Saturday September 28
In the short two weeks that we were home between trips, this was the final day of the Fall Racing Season during the quick break. And it was a big day as Santa Anita hosted their inaugural California Crown Day, intended to be a west coast version of Gulfstream's Pegasus World Cup Day. It was a great idea, but for me personally I thought it was kind of "half-baked" so to speak. The Pegasus did take the place of the old Donn Handicap, but what makes the Pegasus special is that they have three unique Pegasus races and several others on the same day. I guess it's sort of the same, but all they did with Santa Anita was re-name three races as the "California Crown...." races and held it on the same Breeders' Cup Preview Day as they've always done. Still - good races. I lost several bets at Laurel when the weather forced all the races - including several stakes events - to the main track. After running a non-threatening 5th at a big 9/1 at Belmont to start the day, my first bet at Laurel came in an entry level allowance where Play Like A Raven fit the profile of a lightly raced runner who'd shown potential. Was an added plus that he went for trainer Brittany Russell. Sat well off the pace to the far turn, then advanced into contention....split horses and into the clear turning for home and ran by them all. And the best part - went off at a huge 7/1 price so I cashed for $40, which carried me through the first half of the day!
Missed on the next four including two big stakes at Belmont. In the Grade 2 Woodward, Skippylongstocking was the lone speed, and alone on the lead turning for home, but caught in the shadow of the wire. Then in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, two-time champion War Like Goddess was flying late to close down the front runner, but was too late. Really....can't hold on and can't catch the leader. Sigh..... Got back to the winner's circle at Laurel with Dazzling Move in a second level allowance going a one-turn mile. Dropping out of two stakes she appeared to be the class of the field. Tracked on the inside into the turn then was ready to run but was blocked throughout the turn. Squeezed through a narrow opening and shot to the front before widening late.
Bob Baffert's expensive filly, Kalea Bay had disappointed in both her first two starts, but to me she looked ready to roll today as much the best. She was pushed hard to get to the front early, but once she got clear the race was over. When they turned for home she had a completely different gear and widened with every stride. Came right back to win the next race at Santa Anita where Spy Catcher was trying to break his maiden in start number nine. That's almost always a "no bet" kind of maiden for me. But he'd run in graded stakes - yes. as a maiden - and had 2nd in a Gr 2 by half a length and 2nd in a Gr 1 beaten 3/4 of a length. Pressed three-wide through the first turn and final turn then was let loose and he ran away as easily best.
I got my lone win of the day in New York in the two-year-old Breeders' Cup "WIN and You're In" race, the Grade 2 Pilgrim on the soft going of the inner turf course. They were all lightly raced juveniles but Zulu Kingdom. He was unbeaten after winning on debut in his native France, then came state-side and won Saratoga's With Anticipation going the "wrong way" AND around two turns for the first time for trainer Chad Brown. Looked for improvement here. Tracked the leaders in fourth while saving ground to the top of the lane. Split rivals to get into the open and then hit another gear to win going away.
The first of the multiple stakes at Santa Anita was the Unzip Me Stakes going six and a half furlongs down the hill - my favorite kind of race to bet! These unique races are nearly always strictly limited, by me, to runners with experience down the hillside course. But Toupie was making his first start on the course. My logic was that trainer Graham Motion would never have shipped all the way out west AND convinced top rider Flavian Prat to ride, if Toupie wasn't a live runner. Right to the front, clear by daylight into the stretch and held on handily. The "Downs After Dark" program kicked off at 6pm and my first bet there was in their 2nd where Tell Me When wired the field, providing me with my seventh winner of the day.
The Grade 2 Eddie Read, now named the "California Crown Eddie Read," was another down-the-hill turf sprint. But unlike the Toupie bet, First Peace had the best record on the course. He'd been down the unique trip five times, scoring twice and finishing second three times. Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith held him in reserve through the right handed turn half way down the hill, then was hugging the rail over the dirt track. When the narrowest of openings appeared he asked First Peace to take off and he squeezed through the burst to an open length lead to win as much the best. Cashed for over $40 with my triple investment.
The BEST BET of the Day came in the Grade 2 "California Crown City of Hope Mile" where Johannes looked to extend his perfect 5-for-5 record over the Arcadia grass - including 3-for-3 at a mile. In what turned out to be the most common trip for my picks today. he tracked the leaders while saving ground to the top of the lane. Split runners into the clear and set sail for the wire without really being asked to run hard. Another sizeable payoff!
Closed out the winning in the 9th at Churchill Downs, a two-turn main track allowance for two-year-olds. Good Cheer had won going a route of ground for trainer Brad Cox at Indiana Grande with a stalk and pounce trip and looked well suited to this event. Last of five into the far turn, she glided up to challenge on the turn and when asked to take off she extended the winning margin to more than a dozen lengths in hand. Very impressive. We'll look for her in stakes this winter!
For the day I scored ten times at a 40% clip. And I would have made a profit anyway, but TwinSpires offered a promotion to give you a 15% bonus payout on every winning bet at Santa Anita. I scored FIVE times there so my bonus was nearly $20! WHOOOO HOOOO :)
Social Media this week.....
My contact with my online friends was almost exclusively limited to my "CBS girls" this week. I did text back and forth a couple times with my most favorite former, Kimmy, as they were hammered by the remnants of Hurricane Helene. And I also messaged with former WHS student Jen (below) after her daughter won a championship.
Most weeks I do exchange multiple messages with Lauren (and Teri) from CBS, but this week both girls provided a lot more personal experiences as I interacted with them. Monday Lauren posted she was not going to be on the air on Tuesday and Wednesday, much to my alarm. But when I messaged her she "comforted" me and appreciated it when I noted that Jim Berry bringing me the news at 7pm was NOT the same. The 2nd and 3rd photos/collages below document Lauren's amazing performance on the Drew Barrymore Show. She was a special guest to introduce Drew and the audience to the "Best of Miami." Lauren's personality shone through like a real star and she seemed so at ease and comfortable. So when I shared with her how I felt about her performance, she was very appreciative. I also told her that I was very appreciative that she shared so much on social media, that - in my opinion - it made her a more trustworthy news broadcaster because she demonstrated she's a "real person." Finally at the end of the week we exchanged messages about my leaving on the trip and the Miami University wild finish on Friday night.
Teri was NOT on the air on Saturday or Sunday but I found her on the morning news early in the week. And I showed her I was enjoying her broadcast with a frozen cappuccino. She posted a cute photo Saturday morning asking what everyone was up to and I, of course, noted I would be enjoying her on air with my coffee before setting out on our trip. That got a "Woooo Hoooo" reply. But the best exchange came Saturday while she was on air. First she was appreciative of my watching, but then SHE initiated more conversation - remember she was live on air - asking how the Viking TV thing had gone. This led to multiple exchanges at the end of which I said I would like to meet her for coffee and she could give me some tips about live, remote being on camera. And she was "Okkk" to that and "liked" when I said when we return from this trip we could set up a get together. Cool, eh?
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