Memorial Day Weekend
With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of summer, the racing on the holiday closed down the two-month Spring Racing Season. And as you can see, it was a remarkable two months for me as I cashed tickets at a rate well over 40% and had an ROI of over $2.50. What doesn't show in those numbers is the flat bet profit of well over $500. Oh yes my friends, it was a wonderful spring. And as cool as those totals are, that was NOT the highlight of the holiday weekend! Here's how my weekend played out over the three days of racing where I focused on the Jersey Shore & Santa Anita's Racing Carnival.
Saturday, despite the weather looking ideal all over the east and midwest, we were off the turf at Monmouth. I stuck with my first two bets and ran 3rd at 8/5 in the opener. But in R3 my top pick, Maerdama was up in the shadow of the wire after missing the break to give me my first win of the weekend.
I went six races, three hours before my next selection in Monmouth's feature, the Cliff Hanger but was third at 8/5 again. Got back in the winner's circle when the obvious choice, He's In Charge ran away with the race. What was interesting to me was I knew he'd be the favorite and he hovered around 3/5 and 1/2 through the betting and into the gate. But by the time they hit the far turn he'd been pounded down to odds-on at 1/5. But, a win is a win and I got some money back.
At Santa Anita they had stakes races over all three days' cards. Today they were all Cal-bred stakes and several of them were head scratchers in my opinion. In the Thor's Echo "everyone" was certain the speedy Book Smart would win and his 3/5 odds supported that. But two cheap speeds quarter-horsed out of the gate and by the time he put them away in the stretch, he was spent and weakened to be third. In the Crystal Water I thought King's River Knight might go favored, but never imagined he would be pounded all the way to 1/5 odds. Right to the front and no one got close to him. So for the day I had three wins but lost a little.
Sunday saw me with a dozen selections but only able to cash in on three of them. But all three came with a story and somehow, I came out on top for the day. Remarkable! As I was watching FanDuel TV waiting for my first betting selection, hottie handicapper Gabby Gaudet described her Early Pick-5 ticket and she singled Wesley Ward's Ashkenazi in Churchill's second, a four and a half furlong maiden claimer. Not only did I like what she had to say about the second time starter, and that she was singling him. But it was her description of her conversation with the trainer that led me to add the filly to the betting list. Broke like a shot and while the other juveniles had barely taken their first step she was two lengths clear and never looked back.
Missed in Monmouth's second. Then in the second I went with 8x maiden Blue Marble. Note my analysis....OK, so you don't typically like a maiden with eight losses. But the "wake-up" race last out and today leading rider Paco Lopez on board. Certain to be one of the favorites, right. Nope, went off at a big 7/1 price and with my bet I cashed for nearly $90!
That sealed a winning day, in spite of running 2nd in FIVE of my last six bets. But it's the one that scored that was the story of the week! I've written about my filly - that I own in partnership with MyRacehorse - Seismic Beauty. And from the beginning there seemed to be a lot of confidence that this filly maybe, just maybe could be special. When stretched out to two turns last time and she romped over her overmatched foes, trainer Bob Baffert remarked they would point for the November Breeders' Cup World Championships. Could she really be this good I wondered. Then she appeared in the entries off a first time long win over entry level allowance foes to go in the $200K Grade 2 Santa Margarita. Baffert's go-to rider Juan Hernandez opted to ride the "other Baffert" who left the gate as the favorite. But it was MY filly who took it right to them and wired them impressively. Note the comments that came following the race. AND Brad and I will be there at Del Mar hopefully to see her run!
Monday Memorial Day: As "good" as the weekend was, I truly saved the best for last....literally. As Monday afternoon rolled around and I checked the scratches I discovered that my "best" of the day at Monmouth in R2 had scratched. I looked at the rest of the field and didn't see anything. But as the FanDuel telecast started I noted that in the first race, which I had not mentioned anyone, there was a prohibitive favorite. AND then FanDuel showed a video with a post from national announcer Larry Colmus saying he was walking the five miles to Monmouth and hoped to be there in time for the opener where a horse he was part owner of was running. Looked at it was the favorite - with Paco on board. OK, it's meant to be a "game time decision with my first bet out and the road signs pointing here. So I sent in a double investment on One Fine Wine. Hovered around 1-2 until they left the gate and then was pounded to 1/5 odds. Tracked the leader to the stretch and took off as easily best.
