October 18

Sunday October 18: Pattison Canadian International Day

 

Today marked the end of my daily handicapping project at Woodbine. The theme of this racing project has been, as the title says, "Road To The Breeders' Cup 2015," and that event will be in less than two weeks. I decided that since we will be at sea in the week between today's highlight event at Woodbine and the Breeders' Cup I would take a break and focus on first the trip and then the Breeders' Cup. I have to say I've really enjoyed the daily handicapping at Woodbine and I'm sure when I add up the final numbers I'll see it was a pretty successful handicapping project. I still find it ironic that the worst day of the project came on the ONLY day I was physically there to bet the races live, Woodbine Mile Day. But today, now that's a horse of a different color. We were at sea so I struggled to see the replays, especially the two Grade 1 events, but at the end of the racing it was my MOST SUCCESSFUL day at Woodbine, and certainly the most profitable day. Let's see how it played out......

 

The first selection was in the second, a non-winners of two lifetime sprint and I thought that the entry of 1-Conspire and 1a-Azimut looked formidable which ever ran. With jockey Luis Contreras named on both I was pretty sure that only one would go. But instead they went with both by putting up another rider on the entry mate. It was that horse, 1a-Azimut who went right to the front while Conspire was way, WAY back at the rear of the field. But as they went through the far turn Azimut was beginning to give way and it was Conspire who was absolutely dominant as he blew by up the rail. It was unfortunate that (a) they were pounded at the windows to 2/5 odds and (b) I'd only invested the minimum so the $2.80 payoff netted me only $7.00. In the fourth, it was the first of four graded events on the card, the Grade 2 Nearctic. They were sprinting six furlongs on the turf course and this race has often produced runners going on to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. When that event is in California the six furlong distance is a plus (most turf sprints are five or five and a half), but it is on the flat course here while Santa Anita's turf sprint course is down the hillside. In years where it is NOT at Santa Anita it is a good prep as at all other venues the BC Turf Sprint is 5 1/2 furlongs. Today I thought it was a wide open event and I went with the European Terror. He was 5/1 when the gates opened. He was gaining on the leaders through the long stretch and though I knew he didn't win, finishing fifth, it was a five-horse blanket finish, so it was a good effort. In the fifth, a non-winners of two lifetime allowance for juveniles I backed the second choice, Ultra Flame at 9/5. He was way, WAY back and made up a lot of ground to catch the favorite at the top of the stretch, but that one had more left and edged clear in the final 200 yards - second for me. The sixth kicked off a three-race sequence of graded events and it started with the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion for three-year-old fillies going six furlongs on the main track. My pick was Cactus Kris. When I handicapped this Sunday card there were no odds available (the usually way out of whack DRF morning line continued to produce a "ERROR" message online). I thought Cactus Kris would not be a favorite, but would be one of the top three or four in the program. So I was REALLY surprised when I got the program odds Friday before we left for Boston and he was listed at a huge 15/1. I stuck with him as he was coming off a good second in a stakes at Presque Isle over their main, synthetic surface. I liked that he was a closer in a field that seemed LOADED with speed. Sure enough, he was well back into the far turn, but he was flying as heads turned for home, but seemed to have too much to do even at the 16th pole. But with a burst of acceleration she was JUST up in time to win! (photo upper left - #9)  Oh how I wish I could have gotten those 15/1 odds! But the 5/1 final odds were generous, with a payout of $12.20. Again I wished I'd had more money on that the minimum but I was still rewarded with a $30 and change return on my investment. The 7th was another non-winners of two lifetime claiming sprint and I favored Holy McNasty. This guy looked, on paper, to be an obvious "play against." He'd just lost at this level AND lost ground through the stretch in that race. But he was claimed off that effort and today top rider Eurico DaSilva took over. I thought he'd have a chance to shake loose on the lead. DaSilva took him right to the front and never looked back! The best part, another nice price as he paid $8.50 and I cashed for over $21!

