Several highlights to the weekend.....first, I had an outstanding day of racing on Saturday, scoring with over 40% of my picks, hitting the BEST of the Day, sweeping the Del Mar features and hitting the Grade 2 Jim Dandy while profiting more than $100 on the day. Second, we had the entire family here - all thirteen of them on Saturday afternoon and evening and then all went to Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlor for an early birthday celebration (my birthday is next Thursday). And then I had two wins on Sunday. Meanwhile I had several interactions with my gal-pals who are news anchors......Lauren Pastrana was in Hawaii for the week and we exchanged several messages; weekend anchor Teri Hornstein and I exchanged several messages, and most cool of all....on her Sunday night Facebook LIVE chat, Karli Barnett excitedly told everyone about my upcoming Viking TV episode! So let's get to the business of chronicling the racing for the weekend. On Friday the 8-race Monmouth card saw me score twice. Missed with the 8/5 favorite in the second then in Race 3, 3yo Butterfly Queen looked to be the one to beat in this $16K "beaten" turf route. Two back she'd scored under identical circumstance, then stepped up to open allowance company last time out. Easy to excuse that. And she was eligible to run back under these same "beaten" conditions because these conditions were, ".....for 3yo or 3yo and up who have never won two races...." Gives a huge edge to multi-win 3yo's if they can handle their elders. Have to admit to some concern as she was dead last onto the backstretch, but gradually improved her position. Split rivals on the turn, swung 8-to-9 wide into the lane and wore down the leaders late at a more than fair $7.60 payoff.
Ran second and sixth before the "Bet of the Day" in the featured Regret Stakes. Looked to me like Intrepid Daydream, winner of the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl at Gulfstream last December was going to be a short-priced winner. Sent off as the prohibitive 3/5 favorite she could do not better than fifth. WOW. But after passing on R7 I scored in the finale when Queen Tapiture easily disposed of a pace rival and drew off through the stretch as much the best.
I was doubly happy with the results on Saturday because after starting off sharply, scoring in three of the first six races, I went on a six race skid. This left me after the first three hours of racing just 3-for-12. But through the final eleven races I had winners in SIX of them to produce the aforementioned 44% win average on the day. I was off the board in the Saratoga opener before scoring at Monmouth. I had noted on my selection sheet that Makeit To Cheyenne was a questionable bet because she was running in a 2yo MSW turf route. On the one hand, her lone start had seen her completely outrun. But, that was in an early 2yo stakes race AND she was 20/1 at post time. Add in Paco Lopez today and I thought the question was simply was the money on Paco or on the horse. Early on she was favored but was not a short price. And I opted to scratch her off the betting sheet. But as post time drew closer she took a LOT of money. Reinstated her to the sheet, played a minimum bet and smiled as she set the pace and then widened willingly through the lane as a decisive winner.
I was sixth at even money in the Gulfstream opener, then had a series of "PASS" races that left me without any wagers for almost a full hour. Finally in R3 on the Jersey Shore I had a play on Sophisticated Cat in another maiden event sprinting on the grass. This was for older and 'Cat was lightly raced. I liked that her Beyers had improved with each start, including back-to-back runner-up finishes. Blinkers on today sealed the deal. She broke with the leaders and had her head in front before they'd completed the opening quarter mile. Dueled with a rival through the turn then kicked clear to draw off by daylight.
After running 2nd at Gulfstream (to the "other" horse on my sheet) it was time for the first added money play of the day. Last winter Todd Pletcher sent out Speak Easy for his debut at Gulfstream Park. He was sensational and earned a stakes-worthy 100 Beyer. Pletcher brought him back in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. He was co-favored with the more experienced Dornach as the horses were warming up. Minutes before post-time Speak Easy tossed jockey Irad Ortiz and he was scratched. He'd not been to the races since and was in this allowance test going six furlongs. I thought the test might be a bit short for him, but he's SO talented - I believe that he would just be too good for his rivals today. I was a surprised when he didn't break sharply and was mid-pack heading into the turn. The thought that ran through my mind was that he wasn't running nearly well enough to win. But mid-way on the turn he noticeably accelerated. Swung wide into the lane and caught the leaders inside the furlong pole before drawing off.
Went on another six-race skid to run the day's totals to 3-for-12 heading into the 6th at Gulfstream. This was a five furlong synthetic sprint for non-winners of two claimers. The key stat of the race was that Sugar Treat was trainer Victor Barboza is a 45% winner first off the claim, like Sugar Treat. Sent off at a generous 5/2 price (after being listed at 7/5 in the program) he pressed the front runner then willingly drew clear late allowing me to cash for nearly $40. That helped make up for the half dozen misses, especially with four of the six being minimum bets.
After running 6th in a Saratoga event I felt pretty confident in Gun Song to take the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks. I had scored with her in the Grade 2 Black Eyed Susan when she'd beaten a very similar field. Today looked like an ideal spot but she was second best as the 3/2 favorite. But I got right back into the winner's circle at Gulfstream in a 2-lifetime claiming route on the all-weather. Cabernet looked, to me, like one of the most legitimate favorites on the card. She had the top speed figures on the page and they'd come in three straight tries against OPEN claimers going two turns on the Tapeta. He sat chilly behind a 30/1 leader, took command but was all out to hang on.....that's the great thing about racing, even when it's an "obvious" pick, you never know! Made it two straight when Hopesndreams wired the 9th at Monmouth in a turf sprint at a generous $6.40.
