Week 2 of the spring racing season featured the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile on Friday from Keeneland and the Grade 1 Apple Blossom from Oaklawn Park. As I await the opening of Monmouth (and Woodbine, which I may play during the summer) I'm selective about the dates I handicap. The Friday card was enticing with two stakes races being offered. I was a little leery about my pick in the opener because Wesley Ward always is THE dominant 2yo trainer at the spring Keeneland meet, but heading into the Monday card I'd already seen one of his 2yo's go down in flames and his overall record through the first week was a paltry 1-for-10. Still I noted that I'd watch the board to see which of the two juveniles he had entered would take the most money and that IF one scratched I'd up the bet on the one left in the field. Sure enough, at post time only Gorrono Ranch was running. Sent off as the 1-2 favorite the filly pressed the 6/1 third choice and was no match thru the lane finishing 2nd. I had a pick in the third and Papa Yo was leading down the backstretch when the outrider came rushing up to alert the riders to pull up as a jockey spill at the start had left the rider still needing attention - the race was declared a no contest and everyone got their money back. The fifth was one of the best stories of the weekend. It was a 3yo entry level allowance on the turf and the first thing that caught my eye was that the DRF analyst did NOT even list my top choice Ramsey Pond in his recommendations. See what I wrote.......
I continued to be surprised when the FanDuel TV analysts also pretty much ignored my choice as they discussed their thoughts on the race. The filly broke alertly from the rail but as she settled into stride she gradually found herself galloping along near the back of the pack. Into the turn she began to move forward and I thought she had a chance, but then she was shut off and had to steady. Swung to the outside and was F-L-Y-I-N-G. When she got clear I was certain it was too late, but the field was no match for her late rally and she was clear by more than a length under the wire. And the best part - I'd been so confident AND was not dissuaded by everyone else's opinions and had stuck to my triple investment which netted me over $50 when she paid a generous $7.80 to win. WHOOOO HOOOOO.
No bet in the 6th led us to the co-featured Limestone Stakes, a turf sprint for 3yo fillies. Several years ago Keith and I were at one of the big races at Gulfstream and an older couple sat behind us that we talked to all day. They were horse owners and said they often came to the big races here at Gulfstream. We'd seen them several times in the years since, and on Florida Derby Day this year we chatted with the gentleman. I asked if he had any good 3yo's and he said they had a promising filly that had won in a turf sprint on debut and then won a stakes at Kentucky Downs. Their filly, named Kilwin was slated to start in this same Limestone he said. I looked at her and she looked like a legitimate longshot at 8/1 in the program. Bet down to 2/1 she just ran evenly, finishing 6th. Was a non-threatening fourth in a MSW in the 8th before it was time for my BET of the Day in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile. I'd seen Carl Spackler break his maiden at Gulfstream two years ago in what turned out to be a KEY race. And he'd gone on to win multiple graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Turf Mile here last fall. The only question for me was the layoff. Tracked in fourth while well in hand to the turn. Glided up effortlessly on the outside to seize command and was cut loose. Quickly drew off by a half a dozen and won going away. I was delighted I'd made him the "best" of the day but wished I'd gone with my instinct to up the wager even more prior to the race. Still - it was a winning day with two great success stories!
Saturday - Apple Blossom Day
As a follow-up to last Saturday & Tuesday's stakes wins, and adding on the good day on Friday I had high hopes for Saturday where I was playing the Oaklawn card, featuring several stakes including the Grade 1 Apple Blossom; the Keeneland card with the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley, and the Laurel card which had four stakes events. As I'd gone through the three cards I noted how very many "PASS" races I had where the quality of the race was poor and no one held any kind of advantage in my opinion. The first 90 minutes of racing saw me skip over four races and run third with the first bet from Laurel. Got on the board with Cape Trafalgar in Keeneland's second, an open $40K claiming sprint. It was a legitimate question/concern, I thought, if trainer Saffie Joesph was dropping the runner in for a first time tag for the win or to be claimed away. My guess was both. Off just a beat slowly he moved up gradually to the front by the time they'd finished the opening quarter and never looked back. I was pleasantly surprised that from the early betting he went from odds-on to 4/5 and at post time was a nice 6/5 price enabling me to collect over $20 on the first winner of the day. Over the next two hours and eight races I found every which way to NOT win as I had four runner-up finishes to go with three third place finishes. Finally got back into the win column with the last of the four stakes at Laurel when Worcester drew off impressively through the lane. Helped the bottom line a little that he paid over $6 to win and I'd doubled the bet.
Ran second and third in the next two bets and then it was time to head off to the Florida Panthers game. I was not encouraged when during the day I read that we were going to be without SIX of our starters as we played the Buffalo Sabres. But the team stepped up and we held a 2-1 lead mid-way through the third period when the officials deemed that a scrum near the Buffalo bench warranted one minor penalty on the Sabres' player and a DOUBLE minor on our player....AND another penalty on another of our guys to give our opponents a huge 5-on-3 advantage on the power play. We played great defense and the crowd roared as we sent to puck the length of the ice multiple times, but with only four seconds left on the power play they got one home to tie the score. It was exciting - as always - to watch the 3-on-3 overtime period which ended scoreless so we went to a shoot-out. Our guy scored and the next five came up empty to give us the WIN! Exciting times. Got home around 9:30 and watched the replays of last six selections I'd made bets on, four of which were stakes. Of the first five I cased one ticket when Booth went right to the front in the Grade 3 Count Fleet at Oaklawn and was hounded immediately. He and his rival laid it down the entire six furlongs of the race until he edged clear in the final fifty yards. Good to get a win but did little to help win back my losses as he was a prohibitive favorite.
The race of the day, even though Keeneland had also carded the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley (where my horse had all kinds of traffic issues, changed paths multiple times in the stretch and STILL just missed when second), in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom featuring 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna. Truly if you were looking to beat her the only hope you had was that her win in the Azeri a month ago - which was impressive, but had not been as dazzling as her best - MIGHT be an indication that she was just a click below her best. I, instead, thought she'd be even stronger today. I can't say with any certainty, but I think had I been at the track or watching live I would have gone all in with a $50 wager. But knowing I would only be watching the replay and wouldn't be following how the wagering was going I stuck with my "Prime Time PLUS" bet of $30 to win. Off a step slowly 'Anna stalked the leader today. Took over on the turn without taking a deep breath and ran away while clearly in hand.
Social Media this week......
While watching the races on Saturday the co-hosts of the Keeneland program, hottie handicapper Gabby Gaudet and her side-kick Scott Hazelton bantered back and forth. I first "met" Gabby when she was the on-air analyst at Laurel - where her sister is a trainer. Followed her career as she moved to the "big time" at Gulfstream where she met and married trainer Mark Casse's son Norm, who now is an excellent trainer in his own right. Over the years we've exchanged a few messages, so I sent her a message and she very quickly "liked" my message.
Lauren Pastrana and I had several exchanges again this week, ten to be exact over the seven days of the week, but only a couple of "conversations" :) Not nearly as "needy" of interaction this week with my sweet wife being home :)
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