August 29

Travers Day

American Pharoah Upset!

Yes, the mighty Pharoah was run own late in the shadow of the wire confirming my gut feeling that maybe this would not be his day.  I was uncomfortable when for during the weeks leading up to the Travers trainer Bob Baffert was reluctant to commit to the race.  But when Pharoah put in a sharp work last Sunday they entered him.  On paper he was obviously the best horse, but I still had this nagging feeling that maybe he wouldn't fire today.  I wanted to see how he did galloping over the track.  He glided smooth as can be, in front of 15,000 fans who came for the morning work - yes, to see a workout.  I considered my betting options, but in the end I was convinced that he'd run big because the owners were so adamant about not running unless he was at his best.  So here's how the day unfolded.

 

Because of the big card at Saratoga the first post was at 11:45 and my first bet was in the second at 12:18.  I had a bet at 12:45 in the opener at Gulfstream; followed by the third at Saratoga but then no play until the 3rd at Gulfstream at 1:42.  So that meant IF I went for the first bet I'd be on track from 11:30 until about 1:45 with three bets.  No thanks.  So I played the first three races online and headed out around 1 pm.  I was 4th in the Saratoga 2nd when I went against the Pletcher 2yo maiden - I know, what am I thinking?  Well, to be fair he'd already lost twice, but still, that just let him go off at a big 2/1 price.  I was 4th at 3/1.  Sigh.....At Gulfstream I was a non-threatening 5th.  But I had my first win of the day in the 3rd at Saratoga on the turf.  Tango Time had Javier Castellano and was 2/1.  He was behind a wall of five horses as they turned for home, but Castellano wins because he knows when to go and when to wait.  Instead of wasting valuable ground by swinging six wide he waited patiently.....inside the furlong marker a seam opened and he burst up the rail to draw off impressively!  I had doubled the bet so I was cashing for over $30!  I headed out to Gulfstream thinking I was off to a good start to a big day!  I got there about 15 minutes before post time so I did a recap video of Wednesday night's 40% results and yesterday's $200 profitable win - what a great day!  Then I headed out to the rail just in time to see Mystic Blue leave the field behind as he aired at 3/2 on the board.

 

Two in a row!  I was a disappointing third at 6/5 in Monmouth's third and then a trailing 5th at 7/2 in Saratoga's 5th on the turf.  Lost at Woodbine in the 4th at 6/5 and then it was time for what I hoped would be my first big score.  Untapable was facing off with recent nemesis Stopchargingmaria in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign.  I knew I'd get a fair price on the champion as she'd only won one race this year - the Grade 1 Apple Blossom when Kim and I were in Hot Springs - but her three losses, I thought, all came with valid excuses.  In her first start of the season she'd caught a sloppy track for the first time in her career.  A good second was a good try and she rebounded to take the Apple Blossom.  In her next, the Ogden Phipps at Belmont she was a sharp second when the winner was loose on an easy lead.  Her last, in the Grade 3 Shuvee here she'd dueled from gate to deep stretch with Saratoga "Horse-for-the-Course" Stopchargingmaria.  But Untapable never runs on the pace.  So in spite of 'Maria's 5/4-1-0 record at the Spa I saw her sitting off the pace as she does when running her best races and blowing by the field in an "A+" effort.  Sure enough she was 2/1 at post time and breaking from the outside in post 6 I KNEW Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez would let her settle early.  The gates opened and Velazquez took her right to the front.  Really?  I was right in that she outran 'Maria, putting her away at the top of the lane, but the pace duel was too much and she was caught by the winner who'd had the perfect trip right behind the speed duel, and by a deep closer who took advantage of the hot pace.  WOW.  On the Monmouth turf Super Spender was 3/2-1-0 in turf sprints and the 9/5 favorite.  Pressing the pace into the stretch and then she blew the final turn going six wide.  Evenly to the wire 6th.  FINALLY on the board when Moon rainbow won at Woodbine.  How the DRF listed her at 20/1 I'll never know as she left the gate as the 7/5 favorite. 

 

Dame Dorothy was my pick and the 7/5 favorite in the Grade 1 Ballerina going seven furlongs.  The Pletcher-trained filly was a perfect 4-for-4 at this unique distance but was between horses down the backstretch and never fired - 7th....wow.  First time starter Ginger Rush was bet down to 4/5 favoritism in the 6th at Gulfstream.  Led into the stretch under top rider Tyler Gafflione and then weakened to be third.  Conquest Calvary was the 3/1 runner-up at Woodbine in their 6th and Holy Boss was a disappointing third in the Grade 1 King's Bishop - Dave Liftin's "best" of the day.  Pure Cotton was 2nd at 9/5 in Gulfstream's 8th, but in the final race I watched live Private Zone put on a dazzling display of front-running speed when he wired the Grade 1 Forego. He paid a generous $5.20 and with my "prime-time" bet I cashed for over $50!  I headed for home with several tickets in my wallet.  In the 7th at Arlington, the Arlington-Washington Lassie for 2yo fillies Inconclusive was an even fifth at 5/2.  In Woodbine's 9th Playmetheblues was 4th at even money.  Euro import Messi was 6/1 in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer but was a disappointing 7th.  I couldn't bet the logical favorite Flintshire.  He'd just missed in the BC turf last November and had been facing top European turf runners.  But going back to 2013 he had ONE win.  As the favorite?  No thanks.  But as many turf writers pointed out the next day, the fact that this guy had not won in Europe and could STILL beat the best of the North American runners says how much the Euros have over us in grass racing. 

I finally got back in the winner's circle with the feature on the Jersey Shore.  The Grade 3 Violet looked like an even match up, but to me the fact that Photo Call had run four 90 Beyer figures in her six North American starts indicated that she had the best chance.  She was right with the leaders as they spun out of the turn and accelerated with a burst of speed to run away from the field at 2/1! 

 

I had tripled the bet so my winning ticket will be worth $45.  And finally it was time for the Travers.  Not only did Pharoah look best on paper but he was the lone speed.  Right to the front, but normally the stalking Frosted pressed him.  The fractions were not that fast and I had no worry that Frosted would last.  But as they moved down the backstretch it looked to me like American Pharoah was not just gliding along, but was working to maintain the lead.  It's a credit to his courage and ability that heading for home he put Frosted away, after being headed!  And at the 16th pole he looked in spite of not running his "A" game and being pressured he'd still win.  But in the shadow of the wire deep closer Keen Ice, with the best rider in North America Javier Castellano caught him late and paid $34. 

 

In the final graded stakes at Saratoga Coffee Clique was an even 4th at 9/2 - the winner, with Castellano AGAIN paid $14!  I closed the day with a win in the feature at Del Mar when Gimme Da Lute won the listed off El Cajon after winning two straight graded stakes.  There was an inquiry and an objection but his number stayed up.  I had a "prime time" investment, but his 1/5 odds only will get me back a little less than $25.