The 9th at Saratoga was one of the most exciting races of the day. In this entry level allowance, West Hollywood was my choice. From the Brad Cox barn the Euro import had scored in his maiden win first time on this side of the pond and then was a sharp 2nd first time winners. "Paired" Beyers and third off the bench sealed the deal. He was pinned on the rail into the lane, split rivals to get clear and was absolutely flying through the final two hundred yards to be JUST up in time.
Outrun at Monmouth before I got the first of several scores at Del Mar. In the second Heart Headed was dropping in for a first time tag in a rich $50K sprint. Tracked in fourth into the lane, edged to the front and was a narrow winner at even money.
One of the most rewarding scores of the day and to be honest I have mixed feelings about how I played the race. Two-year-old champion Fierceness has been on a "great race, disappointment, great race...." pattern since his debut. He was sensational on the bounce-back in the Florida Derby and as I said to several people with us that day, I was pretty sure he'd bounce in the Kentucky Derby...he did. But this was the next start and so I made him the top choice in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy. He sat just off the longshot leader to the turn, took command into the lane. He floated very wide allowing the favored Sierra Leone to close ground up the rail but he would not be denied. On the one hand, that I picked him and went with a triple investment was - in my opinion - the "right" strategy. But I was almost certain he'd bounce back today, so I MAYBE should have really unloaded on him. I resolve these kinds of choices knowing that FOR ME, it's more about being right and about playing the "long game" of keeping my bankroll afloat so I can play year round.
And while there are many great stories from the day, the win on Gem Mint Ten in Saratoga's 11th. We had everyone over for dinner and the house was somewhat chaotic as I was trying to be social, play the races and talking racing with my older son Jeff. On my selection sheet I'd deleted all the "PASS" races so that I only saw the next upcoming bet. After the Jim Dandy and being away from the computer for several minutes I looked and saw that my next bet was at Saratoga in a turf race where I liked #4 Summer Whirl. I made the bet. They were heading into the gate about ten minutes later and as I watched, Jeff came up and said he had #10. I said I had #4 and the gates opened. As the announcer called out the names I didn't hear "Sugar Whirl" and thought maybe because my horse was covered up. I'd thought I was #4 but Frank Mirhamadi said "Gem Mint Ten" was on the lead. Clearly HE was #4. I listened carefully and didn't flip to the selection sheet because we were watching on full screen. I decided I must have the #8 who rallied for fourth. When the four held on for a wire-to-wire win I went back to my selection sheet. Sugar Whirl WAS #4.....in the TWELFTH race - this was race 11.....and I made the IN THIS RACE. I had inadvertently bet the wrong race but had the $15.40 winner. Cashed for nearly $80 in what will go down as the "Day Maker" bet of the day. Better to be lucky than good sometimes :) And to top off the story, in the 12th race, the "REAL #4" - Sugar Whirl won as well :) What an hour of racing.....gotta love all the stories in my racing adventures!
Closed out the day by sweeping the two stakes at Del Mar. Connie Swingle came off a more than year layoff to win the Daisycutter on the turf and then The Chosen Vron won his 14th race in his last 15th start - somehow going off at 3/2 odds as my BEST BET of the Day.
Sunday I missed all four picks at Monmouth but hit two of six later races at Del Mar. The best of those came when Bob Baffert's Parenting came off a layoff after being considered for the Grade 1 Haskell in just his third start to beat older runners in an allowance race. It was the most impressive effort of the weekend because he took pressure from the gate through the opening half mile. Disposed of that one but was immediately confronted by a longshot runner for the next two furlongs. Put that one away through the turn and opened up turning for home but then had to deal with the second choice in the betting flying home from the back. Had more than enough to hold sway to the wire. His next start is likely in the Grade 1 Travers.
Pics from the Sunday Birthday Bash at Jaxson's........
Social Media this week......
While we were at Jaxson's I sent the pics to my all-time favorite Kimmy and she quickly responded with early birthday wishes, and we had a "conversation" about our just completed trip.
I thought it was interesting early in the week that my gal-pal Lauren Pastrana was not on the anchor desk and then she posted on Instagram showing her and her family in Hawaii. Five of the six times she simply saw and "liked" my message, but her last posting was about doing laundry on the return and when I replied to her question she wrote back that she was nearly done with their laundry :)
Mid-week my newer gal-pal Teri, who I typically see on the anchor desk on the weekend was part of the anchor desk on the week-day morning. I messaged her and mentioned I typically don't see her during the week, and I said I usually don't see as much of the morning shows since retiring....so we exchanged back and forth about retirement. We exchanged messages about our trips - the best of - and I asked Teri if she'd like me to send her pics on our next trip - and she said yes. On Friday she posted about the weekend and when I replied I always looked forward to her on the anchor desk she messaged me she was off Saturday. So Sunday I sent her a pic from her on air broadcast and we exchanged messages again. Finally, later in the day Sunday she posted a really cute photo of her with the title "Sunday" and I commented on her smile....and she liked that.
I had told Kim LAST week that I wanted to be online on Sunday around 7pm for Karli Barnett's LIVE Facebook chat because I was nearly certain she'd comment about our trip. But the news precluded her doing that. But this week she was online, and I jumped in about fifteen minutes in. Maybe it's just me, but if you watch the video, her reaction to seeing me online was more than the typical "Hi" that she greets others with. I'd like to think we're genuine pals. When I remarked about our upcoming trip and it was the one with the Viking TV spot, which she'd offered her thoughts on my script, she told everyone watching I was the "resident world traveler" and was "so well versed" that Viking cruises had asked me to host a program :) Karli is so sweet, right?
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