July 4 - Belmont Stars & Stripes Day
It is the day before we head out for our once in a lifetime trip, the European Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, so I got in one final day of racing here at Gulfstream. The weekend of racing had actually started on Wednesday when I found three races I was interested in. Tampa Bay Downs was running a "Festival of Racing" for two days - somehow this allows them to simulcast year-round. Wednesday was the official last day of the racing season and Thursday was the official first day of the new racing season. Anyway, in the 2nd race the favorite just looked TONS the best. Beautiful Tashay was exiting an ultra-KEY race and was everyone's choice. I felt fortunate when noting she was 2/5 as I placed my bet....but as they loaded into the gate she dropped to 1/5; and as they moved up the backstretch she clicked down to 1/9. And she ran to those odds - never asked to run and she cantered home by daylight. Next up was Roundupthelute in the opener at Belmont. As the field turned for home he was still second, but was being ridden very confidently. At the furlong marker he'd collared the leader and he edged clear through the final 16th to make me 2-for-2 on the day! I lost the last pick of the day, the Sweet Briar Stakes from Woodbine (2nd).
But I came right back to score at a nice price at Arlington on Thursday. The 5th was a MSW on the turf and the Brisnet selections named first time starter Giant Deduction as one of the two "best bets" of the day. So, much like yesterday's wins I expected him to be a short price. As we approached the post parade he was sitting on the board at 4/5. But as post time came closer his odds began floating upwards and by the time they hit the backstretch he was all the way up to 2/1. He was in mid-pack while the post-time favorite looked loose on an easy lead. But as they turned for home he accelerated, reeled him in and blew by. The pay-off of $6.60 netted me a return of over $30 and I'm off to a winning start to the holiday weekend! WHOOOOO HOOOOOO!
On Friday I WANTED to be the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher from Monmouth Park. Admittedly part of this was because last summer when I was at Monmouth Park for the Haskell, the Molly Pitcher was my big stakes winner on the day. The horse I WANTED to bet was Got Lucky from the Todd Pletcher barn. I had seen her run over the winter at Gulfstream the past two years and I knew she was a graded stakes quality filly. But I was scared off when I watched the DRF video analysis and both of the handicappers noted it was hard to support her when you looked down her pp's and you had to go back over a year to find a WIN! Oh my. But as Friday afternoon rolled around I was more and more convinced that she was the one. As they turned for home Got Lucky moved to the front and her nemesis, Stiffed, who had run her down last time out was roaring up four wide. But as track announcer Frank Mirahmadi called, "....the rematch was no match." Got Lucky in a romp and I'm four-for-five heading into my visit to the races on Saturday.
But the day did NOT continue the way the races had gone Wednesday through Friday. When I turned the first page of my selections and we were closing in on 3:30 pm I had gone 1-for-13 over the first three hours at the races! Ouch. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the lone winner on my sheet had been a minimum bet that paid $3.80 and I cashed for a paltry $9.50. I was wondering if I'd used up all my racing luck. Fourth seemed to be the "lucky finish position" during the span as I had FIVE horses run fourth. Finally got back in the winner's circle - at Monmouth in the sixth. It was a claiming event and Chilton reminded me of the kind of runner that I'd cashed so many tickets on last summer during my Monmouth Handicapping Project.....a New York shipper, dropping in class and picking up top rider Paco Lopez. He dueled to the top of the stretch and then kissed the field good bye. had tripled the bet and at even money I cashed for over $30. Off the board in Woodbine's Charlie Barley Stakes and again off the board at Parx before running second in the Grade 3 Dwyer at Belmont when I backed 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile champ Texas Red. Then, finally I started to cash tickets. The seventh at Woodbine was a claiming event going two turns. Against similar last time out Pretty Two-Faced was the 4/5 favorite. After making her move and making the lead she gave way late to a 9/1 upset winner. Since then she'd been claimed away by a barn that scores at a 24% clip with first-off-the-claim runners at a $2.36 ROI. Since moving to the new barn she'd fired off back-to-back bullet works in a identical sizzling :59 for five furlongs. I was hoping that the crowd would let her go off at a fair price after faltering and they did as she was 2/1 at post time. She stalked the leader into the stretch and then slowly was grinding away at her, but could not get by. In the final fifty yards she seemed to catch her but then the wire came up - PHOTO FINISH!