 

The 8th was the first of the co-featured Grade 1 events, the E.P. Taylor Stakes going the classic 1 1/4 miles on the turf course. So they'd start on the clubhouse turn, run up the hill to the enormous backstretch, then run downhill into the lane. I thought that Euro invader Curvy was sitting on a HUGE effort. She was a multiple Group winner in Europe and had bee my top choice in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl last time out. The crowd had made her the 3/2 favorite that day but she was pinched early and was very wide. Top Euro jockey Ryan Moore was here for the mount and I thought would make a huge difference. She was the favorite, but a very tepid one at a nice 2/1 price. As they hit the far turn Moore had her well back, but began to ask for run. Still, the field was bunched with at least ten horses in front. But Moore showed why he's the best in Europe and one of the very best in the world. He could see a path through the field and instead of wasting valuable lengths by circling the field he accelerated straight ahead. The field opened up like the parting of the Red Sea and at the 16th pole he was in front with all the momentum! The late runners were coming but were far too late to catch Curvy. She paid a very big $6.90 and as my "BET of the DAY" I cashed for almost $70! WHOOOO HOOOOO!

 

In the Grade 1 Canadian I wrote that I thought Moore had an excellent chance to sweep the major features. He was Cannock Chase who was 7/2 - the third choice in the program. By post time he too, like Curvy, was the favorite, but a tepid one at 5/2. He rated along in mid-pack and was actually 10th of eleven at the one mile call (going 1 1/2 miles). But he began to rally through the far turn, got to the front at the 16th pole and was clear by daylight under the wire! I'd doubled the bet on this selection so the $7.50 payout on the board meant I'd collect nearly $40.

 

In the last race I tripled the bet on Boldnpossible in a MSW sprint. In his debut he'd been my upset choice but was clearly second best behind an odds-on winner. I thought he laid over this field. But unlike last time where he was on the lead, today he was well back. His rally was too little, too late at 2/1 odds, my second runner-up finish of the day. But what a day it was! I had eight selections on my sheet and FIVE of them were highlighted as winners! I'd cashed for a gross return of $165 and change, generating a profit of nearly $100 on the day. Far and away the best single day at Woodbine of the entire project! On to the Breeders' Cup!

October 16 - 17

We're Off To Boston To Start Our Cruise!

Friday afternoon we flew out of Ft. Lauderdale International bound for Boston and a weekend stay there before boarding the Brilliance of the Seas for a week-long cruise northward through New England and into Canada to see the Fall Leaves.  It's a trip we've talked about for a L-O-N-G time and finally we are taking it.  I was able to complete handicapping for the entire weekend on Thursday, including Canadian Pattison Day on Sunday.  So before Kim came home Friday I made my picks online for Friday's card.  Our flights were smooth and on time if not a little early.  We landed in Boston by 7:30 pm and were at the hotel by 8:30 pm.  Checked in immediately and then had dinner at the hotel.  We returned to our room I watched the replays - and nothing.  I was 4th at 8/5 in the first bet, third at even money in the fourth.  Way too far back in the fifth, finish 6th at 9/5.  Led into the lane in the 6th at 2/1, faded to fourth; and in my last bet I led into the stretch at 3/1, wilted to be third on the wire.  Two of my "other choices" won races.  Oh well, turn the page to Saturday........

 

We were downstairs around 8:15 and our trolley took us downtown to Boston where we boarded a Gray Line all-day tour bus.  The day was great on the whole.  The fall leaves were in full Technicolor and the temperatures never left the low fifties.  Loved it.  The only snag on the day was, as you can see above, about two hours into the day our bus broke down and we were stranded for an hour and a half.  Finally got back under way - have to mention how cool it was that everyone on the bus was of the "things happen" attitude and everyone was very positive and happy.  Saw all the cool things of the area and were delighted with the day.  The only thing we'd have changed was the last hour of the bus ride we rode around the block, literally down one street and back up the other, through traffic just so we could ride by the shopping area and then cross the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  Could have done without that.  We had eaten on the tour so once we were back in the room I watched the replays.  In the 2nd Karibu Gardens was the 7/5 favorite.  He tracked the leader, moved in tandem with the second choice at the head of the lane and dueled the length of the stretch.....PHOTO FINISH, but I knew I was second.  In the fourth Rocco Point went right to the front out of the gate and literally was dueling from the first stride to inside the furlong marker where he weakened to be third at 9/5.  In the fifth I scored with Flirtin for Certin.  Right to the front at 3/5 and I was thinking, WHY!  Why are my riders going to the front when nearly every day front runners are gobbled up through the length of the long Woodbine stretch.  But this time Flirtin for Certin was clearly best. 

