September 7

Big WIN At Presque Isle!

This is the second time in three years that I was disappointed I had not booked a weekend trip to see my in-laws in Erie, Pa for one of their race track's signature races, the Grade 2 Presque Isle Masters.  But I think I need to make this a MUST DO for next fall.  Because it's Labor Day nearly all the big tracks were running today.  And at Woodbine, today's card substitutes for the usual Wednesday evening card.   I handicapped the Woodbine card and then I added a few other races.  The disappointments first - At Woodbine I had two horses I really felt good about, one that was sure to be a fair price, both scratch.  Then in my "best" of the day in the featured Avowal Stakes, even-money favorite Stellar Path had a picture perfect set-up and trip, but could not catch EITHER of the dueling front runners and was third.  I was also disappointed when Ben's Cat not only didn't win the Grade 2 Turf Monster at Parx, but just didn't fire at all.  The good news was that in the lone play from Gulfstream Park, a non-winners of two lifetime sprint, I thought Big Awesome towered over the field and he ran away from them all. 

 

But the big story of the day was in the featured Grade 2 Masters.  Originally I liked the race because one of my favorite runners, Ageless was entered.  She has won the Very One Stakes for me two years in a row on the Preakness undercard.  But those are turf sprints.  Still, I was willing to make the play heading into this morning.  But today when I looked at the record for Ageless, she just didn't seem to be as good on the main track.  She was third in this spot last year but was facing the winner of that race again.  So I went to the PID web site to see their local handicapper's picks.  He liked Living The Life as well (the winner from last year).  So I checked out her record.  Oh my....her form was "dirtied" with some dirt losses, but if you drew a line through her turf and dirt races you would see that she's on a five race winning streak dating back over a year when racing on synthetic.  And that included a win in this race last year.  I made her the bet.  So about 20 minutes before post time I logged on to watch and the #4 was the 3/5 favorite.  That's me I assumed.  Then I looked at the program and no, I'm #3.  Who is this #4?  So I went back to the PID site to see if he'd listed this filly in his top three.  Hold on a tic, the #4 IS his top pick!  Have I got the wrong runner?  I re-examined the records of the horses (I should add that Ageless had scratched and was therefore no longer an option).  And I thought, no.....I DO have the right pick and I'm a generous 5/2 in the betting.  The video handicapper for PID comes on the screen and tells everyone that the #4, the favorite appears to be the lone speed, but he thinks you might have a chance to run her down.  He likes a 7/1 shot, but mentions my pick, Living The Life as a dangerous runner.  When the gates open the 4 goes right to the front and it looks to me like she is well within herself.  Meanwhile I was off a beat slowly and jockey Joe Bravo was already asking for run through the turn and not really gaining.  As they hit the furlong marker the front runner was asked to sprint for home, but there was NOT a noticeable burst as I would have expected.  If she had been my pick it would have been my first inkling that trouble was afoot!  Meanwhile Living the Life was closed off from rallying wide and in the clear, and just when there appeared to be a seam between runners it closed.  Bravo dove to the rail and immediately the response was evident.  Living the Life was in full flight to the wire and I felt very good about my chances.  She caught the leader outside of a hundred yards from the wire and edged clear as MUCH the best.

 

She paid a very generous $6.80 so I collected nearly $35.  And again, I was wishing I'd gone up there.  When I read later that evening that her owners were already pointing for this spot for next fall I made a mental note......"Trip to Erie, Labor Day 2016.....mark it down!"