off she paused and not only reacted to my comment about the video but remarked that she always enjoys following my travels.  That means a lot to me :)  When I thanked her the next day for the chat and following along I got another reaction.