 

I'd doubled the bet so I cashed for over $15.  Though I knew it was unlikely to make a profit on the day, the day would be a success for me if I had the winner in the featured Ruling Angle Stakes.  Southern Ring had debuted with a huge 95 Beyer and the horse that exited that race confirmed the number when she won the Etobicoke Stakes.  Southern Ring ran away with her maiden last time out as my best of the day.  Today I thought in spite of facing first time winners, AND in a stakes race she would be best.  She pressed a scorching pace of :22 flat, :44.2, and 1:09.2 going 6 1/2 furlongs.  She caught the leader at the furlong pole and edged clear by daylight under a vigorous hand ride!  WHOOOO HOOOOO! 

 

My prime time investment netted over $30.  For the day I was two-for-four, I'll take it.  I'll make my bets for Pattison Invitational Day tomorrow before we head out for the cruise ship and watch the replays once we are underway.  Even though I have booked the Internet for the cruise I'll be taking the week off from handicapping and point towards the Breeders' Cup the following weekend!

October 14

A SURPRISING WINNING NIGHT!

Day 45

It's Pattison International Week, one of the key weekends of the Woodbine meeting, and it's also the week that Kim and I head out for a cruise to see the fall leaves in the Northeast.  The week also saw us purchase a new living room set - finally! - yesterday, and it was delivered late this evening.  But the racing provided a very interesting story line.  I cannot tell you that I was surprised I had a winning night, I really was pretty certain I'd win for the evening.  But what was VERY surprising was how I won for the night.  One reason I felt pretty confident about the racing this evening was I was confident that I'd been very selective and had avoided races where it looked to be a "go figure" result.  One of the FOUR races I passed on produced a $30 winner while two of them saw the short priced favorite score (one as my top pick) - but in neither case would I ever have put money on them.  In the opener, a non-winners of two lifetime, it appeared to me that Conquest Kronos was a legitimate favorite.  He was dropping from a $40K 2L spot into this $20K 2L race and the competition was weak.  He was very wide from the very start, through the turn, and down the stretch and never made a solid run, third at even money.  In the second, when I first looked over the race it appeared to me that there were several who wanted to be on the lead, or at the very worst pushing the early lead.  Since speed rarely carries here in Toronto I looked for a strong finisher.  I couldn't really find one, and as I re-examined the field one final time I was left with a Woodbine 40% Club play on one of the front-runners - that would be Flashy Margaritta for trainer Ralph Biamonte.  He is a club member with a single angle, when he saddles a horse owned in partnership between Danny Lococo and Mary Biamonte - the trainer's wife (you better believe he wants to win with those!).  I liked the fact that this four-year-old gelding had a relatively inside draw AND got top jockey Eurica Rosa DaSilva.  As I wrote in my analysis, maybe, just maybe he clears the field and goes wire to wire.  Sure enough, when the gates sprung open DaSilva immediately had this one in front by open lengths.  When the pressers tried to make up ground heading into the far turn he let it out a notch.  I felt good as they ran through the turn because everyone else was really being asked for their best but DaSilva was still riding confidently with just mild urging.  He never even had to raise his stick and Flashy Margaritta was LONG GONE. 

 

The best part was, she'd gone off at a big 9/2 mutual and paid over $11!  I was collecting nearly $30 to start the night off!  I passed the third.  The fourth was a maiden claiming event going the extended mile and an eighth distance.  My pick was Knutsford Park.  What landed me here was that there did not seem to be an confirmed front runner and Knutsford Park was stretching out from a sprint to a route.  Trainer Laurie Silvera showed a whopping $26% win rate with stretch-out runners at an even bigger $5.60 ROI for ever $2 bet.  I also liked the 4/1 program odds so I doubled the bet.  As they came out of the gate through the opening 16th Knutsford Park seemed a big eager, but the rider held him strongly and had him settle.  But the time they had straightened out down the back stretch he was in mid-pack.  Ok, I thought, trying to conserve energy for the long trip.  But when the opening quarter mile was posted in a pokey :25 and change and then the half mile in a pedestrian :50 and change while I was still near the back I knew I was in trouble, even if he did have a big kick.  As the field spun out of the turn he was beginning to move, but still near the back......they hit the furlong marker and Knutsford Park had found what seemed like his best stride, but the early leaders were still battling on the front end and the favorite was the only one making up ground.  But inside the 16th pole it was like my choice had found a whole new passing gear and he accelerated right by the top three and was actually clear well before the finish line!  The crowd had let Knutsford Park go off at 3/1 odds so the big $8.70 mutual led me to a winning payoff of over $40! 

