Maryland Million Day From France

 Saturday October 12

Well I have to say, even I am VERY impressed with what I was able to do this Saturday!  Being in Nice, France at the end of the trip we were six hours ahead of the post times at the tracks I was playing.  Up and out the door before nine and spent 8 hours climbing to the top of the medieval village of Eze, high on a rocky hill/mountain, then explored Monte Carlo, Monaco.  Got back to the hotel around 5:30 pm but still way ahead of post time.  So I sat down at the computer and made all my bets before we left for dinner with our friends (I had handicapped on the ship on the final days of the cruise).  After we returned from dinner I began processing the photos from the day and posting them on my travel page.  By then the first few races had gone off and so I watched some of the replays before bed.  

After running fourth in the late-morning opener at Laurel, where it was Maryland Million Day, I pulled up the 2nd, which was the first stakes event, the Maryland Million Nursery.  Do It For Michael had run by the front running alternative in my analysis and I thought he'd do so again today.  But instead he went right to the front and never looked back for my first win on the day.  The generous payout allowed me to cash for over $30!

After running 2nd at 4/5 odds with my first bet in New York I sandwiched two more wins at Laurel around a third at Keeneland.  Devil Pays in Gold bulled his way through a narrow seam at the top of the lane and surged to score in a starter handicap in the fourth, followed by odds-on Hunter Joe running away from another starter, this one going two turns on the turf.

The third at Keeneland was an entry level allowance, USUALLY difficult to predict and I often pass these kinds of races.  But today Too Sharp was my BEST of the Day!  Second time out she'd been dazzling breaking her maiden with a huge 98 Beyer.  Came back to face winners in the Grade 3 Prioress at Saratoga and just failed to last as the 4/5 favorite over a multiple winner.  The drop into an allowance looked to be easy pickings today.  Pressed the 11/1 front runner to the turn, took over and drew off as much the best!

Next up from Belmont at Aqueduct was the Grade 2 Sands Point going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf course for 3yo fillies.  Chad Brown's Spaliday was listed at 5/1 in the early DRF morning line and my analysis began with my noting that she'd NEVER pay double digits.  Her Beyers had improved with each start.  She'd won the listed Boiling Springs at Monmouth earlier this summer and then was a closing fourth in the Gr 2 Lake Placid, missing by a mere length and a half.  Final angle was jockey Manny Franco stuck with Spaliday and abandoned Style Points who'd won her last two starts.  Was last into the far turn, hope she's a closer! and then began picking off horses through the turn.  Was five wide thru the turn and even wider when six wide into the lane, but was still last.  Found a whole other gear and flew by the rest of the field to be up in time!  Must say I was amazed that while she didn't pay double digits as I'd said, she still paid an all too generous $8.30 allowing me to cash for over $40!

I ran my record on the day to a stellar 7-for-9 when Alpine Thunder rallied to be JUST up on the wire at Keeneland in a starter allowance sprint, and then cashed again at Belmont when Keywaydin was odds-on and was a clear winner.

The Maryland Million Turf was next on my sheet and this nine-furlong event looked to have a couple of main contenders, but I liked Starstruck Notion who was shooting for his 6th win in just his 15rh start.  He'd won his last on the lead but showed several sharp efforts stalking and finishing strongly....THAT would be the ticket today I thought.  Tracked third into the stretch, angled out and caught the favorite in deep stretch.  Again a nice $8.60 payoff allowed me to cash for over $40.  By this time it was close to 10 pm and with a 4:15am transfer to the airport I called it a day.

The next morning we were at the airport, and thru security at our gate before 5am for a 6:45 takeoff, so I logged into the airport WIFI and watched the remaining eight races on the sheet.  I'd "used up" all my wins for the day apparently as I had two thirds, a second and only one win.  BUT that win came in the national feature, the Grade 1 QE II Turf at Keeneland.   She Feels Pretty had been super as a juvenile and her two starts at three had been photo finishes in a Gr1 and Gr 2 after kicking off the season with a romping victory in the Hillside on the Preakness undercard.  Saved ground while third into the stretch, collared the leader and ran off by more than a pole.  IMPRESSIVE.

I finished the day's races with nine wins and a big profit....all the while in France!  Can't beat that!

Saturday's Totals

Making my bets Saturday evening in our hotel room in Nice

What a day!

Social Media this week.....