No bets in the 2nd or 3rd, then ran second in the 4th and was 11/1 when a distant eighth in R5. No bet in R6 before in the next to last race, the seventh I went against Paco & the favorite. But as they were in the post parade it was announced there was a late scratch - my horse. Looked at my analysis and I'd actually written, "....I may make a post time decision as Paco rides Magic Pathway who SHOULD win...." I added, "....if this guy gets pounded I may jump ship...." Well he was already down to 4/5 odds and as they walked to the gate I put in a double investment. Tracked the 6/1 leader into the turn with plenty of horse - I've seen this movie before. Paco let him go and he burst past and drew off as easily best. AND his odds floated up to better than even money so I cashed for over $20.
In the Monmouth finale, the featured Mr. Prospector I really liked Dean Delivers. Was let go at a huge 9/1 price but was only third behind, yes, Paco again. Opted in on Gabby Gaudet's single again in the Gr 3 Winning Colors but ran third. And missed the first three bets at Santa Anita. So heading into R6 out west I was working on a lowly 2-for-9 day where those winners had paid $2.40 and $4.20. In the sixth at the "Great Race Place" Navajo Warrior was cleverly spotted in a $25K starter. He'd beaten $35K and $30K runners already and on paper, as the Santa Anita analyst said, he just looked much the best. Tracked the dueling leaders into the turn, caught the survivor turning for home and drew off easily best to finally get me another win.
I made the bets for the final five races of the day and as I did so I noted my bankroll being drained. I'd already done the majority of work calculating my spring totals earlier in the day so I was less concerned because I had a pretty nice cushion for the two-months of handicapping, but still, didn't want to finish the month on a skid. We left for the Panthers Hockey game anticipating a win and a sweep of the Eastern Conference Finals only to be trailing 1-0 with two minutes left when we pulled the goalie and they sealed it with an empty net goal.
During the afternoon, knowing we'd be leaving at this point in the racing day I'd thought I'd wait and watch replays when I got home after the game. But with the way the day was going, but the time we left for the game I had decided that I wanted to watch the next race as we awaited the start of the hockey game. That's because R7 was the Grade 1 Gamely going nine furlongs on the turf and I liked Saffie Joseph's shipper, with Irad Ortiz in town to ride, Be Your Best. She'd won the Grade 2 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf in January and I liked her chances. But I really liked her chances when the DRF's So Cal analyst Brad Free made her the "BEST Bet of the Day." I followed suit. As I watched the broadcast as the races began from Santa Anita, long time So Cal analyst Kurt Hoover explained to host Todd Schrupp that the two scratches in this race were hugely significant. Not that either would win, he explained, but their absence left the front end all to Be Your Best and then Hoover said, "I expect her to get the easiest of leads and just walk on the front end." And he repeated this at least two more times before we left for the game. Now that he's told everyone on national television about how easy it is to pick the winner I'm sure my BET of the Day will be odds on. Opened the replay on my phone at the game and sure enough, Be Your Best easily took the lead and held a multi-length lead into the first turn. Then the odds came up along the bottom of the screen. I could hardly believe my eyes that not only was Be Your Best N-O-T the favorite but she was 2/1. Coasted all the way around and when I checked the final payout it was $6.20 so I'd cashed for a whopping $62! Suddenly I'm back in the game for the day!!!!
Race 8 was the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup, and I noted in my analysis that while I'd only visited Hollywood Park twice over a weekend long ago, it had always been one of my favorite tracks, and the signature Gold Cup one of my favorite races. Today I was initially against Saffie Joseph's shipper, multiple graded stakes winning Skippylongstocking but again Brad Free made a strong case for him and I had to agree that while I wasn't sure he could get the classic mile and a quarter distance, the field he faced today was no where near as strong as his last several opponents. So I tripled the bet. After winning the Gamely I opted during the 1st period intermission at the game to watch the replay on my phone. Irad Ortiz kept him three-to-four wide throughout, meaning he was going to travel farther than the 10 furlongs of the race. But he was third into the far turn with two longshots in front of him and I began to think I had the winner, again. Collared the leader at the furlong pole and edged clear to score! Make it three in a row!
