Week 10

February 1 - 5

February 1

The first week of the new month started off strongly.  Unfortunately by week's end the number of winners had slowed considerably.  But the week was not without it's stories!  Last week when my Mom and I were at the races we contacted my cousin Karen, who I knew growing up from our visits to Louisville.  Well, Karen lives about 90 minutes north of us and she has recently enjoyed coming down for a day at the races, especially when my Mom is in town.  So we asked if she'd like to come down for a day this week and she chose today.  I handicapped Tampa's card to go with the picks for Gulfstream.  

In the opener Todd Pletcher's Blame It On Dixie was the 8/5 favorite but stopped on the turn to be sixth.  But I bounced right back in the 2nd at Tampa.  A 2nd level allowance going a mile and a sixteenth, Heredity was sent out by Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey from his So Fla base to run here.  With limited horses shipping to Oldsmar he's won with over 40%.  The lightly raced Heredity would face his stiffest challenge from Tampa Horse-for-the-Course Twocubanbroersu who had seven wins over the sandy Tampa track and eight at the distance.  The two hit the top of the lane together but it was Heredity who was easily best.  The $3.20 payoff netted me a return of $16.00.  Back up in the stands to watch the second at Gulfstream and my top choice was Calling Me Home who had paired Beyer figures, indicating a move forward might be in the offing.  In the last she set the pace before being caught late, but held second.  The winner that day came back to win the Sunshine Millions Distaff as the 3/5 favorite!  Calling Me Home pressed the pace into the lane, opened up and then held off a late challenge.  

The even money favorite returned $30 to me on my triple investment.  Right back in the third which was my "BEST" of the day.  Mutaraamy was sent out by Kiaran McLaughlin.  He had earned a 93 Beyer in his debut here last winter which would not only win most maiden races, but most stakes races for three-year-olds.  But that day he was 2nd best behind Unified who exited that win to win back to back graded stakes.  In his second start, at Keeneland he ran third in another ultra-strong 3yo spot.  Off since then his numbers said he would be tons the best.  The only concern was the barn's low win percentage with long layoffs.  But sometimes talent trumps all other angles.  I planned on making him a big bet and I upped the bet to $30 to win.  He pressed to the turn and I could tell from my rail position that the rider had a ton of horse under him.  When let loose he cruised to a decisive score for my third consecutive win!  What a day!  

But that proved to be the end of that.  In the fourth Starship Apollo was fifth at 7/2 when coming up empty on the turn.  At Tampa Tizk Tizk dueled to the top of the stretch before being outfinished, second best at 8/5.  Pomera showed little in the 6th at Gulfstream as did Ruckus in the 7th on the turf.  In the 8th it was my upset special - Total Joing stalked the leaders into the turn and opened up at a big 5/1 price.  The favorite had trailed throughout but came flying at the end to be up in time.  Oh so close.  At Tampa I backed Naifah who was 4/5 and had already lost several times at odds-on, but I thought today was his day.  He was checked at the top of the stretch before finishing second, again.  We left after that.  In the two late races Artytype was second at 5/2 when caught on the wire to close out the day.  Still, enjoyed the day at the races, being with the ladies and hitting my BEST Bet!

Wednesday Recap

Thursday February 2

I thought today might be the day I had a solid day of wins, but no.  I won the opener when Fletcher is Golden was pounded down to 1/5 odds.  Trapped on the turn with no where to run, when he got free he illustrated why he'd been so heavily bet.  

But, that was it for the day.  Second at 2/1 in the 4th, sixth at 5/2 in the fifth;  a good handicapping pick, but no win when Midnight In Giada was 10/1 and a sharp 4th in the 7th.  Travis County was too far back in the 8th, finishing a late-running second at 9/5 and finally St Louie was the 3/2 choice with dead aim on the 12/1 front runner turning for home.....couldn't get by, second again.  Disappointing day.

Friday February 3

It was more of the same through the first four selections of the day today.  An unbelievable 3rd at 3/5 with Javier Castellano for Todd Pletcher in the 2nd - luckily with the way he's been riding I only invested the minimum.  Third at 7/2 in the fifth and third AGAIN as the 4/5 favorite when Blenheim Place didn't have a stretch punch for John Velazquez/Shug McGaughey on the turf.  A hugely disappointing sixth at 5/2 in the 7th before we got to the BET of the Week.  I had bet on Battalion Runner in his debut for Todd Pletcher on December 31 and he had been very impressive.  Leading up to today's races Pletcher was quoted as saying he'd considered Battalion Runner for tomorrow's Grade 2 Holy Bull and to challenge the current Derby favorite, two-year-old and Breeders' Cup champion Classic Empire.  But he opted for this more conservative allowance spot to stretch out the talented colt.  My plan was to bet $50 to win, but as they were in the post parade I doubled my own bet.  Watched it live on my new big screen in the family room.  He tracked a talented front runner; dueled with him halfway to the first-line finish and edged clear.

On to graded stakes!  WHOOO HOOOO.  Made the day, especially after finishing 8th and 3rd in the two final races of the day with minimum plays.

Saturday February 4:  Holy Bull Day

I headed out to Gulfstream today for I was hoping would be a day where I "caught up" on winners.  And I did score with eleven top picks, including four stakes wins and a 35% overall winning average.  But I lost money for the day when three top selections, and big investments disappointed.  In the fourth, the $100K listed Kitten's Joy Todd Pletcher sent out multiple graded stakes winning Made You Look who already had an impressive win over the course against a field without a graded winner.  Sent off at 1/2 he was kept too far back by Castellano who then didn't get the colt a clear running path, choosing to stay inside where he was in traffic.  Late run to be a non-threatening third.  I rallied during the day to be ahead heading into the last page of selections.  Classic Empire, the two year-old champion, Breeders' Cup Juvenile Champion, and current leading Kentucky Derby contender had been training well for his 2017 debut.  Sent off at 1/2 he struggled all the way around and was fortunate to be a well-beaten third.  Then at Oaklawn Ivan Fallonavalot was the prohibitive 2/5 favorite in the King Cotton Stakes.  This guy was 5-for-7 locally and had won 6 of his last 7 starts with the only loss being in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint!  Evenly to be third.  HUGE disappointment.  Still I enjoyed being at Gulfstream on a big event day, with gorgeous weather, and a big crowd.

Read the day-specific journal HERE

Holy Bull Day Recap

Sunday February 5

I had five selections at Gulfstream on Sunday, but the day would be determined by my prime-time pick of Todd Pletcher's debuting Secret Recruit in the third.  Fifth at 7/5, sigh.....the other results produced a sixth place finish at 4/5 in the 2nd; th place at 6/1 in the 4th; 2nd at 5/2 in the 7th and off the board at 2/1 in the tenth.  Truly though I felt pretty excited about the day when I watched the BET of the Day from Santa Anita - the Grade 2 Las Virgenes for three-year-old fillies beginning their path to the Santa Anita Oaks and then the Kentucky Oaks.  The race featured the return of 2yo champ and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly winner Champagne Room.  But I KNEW she would not be the favorite because of the presence of 3yo sensation Unique Bella.  Still I was hopeful that with the juvenile champ in the lineup I might get a "fair" price.  No way - 1/9, the crowd wasn't fooled.  And in spite of trying two turns for the first time it was a DAZZLING display of ability as she cantered home without ever being asked.  This filly is amazing!  What a way to finish the week.

Grade 2 Las Virgenes Replay