Closing Week of the Summer Season

 August 31 - September 5:  Closing Week

This was the last week of handicapping multiple days as we will move into what I call the "Fall Championship Season" now.  It's from September to the first weekend in December that I try to step back from racing and recharge to get ready for the five day handicapping weeks of the Gulfstream Championship Meet that runs from December through the end of March.  My plan is to only play on select Saturdays - though I often end up playing more Saturdays that anticipated - as I enjoy the fall which will include college football, hockey season starting in early October, and multiple trips.  With that in mind, and because it was the end of the Saratoga Meet, I played Wednesday through Labor Day Monday there, as well as Monmouth and Del Mar on Saturday where it was Pacific Classic Day.

Wednesday August 31 
I picked up two wins on the Wednesday card from upstate New York.  The fourth race was a second level allowance and Scotish Star was making his first start for Todd Pletcher.  He'd raced exclusively on the main track in So Cal before transferring to the top NA trainer's barn.  He'd immediately put the colt through SIX turf works.  DRF analyst Mike Beer didn't even put the short priced runner from the program in his top three choices...even with hot riding Flavian Prat on board.  Who to believe Mr. Todd or Mr. Beer.  Duh.  Sat in second well behind the runaway front runner to the top of the stretch, took dead aim and surged by in the final sixteenth.  

The second winner came in a maiden claiming event on the turf where Sal's Dream Girl was making her first start for a tag.  In her most recent she was off a layoff, had early trouble and was wide into the lane before being a best-of-the-rest 2nd.  Settled in the back half of the field through the far turn, swung into the clear and blew by the field.

Thursday September 1 
Today I was off to Ohio for a week-long visit with my family.  I made my bets before Kim drove me to the airport and I was able to watch the first two winners of the day get their picture taken.  The fourth was a third level allowance on the grass and nearly the entire field had Beyers recently within a couple points of each other.  But I thought Bye Bye Melvin had a chance to run big as a loose-on-the-lead front runner or a pace presser as the speed of the speed.  Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez sent him right to the front, cleared early and was long gone.

Right as we were getting ready to board the were in the gate for Race 6.  Juveniles sprinting on the turf can be tricky, but Inflation Nation had been a best of the rest runner-up in her debut for Christophe Clement and I thought she looked best.  Jockey Dylan Davis cleverly saved ground through the turn in fourth, angled three wide into the lane and opened up to take command.  Challenged on the inside she dug in and held that one safe to give me my second winner on the day.

The BEST of the Day was the featured PG Johnson Stakes going two turns on the turf.  Looking at the running lines of the field, all of which were maiden winners only, at first glance there didn't seem to be a lot to separate them on.  But then I noted how Be Your Best had drawn off to win decisively from near the back of the pack, and the fractions had not been fast.  Watched the replay and she looked to have some real talent, enough so that I thought anything close to that maiden win would make her the easiest of winners and maybe propel her into the Gr 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.  Had to wait until we touched down in Columbus to pull up the replay and watch......Breaking from post six of seven she was up closer than in her maiden debut while wide through the first turn.  Got inside to save ground through the far turn.  Was asked to accelerate up the rail turning for home and bravely did so, exploding just like in her maiden win to run away as much, MUCH the best with my prime time investment on her back.  WHOOOO HOOOO!

Friday September 2 
The slowest day of the week as I ran third three times, was off the board four times, and scored with but a single selection.  That came in Saratoga's 6th race when Security Code won a 2yo maiden claiming event.  She'd earned a Beyer better than anyone else in her runner-up last effort behind a filly who returned to win a stakes race.  After reluctantly loading she chased wide through the far turn, surged to the front and was clear to the wire as the 3/2 chalk

Saturday September 3:  Pacific Classic Day

After the lack of winners on Friday I thought maybe, just maybe I'd have a good day on Saturday as I watched the races and the first big Saturday of college football action.  But for the first two hours of racing I had ONE win from five selections.  This is NOT how I saw the day playing out, sigh......  To make matters "worse," the one winner (in the 2nd at Saratoga) had come with Powerful in a MSW for 2yo who left the gate as a deserving 3/5 favorite AND I only had the minimum on board.  But a win is a win.

