August 22-24
It was "the boy's" birthday weekend, our grandson Oliver. AND it was Travers Weekend at Saratoga. It was also Charles Town Classic Night on Friday, and there were multiple restricted stakes at both Woodbine and Monmouth on Sunday. ALSO.....when Oliver & I went to Wawa on Saturday morning I discovered Pumpkin Spice coffee had returned - whoooo hooooo. And finally, to top off the big extended weekend of events, on Monday Kim and I met our new Orlando realtor, Sophia, to begin looking at properties with the intention in a year or two of perhaps buying a smaller, second home so we can stay extended periods in Orlando without "moving in" with our kids for the weekend. Here's how the weekend played out.
Friday we left the house around 10:30am for the 3 1/2 hour drive to Orlando, but before leaving I made several of my wagers for the early part of my Friday selections at Monmouth. Once we arrived at our son Brad's house we were soon back in the car to pick up the birthday boy at school. When we returned back to the house I began watching the replays to catch up before finishing the day watching the races play out live. Got off to a good start, but the first bet and win were "symptomatic" of another weekend where I hit the right win percentages but lost money for the three days because Surf's Up wired the maiden claiming turf sprint as the 6/5 favorite with just the minimum bet, so I only profited six dollars. As it turned out because the Jersey Shore races were off the turf, I only had one more bet and that was in a race that had been scheduled for the turf - 6th at 5/2. The first races at Charles Town, which had a 5pm first post, saw odds on runners from out of town take my money. Suncroft kicked off the evening and was caught nearing the wire at 8/5 but I scored with Lynn's Milky Way who drew off impressively but only went off at 1/5 odds.
I have to say that the rest of the Charles Town races were a disappointment, and particularly so because I usually do well on this evening. After losing the 4th and 5th races, the latter as the 1-2 favorite, I scored with a triple investment as Entice Me broke her maiden in style. But like Lynn's Milky Way she was a short priced favorite. The Last Enchantment Stakes saw my pick Duncan's Idaho hovering around even money from the time the betting opened until they were in the gate. But at the first call when the chicklets & odds appeared on the screen he had been pounded to 1/5 odds. Swept by on the turn and drew off as easily best as I made a whopping $2 profit. The rest of the evening's stakes races saw me produce two dismal 8th place finishes and three second place runs. The last was most disappointing when odds-on favorite Overnight Pow Wow opened a clear lead in the lane and then was a nose in front on the wire - but the photo showed she was NOT in front at the actual wire and I was second to close out the night. Finished with 30% wins but with the low wagers that won I lost money.
Saturday, Travers Day was the big birthday party for the grandson as nearly twenty friends & family of he and his parents gathered at the house to celebrate his big number nine. First post at Saratoga was at 11am so I kept ducking in and out of Brad's office where I had set up my laptop with the live video feeds from Saratoga, Monmouth and Woodbine. The start of the day followed the same pattern from Friday as I won two of the first five (40%) but the two winners were both minimum bets and paid a paltry $2.20 and $2.40.
The first of the multiple graded stakes at Saratoga was the Grade 2 Lake Placid for 3yo fillies. I liked May Day Ready a lot. I thought that several COULD win but she'd proven herself to be talented as a 2yo and she'd had excuses so far this year. Broke a little slowly, but quickly split rivals and after 200 yards was in front. Slowed the pace down thru the far turn. Opened up in the lane and held on comfortably. The best part was she was NOT the favorite and my triple investment paid for over $40 on her 9/5 final odds.
The eighth at the Spa was a two-turn turf event under entry level allowance conditions. I thought Gallant Greta fit the ideal profile for this kind of race and had top rider Flavian Prat on board. Into the far turn she was near the back and then had no where to run unless going very wide - and losing all chance. Prat showed why he's so gifted as he waiting, found room along the rail on the turn. A seam opened at the 1/8th pole and he shot through and drew off handily. Topped off my four wins in a row with the first of the Grade 1 events, the "Breeders' Cup WIN & You're In" Grade 1 Personal Ensign. I liked 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna. After an unexplainable flop in the Grade 1 La Toienne on Derby weekend, she'd romped in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill a month ago. I really didn't think anyone stood a reasonable chance. Only Dorth Vader had a good enough figure but that had come in the prep for this in a big upset - seemed unlikely to run back to that number. 'Anna made a sweeping move on the turn, opened up in hand turning for home in an apparent cake walk. Then - here came 'Dorth with a huge run. Gaining with every stride......PHOTO FINISH. It was close but I thought I'd hung on - and did, oh-so-narrowly with a big $30 WIN bet on board!