I am guaranteed to have a winning night and the horse I was certain would carry me to a winning night had yet to run!  That best bet was in the finale and I thought it was a great story that I was anxious to describe.  This maiden claiming event going nine furlongs for bottom level claimers was a slow group of runners.  BUT, as I wrote, one of the great things about handicapping racing is that it's all about the mix of runners and a horse can hold a significant advantage as easily in a Grade 1 Breeders' Cup event as in an $8K maiden claimer on a Wednesday night from Woodbine.  Such was the case of Hey Big Man.  The other seven rivals' trainers were a combined 8-for-298 at the meet while Hey Big Man's trainer Danny Vella had EIGHTEEN wins.  'Big Man's last race figure of 60 was over 20 points higher than any of the last race figures of his rivals.  He looked like a slam dunk and as I watched the pre-race analysis EVERY public handicapper had him on top.  I thought the 1/2 odds he left the gate with were more than fair.  He was keen to run and the rider finally let him go approaching the far turn.  He went from third to in front by daylight without being asked and as they turned for home the rider was handling him very confidently and had yet to ask.  But I could see the second choice swiftly passing horses with all the momentum.  My jockey was oblivious and by the time he realized someone was coming with a full head of steam it was too late.  The upset was on as Hey Big Man could not get into gear quickly enough and had lost.  Poor riding can screw up even the best of selections.  But that's the great thing about this game.....but two nice-priced wins earlier in the evening STILL provided me with one of my biggest margins of profit in the last couple of weeks!  You just gotta love the track!

 

October 12

WIN To Start - Finish With Run Of Seconds

After having a solid week of handicapping I thought I was off to another good day when Mauna Kea went last-to-first in the opener and I cashed for over $15.  But the rest of the day saw my picks run second three different times at short odds, fair odds, and price play odds.  To be fair, in the first two runner-up finishes I was going for a price instead of backing the obvious favorite - who won both races at odds of 3/5 in both cases.  Right back at it day after tomorrow for Wednesday twilight racing, and the weekend highlight will be Canadian Pattison Day on Sunday ..... when we are leaving for our cruise out of Boston!

 

October 11

ANOTHER Late Run Of Winners!

This must be the "new formula" for my winning selections at Woodbine - pick some races early and be disappointed, then finish with a flourish to get a good winning percentage and a profit on the day!  I've found that typically on the Friday and Sunday card the level of racing is below that of Saturday and so I usually have far fewer bets.  But today I had six picks on the ten race card, two of which were Woodbine 40% Club plays.  In the second I thought that Danger Bay would be a prohibitive favorite to go wire-to-wire again as he'd just beat many of these.  But (a) front runners just don't win often, and (b) why was he dropping from a win for $25K into this $16K spot.  Just smelled fishy to me.  I went with the horse that chased him last time and seemed to be improving.  Blinks Forest was 7/1 at post time and was right on Danger Bay's hip as they hit the far turn.  Then Danger Bay let out another gear and cruised home by multiple lengths while Blinks Forest faded badly to be fifth.  In the fourth Tell Me Why was sent out by Malcolm Pierce with Eurico Rosa DaSilva.  All kinds of 30% win angles in play for this turf route led me to the pick.  He was 3/1 at post time and was mid-pack to the far turn.  He finished third, but there was never, ever a moment where I thought he had a chance to win.  I passed the fifth and then had four selections in a row to close the card down.  In the 6th, the Bundy Lawless Born In A Breeze was the 9/5 favorite based on back-to-back turf wins; both at this one mile trip and the most recent a stakes like this one.  As they hit the far turn I thought he was way too far back.  As heads turned for home he was running three times as fast as everyone else, but had been left with way too much work to do as he ran out of ground when closing like a freight train and a narrowly beaten third on the wire.  The seventh was a claiming event going 8 1/2 furlongs.  The likely favorite was 7-year-old Urban Forester who was a TEN time winner here.  But his most recent numbers said he wasn't the same kind of horse and might be a good one to go against and get a fair price.  I went with Sea of Silence who had dropped into a $10K three lifetime event and won for fun last time out.  Today he was in for a cheaper price tag, but facing open runners.  I liked that top jockey DaSilva was up to replace Luis Contreras who abandoned Sea of Silence for Urban Forester.  The crowd bet that one to 6/5 favoritism and let my pick go off at 5/1.  He split horses at the top of the stretch and forged to the front.  Inside the sixteenth pole he was desperate to find the wire as Urban Forester was flying.... too late, I WIN! 