That's me on the outside, whoooo hooooo. The $6.10 price led to yet another $30+ payout. Right bck in less than five minutes we were at Monmouth. It was MSW event on the turf. Trainer Wayne Catalano was winning at an absurd 56% on the Jersey Shore and top jock Paco Lopez was winning at an equally unreal 58% for him. To Your Health had fired a near bullet work and looked bred for the turf. I noted that if this came off the turf OR To You Health got bet down in the wagering I would up the bet. At the first flash she was the 8/5 favorite. So I doubled the bet. This seemed like a bad move as they turned for home as she was some five lengths off the clear leader and looked to have no chance. But Lopez dove to the rail and she hit a new gear. At the furlong pole I was thinking, maybe.......and hen in the final 16th she had all the momentum and nailed the leader late. Cashed for nearly $30 again. Right back in the featured Grade 3 Penny Memorial at Parx. Coffee Clique had won three graded stakes in a row in 2014, including a Grade 1. I'd never been convinced and had bet against her in all her starts this year. BUT, today she looked like the clear class of the field. She was bet down to 3/5 odds late and justified those odds. She stalked the leaders three wide into the lane and then drew off under a hand ride. I had tripled the bet here so I cashed for over $25.
Three in a row! After running second at Arlington I was back at Woodbine for their co-feature, the Achievement Stakes. Last time out Calgary Cat had run the worst race of his career. Either this was a sign to bail or now was the opportunity to get a better price. He had fired three bullet works in a row, so I went with the latter opinion. Sitting in mid-pack some five or more lengths off the leader to the turn, he made his move five wide and drew off as much the best!
Cashed for almost twenty dollars on this my sixth win of the day. Less than five minutes later I was watching the finale from Parx where It's Up In The Air looked tons the best on paper. I thought he'd be 3/5 or less, but as they approached the gate he was an inflated 8/5. Got bet down to even money, but as they moved to the far turn the odds clicked up to 6/5 again. Right to the front........
.......and LONG GONE! Collected an amazing $30 and change on what seemed like a gimme. I had Canndal, a Euro import in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby as I did not like Divisidero (who has won twice for me this summer previously). He was 8/1 in the program and put in a huge effort to be a solid second at 9/1 odds. Right back with yet another price play in the feature at Gulfstream, the Betsy Ross Handicap. Urtheoneeyelove was 8/1 in the program but she had pressed the pace for six furlongs in the Grade 3 Regret last time out and two back she ran against the unbeaten Lady Eli - who was my BET of the DAY later this afternoon. I thought Urtheoneeyelove was the clear class of the field and I didn't like the favorites. She pressed the pace into the stretch and when jockey Edgar Prado asked her she drew off with authority!
The best part, she left the gate at 5/1 and paid $12.20. I'd doubled the investment and cashed for over $60! The race had just gone official when they were off in the 2nd at Arlington. It was a mile and a sixteenth on the turf in entry-level allowance company. Be Playful was the co-BEST on the Brisnet selection sheet and I was irritated afterwards that I only bet a double investment. She pressed behind a wall of horses, had to wait for room, was checked between rivals and then burst up the rail to be much the best at 4/5.
I missed in the Gr 2 Suburban where Tonalist was the heavy 2/5 favorite and seemed to have the leader dead to rights, but then a 6/1 runner split the two of them and they battled to a head-bobbing finish.....but I knew, second. At Los Alamitos I was second at even money when Surfside Tiara dueled between runners and just missed, second again. At Gulfstream I was out of the running when 6th at 5/2 with Heaven's Touch. but finally got back on track in the third at Arlington. Richie's Sweetheart was the LONE speed with ET Baird on board and they never looked back; LONG GONE at even money. I had tripled the bet so I cashed for over $30. Next up was THE BET of the Weekend. It was the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and undefeated 2yo turf filly champion Lady Eli was going to be the prohibitive favorite. I thought there were SOOOO many similarities to American Pharoah in the Kentucky Derby here......both were juvenile champions; both were trying a mile and a quarter for the first time; both were facing strong competition for the first time as a sophomore; and both would probably offer the best value of their career. Well, we all know that American Pharoah won and paid a huge $7.20. Well, Lady Eli was hovering around 2/5 early in the wagering but as post time neared she floated up to a huge 4/5 price. She was in the 2-slot in a SIXTEEN horse field, but she broke sharply and stalked the leaders into the far turn from mid-pack about seven off the front runner. But as they moved through the turn jockey Irad Ortiz let her go and without ever asking for her best she blew by them EIGHT-WIDE and drew off as TONS the best. I had wavered back and forth about the bet and prior to post time I was still uncertain so I bet $50 to win. And then with ten minute to post I made another $50 win bet! WHOOOOO HOOOOO! I cashed for $180 and more importantly I was RIGHT about my BEST of the weekend!