The first stakes race came in Saratoga's 4th, the Saranac Stakes for 3yo and Todd Pletcher's Annapolis was easily, EASILY the class of the field.  One of the five scratched out and he was left as the one and only front runner.  I had already planned to go "prime time" on the investment, and I probably should have upped the ante, but I kept it the same.  Right to the front, never in doubt.

And that turned the tide for the day!  Starting with the Annapolis win which went to the post at about 1:45, over the next nearly three hours I had seven selections and WON SIX of them!  Now that's what I was hoping for!

Vigilante's Way proves MUCH the best in the Monmouth featured Violet Stakes

Bill Mott's Elite Power clears his second level allowance

Lightly raced Senate Chamber wins the Monmouth entry level allowance

Ha' Penny rolls home in the Monmouth 10th

Kings River Knight backs up his maiden win with a second consecutive score in Del Mar's 2nd

I lost three three in a row, but fortunately for me, two of those were "Bet Back" races where I got all or some of the money wagered back!  The most disappointing of the three came in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl at Saratoga where War Like Goddess put her 8-for-10 career mark on the line, including a perfect 3-for-3 at Saratoga.  As she hovered at 1/9 odds the on-air analysts all agreed that even with champion sprinter Jackie's Warrior going down last week at 1/9 odds, if somehow War Like Goddess were to lose, she'd be the the biggest upset of the summer.  I thought that jockey Joel Rosario deserved some of the blame as the front running Chad Brown filly set absurdly glacial fractions and still Rosario sat well off the pace.  Probably would have won in spite of that but he never got outside, so he had to wait for room well into the lane.  Once clear War Like Goddess was flying and lost by less than half a length but it was too little, too late.  Got back on the beam with four wins in the next five selections.

R Rajun Bull streaks home in the Monmouth finale

Olympiad rebounds from subpar effort in the Gr 1 Whitney with a decisive score in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup

Despite the pre-race hype and a $500K sales purchase price, Bob Baffert's highly regarded National Treasure wires the 6th and pays nearly $9....WOW

Quick Power Nap EASILY best in the Spa finale, sprinting home over the turf

Finishing the long day of racing at Del Mar I closed out with only one win from the last four picks, but it was THE big one of the day.  Flightline had debuted in a MSW sprint in April of 2021 when he ran a hole in the wind earning a sensational 105 Beyer.  How good is this guy everyone wondered.  Normally conservative trainer John Sadler was quoted as saying that IF he was as good as they thought, they were looking at an exceptionally talented horse that would win the Breeders' Cup Classic.  Oh my.  Was away until September when he blitzed entry level allowance rivals with a whopping 114 Beyer while never, ever being asked.  OK, time for stakes action.  He went to the Grade 1 Malibu going seven furlongs, the furthest he'd been asked to ever go and responded with the easiest kind of victory, drawing off by nearly a dozen lengths with a new career top of 118.  Came off a six month layoff, shipping to New York, and an ultra-troubled trip to run away with the Grade 1 Met Mile with a dazzling 112 Beyer.  Now today he'd be asked to go two turns, a quarter of a mile farther going the classic 10f distance of the Grade 1 $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic.  He pressed a wicked pace that popped a :46 second half mile and I thought as they approached the far turn, "....stretching out he's gone too fast, they'll inhale him in the stretch...." but as they hit the turn be began to widen without being asked by jockey Flavian Prat.  My heart began racing because I KNEW I was seeing something I'd not seen in a long time, if ever.  He continued to widen and in mid-stretch when some TWENTY lengths clear Prat looked back and eased up letting the colt jog home.  STILL, jogging the last furlong he was 0.17 off the track record and earned a stratospheric Beyer of 126.  YOWZA!

Was a great way to end the day.

Sunday September 4 
I was all around the winners today with nine races.  Only three posed for pictures, but I ran second twice and third three times to go along with the single off-the-board finish.

