Saturday October 12
Well I have to say, even I am VERY impressed with what I was able to do this Saturday! Being in Nice, France at the end of the trip we were six hours ahead of the post times at the tracks I was playing. Up and out the door before nine and spent 8 hours climbing to the top of the medieval village of Eze, high on a rocky hill/mountain, then explored Monte Carlo, Monaco. Got back to the hotel around 5:30 pm but still way ahead of post time. So I sat down at the computer and made all my bets before we left for dinner with our friends (I had handicapped on the ship on the final days of the cruise). After we returned from dinner I began processing the photos from the day and posting them on my travel page. By then the first few races had gone off and so I watched some of the replays before bed.
After running fourth in the late-morning opener at Laurel, where it was Maryland Million Day, I pulled up the 2nd, which was the first stakes event, the Maryland Million Nursery. Do It For Michael had run by the front running alternative in my analysis and I thought he'd do so again today. But instead he went right to the front and never looked back for my first win on the day. The generous payout allowed me to cash for over $30!
After running 2nd at 4/5 odds with my first bet in New York I sandwiched two more wins at Laurel around a third at Keeneland. Devil Pays in Gold bulled his way through a narrow seam at the top of the lane and surged to score in a starter handicap in the fourth, followed by odds-on Hunter Joe running away from another starter, this one going two turns on the turf.
The third at Keeneland was an entry level allowance, USUALLY difficult to predict and I often pass these kinds of races. But today Too Sharp was my BEST of the Day! Second time out she'd been dazzling breaking her maiden with a huge 98 Beyer. Came back to face winners in the Grade 3 Prioress at Saratoga and just failed to last as the 4/5 favorite over a multiple winner. The drop into an allowance looked to be easy pickings today. Pressed the 11/1 front runner to the turn, took over and drew off as much the best!
Next up from Belmont at Aqueduct was the Grade 2 Sands Point going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf course for 3yo fillies. Chad Brown's Spaliday was listed at 5/1 in the early DRF morning line and my analysis began with my noting that she'd NEVER pay double digits. Her Beyers had improved with each start. She'd won the listed Boiling Springs at Monmouth earlier this summer and then was a closing fourth in the Gr 2 Lake Placid, missing by a mere length and a half. Final angle was jockey Manny Franco stuck with Spaliday and abandoned Style Points who'd won her last two starts. Was last into the far turn, hope she's a closer! and then began picking off horses through the turn. Was five wide thru the turn and even wider when six wide into the lane, but was still last. Found a whole other gear and flew by the rest of the field to be up in time! Must say I was amazed that while she didn't pay double digits as I'd said, she still paid an all too generous $8.30 allowing me to cash for over $40!
I ran my record on the day to a stellar 7-for-9 when Alpine Thunder rallied to be JUST up on the wire at Keeneland in a starter allowance sprint, and then cashed again at Belmont when Keywaydin was odds-on and was a clear winner.
The Maryland Million Turf was next on my sheet and this nine-furlong event looked to have a couple of main contenders, but I liked Starstruck Notion who was shooting for his 6th win in just his 15rh start. He'd won his last on the lead but showed several sharp efforts stalking and finishing strongly....THAT would be the ticket today I thought. Tracked third into the stretch, angled out and caught the favorite in deep stretch. Again a nice $8.60 payoff allowed me to cash for over $40. By this time it was close to 10 pm and with a 4:15am transfer to the airport I called it a day.
The next morning we were at the airport, and thru security at our gate before 5am for a 6:45 takeoff, so I logged into the airport WIFI and watched the remaining eight races on the sheet. I'd "used up" all my wins for the day apparently as I had two thirds, a second and only one win. BUT that win came in the national feature, the Grade 1 QE II Turf at Keeneland. She Feels Pretty had been super as a juvenile and her two starts at three had been photo finishes in a Gr1 and Gr 2 after kicking off the season with a romping victory in the Hillside on the Preakness undercard. Saved ground while third into the stretch, collared the leader and ran off by more than a pole. IMPRESSIVE.
I finished the day's races with nine wins and a big profit....all the while in France! Can't beat that!
Social Media this week.....
Both "my girls" from CBS, Lauren Pastrana & Teri Hornstein were so great at following our trip, and I was diligent in sending each of them "best of" pics each day before I would post them for all our friends and followers online. For the fourteen days Lauren reacted twenty-three times while Teri had an amazing sixty reactions. To be "fair" to Lauren, she normally reacted with one "like" to the days message and photos, while Teri often would individually like several pics and the message. Also, Teri was much more "active" with comments than Lauren. Still, made my day to know that both of them were following each day and enjoying the effort.
And my gal-pal Chloe enjoyed the photos when I texted her some a couple of times :)
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