On Friday I WANTED to be the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher from Monmouth Park. Admittedly part of this was because last summer when I was at Monmouth Park for the Haskell, the Molly Pitcher was my big stakes winner on the day. The horse I WANTED to bet was Got Lucky from the Todd Pletcher barn. I had seen her run over the winter at Gulfstream the past two years and I knew she was a graded stakes quality filly. But I was scared off when I watched the DRF video analysis and both of the handicappers noted it was hard to support her when you looked down her pp's and you had to go back over a year to find a WIN! Oh my. But as Friday afternoon rolled around I was more and more convinced that she was the one. As they turned for home Got Lucky moved to the front and her nemesis, Stiffed, who had run her down last time out was roaring up four wide. But as track announcer Frank Mirahmadi called, "....the rematch was no match." Got Lucky in a romp and I'm four-for-five heading into my visit to the races on Saturday.
But the day did NOT continue the way the races had gone Wednesday through Friday. When I turned the first page of my selections and we were closing in on 3:30 pm I had gone 1-for-13 over the first three hours at the races! Ouch. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the lone winner on my sheet had been a minimum bet that paid $3.80 and I cashed for a paltry $9.50. I was wondering if I'd used up all my racing luck. Fourth seemed to be the "lucky finish position" during the span as I had FIVE horses run fourth. Finally got back in the winner's circle - at Monmouth in the sixth. It was a claiming event and Chilton reminded me of the kind of runner that I'd cashed so many tickets on last summer during my Monmouth Handicapping Project.....a New York shipper, dropping in class and picking up top rider Paco Lopez. He dueled to the top of the stretch and then kissed the field good bye. had tripled the bet and at even money I cashed for over $30. Off the board in Woodbine's Charlie Barley Stakes and again off the board at Parx before running second in the Grade 3 Dwyer at Belmont when I backed 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile champ Texas Red. Then, finally I started to cash tickets. The seventh at Woodbine was a claiming event going two turns. Against similar last time out Pretty Two-Faced was the 4/5 favorite. After making her move and making the lead she gave way late to a 9/1 upset winner. Since then she'd been claimed away by a barn that scores at a 24% clip with first-off-the-claim runners at a $2.36 ROI. Since moving to the new barn she'd fired off back-to-back bullet works in a identical sizzling :59 for five furlongs. I was hoping that the crowd would let her go off at a fair price after faltering and they did as she was 2/1 at post time. She stalked the leader into the stretch and then slowly was grinding away at her, but could not get by. In the final fifty yards she seemed to catch her but then the wire came up - PHOTO FINISH!
That's me on the outside, whoooo hooooo. The $6.10 price led to yet another $30+ payout. Right bck in less than five minutes we were at Monmouth. It was MSW event on the turf. Trainer Wayne Catalano was winning at an absurd 56% on the Jersey Shore and top jock Paco Lopez was winning at an equally unreal 58% for him. To Your Health had fired a near bullet work and looked bred for the turf. I noted that if this came off the turf OR To You Health got bet down in the wagering I would up the bet. At the first flash she was the 8/5 favorite. So I doubled the bet. This seemed like a bad move as they turned for home as she was some five lengths off the clear leader and looked to have no chance. But Lopez dove to the rail and she hit a new gear. At the furlong pole I was thinking, maybe.......and hen in the final 16th she had all the momentum and nailed the leader late. Cashed for nearly $30 again. Right back in the featured Grade 3 Penny Memorial at Parx. Coffee Clique had won three graded stakes in a row in 2014, including a Grade 1. I'd never been convinced and had bet against her in all her starts this year. BUT, today she looked like the clear class of the field. She was bet down to 3/5 odds late and justified those odds. She stalked the leaders three wide into the lane and then drew off under a hand ride. I had tripled the bet here so I cashed for over $25.
Three in a row! After running second at Arlington I was back at Woodbine for their co-feature, the Achievement Stakes. Last time out Calgary Cat had run the worst race of his career. Either this was a sign to bail or now was the opportunity to get a better price. He had fired three bullet works in a row, so I went with the latter opinion. Sitting in mid-pack some five or more lengths off the leader to the turn, he made his move five wide and drew off as much the best!
Cashed for almost twenty dollars on this my sixth win of the day. Less than five minutes later I was watching the finale from Parx where It's Up In The Air looked tons the best on paper. I thought he'd be 3/5 or less, but as they approached the gate he was an inflated 8/5. Got bet down to even money, but as they moved to the far turn the odds clicked up to 6/5 again. Right to the front........