 

The payoff of $7.10 let me cash for nearly $20 on my first win of the day.  The eighth was the featured Cup and Saucer Stakes for two-year-olds.  It was interesting to me, and I would love to know the explanation, that Mark Casse had an uncoupled entry.  Not so much that, but they were both owned by the same owner - Conquest Stables.  How can the same trainer enter two horses for the SAME owner and it's not a coupled entry?  No matter, it allowed the crowd to pick and THEY PICKED WRONG!  I liked Conquest Enforcer and he qualified as a Woodbine 40% Club play.  He had debuted in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes and was bet down to 7/2!  Somebody thought he had talent.  He finished fourth.  Today he was in listed company, and because he was still a maiden I thought he'd be a fair price.  He was at better than 3/1.  Through the far turn he was near the back, but jockey Patrick Husbands had lots of horse....no where to run.  They turned for home, still nowhere....at the furlong pole....STILL nowhere.  Then just before the 16th pole a seam.  Husbands said "GO" and Enforcer exploded impressively to draw off by daylight as he widened his winning margin with every stride! 

 

The $8.60 payoff meant I'd cash for over 20 beans!  TWO in a row!  The 9th, and my final bet of the day, was a Maiden Special for older going two turns on the main track.  Rebel With a Chance was listed at 5/2 and had been second in SEVEN of her nine starts.  An obvious play against!  UNLESS you had printed a copy of the Woodbine Handicapper authored by Jim Mazur.  In there you would see that trainer Laurie Silvera is a Woodbine 40% Club member with horses going turf to synthetic.  Last time out when Rebel finished second, again, Silvera had sent this one to the grass.  So the move back to the main track made this a big-time club play.  I figured even if he was bet to favoritism, he would not be a short price due to all those seconds.  Sure enough he was a more-than-fair 9/5 as they left the gate.  As they turned for home he hit high gear and blew by, then as announcer Robert Geller said, "...it's an absolute drubbing; one of the biggest wins of the entire meet!"  And I had him!  The $5.60 payoff meant I would cash for nearly $30 and finish the day 3-for-6 with a profit of nearly $25!  WHOOOOO HOOOOO!  AND, because tomorrow is Columbus Day there will be racing again tomorrow afternoon!

 

 

October 10

BET of the Day Lifts Me To WINNING Day!

