Downs After Dark Weekend Adventure
While the Saturday racing did NOT produce a lot of winners, it was an epic adventure. After playing the races on Friday and having a very good day on the first Friday card at Monmouth, I boarded a Delta flight Saturday morning at 6:30 am bound for Louisville where I met my buddy Keith for a "Downs After Dark" racing adventure. Last race was at 11 and we were in the hotel around midnight - up at 4am for my 6:30 am flight home to FLL. OH MY. Check out the pics for the epic Saturday HERE:
This Friday was the first that Monmouth returned to hosting racing on the Jersey Shore over three days (it's been just the weekend since Opening Day). Fridays always have a 2pm first post and an abbreviated race card. This was no exception with seven races on the program, and I had selections in five of them. In the opener I ran fourth as the 9/5 favorite. But then I went on a roll for what turned out to be the most successful handicapping day of the weekend. Race 3 was a MSW going two turns on the grass. And I remarked that you'd have a hard time convincing me to go against Souper Williwaw. She'd been out three times, with her best effort coming at this distance on the stretch out last time out at Laurel. She'd been a best-of-the-rest second, had fired a bullet work since AND got top rider Paco Lopez. Broke sharply and bounced out to the front. You could tell as they hit the backside that she was under a hard hold while maintaining a narrow margin. The stalkers closed in as they spun out of the turn and headed for home but Paco let her go and quickly she dashed off by a pole. Despite all of the obvious angles she still paid what I thought was a generous $4.20 for a $2 wager.
Right back in R4 with Magical Warrior who did NOT go favored in this Starter Allowance sprint. And to be fair I can see why. He was coming off a win for $5K in a restricted claiming and typically I would not want to bet back a horse like that. But the key for me was out of that race he'd been claimed by trainer Jamie Ness who, in my opinion is the best at the claiming game. The stats back that up as he showed a big 27% first off the claim strike rate. Add in that he is already winning at an absurd 40% here on the Jersey Shore and you had to feel good. With a 7lb bug boy on - and the cheap price - I was only willing to go in for the minimum. Broke a step slow from the rail, rushed up and dueled into the turn. Then opened up to clear off by daylight. WHOOOO HOOOOO - two straight.
Race 5 was my "best" of the day for the Friday Monmouth card. It was a five furlong claiming race on the turf and really the question was simply were you willing to take a very short price betting the likely favorite, On The Payroll. But the facts were: she was dropping in class by 50%, looked loose on the lead, and had Paco Lopez riding. Oh. Broke a beat slow but quickly assumed command. She was 6/5 going into the gate but by the time she cleared the field she was 1/5. Opened up at will and drew off by a pole under a hand ride. In the 6th, my final bet of the day I ran 5th at 9/2 - ironically the winner had Paco Lopez on board as he scored for the FIFTH time on the seven race card. WOW.
Saturday: Downs After Dark Adventure - I set the alarm for 4:40am so that I would have about 35-40 minutes upon arrival at Fort Lauderdale International Airport for my 6:30am flight on Delta. When I'd first decided I wanted to go on this adventure to for the night time racing party I backed off. That's because with our upcoming Alaska trip requiring a Thursday departure from home I didn't want to be gone for an entire weekend, and thought I'd just do an overnight trip. Well the cost of two flights and a hotel was just too much for a single night of racing. Even if it was at Churchill Downs in Louisville. But then it had occurred to me - don't I have rewards points from my airline travels? Not enough to go round trip with anyone, but I had enough to fly Delta to Louisville - even had enough to upgrade to the preferred Delta Comfort+ seating! - and to fly Southwest upon return....all for exactly $0 :) To go at no cost I had to take the flights that I booked, which meant the early departure today. I landed in Atlanta around 8:15am and we took off for Louisville on a bit of a delay around 10:45 am. Still, landed around noon where Keith picked me up. After lunch and an hour drive around of the area we walked into Churchill Downs. In handicapping the card I was well aware that I might not have the highest win percentage because I had decided that unless I just could not find ANY horse to bet on I was going to play all eleven races. I was excited to find out it was Minnesota Derby Night at Canterbury so I handicapped that card, only to find out Saturday afternoon they had cancelled because of excessive heat.