Both "my girls" from CBS, Lauren Pastrana & Teri Hornstein were so great at following our trip, and I was diligent in sending each of them "best of" pics each day before I would post them for all our friends and followers online.  For the fourteen days Lauren reacted twenty-three times while Teri had an amazing sixty reactions.  To be "fair" to Lauren, she normally reacted with one "like" to the days message and photos, while Teri often would individually like several pics and the message.  Also, Teri was much more "active" with comments than Lauren.  Still, made my day to know that both of them were following each day and enjoying the effort.

And my gal-pal Chloe enjoyed the photos when I texted her some a couple of times :)

Fall Stars Weekend From Keeneland - From France

 October 4 - 5

As we sailed through France I was able to make some wagers on Opening Weekend at Keeneland and on some other Breeders' Cup "WIN and You're In" races.  Neither of my betting platforms were "open" from France, so big time thanks to my son Brad for making the wagers for me!

Friday was OPENING DAY at Keeneland and featured three graded stakes on the card.  BUT, this was another example of when handicapping the wager is determined by the field and not by the quality or level of the race.  I did have selections for the three races but only one of them was an increased wager while on the undercard I had three "up the ante" wagers planned.  Passed the opener before in Race 2 we had a one mile turf event for maiden two-year-olds.  Both Test Score and West Beach had experience and both exited stakes tries.  And West Beach had better Beyer figures, but I thought Test Score had exited the better race AND had the better chance to improve.  Tracked ground on the inside through the turn, then was checked when trying to make a move....that's never good.  But found a seam between rivals and burst through to get the score!  I'm on the board.

I had the 2/5 favorite in the third only to see the filly run a disappointing fourth.  In Race 4 two-year-olds were sprinting six furlongs in an entry level allowance.  Stonestreet Stables Eclatant had debuted with an eye catching win and a field best 82 Beyer.  Any improvement and she'd win by a pole.  BUT she was facing winners for the first time.  Tracked the 16/1 leader into the stretch, was cut loose and she blew by to draw off handily.

After passing on both Race 5 & 6, the stakes action kicked off with the oldest run stakes race in North America, the Grade 2 Phoenix - a "WIN and You're In" Breeders' Cup race.  Brad Cox was sending Federal Judge into stakes company for the first time and not only did I think he had a chance to improve enough to win, but more importantly I thought the likely prohibitive favorite - a Wesley Ward runner - was vulnerable.  On the upside, he'd won the Gr 1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga this summer.  But on the flip side, that was his first win in two years!  Federal Judge burst out of the gate from his rail post, was quickly clear by daylight and rattled off the opening quarter in a sizzling :21 and change.  Can he keep going after going so fast early I wondered.  Turned for home and extended the lead to win wire to wire!

Ran 2nd and 7th in the next two graded stakes but still finished the day an impressive 3-for-6 with a flat bet profit!  WHOOOOO HOOOOO.

Saturday I looked at three tracks - Belmont at the Big A, Keeneland, and Santa Anita.  And as I went through them, because we were cruising the Saone River in France I didn't even consider or look at any but the stakes races on the three cards.  The good news at the end of the day (which for me in Europe was in the middle of the night!) was that I again had a good day in Lexington, Kentucky where I went 2-for-5, to finish 5-for-11 for the weekend at this tough Keeneland track.  The bad news was that from the four selections at Belmont, three scratched (won the other); and even more disappointing, at Santa Anita I DID have the most likely winner in all four as my selections went off at 5/2, 1/9, 3/2 and 6/5.  But I finished with two fourth place finishes, a third and a second.  BOOOOO.  The first runner that actually went to post was in Belmont's 8th, the Grade 1 Champagne for two-year-old colts looking to punch their ticket to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and become a likely favorite for the Kentucky Derby next sprint.  Chancer McPatrick had done something unusual for a juvenile when he rallied from dead last in his six furlong Saratoga debut and won going away.  Stretched out to seven furlongs in the Grade 1 Hopeful and again rallied from the back of the pack to win.  His running style SHOULD be suited to longer distances.  Last down the backstretch, accelerated effortlessly while passing horses on the turn to reach contention in third.  Then opened up to collar the leader in mid-stretch and draw off convincingly.  This colt just may be one of the few NY 2yo's that go from one-turn to two-turns in the Breeders' Cup that I'll like!

