Saturday November 8
When I was working at Cypress Bay High School one of my big responsibilities outside the classroom was to be in charge of graduation. We had, at the time the largest graduating class in the United Stakes with over 1,200 seniors marching across the stage in a ceremony that lasted three hours and change each year. It took a lot of help from the staff and one of my best gal-pals on staff, who also mentored many of my WISE students was Jennifer "Cookie" Cook. We've always stayed in touch and nine years ago we met at Gulfstream. Recently I'd suggested we meet for lunch to catch up in person and Jen suggested a track day so we met at Gulfstream on Saturday. While I didn't profit money like I did at the Breeders' Cup last weekend, I did hit winners in nine of twenty-six races....that's 35% for those of you without a calculator.....my typical win percentage! I had handicapped four tracks for the day and the first post in New York was an early one at 11:40 am and it was a second level allowance event going a one turn mile. The lightly raced filly would test the theory that Beyer speed figures are transferrable across tracks, surfaces, class levels, and in this case DISTANCES. Having learned, years ago, how to make speed figures and made them I am aware that they are not the be all, end all in handicapping. So you have to consider other factors. Based on Beyers alone 'Data would be a daylight winner. She had two other very strong angles in her favor - she'd "paired" figures in her two recent starts - since coming off a nineteen month layoff, and those two numbers were BOTH faster than any of the combined 89 figures earned by today's rivals - the Double Beyer Advantage angle. BUT....she'd never gone a route of ground. In her two recent starts she'd gone wire-to-wire, but in her maiden win in 2024 she showed the ability to pass horses. I doubled the bet. Collect The Data easily got to the front but was hounded by a long shot. Front runners that are pressured, especially stretching out often can't last. But you could see that jockey Manny Franco had a ton of horse and was riding confidently. Opened up turning for home and drew off by a pole for the first winner on the day.
Next up was the opener at Gulfstream. Jen & her husband had said they would arrive about 12:15 and with a 12:25 post time they should have been able to make the race, but they were a little bit late. I waited until the horses approached the gate and then went to the rail to watch Longbranch Lou go two turns on the synthetic surface in a starter optional claiming event. I don't have the statistics to support the theory, but I've always felt that jockey Miguel Vasquez is the best local rider on the Tapeta and he was on board 'Lou who'd run well on this surface against better. Was pounded down to a short price as they went into the gate. Settled comfortably near the back until they approached the far turn. Moved up between rivals, took command at the 16th pole and edged clear. Two-for-two!
The second at Laurel was a very modest $16K maiden event where the last out Beyers were S-L-O-W indeed. But Sticktothesystem was new to the Brittany Russell barn and dropping in class. Quickly cleared the field and went wire to wire without ever being threatened.....I'm off to a 3-for-3 start!
Not saying Jen & Mike were bad luck, but they arrived at this point in time and I quickly lost three in a row :O But the first stakes event of the day was coming up at Aqueduct, the Pumpkin Pie at 7f for older fillies & mares. Weigh the Risks had started her career on turf but had blossomed when moving to the main track and at this distance. Had earned a huge 101 BSF at Saratoga last time out in a conditioned allowance event. Because she was coming off a layoff and had won like that before I doubled the bet. Stalked the leaders through the turn, swept to the front and held the challengers off late for my fourth winner on the day.
We were finishing lunch together - and the Cook's generously bought my lunch - as my pick at Churchill was well behind. As we headed out to our box seats on the finish line, my pick in the 4gh, Monster was a short priced favorite. I'd noted that if he took a lot of money I'd consider upping the wager. So I doubled the bet on the 2yo. Cleared quickly and was a runaway winner.
I came right back in the third at Churchill in a restricted MSW race where Bolt Dior was the pick. I found it very interesting that the barn was based at Presque Isle in Erie, where they have a synthetic track and they'd shipped the filly to Keeneland. She was a sharp 2nd at 11/1 against strong rivals. I tripled the bet on her. Stalked the leaders, edged to the front at the top of the lane. Battled and gradually inched clear late! Off to a 6-for-9 start and it seems like it's going to be a great day!
Unfortunately that win in Churchill's 3rd was it for a L-O-N-G time as I proceeded to miss on the next TEN selections. Said my good-byes to Jen and headed home around 4pm knowing I had a couple of late races that could maybe get me back close to even. Balboa was a former Bob Baffert runner moved to Brittany Russell's barn at Laurel and she'd entered him in the JF Lewis Stakes for the first try under her conditioning. Tracked the leaders effortlessly to the stretch and ran away. OK, here we go! But no. The last three selections ran 2nd, 3rd, and off the board.
A quick word about my pal Jen. At "our age" the conversation often turns to medical issues related to aging but she shared how COVID had left her with some brain damage. She seemed perfectly sweet and normal to me, but she told me how sometimes she has no idea where she is or why and/or who the people she is with are - such as her first day back to work at Cypress Bay she had no idea who anyone was and only that she thought she worked there. That's scary. Wishing her all the best!
Social Media this week.....
On my first week back home I had several different online friends that I interacted with. One former CBHS WISE student, Jessica and I often "see" each other on Facebook but it's not often that she posts or reacts regularly to my postings. She's got two kids and when she posted a photo of her family I reacted to how quickly they've grown....and she replied.
My Florida-Derby gal-pal, country-western DJ, and daughter of my great friend Jeff Nelson, Chloe posted two photos on her Instagram account (we're friends on this platform as well as on FB and thru text messages0 and she reacted to my comments.
If you asked me who my favorite former student from all my years of teaching was, three names would immediately pop to mind and I'd have a hard time separating the three of them. I keep in very close contact with two of them, Kimmy & Mandy, but I don't hear from Tati very often. We recently connected on Instagram as well as on FB and when she posted a sweet photo of her, her husband and their little boy I commented. Normally when I reach out and/or comment on her posts I add a "miss you" as I do miss seeing and chatting with her. But what touched me on this occasion was I did NOT add that phrase, but Tati didn't just give me a heart for liking the comment or just reply, but she wrote back, "miss you always." How sweet is my girl?
In the most unexpected social media exchange of the week, former weekend anchor and gal-pal Karli Barnett reached out to me on several posts. Since moving to Atlanta and becoming an anchor at one of their news stations - and winning her first Emmy by the way, go Karli! - she often doesn't get a chance to see my posts and/or react to them until days or weeks later. This week she reacted to several things I'd sent her about my travels and the Breeders' Cup. And ironically while watching TV on Friday I happened to open FB and she was live like she used to be regularly. We exchanged greetings :)
I sent a pic of me at the races to gal-pal Teri, the former weekend morning news anchor and she nearly immediately reacted to it.
My most regular social media pal, Lauren Pastrana also interacted with several things I sent her this week. Always appreciate that she takes the time to acknowledge our friendship.
Finally, one last Jen thought. It was great to see her & her husband Mike and to catch up. As I said to her on Saturday, it was interesting to me that we interacted like we'd just seen each other last week. It's the beauty of social media. And I did remark to her about that, saying there wasn't any way either of us would pick up the phone and call each other or, as in the old days write each other a letter. But through FB and it's messaging system we are still in contact frequently keeping our friendship alive and well!
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