In the Churchill opener I was a solid 3/1 choice in a five horse field. The gates opened and my horse three his head and quickly spotted the field half a dozen lengths. Rallied strongly through the lane but the poor start had cost him and I was second best. In R2 I was the prohibitive 2/5 favorite and looked every bit the part on paper. Came cruising up at the top of the lane, but never got by and I was second, again. The third was a 2yo MSW dash and no one looked to have a definitive edge. My pick had fired a best-of-109 bullet and that was enough for me to take the 7/1 price. Raced up close early on and I had some hope, then stopped badly to finish next to last. I did NOT like the short priced favorite in R4 and was surprised I got 2/1 on my pick. Broke sharply and looked to be long gone on the lead, but weakened in the final 16th to be third. Up close through the opening half mile in R5, faded again to be well beaten. The sixth was a two-turn maiden claimer and I thought I had a good chance making a move at the top of the lane, but couldn't sustain the move and finished third. FINALLY in R7 I got on the board with Echo Lane. This was a second level allowance going two turns on the grass and I thought that the race was so much like the earlier ones in that it was pretty wide open. BUT Echo Lane did show his best races had come here. When he took early money I doubled the bet. Tracked in the clear to the far turn. Swung four wide to the lead turning for home....opened up and then held on with just enough left at the wire. Enjoyed celebrating the win for sure :)
I thought I was coming right back in R8 as I had the even money favorite who pressed the leaders through the far turn and took command heading for home. But like all the earlier losses, weakened and finished third. Next was the featured Grade 2 Chicago and I liked Vahva to defend her title from her win in this race last year. I also recognized that she probably would NOT be the favorite and it was a bit of a gamble. But from the opening she was the favorite of the large betting crowd at Churchill. I'm sure they saw what I did....her best races last year, including the win in this stakes, had come here. And she ran credibly in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard against the definitive leader of the female sprint division. Broke sharply and tracked the leader into the turn. Took the lead heading for home, but dueled with a price play to the 16th pole before edging clear. It was the highlight of the evening for me :)
Missed in the finale - again, thought I was a winner with the even money favorite who was cruising loose on the lead into the lane before he shortened stride and finished 3rd. Sunday - as I was sitting in the Tampa airport and then traveling home to So Fla saw me lose all four races. Well, that's not completely true. While waiting to board the plane I watched the opener and my top pick Kantknowitall dueled to the wire and had a head in front. I WIN! Then the INQUIRY sign went up. OK, I did drift wide in the stretch but when you watched the head-on and rear view the 2nd place runner drifted out and I seemed to follow him. I was certain there would be no change. Wrong :(
What a week outside of the racing! On Tuesday we repeated as Stanley Cup Champions! The looks on our faces says it all as it culminated an amazing two month playoff run. We look to go back-to-back-to-back next year, whooooo hooooo.
On on Thursday and Friday our long awaited Fire Bowl project was completed giving us a "water fall" feature in our pool. Love the looks of it at night and the sound all day long!
Social Media this week.....
I was fortunate to have a lot of social interaction with my online friends this week! One of the big reasons was we had our Fire Bowl project completed this week which gives us a waterfall in the pool. I shared it with our "girl from Egypt," Petra who I keep trying to convince that she needs to come see us and lay out by our pool. Still hasn't said no :)
Following our Stanley Cup win I reached out to our Account Manager Emma who's been so helpful all year (and ever since she joined the Panthers). She responded in kind.
Shared the Fire Bowl video with my "Disney girl" Amanda who also thought it was "neat."
I was in touch with Kimmy who reacted to our Stanley Cup win, and in particular to the video Kim made of me as the final horn sounded :)
Karli Barnett had messaged me a week or so ago that she thought of me because she and her parents had been talking about going on a river cruise, which she and I had chatted about before. I wrote to her that I'd be happy to help in any way....knowing that it would probably be "a while" before she saw the message and perhaps replied. She reached out to me this week appreciating my offer and told me she'd be with her parents in August to discuss. Also, I so proud of "our Karli." For years when I've included her in a video I used the title, "Emmy-nominated broadcaster." Well this week she won her first Emmy award and we exchanged messages about that.
BAD NEWS.....my most favorite CBS-Miami Weekend Morning anchor Teri announced today that she is leaving the area. When I messaged her to tell her how happy I was for her, but sad for me, she replied she'd miss knowing I was watching with my Wawa coffee :) Later in the week we exchanged messages and I told Teri I hoped we'd continue to stay in touch, which got a "Yes!!!" reply, and I asked if she still wanted me to share pics from our trips. Teri said, yes and keep sharing and told me she'd keep me updated on her plans. Finally I sent Teri the video of the Fire Bowl and she almost immediately replied back how cool it was.
Former WISE student Jen and I exchanged messages about the Stanley Cup win, and while I didn't post them here, we exchanged several messages about where she and her husband might enjoy going in Europe because, as you know we've been to A LOT of places in Europe that ARE very cool :)
Going way to back to our Piper High days, our very good gal-pal Shelly has been close to Kim and I. She posted on Friday that it was the start of her birthday weekend. So we exchanged messages both Friday and on her birthday. Such a sweet girl.
Finally, multiple exchanges with my gal-pal Lauren Pastrana. Eleven (count them, 11) different times I sent her something and she "liked" it this week and on two of the occasions she replied back to me. I most especially appreciated her comment to me when I was enroute home from Louisville the day of the Florida Panthers celebration parade when she indicated she'd miss me being at the parade with an "Awww I thought you'd be here...."
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