In the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland, going a mile on the turf, Gina Romantica probably figured to win.  But she'd shown some inconsistency in her career.  For me the key was the fact that she'd won two of three here in Lexington including a career best number.  Add on she finished fourth, within a length of the best male turf milers in the world in last year's Breeder's Cup and that sealed the deal.  In retrospect I should have taken the opportunity to up the bet because she was a VERY generous 3/1 at post time.  Tracked the leaders to the stretch, accelerated between runners and drew off convincingly to score at a big $8.84 payoff.  

The selection I was MOST happy with was Carl Spackler in the "WIN and You're In" Breeders' Cup prep, the Grade 1 Turf Mile at Keeneland.  I'd seen him finish an ultra impressive 2nd behind future multiple graded stakes winner Far Bridge at Gulfstream two winters back and had noted he would be a stakes winner.  Had him in his next few but after a disappointing effort I went against him last time out at Saratoga and he won at a more-than-fair price.  I knew better.  So today I was on board.  I was somewhat surprised when he went RIGHT to the front, but he was quickly clear and wasn't threatened until the field looked to be closing in through the far turn.  Oh he was just toying with them as he opened up and drew off easily!

For the weekend I was a solid 6-for-16, almost 40% which has been my number for the abbreviated Fall Championship Season.  We arrive home next Sunday so if I play next weekend it will be limited picks again.  Looking forward to this year's Breeders' Cup on the first weekend in November!

Follow our "Essence of Burgundy & Provence" River Cruise adventure HERE

Social Media so far.....

We've had over 1,000 social media hits on our posts from the trip through Sunday :)  Big time thanks to my gal-pals Lauren & Teri for following along each day so far :)

California Crown Day

 Saturday September 28

In the short two weeks that we were home between trips, this was the final day of the Fall Racing Season during the quick break.  And it was a big day as Santa Anita hosted their inaugural California Crown Day, intended to be a west coast version of Gulfstream's Pegasus World Cup Day.  It was a great idea, but for me personally I thought it was kind of "half-baked" so to speak.  The Pegasus did take the place of the old Donn Handicap, but what makes the Pegasus special is that they have three unique Pegasus races and several others on the same day.  I guess it's sort of the same, but all they did with Santa Anita was re-name three races as the "California Crown...." races and held it on the same Breeders' Cup Preview Day as they've always done.  Still - good races.  I lost several bets at Laurel when the weather forced all the races - including several stakes events - to the main track.  After running a non-threatening 5th at a big 9/1 at Belmont to start the day, my first bet at Laurel came in an entry level allowance where Play Like A Raven fit the profile of a lightly raced runner who'd shown potential.  Was an added plus that he went for trainer Brittany Russell.  Sat well off the pace to the far turn, then advanced into contention....split horses and into the clear turning for home and ran by them all.  And the best part - went off at a huge 7/1 price so I cashed for $40, which carried me through the first half of the day!

Missed on the next four including two big stakes at Belmont.  In the Grade 2 Woodward, Skippylongstocking was the lone speed, and alone on the lead turning for home, but caught in the shadow of the wire.  Then in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, two-time champion War Like Goddess was flying late to close down the front runner, but was too late.  Really....can't hold on and can't catch the leader.  Sigh..... Got back to the winner's circle at Laurel with Dazzling Move in a second level allowance going a one-turn mile.  Dropping out of two stakes she appeared to be the class of the field.  Tracked on the inside into the turn then was ready to run but was blocked throughout the turn.  Squeezed through a narrow opening and shot to the front before widening late.

Bob Baffert's expensive filly, Kalea Bay had disappointed in both her first two starts, but to me she looked ready to roll today as much the best.  She was pushed hard to get to the front early, but once she got clear the race was over.  When they turned for home she had a completely different gear and widened with every stride.  Came right back to win the next race at Santa Anita where Spy Catcher was trying to break his maiden in start number nine.  That's almost always a "no bet" kind of maiden for me.  But he'd run in graded stakes - yes. as a maiden - and had 2nd in a Gr 2 by half a length and 2nd in a Gr 1 beaten 3/4 of a length.  Pressed three-wide through the first turn and final turn then was let loose and he ran away as easily best.

I got my lone win of the day in New York in the two-year-old Breeders' Cup "WIN and You're In" race, the Grade 2 Pilgrim on the soft going of the inner turf course.  They were all lightly raced juveniles but Zulu Kingdom.  He was unbeaten after winning on debut in his native France, then came state-side and won Saratoga's With Anticipation going the "wrong way" AND around two turns for the first time for trainer Chad Brown.  Looked for improvement here.  Tracked the leaders in fourth while saving ground to the top of the lane.  Split rivals to get into the open and then hit another gear to win going away.