Chad Brown's Internal Capital ROMPS home in Monmouth's 6th over the turf

In New York, Chad Brown's Free Look scores - chased PG Johnson winner Be Your Best - my BEST BET on Thursday - home in her debut.  Easy-peasy-pie!

Upped the bet to "prime time" on the Michael Dubb entry in the Spa finale and they ran 1-2!

Monday - Labor Day - September 5 
Kicked off the day with back-to-back winners on the Jersey Shore and I had visions of a giant day dancing in my head until reality set in.  Finished the day with four wins, but that was a sharp 4-for-11 to close down the week.

Sea Monster draws off in the Jersey Opener of the Labor Day card

Street Drivin Man shows that 2/5 is "EAAASSSY Money" in the Monmouth 3rd

My pick scratched out of the soggy turf 4th at Saratoga making Crowding Out the obvious choice

Close out the Monmouth card by upping the bet from minimum to triple as Powerfully Built easily wires the field

Social Media For The Week

Early in the week it was "Panthers-Girl" Katie Gaus' birthday.  Was sorry to see Katie move out to Colorado to join the Avalanche broadcasting team, but it was a great opportunity for her.  I still follow her and we remain social media friends.

When I first became active on social media with my "friends" that are broadcast personalities, it was CBS-4 evening anchor Lauren Pastrana who I first connected with frequently.  So any time I hear back from her is greatly appreciated.  On Thursday I flew to Columbus to spend the weekend with my family and when I went to bed a little after 11 pm I turned on the CBS late news on my phone and Lauren, as usual was anchoring.  But tonite she had a new "do" for her hair which I've not seen often.  Messaged her and within minutes she messaged me back :)

Prior to leaving for Ohio I exchanged text messages with my gal-pal Kimmy who lives in North Carolina.  I "alerted" her that I'd be passing by and to look for my wave :)

Ever since we returned from Alaska I've heard and seen very little from frequent gal-pal Karli Barnett.  I knew with the start of the college football season she'd be watching her beloved Georgia Bulldogs as they set out to defend their national championship.  She must be on some kind of vacation because she did NOT do the weekend news and has not been seen on air since mid-week.  But when I sent her a message about the 'Dawgs she liked it and responded with a Bulldog gif :)

And finally, as a "tribute" to Karli's vacation (I assume) I am re-posting her response to my offer to be her Alaska go-to guy with what I have to assume is a good representation of how she's spending the week enjoying her time away from work.

Back From Alaska / Travers Week

August 26 - 29 

On Monday August 22 Kim and I returned from our nearly two week adventure to Alaska with our friend Patti.  We LOVE Alaska and this trip was every bit as good (or better!) as the first five times we went there.  Watch the fifteen minute highlight video here:

Alaska 6.0 Highlights

It was a long trip home and we were turning right around on Friday to drive to Orlando for our little man's birthday as Oliver turned six.  But it was time to get back into the racing game as the summer winds down and we head into the Fall Championship Season where I play a lot less frequently, gearing up for the Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park.  The typical routine has been to play some races on Wednesday or Thursday and then kick off the weekend with the twilight card at Monmouth on Friday.  But this week between the recovery from the trip, the massive amounts of laundry that needed to be done (especially with us leaving in just a few days), and most especially all the "wrap up from the Alaska trip, I didn't play any races until Friday.  But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that under the lights in West Virginia it was Charles Town Classic Night on Friday so I played both the Monmouth card and the Charles Town card, which didn't kick off until after 5 pm, after we'd arrived in Orlando.

Got right into the winner's circle in the opener on the Jersey Shore when Arcadia Calls pressed the leader to the top of the lane, collared the front runner and dueled to deep stretch before edging clear in the shadow of the wire.  Followed that up with a second win in the third when Free To Fly sat off the pace into the far turn, swung at least five or six wide turning for home and was up inside the final fifty yards for the win.  Closed out the Monmouth card - going 3-for-5 - in the sixth when Mystery Mo pressed the pace setter between horses to the top of the stretch, was in and among horses as five of them were across the track with a furlong to go, and held on gamely.