It was an unusual Saturday for me.  Even during college football season I typically have several tracks and several races that I'm interested in.  But today there were only two graded stakes on the national calendar - one at Keeneland and one at Belmont - and I just wasn't interested enough in either to handicap the full card of races at those tracks to play a stakes event that I didn't have a firm opinion in.  In addition, tonight was Opening Night for our Florida Panthers NHL hockey season, so I knew going in that I would not be going to the races.  I was content to simply handicap the Woodbine races and play those like I do on any normal weekday racing day.  After I'd handicapped the card on Friday morning I had seven picks from the ten race card - unusual in that I have found through this project that my best success seems to be when I'm selective about betting only when I have a firm opinion, not just an opinion on the winner.  When Saturday morning rolled around I decided to take a look again at the two stakes events, maybe I DID like someone enough to play.  At Keeneland in the Grade 1 QE II on the turf for three-year-old fillies everyone liked the Pletcher filly who had won decisively in her last two, both at Saratoga.  I'd bet against her and I just wasn't sold on her.  Maybe I was wrong?  And at Belmont it was the Grade 3 Noble Damsel with two likely favorites, neither of which inspired me.  When I looked at Dave Liftin's analysis it confirmed to me that I did NOT have a strong opinion and I was certain I wanted no part of that action.  The Keeneland race kept swirling around in my head, and by mid-afternoon I thought I'd play.  I was watching college football and opened my Twinspires account on my phone; logged in, went to Keeneland's card, went to the wagering page..... and then I just had this nagging feeling that this was a mistake.  Looked at the choices and then said, "no, not doing it."  So all I had were the seven Woodbine picks.  In the second, a MSW for two-year-old colts it looked really REALLY hard to go past Majest Slew who had been third in the Swynford Stakes behind Riker, who had come back to win the Grade 3 Grey Stakes last weekends.  He had two seconds and a third with speed figures that put him clearly in front of the rest of the field.  He was sent off as the 8/5 favorite and tracked the pace through the far turn, accelerated through the lane to the leader at the furlong pole and couldn't get by....second best.  In the third we were off the turf again - I don't know why this surprised me after we'd been off the turf yesterday, but it never occurred to me.  I stuck with Eminent Force who was first off the claim for trainer Michael DePaulo, making him a Woodbine 40% Club play.  He was a big 5/1 and made a huge move on the turn.....then flattened out and was a well-beaten fifth.  Passed both the fourth and the fifth, so I went back to the big screen television to watch college football.  I came back in time for the sixth in time to watch Awesome Dove - my top pick for the turf - leave the gate as the 8/5 favorite despite being a first time starter for Malcolm Pierce and top jockey Eurico DaSilva.  As the field turned for home he was stuck behind a wall of horses and it was obvious to me that an attempt to swing wide would be to take him at least six wide, losing any chance at victory.  But a seam opened up on the rail and DaSilva pushed him to go.  You could just see by the horse's body language, he wanted no part of skimming the rail in tight quarters and he just ran evenly to the wire, 5th.  I went back to college football.  I returned with minutes to go before the featured Victorian Queen Stakes in the 8th so I opened up the replays and watched my pick in the seventh, RU Watchingbud stalk the leaders into the turn at 9/2 and stop like he was shot, 8th.  This is NOT a very good day as I'm now 0-for-4!  I flipped back to the live streaming broadcast from Woodbine for the two-year-old feature event.  Typically when I bet online - and I freely admit there is no rhyme or reason for this - but I am very hesitant to bet "all in" no matter how much I really like a runner.  At the track I'll open up the bankroll if I'm confident, but online, I just am reluctant to do so.  But when I looked at the field for the Victorian Queen I KNEW that this would be an exception.  I'd seen Caren run before as she swept to three consecutive wins, two of them stakes with my money on her.  And then when Jim Anderson and I were on track at Woodbine on the day before Woodbine Mile Day we'd seen the Grade 2 Natalma run live and I recognized her name.  She was a sharp third that day.  The drop back into a listed stakes, and a return to a main-track sprint was right in her wheel-house.  An added incentive was that the runner-up in the Natalma was Gamble's Ghost who was ULTRA impressive last Saturday in winning the Grade 3 Mazarine as my bet of the day.  Any concern about Caren turning back in distance was wiped out by her best-of-22 bullet move after the turf try which was followed by a near bullet just a week ago.  She was being heavily bet as they approached the gate, but I was delighted when she slipped up to 1/2 at post time.  Right out of the gate you could see she was eager to go, but the rider let her settle just outside a price play longshot.  He held her into the far turn and then let her run.  Se quickly opened up by daylight and looked long gone.  The early pace fractions had been fast so the closers were making up ground through the lane, but they were simply not in the same class as Caren!  WINNER! 

 

I had opened up my "virtual wallet" and gone a US Grant to win, so I was going to collect nearly $80 for my winning selection!  WHOOOOO HOOOOOOO!  Before we left for the hockey game I was able to watch the running of my final two selections - in the 9th Breaking Ball was my upset pick at 8/1 in the program to win a nw2x sprint on the main.  Led into the lane - that nearly never works out - before giving way grudgingly to be fourth at 5/1.  In the finale the only thing I did NOT like about Trini Lime was that he was stuck with post 13.  The only other time he'd run for a maiden claiming tag he was in front for a $50K price tag - he'd most recently been bumped back into MSW company and tried the turf.  Today he dropped back in for a tag, and a much lower $16K price, and returned to sprinting on the maide track.  I thought this combination of angles with the outside draw set him up for a great stalking trip - the prototype of how to win at Woodbine.  The crowd let him go at 3/1 - oh how I wish I'd doubled the bet!  He pressed the pace, dueled through the turn, edged to the front and opened up.  The pace had taken something out of him, but he had enough to hold on for my second win of the afternoon! 

