August 2 - 4
I truly could not have asked for a better weekend. Just the birthday part of the weekend would have made the weekend an excellent weekend regardless of the racing results. But the way the racing turned out it was just THE best of weekends. The "festivities" kicked off on Tuesday when my Mom, sister, and niece all arrived from Ohio. We decided to make Thursday, August 1st (my actual birthday) the annual visit to Jaxson's for an "ice cream lunch" because the portions are so huge. Then on Friday our youngest son Brad made the drive from Orlando to So Fla with his wife Lauren and our grandson Oliver. That's a LONG haul for even adults, much a little man that's just almost three. But it was the best birthday present I received. Here's how the weekend unfolded on the racing scene, followed by some birthday photos....
Friday August 2nd
I had six selections from Monmouth and I decided to play the Saratoga Oaks, the second of the Turf Tiara that NYRA had put together. The last of the races, the featured Saratoga event was going off just as the kids arrived. I missed in the opener at Monmouth but came back to score in the third when Potra Liza was a triple investment. After passing the fourth I scored in both the fifth and sixth with Colorado Grandslam and Nay Lady Nay. Missed in the final two Jersey Shore selections before the Saratoga Oaks. On Breeders' Cup weekend, Chad Brown's Newspaperofrecord had been a scintilating winner of the BC Juvenile Filly Turf, beating Concrete Rose who it was said later had (a) come back too quickly and (b) was on the boggy inside part of the course. When the two met again in the Grade 3 Edgewood on Ky Oaks Day it was Concrete Rose who upset the heavily favored 'Newspaper. They met again in the Belmont Oaks and I gave 'Newspaper one more shot, but she was blown away by Concrete Rose again. Ok, I get it, she's the "NOW" filly. So today she was a prohibitive favorite to win the Saratoga Friday feature. She didn't need any help but in looking at the race she appeared to also be the lone speed. Seeing that I doubled my original $15 bet. She strolled on the front end and walked with it handily to help me close the day out with a sharp 4-for-7 handicapping record.
Saturday August 3rd: Whitney Saturday
It was an emotional day in Saratoga Springs because just recently the "Queen of Saratoga," Mary Lou Whitney had passed away in her 90s. She'd still been very active at Saratoga and they left her seat empty with a program and some roses on the shelf. For today I'd handicapped the entire Saratoga card and the Monmouth card. Good thing, because for the entire day at Monmouth I had only four races selections. I was fourth (behind my second choice) in the opener. In the second Life on the Edge was easily best for me with a double investment; then was clear in deep stretch in the fourth before being run down late to be second. Then the seventh came up and it was my BEST of the Day on the Jersey Shore. Krakov was another example that you don't need to be playing a Grade 1 event to have your "best bet" as this was a mid-card maiden claimer for older sprinters going 5 1/2 furlongs. But this lightly raced 5yo had debuted with a sharp second behind a horse named Powerfully Built who came right back to win two straight claimers and then gave my last Sunday finishing in a photo with my BET of the Day that day. With expected second race improvement and with Paco Lopez up he figured tough. He had to battle to the 16th pole, but edged clear late.
While I was watching the live TVG broadcast after the Krakov race I saw that at Gulfstream there was a prohibitive favorite. The analysts began talking about the upcoming fifth from Hallandale and it was the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes, the Dr. Fager. The favorite, Chance It had run the second fastest Beyer figure of a 2yo in North America this year in his runaway maiden win and just looked really tough, even with some regression. He made the winning move on the far turn and at the furlong marker began to gradually widen the margin of victory.
The race that WOULD have made the day was the Lure Stakes from Saratoga. I had Sacred Life from the Chad Brown barn and he was FLYING late to just miss at 7/2 odds. Would have cashed for $45 and had a huge day, sigh.... But the national feature was the Grade 1 Whitney and while the field appeared very evenly matched I thought Bob Baffert's McKenzie looked clearly best. And that was without factoring in the horrible trip he'd had in the Grade 1 Met Mile last time. As the field turned for home there were FIVE across the track with the chance to win. But it was McKenzie, under a hand ride from Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith that strode out convincingly for the win.