The Charles Town card started just as Monmouth was ending.  I ran 3rd and 4th with the first two picks from the West Virginia track, both as the short-priced 4/5 favorite.  The seventh was the Sadie Hawkins Stakes going seven furlongs, which at CT is a two-turn event.  The Sky Is Falling took aim on the odds on front runner turning for home and surged by to give me my first stakes win of the night.  The eighth was the Pink Ribbon Stakes and Bill Mott's Frank's Rockette was the top choice.  On paper by most standards she was a very deserving favorite, maybe not the 2/5 listed in the program but her resume certainly showed she'd been facing MUCH tougher.  However, the hurdles were these.....she'd never been two turns, and she'd not won since July of 2021, AND had lost as the short-priced favorite in two of her last four starts.  That being said, in her last six starts she'd faced graded company and had compiled a 6/0-4-1 record.  So IF you were willing to buy into the softer competition tonight would allow her to strut her stuff AND that the two turns wouldn't be an issue, then she would be the bet.  I did believe both those things.  She pressed the pace to the far turn, collared the leader turning for home.  They were on even terms for maybe 100 yards before Frank's Rockette easily kicked away to be much the best with my "prime time" wager on her.

Missed in the next three stakes (running 2nd twice) before it was time for the "big one," the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic.  Last summer Bill Mott's Art Collector had won the listed Alysheba going 9f at Saratoga and then came here to wire this signature race.  He'd repeated the pattern with an easy win in this year's Alysheba to prep for a defense of his title.  You COULD have considered Art Collector may be more vulnerable this year as being a year older, maybe facing some pace pressure, and earning a slower Beyer in winning the Alysheba.  But for me, this year Art Collector was coming off a long layoff for the Alysheba and really had never been asked.  As to the pace pressure, (a) he was drawn well inside of his lone pace foe, (b) going three turns on the small Charles Town Track he'd have immediate ground saving positional advantage, and (c) he was CLEARLY the class of the race.  Right to the front and I'll admit I was a little "concerned" that the longshot front runner did not let him have it easily.  All the way to the far turn and I thought, "well, we'll find out now how much the pressure softened him."  Not at all as he drew off in hand as my BEST BET of the Weekend!

Saturday was an even more successful day.  Because I'd not had a lot of time to handicap and because we were visiting family I only played Monmouth and Saratoga.   I won with a Brad Cox first timer in the Saratoga opener, then lost at Monmouth.  But in the first of the multiple graded events at the Spa Chad Brown's Technical Analysis held a lone front runner pace advantage and wired the Grade 2 Ballston Spa.  

In what will be considered one of the biggest upsets in the 163 year history of Saratoga, sprint champion Jackie's Warrior was run down in deep stretch to finish 2nd at 1/9 odds, spoiling his perfect six-for-six record at Saratoga.  Have to wonder what the connections will do with the Breeders' Cup Sprint looming as his career finale next.  Rebounded with two straight wins at Monmouth before I scored in Saratoga's Grade 1 H.Allen Jerkens at seven furlongs for 3yo.  Chad Brown's Jack Christopher had been unbeaten when he tried two turns in the Grade 1 Haskell last time out.  I thought he'd have no problem with the added ground, but he'd weakened late and was third.  Today he was back go sprinting and if the turn back didn't dull his speed he'd be awfully tough.....and he was.  Had to fight late, but he was the winner.

The ninth at Monmouth was their feature, the Sapling Stakes going a two-turn mile for two-year-old colts.  None of the juveniles had ever gone a route of ground but I thought Todd Pletcher's Lost Ark looked every bit the part.  And the fact that he'd won from off the pace AND was being sent here from New York were all positive indicators.  Sat mid-pack into the far turn, then made a sweeping move to the front some five or more wide and drew off impressively.