 

Trini Lime paid $8.60 to win so I collected over $20 and I was 2-for-7 with another winning day.  Oh - how about those stakes races?  As I was waiting for the finale at Woodbine I pulled up the Belmont race and watched a $10 winner go by BOTH the favorites, neither of which I liked - smart move to pass that one.  And as I flipped over to the Keeneland channel it was just about to go official and the winner had gone off at 19/1, paying $40.  The filly everyone liked, that I almost bet on.....3/5 and fourth!  Another smart move.  We headed out to the Panthers game and we left a little early because it was Opening Night.  Normally we leave about 25 minutes before the start and we are sitting in our seats with ten minutes or more to wait.  This evening we left 45 minutes early and waited in traffic.  But most surprising was when we showed our parking pass cars were parked nearly all the way to the entrance, we've got ourselves a FULL HOUSE!  Sure enough the announce 19,000 sell-out crowd was ready for some hockey, South Florida style.  Hopes are high that we can make the playoffs this year, but to do so the consensus seems to be we need:  (1) a good year by 47-year-old superstar Jamir Jagar; (2) another All-Star year from goalie Roberto Luongo; (3) more scoring in general; and specifically (4) our power play HAS to be better.  The game starts, the crowd roars and before we are 90 seconds into the game WE SCORE!  A minute later we are on the power play and immediately bury the puck!  2-0 - this is awesome!  Inside of four more minutes we've scored again even strength and added ANOTHER power play goal to take a 4-0 lead and chased Philadelphia's goalie!  I read later that it was the fastest four goals to open a game in NHL history.  But it was far from over as we poured it on by pounding the Flyers 7-1, and we also pounded them in a couple of good fights.  What a great Saturday it turned out to be!

 

October 9

Off The Turf - BIG WIN Saves The Day

Day 41

I was surprised when I got online to watch the races today to discover we were off the turf in Toronto.  But, ironically today was one of the very few days that the entries had offered a "Main Track Only" in a race that I liked AND that I liked that runner.  But let's back up to run through the day's selections........ In the opener I had settled on Inperson in a juvenile two turn MSW test.  His last two Beyer figures were at least a pole better than the remainder of the field and he just looked too good to lose.  Well, such is horse racing.  The crowd saw what I saw and bet him down to even money.  He chased my second choice into the stretch only to have an 11/1 outsider run by them both - third.  In the second, a non-winners of three lifetime event, Classic Bryce had the coveted angle for such a race - he was racing first time for a tag and in conditioned company.  He was a more-than-fair 3/1 when they left the gate.  He pressed the pace setter into the stretch and I thought he was ready to make his move, but he stopped....faded to a well-beaten sixth.  I didn't like anyone in the 3rd, 4th, or 5th.  The sixth was moved from the turf to the main track and my top selection in this juvenile MSW route race scratched.  Mark Casse had two runners entered for the Conquest Stable, making either of them a Woodbine 40% Club angle.  Conquest Dynasty was the one that ran and he set sail on the front end, leading them into the far turn at 9/2 and I thought maybe I had a big pay day coming.  But when the field hit the top of the stretch he had to response to the closers, faded to fourth.  I passed the 7th.  Finally, in my final play of the day I hit paydirt.  Dancing Ashley had been my "best" of the day in a claiming event going a mile on the outer turf course.  But with races off the grass, that left me with Aunt Els, who had been listed as a "Main Track Only" entrant.  She won with decisiveness last out - as my top choice - and I thought she'd hold a decided edge over this group of turf runners if it went to the main track.  When they left the gate she was allowed to slip by handicappers at a price of better than 2/1.  She stalked the pace to the far turn, accelerated to the lead and was clear by daylight turning for home.  The field was making up ground late, but it was too little, too late. 

 

I had stuck with my original triple investment that I'd planned on making on Dancing Ashley, so my payoff was over $45 and was good enough to carry me to a profit on the day in spite of winning one of four races!  WHOOO HOOO, you gotta love this racing game!