Raven Run / FSS Saturday

 October 19

Back home in So Florida I was able to play the races before heading off the the Florida Panthers thrilling overtime win over the Las Vegas Golden Knights.  I had handicapped the races from Gulfstream, Keeneland, and Belmont at Aqueduct.  The races from NY were the last set of races I looked at and in the opener Todd Pletcher's Locked was in the entries.  He was the third choice in Keeneland's Grade 3 Perryville Stakes, but was odds-on in this second level allowance sprint.  I noted that IF he showed up here it would be a big surprise if he didn't score.  He did stay home and ran away with it.  

I missed on the next FIVE, yikes, and as I was watching college football and the races when I noted in Race 3 that Hit That Review was getting pounded at the windows.  I'd planned to pass the race, but had listed him as a contender.  I figured the "crowd must know" and invested in the race and watched him draw off for fun.

I ran through another five race skid before unbeaten Rated By Merit walked into the gate at Gulfstream as the odds-on favorite in the Florida Sire Stakes Affirmed Division.  The question was could he get the seven furlongs but that proved no problem as he won by daylight as my BET of the Weekend.  

Lost the 10th at Belmont when 8th at 6/1, then left for the game with three future bets.  While waiting for the game to start I pulled up the replays for the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland where I'd made Emery my BEST Bet at Keeneland.  She'd won four of six starts with the two losses both coming in Grade 1 events.  Tracked the two longshots into the lane, took over willingly and ran off as easily best.

Two more losses closed out the mediocre Saturday's selection sheet.  But, as I often say, if I hit the BIG ones I'm content.  It's all about the long run for statistics.  I was watching TV on Sunday and thought I'd just look at the races coming up.  It was about 30 minutes to the Santa Anita opener and Bob Baffert's second time starter, Splendora was a heavy favorite.  I decided to go "all in" when I read she was DRF handicapper Brad Free's BEST Bet.  She edged to the front early on and ran away through the stretch to pad the weekend's stats :)

Social Media this week......

Locally, the big headlines for the weekend was the Taylor Swift "Eras Tour" had come to Hard Rock Stadium for three shows - Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  Several of my friends posted their adventures as "Swifties" with one of them being former work, gal-pal Danielle.  She reacted to my comment - and you can see from the happiness on her face how excited she, and all the others were who had the opportunity to see Miss Swift.

Gal-pal, former CBS Weekend anchor Karli posted that she'd visited Helen, Georgia and how it resembled a quaint German village.  I commented I'd always wanted to visit there, and Karli - knowing me as well as she does :) - commented I was "spoiled" by having visited the REAL German villages in Europe.  Karli is such a sweet girl.

As is always the case, my most frequent social interaction comes from my gal-pals at CBS-Miami, led by Lauren Pastrana.  I happened to look back and we exchanged interactions every single day this week :)  Early in the week (see pic in blue dress) I commented how I'd been gone two weeks, looking forward to seeing her anchor the 7pm news cast solo and it was pre-empted by special election programing Monday thru Wednesday.  She "comforted" me by telling me she'd be back on Thursday.  But of course THAT was the day the Panthers played at home with a 7pm puck drop.  But I recorded it and when I watched it I messaged her to that effect.....first photo.  She was appreciative - commenting by name to me :).  I walked on Wednesday and thought I'd skip on Thursday morning but then I saw Lauren posted a short video out for a walk, and I took it as a sign that I should go.  We exchanged messages to that effect.  On Friday she had a story on her 7pm broadcast that showed Panthers announcer and CBS-sports reporter Steve Goldstein was at the Taylor Swift concert.  I told her that he needed to get her tickets for the hockey since he obviously did not include her in the concert experience.  And on Monday she appeared "pretty in pink" - that morning, our first back in town I showed her my "Nice socks" having my Wawa coffee and explained she was my "comfort news anchor." - got a nice "Thank you." back.  

My other gal-pal Teri was on the weekday anchor desk early in the week and I noted her "sunshine yellow" look and she replied with a "welcome home."  Saturday morning she posted a pic with her polka-dot top making a pun of the "dot dot dot" and I said I was ready with my coffee.  Minutes later she replied saying SHE had stopped at Wawa.  Thinking Teri knows me as well as Karli & Lauren now.  When I posted "our usual pic" of me watching with my coffee, the moment I'd taken the photo the top of her head was sliced off and she noted this with a laughing emoji.  So I took another one and said "that is better, but would be even better if we were together at Wawa."  Her replied dancing girls emojis which I'd never seen.  Looked them up and apparently those indicate "a sense of fun and confirmation such as GREAT!"  So you're saying there's a chance we'll get together for coffee :)  She also liked my Sunday morning coffee pic.