The first of the multiple stakes at Santa Anita was the Unzip Me Stakes going six and a half furlongs down the hill - my favorite kind of race to bet!  These unique races are nearly always strictly limited, by me, to runners with experience down the hillside course.  But Toupie was making his first start on the course.  My logic was that trainer Graham Motion would never have shipped all the way out west AND convinced top rider Flavian Prat to ride, if Toupie wasn't a live runner.  Right to the front, clear by daylight into the stretch and held on handily.  The "Downs After Dark" program kicked off at 6pm and my first bet there was in their 2nd where Tell Me When wired the field, providing me with my seventh winner of the day.

The Grade 2 Eddie Read, now named the "California Crown Eddie Read," was another down-the-hill turf sprint.  But unlike the Toupie bet, First Peace had the best record on the course.  He'd been down the unique trip five times, scoring twice and finishing second three times.  Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith held him in reserve through the right handed turn half way down the hill, then was hugging the rail over the dirt track.  When the narrowest of openings appeared he asked First Peace to take off and he squeezed through the burst to an open length lead to win as much the best.  Cashed for over $40 with my triple investment.

The BEST BET of the Day came in the Grade 2 "California Crown City of Hope Mile" where Johannes looked to extend his perfect 5-for-5 record over the Arcadia grass - including 3-for-3 at a mile.  In what turned out to be the most common trip for my picks today. he tracked the leaders while saving ground to the top of the lane.  Split runners into the clear and set sail for the wire without really being asked to run hard.  Another sizeable payoff!

Closed out the winning in the 9th at Churchill Downs, a two-turn main track allowance for two-year-olds.  Good Cheer had won going a route of ground for trainer Brad Cox at Indiana Grande with a stalk and pounce trip and looked well suited to this event.  Last of five into the far turn, she glided up to challenge on the turn and when asked to take off she extended the winning margin to more than a dozen lengths in hand.  Very impressive.  We'll look for her in stakes this winter!

For the day I scored ten times at a 40% clip.  And I would have made a profit anyway, but TwinSpires offered a promotion to give you a 15% bonus payout on every winning bet at Santa Anita.  I scored FIVE times there so my bonus was nearly $20!  WHOOOO HOOOO :)

Off to Europe for a two-week French River Cruise with AMA Waterways.  You can follow our adventure by clicking the link below.  But with the Breeders' Cup a month away and Opening Weekend at Keeneland next weekend I'll probably have some selections!

CLICK HERE to follow our trip

Social Media this week.....

My contact with my online friends was almost exclusively limited to my "CBS girls" this week.  I did text back and forth a couple times with my most favorite former, Kimmy, as they were hammered by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.  And I also messaged with former WHS student Jen (below) after her daughter won a championship.

Most weeks I do exchange multiple messages with Lauren (and Teri) from CBS, but this week both girls provided a lot more personal experiences as I interacted with them.  Monday Lauren posted she was not going to be on the air on Tuesday and Wednesday, much to my alarm.  But when I messaged her she "comforted" me and appreciated it when I noted that Jim Berry bringing me the news at 7pm was NOT the same.  The 2nd and 3rd photos/collages below document Lauren's amazing performance on the Drew Barrymore Show.  She was a special guest to introduce Drew and the audience to the "Best of Miami."  Lauren's personality shone through like a real star and she seemed so at ease and comfortable.  So when I shared with her how I felt about her performance, she was very appreciative.  I also told her that I was very appreciative that she shared so much on social media, that - in my opinion - it made her a more trustworthy news broadcaster because she demonstrated she's a "real person."  Finally at the end of the week we exchanged messages about my leaving on the trip and the Miami University wild finish on Friday night.

Teri was NOT on the air on Saturday or Sunday but I found her on the morning news early in the week.  And I showed her I was enjoying her broadcast with a frozen cappuccino.  She posted a cute photo Saturday morning asking what everyone was up to and I, of course, noted I would be enjoying her on air with my coffee before setting out on our trip.  That got a "Woooo Hoooo" reply.  But the best exchange came Saturday while she was on air.  First she was appreciative of my watching, but then SHE initiated more conversation - remember she was live on air - asking how the Viking TV thing had gone.  This led to multiple exchanges at the end of which I said I would like to meet her for coffee and she could give me some tips about live, remote being on camera.  And she was "Okkk" to that and "liked" when I said when we return from this trip we could set up a get together.  Cool, eh?