Missed in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar when Vasilika had her four race winning streak snapped, and that led me to finish 4-for-12 on the day....and ok day. But that night the highlight was the birthday cake celebration and my grandson helping blow out the candles!
Sunday August 4
We spent the morning with the family and Oliver who was having the time of his life going in and out of all the doors in the house.....kids, go figure! But they had to leave shortly after lunch, sad. I got online and watched the opener on replay from Monmouth. I had Desperado who got hammered at the windows and won for fun. The fourth was live shortly thereafter and I ran third at 3/1. The feature at Woodbine today was the Shepperton Stakes featuring former Horse of the Year Pink Lloyd. He rolled up on the turn and drew off for his career 20th win and 17th stakes victory. That's impressive!
I missed in the fifth at Monmouth at even money when fourth. Then in the sixth Noble Lion was a short priced favorite. He led into the lane but could not put away his rival and it was the narrowest of photos, fortunately top rider Paco Lopez got his nose down in front for my third win of the day and second from Monmouth. Then came "THE Race" of the day. It was a claiming event going 5 1/2 furlongs and I liked Unruly Heir. Check out my analysis.
I was surprised with about five minutes to post that apparently I was in a strong minority with the selection because there was a 3/5 favorite and 'Heir was 9/2. Still, as I'd written at even half the DRF odds (which have been 4/1 and I was getting 4 1/2-to-1) it was stealing. First, Jose Ferrer just seems to win ALL these short sprints, and then there's the matter of the troubled trip AND the record at the distance. I was just so surprised not more people saw this. They left the gate and after the opening quarter mile the odds changed to reflect the late money. The favorite was now a prohibitive 1/5 choice and my odds had nearly doubled, to EIGHT to one. Oh my! On the turn I could tell....I've got the winner at a B-I-G price, oh my! But as they came into the lane the favorite made a left turn and slammed into my horse then kept drifting out. Ferrer is a strong rider however and he got Unruly Heir on a straight path and accelerated clear to the wire. Check out the payout.....
That's right my friends! Who can handicap, come on....WHO can handicap! I came right back to win the eighth and was set to wait for the eleventh which was my BET of the Day. But the tenth was the featured Colleen Stakes for 2yo fillies. I saw there was a short-priced favorite and so I looked at the field because I knew that trainer Wesley Ward had entered three yesterday in the featured juvenile stakes and all three were cross-entered today. And one of them had won yesterday. Well two of the entrants for today were scratched and that left Paco Lopez on the Ward favorite, Foolish Humor. I decided to go in for double the investment. She dueled through hot fractions between horses into the stretch and then the second choice slammed into her almost unseating Lopez. I immediately thought, "just hold on for second because she's coming down" and down she came. My sixth win of the day!
And the finale was a slam dunk. Paco was going for his SIXTH winner on the day and he was on nearly everyone's "single" in the Pick 5 and Pick 6 and my BEST. EASILY. What a day as I finished with six wins at Monmouth and 7-for-9 on the day.
For the weekend I was 15-for-28, over 50% and at Monmouth I was over 60% with 11-for-18 winners. Add in the family here for the birthday and it all added up to a GREAT weekend.
While I was watching the live TVG broadcast after the Krakov race I saw that at Gulfstream there was a prohibitive favorite. The analysts began talking about the upcoming fifth from Hallandale and it was the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes, the Dr. Fager. The favorite, Chance It had run the second fastest Beyer figure of a 2yo in North America this year in his runaway maiden win and just looked really tough, even with some regression. He made the winning move on the far turn and at the furlong marker began to gradually widen the margin of victory.