The co-featured Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile was W-I-D-E open I thought. As I scanned the past performances it was clear to me there were no "should win" runners, but several "could win" types. The two I narrowed it down to were both beaten favorites in their last at short odds. King of Gosford got the vote for me, and again I have to credit some of the insight to Brad Free. He was not Free's top choice (the other beaten favorite was), but I was intrigued that he'd chased a loose on the lead winner, when coming off a layoff AND reportedly had missed a workout. Now with one under his belt, all his works in place and top rider Flavian Prat on board I thought he had a good chance. During a time out I watched the race and watched as he was at the back half of the field. Swung into the clear turning for home and began gobbling up ground. On the small screen I lost him in the midst of a clump of runners all closing in and thought he was in traffic, but as they hit the final 50 yards I was sure it was the #4 saddle cloth he was wearing that surged on the outside to be up in time by the narrowest of margins. OH WOW, I won again. Checked the payoff - YOWZA, paid $10.80 so even with the minimum bet I was cashing for nearly $30 on my fourth straight winner.
At the second period intermission I just had to watch the 11th and final from Santa Anita as it was my last bet of the day. This was a MSW going a mile on the turf - but hey, if you win they pay the same as they do on the graded stakes! Winning Patriot had debuted for trainer Carla Gaines in April and had pressed the leader as a well bet 3/1 choice. Raced greenly through the lane and was second best behind a daylight winner. With one under his belt AND a bullet work, he looked best on paper. Pressed the 9/1 leader into the lane and looked ready to take over but just got a head in front. A wall of horses were surging and several hit the wire together.....PHOTO FINISH. But I win!
So, as I said, literally saved the best for last. After a 2-for-9 start I rattled off FIVE IN A ROW to finish the day an amazing 7-for-14 with a profit on the day of over $40. For he weekend I cashed on 13-of-33 for nearly 40% wins and made over $65 with an ROI of $2.45. Remarkably my numbers had been so amazing for the two months that these numbers actually were a click below my grand totals!
Next week we start the Summer Racing Season and Friday night is Penn Mile Night - I always like playing that card and hope to visit there for that signature card some day.
Social Media this week.....
There was not a lot of social interaction with my online pals, but two of he three were very rewarding for me. First, my bestie former, Kimmy, and I interacted today. The first good part was I know that while she's a very busy working mom of two little ones, at some point she does reach out to me. And so even though she didn't see my Mother's Day wishes until a week late, she DID see them and thanked me. And in the same "conversation," I asked if she'd changed allegiances to the Carolina Hurricanes over our Panthers since she lives up there....but got a big "oh no still a Panthers fan" reply :)
My most favorite interaction came with my gal-pal, former weekend anchor Karli Barnett. We used to "chat" very frequently on her FB Lives and via messages. But once she moved to Atlanta that's really tailed off. But for my part, I'm just happy we ARE still in touch. So when Karli was local there were frequent discussions about travel and in particular she was envious of our river cruises telling me she had always wanted to do one with her family. Fast forward to this week. Karli posted a very sweet photo of herself, she is so attractive, and wished everyone a Happy Memorial Day. I replied and sent her similar wishes along with telling her we missed her locally still. Then she wrote back to me to say just recently she was thinking of me :) because she and her family were talking about booking a cruise. So very sweet.
It was an EVERY Friday morning thing that I met with my "Jenny-girl," Sandra at the Jenny Craig Centre for weight management. Over the years it became more than client / advisor as we became very close friends. This week was her birthday and in reply to my birthday wishes Sandra brought up that she missed our chats.
Finally, Lauren Pastrana and I didn't "chat" all week, but six different times when I reached out to her I got the "like" which for me, especially this week as she was off almost every day, that she took time to acknowledge me, that was good enough for me :)
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