The big "upset" of the day - and big time congrats to me for picking her - came in Saratoga's Grade 1 Personal Ensign with Pletcher's champion Malathaat.  Today she was renewing her rivalry with Clairiere who'd bested her in both of their 4yo meetings.  The consensus among the "experts" was that Malathaat had been the better 3yo but as older fillies, her rival had become the better race horse.  I did not agree, at all.  Turning for home Malathaat had left her rival in the dust and had dead aim on the two upset minded front runners.  Wore them down in the final strides and despite being a multiple Gr 1 winner, including a big win here last summer she paid a very generous $8.40 allowing me to cash for over forty dollars :)

There were a lot of questions about 3yo Epicenter heading into the Travers.  In the Derby preps he'd established himself as the leader of the division.  He'd taken the lead turning for home in the Kentucky Derby but was caught late by 50/1 upsetter Rich Strike.  Then in the Preakness Chad Brown's Early Voting upset him.  Today he met both rivals again and he had appeared to be on the improve with a decisive score in the prep for this, the Grade 2 Jim Dandy.  I thought he would prove best today but wasn't sure if he was as good as I thought he was.  Turning for home he had dead aim on the leaders and was well in hand.  Blew by in an ultra impressive romp in the "Mid-Summer's Derby" to reestablish himself as the clear leader of the sophomore class.

Sunday and Monday I went winless with a limited number of Monmouth picks to close out the weekend.  But clearly the highlight had been the remarkable 8-for-11 Saturday of racing!

August 26-27 Racing Highlights

Social Media Highlights......

Despite being out of the continental US I was able to connect with some of my social media gal-pals.  On the day I was flying high over the mountains and glaciers of Denali National park I exchanged messages with CBS-4 Weekend anchor Karli Barnett.

While winding up the cruise I saw Channel 10 Morning Anchor Jacey Birch post another of her "fashion" pics.  The simple white dress certainly looked good on her and she was appreciative of my compliment.

Saturday we were cruising through the Inner Passage of Alaska - which is normally very scenic, but on this day we were surrounded by fog.  With the time change it was late afternoon when Karli Barnett held her weekly Saturday evening FB Live chat.  I greeted her and noted where I was.  I was very happy that she responded by wishing us well, and by noting that she'd been looking at my photos and videos.  I was so taken by her interest that I used this video clip at the end of my Alaskan highlight video to underscore the more than 1,700 social media hits we'd had while on our journey.

Several weeks ago my gal-pal Kimmy had reached out TO ME and I'd been surprised at her comments that she had been surprised she had not heard from me lately.  So, she wants me to stay in touch more often I thought.  As a result I've tried to be more diligent about contacting her.  So on Thursday before we headed to Orlando I reached out to her to share that it was our son Brad's little boy's birthday (she knew Brad in high school).  She responded "how cute," so I HAD to ask....was she indicating that Oliver was so cute, or was it me the compliment was intended for?  He he he, I'm such a funny fellow.  Being the sweet girl she is, Kimmy replied that both of us were cute.  She is tooooooo sweet.

When we'd disembarked from the ship we spent the day in Vancouver and so I'd sent the pic to Karli Barnett.  I used the opportunity to offer to share insights on Alaska as in her FB chat reaction she'd mentioned she'd "always wanted to cruise to Alaska."  I was pleasantly surprised that she didn't just "LIKE" the comment and photo but "LOVED" it :)

A shout out to my sister-in-law Karrie who before we left had asked for my help to build a blog so she could post pictures - and be like me! - of their trip to Kosovo and Greece.  I got her started and was proud of her for how quickly she picked up on it.  When I posted about our leaving for Alaska she replied in a text that "I couldn't leave her because she needed me" :)  As her trip has continued she's done a great job, especially for a first time blogger, of posting pics of their trip.

Finally, one very first social media gal-pal was Lauren Pastrana who I began following as a morning reporter, then as a morning anchor and now the evening co-anchor.  We've had many exchanges for several years, so once we'd returned home I reached out to her saying I was happy to see her smile as she caught us up on what was going on since our return from Alaska.  Two things of note here.....first, more than just a "LIKE" she welcomed us home; and more importantly (if you follow me you know I really appreciate this), you'll note in the pic below that my message to Lauren was sent at 5:16 pm just after she had started the evening news broadcast.  Note her reply time......WHILE on the air at 5:26 she saw my message & pic and took the time to "LIKE" and then type a reply to me :))))