The race that WOULD have made the day was the Lure Stakes from Saratoga. I had Sacred Life from the Chad Brown barn and he was FLYING late to just miss at 7/2 odds. Would have cashed for $45 and had a huge day, sigh.... But the national feature was the Grade 1 Whitney and while the field appeared very evenly matched I thought Bob Baffert's McKenzie looked clearly best. And that was without factoring in the horrible trip he'd had in the Grade 1 Met Mile last time. As the field turned for home there were FIVE across the track with the chance to win. But it was McKenzie, under a hand ride from Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith that strode out convincingly for the win.
Missed in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar when Vasilika had her four race winning streak snapped, and that led me to finish 4-for-12 on the day....and ok day. But that night the highlight was the birthday cake celebration and my grandson helping blow out the candles!
Sunday August 4
We spent the morning with the family and Oliver who was having the time of his life going in and out of all the doors in the house.....kids, go figure! But they had to leave shortly after lunch, sad. I got online and watched the opener on replay from Monmouth. I had Desperado who got hammered at the windows and won for fun. The fourth was live shortly thereafter and I ran third at 3/1. The feature at Woodbine today was the Shepperton Stakes featuring former Horse of the Year Pink Lloyd. He rolled up on the turn and drew off for his career 20th win and 17th stakes victory. That's impressive!
I missed in the fifth at Monmouth at even money when fourth. Then in the sixth Noble Lion was a short priced favorite. He led into the lane but could not put away his rival and it was the narrowest of photos, fortunately top rider Paco Lopez got his nose down in front for my third win of the day and second from Monmouth. Then came "THE Race" of the day. It was a claiming event going 5 1/2 furlongs and I liked Unruly Heir. Check out my analysis.
I was surprised with about five minutes to post that apparently I was in a strong minority with the selection because there was a 3/5 favorite and 'Heir was 9/2. Still, as I'd written at even half the DRF odds (which have been 4/1 and I was getting 4 1/2-to-1) it was stealing. First, Jose Ferrer just seems to win ALL these short sprints, and then there's the matter of the troubled trip AND the record at the distance. I was just so surprised not more people saw this. They left the gate and after the opening quarter mile the odds changed to reflect the late money. The favorite was now a prohibitive 1/5 choice and my odds had nearly doubled, to EIGHT to one. Oh my! On the turn I could tell....I've got the winner at a B-I-G price, oh my! But as they came into the lane the favorite made a left turn and slammed into my horse then kept drifting out. Ferrer is a strong rider however and he got Unruly Heir on a straight path and accelerated clear to the wire. Check out the payout.....
That's right my friends! Who can handicap, come on....WHO can handicap! I came right back to win the eighth and was set to wait for the eleventh which was my BET of the Day. But the tenth was the featured Colleen Stakes for 2yo fillies. I saw there was a short-priced favorite and so I looked at the field because I knew that trainer Wesley Ward had entered three yesterday in the featured juvenile stakes and all three were cross-entered today. And one of them had won yesterday. Well two of the entrants for today were scratched and that left Paco Lopez on the Ward favorite, Foolish Humor. I decided to go in for double the investment. She dueled through hot fractions between horses into the stretch and then the second choice slammed into her almost unseating Lopez. I immediately thought, "just hold on for second because she's coming down" and down she came. My sixth win of the day!
And the finale was a slam dunk. Paco was going for his SIXTH winner on the day and he was on nearly everyone's "single" in the Pick 5 and Pick 6 and my BEST. EASILY. What a day as I finished with six wins at Monmouth and 7-for-9 on the day.
For the weekend I was 15-for-28, over 50% and at Monmouth I was over 60% with 11-for-18 winners. Add in the family here for the birthday and it all added up to a GREAT weekend.
Birthday Photos
Oliver is fascinated with Santa so we bought him Santa pajamas
Khloe being, well Khloe....a hooded sweatshirt in Florida?
The boys join in the hoodie look
So adorable - slept every night with Gma & Gpa
It doesn't get any better than this
Playing with Gma - note the Santa Mickey (and Alaska t-shirt)
The fascination with the doors
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