Picked up my third win of the day at Monmouth with the "BEST" of the day on the Jersey Shore. Sturdy looked like a very likely short-priced winner on paper in this MSW event, except she was already an 8x maiden and had lost at short odds before. Still, she SHOULD win I thought - and handily so I went "prime time" on her. Two early scratches and two more at the gate left a short field of four and she was a prohibitive 2/5 favorite as she won by nearly a pole.
I ran 6th in the second of the Gr 1 races at Saratoga as we headed into the final three big events. The Grade 1 Ballerina was another BC WAYI event for the BC F&M Sprint. I thought it was open to several runners, but felt that IF Hope Road ran back to her best, she was the winner. Tracked quick splits just off the leader to the turn, glided past effortlessly and scored by two open lengths. Went off at a very fair 2/1 price so the minimum play still returned over $15. The next race was the Grade 1 Forego, another BC WAYI for the BC Dirt Mile. I've been on board Book'em Danno since the spring and unless he went off form I thought he'd win again. Tripled the bet. Paco Lopez was fourth between horses into the turn, split rivals, got into the clear and set sail for the wire, winning by open lengths to sweep the NYRA trio of sprints this spring/summer.
Race 13 was "The BIG ONE" - the Travers for 3yo's. Derby & Belmont winner Sovereignty would have been a short-priced favorite after his workman-like prep win in the Gr 2 Jim Dandy a month ago. But the four rivals he faced today were clearly a notch below what he'd faced since winning the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth last winter at Gulfstream Park. I told Brad I was "ALL IN" with a $50 WIN bet and that the only, ONLY way I thought he'd lose would be if Saratoga lived up to the "Graveyard of Champions" nickname it had earned with so many short priced favorites going down without apparent excuse. Heading into the far turn it looked like jockey Junior Alvarado was having to work awfully hard to get Sovereignty out of fifth and last place and start running. But quickly he accelerated and drew off by nearly a pole under a hand ride. Considering the field and his current ability, the $2.50 payoff was more than fair as my $50 bet cashed for $62.50. Finished the day a big 9-for-18 with a profit of $60. The highlight day of the racing weekend.
Sunday I would have had a miserable day except today the Racing Gods were on my side. I won a race at Woodbine, after two seconds at short odds. Made the next couple bets and went into the living room to sit down in a comfortable chair. Apparently too comfortable as when I turned around I saw Zabo jogging back to the winner's circle. I knew my next bet at Monmouth was within minutes of this 4th race at Woodbine. Flipped screens and saw my horse finishing fifth. Opened the "My Wagers" window to check my winnings at Woodbine and it showed I had cashed a ticket in Monmouth's fourth. Wait.....the bet was in the fifth race right? Double checked, yes it should have been $10 WIN on #5 in the fifth. But I'd mistakenly hit $10 WIN in RACE 4 which should have been obvious it was wrong by the name of the horse, but the two names were very similar in spelling and I hit the "BET" button. Luckily for me La Resoluna ran off with Monmouth's fourth race as a $16.60 winner! Cashed for over $40 to somewhat salvage the day!
Oliver's birthday party was a big success, he had a great day. And Sunday our house hunting with our sweet new friend & realtor, Sophia was fabulous as well. We may be getting that second home as early as next summer!
For the extended three-day weekend I went 42 / 15 - 10 - 5 (36%), but the Friday & Sunday cards wiped out the profit. Par for the summer. Immensely enjoyed Saturday's racing - will be looking forward to next weekend's Pacific Classic!
Social Media this week......
Heard from my "most favorite" girls this week, especially in regards to the new house. Kimmy and I texted both before we went house hunting and then afterwards where my most favorite former asked me to send her pics of the houses we were interested in. Such a great gal-pal.
My gal-pal Chloe, remember her from the Florida Derby, made another commercial for the auto dealership and again I told her what a star she was - she was appreciative.
I was so happy for former weekend anchor Teri who's finally found a job in her new home of Washington D.C. She messaged me back when I shared about pumpkin spice coffee and our new home search.
Finally, regular social media pal and "real friend" Lauren Pastrana and I exchanged comments - I was pleased she messaged me regarding our house hunting and her red & white outfit that wasn't that color in "real life" LOL
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