.......and LONG GONE! Collected an amazing $30 and change on what seemed like a gimme. I had Canndal, a Euro import in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby as I did not like Divisidero (who has won twice for me this summer previously). He was 8/1 in the program and put in a huge effort to be a solid second at 9/1 odds. Right back with yet another price play in the feature at Gulfstream, the Betsy Ross Handicap. Urtheoneeyelove was 8/1 in the program but she had pressed the pace for six furlongs in the Grade 3 Regret last time out and two back she ran against the unbeaten Lady Eli - who was my BET of the DAY later this afternoon. I thought Urtheoneeyelove was the clear class of the field and I didn't like the favorites. She pressed the pace into the stretch and when jockey Edgar Prado asked her she drew off with authority!
The best part, she left the gate at 5/1 and paid $12.20. I'd doubled the investment and cashed for over $60! The race had just gone official when they were off in the 2nd at Arlington. It was a mile and a sixteenth on the turf in entry-level allowance company. Be Playful was the co-BEST on the Brisnet selection sheet and I was irritated afterwards that I only bet a double investment. She pressed behind a wall of horses, had to wait for room, was checked between rivals and then burst up the rail to be much the best at 4/5.
July 4 - Part 1 Highlights
I missed in the Gr 2 Suburban where Tonalist was the heavy 2/5 favorite and seemed to have the leader dead to rights, but then a 6/1 runner split the two of them and they battled to a head-bobbing finish.....but I knew, second. At Los Alamitos I was second at even money when Surfside Tiara dueled between runners and just missed, second again. At Gulfstream I was out of the running when 6th at 5/2 with Heaven's Touch. but finally got back on track in the third at Arlington. Richie's Sweetheart was the LONE speed with ET Baird on board and they never looked back; LONG GONE at even money. I had tripled the bet so I cashed for over $30. Next up was THE BET of the Weekend. It was the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and undefeated 2yo turf filly champion Lady Eli was going to be the prohibitive favorite. I thought there were SOOOO many similarities to American Pharoah in the Kentucky Derby here......both were juvenile champions; both were trying a mile and a quarter for the first time; both were facing strong competition for the first time as a sophomore; and both would probably offer the best value of their career. Well, we all know that American Pharoah won and paid a huge $7.20. Well, Lady Eli was hovering around 2/5 early in the wagering but as post time neared she floated up to a huge 4/5 price. She was in the 2-slot in a SIXTEEN horse field, but she broke sharply and stalked the leaders into the far turn from mid-pack about seven off the front runner. But as they moved through the turn jockey Irad Ortiz let her go and without ever asking for her best she blew by them EIGHT-WIDE and drew off as TONS the best. I had wavered back and forth about the bet and prior to post time I was still uncertain so I bet $50 to win. And then with ten minute to post I made another $50 win bet! WHOOOOO HOOOOO! I cashed for $180 and more importantly I was RIGHT about my BEST of the weekend!
I got a big 5/1 price on my pick in the Eatontown at Monmouth but Rose Brier was checked, and then was too late when flying late. I left after that race and watched the rest at home later. In the third at Los Alamitos a MSW for juveniles Passau was 4th at 3/1. I did like her chances, but more importantly one of the stops on our upcoming Euro River Cruise is in Passau, Germany! Just had to make the bet. I got back on the winning track in the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint when Private Zone wired the field easily. He s a short 1/4 price however so I didn't make much money.
Tonight was "Louisiana Legends Night" at Evangeline Downs so I had several picks there. In the second Leave Em Counting was third at 2/5 odds - wow. Then I won the 5th at Los Alamitos, and allowance race with Turnover who was coming off a long layoff for Bob Baffert with sizzling works. Only paid $3.00 but it was my 13th win of the day! I missed in the Los Alamitos Derby when Kentuckian was 3rd at 2/5.....man. Lost at Evaneline with Afternoon Tango at 4/5when second best and the finale at Arlington at 2/1 Super Leo was third. BUT....I won FOUR late night stakes at Evangeline to bring my final win count to an amazing SEVENTEEN victories! In the La Legends Starter Over A Barrel was JUST up in time as the prohibitive 1/5 chalk; in the La Legends Turf, which was rained off the turf, String King edged clear late as a "prime time" investment for me. Horray! My BET of the NIGHT was in the La Legends Sprint where I was convinced Heitai would go right to the front and take them coast to coast - especially at this abbreviated 5 1/2 furlongs. I was sure he'd be 1/5 as well, but the crowd let him go at a big (for him) 3/5 and he went wire to wire. The $5.20 payoff let me cash for nearly $50 with my big win bet - whoooo hooooo! And in the last race of the night - it went to post at 11:10 pm! - Stormdriver delivered as the heavy 1/5 favorite in the Louisiana Legends Classic. I had gone prime time on him as well. So with the four stakes win at Evangeline I finished 17-for-43 (39.5%) and made a profit of nearly $40 on the day! It was a great way to close out my racing before heading off to Europe tomorrow!
July 4 Highlights: Part 2
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