At this point, today was CLEARLY the best day of the winter racing season. Not because I had the biggest profit; not because I had the most wins or best win percentage; but simply because it was a great day of racing under perfect Florida winter blue skies and mild temperatures; while on an adventure out of town AND most importantly I got to share the day with family and friends. Just a GREAT day. I was up early to make the drive across Alligator Alley and the car thermostat showed that the outside air temperature never got out of the low 60s - just cruised along with the windows down and downed two cups of coffee as I drove to Englewood. Picked up my father-in-law Ed and we set off for Tampa Bay Downs. We pulled up about 11:15 am and discovered parking was free. When we handed our tickets over we got a voucher for a free umbrella AND a free program. Wow, we're winners without ever starting! I gave Ed the program I'd put together (see below) and he began looking over the races to make his picks. I headed into the gift shop and found the perfect Tampa Bay Downs shirt. Shortly after returning to the seats my great gal-pal Anya - who I'd taught with at both Western High School and Cypress Bay High School arrived with her husband Jack. Soon, they were loading into the gate for the first race......
Race 1 from Tampa was a nw2Y claiming event going a mile and a sixteenth. As I looked at the race the first time it appeared that Financial Freedom on the rail was the probable favorite, and looked like a likely winner. As I looked for alternatives I found the key to the race. Two races back in a nw1Y event Financial Freedom had dropped in for this price tag and was sent off as the 4/5 favorite. He was 2nd in a photo finish behind a horse by the name of China Prince. Looking down through the entries, nearly every horse in the field had been defeated by OPEN lengths by this same China Prince. This made Financial Freedom look even stronger to me. He opened as the 2/1 favorite and the longer the betting went on the more money he took. He left the gate as the 6/5 favorite and shot right to the front. Tampa typically is not kind to front runners but he was strong on the lead and no one came within three lengths of him throughout. One-for-one! As we all cheered I exclaimed, "We're undefeated - time to go home!" :)
I had doubled the bet so I was cashing for nearly $20. I hurried downstairs as post time was approaching for the second at Gulfstream, a maiden claiming event for three-year-olds for a basement price of $12,500. This was a particularly WEAK event and it made the program favorite, Sparky's Surprise, look even stronger as he was dropping from $25K company. AND both of his races had earned a speed figure that would EASILY beat any number earned by the rest of the field. Figured to run at least as well on the drop. He stalked to the top of the stretch, moved three wide to the front, but as he drifted out there was a runner up the rail that made it close, but I was certain I'd won....and I did! TWO for TWO!
I thought the even money price was more than generous and I was holding a ticket worth $20. Went to the windows and cashed both tickets and made my next set of wagering selections. I missed in the Tampa 3rd and the fourth at Gulfstream before cashing my next ticket. This was another live race at Tampa, their fourth. It was an entry level allowance for three-year-olds going seven furlongs. A month ago I'd tabbed Todd Pletcher's Egyptian Hero to break his maiden here. That day it had looked to me that his debut loss at Gulfstream may have been due to not being fully cranked, and a hint to that was that a local rider was up. So when he came here and John Velazquez was riding I thought they were serious. Looked impressive. So today, with Velazquez back up and none of the others looking formidable, I thought he could win right back. The likely alternative was The Cookie Man who already had three wins, but those were in cheap claiming events. That one took the lead and was clear into the turn. Velazquez asked the Egyptian to run and he caught him just outside the furlong pole. It was a thrilling stretch run, but in the final fifty yards Pletcher's colt edged clear! HORRAY!
I thought the $4.40 payoff was fair and I was collecting over $20. I didn't have a bet in the fifth at Tampa so we set this break as our "photo op" time. The four of us headed down to the rail and I asked a guy to take our picture. Then we took turns taking pictures in pairs.....
Missed at Gulfstream and then I was third in the sixth at Tampa where I went with Closing Bell for Bill Mott. I mention this because after the second race here I was walking along and there was Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. I stopped him and shook his hand. When I said, "I've bet a lot of your horses over the years," he smiled broadly and replied, "Well thanks, I hope you're not losing money!" I assured him I was not. Another interesting tidbit was my second choice was Gold Shield and my father-in-law Ed is a big time jockey handicapper. I told him I liked that horse, with John Velazquez, but I thought the race was too short for him as he normally ran in marathon events. Velazquez showed why he's a Hall of Famer as he kept Gold Shield close to the front and they won easily. In the seventh at Gulfstream it was a state-bred AOC with a field full of mostly low level claimers of the $10K variety. I typically don't like to bet those kind of runners right back, but Prudhoe Bay had just scored with authority AND was claimed away by trainer Saffie Joseph. That guy is having a super meet and is winning at a nearly 40% clip first off the claim. He tracked the field into the stretch, came into the straight some three wide and just wore down the leaders before drawing off late.
FOUR WINS - this is MUCH better than last Saturday :) Missed in the seventh at Tampa in the Columbia Stakes when Bird's Eye View was a big 9/1 and ran evenly. I went on a nice winning streak over the next hour, first back at Gulfstream where I won my second in a row in Hallandale. This was an entry level allowance for three-year-olds on the turf. Mo Maverick had won with authority the first time he moved to the inner course and his Beyer figure skyrocketed. Came right back to win in allowance company off that. Then in his last he was a sharp 2nd in a stakes on the main track with a similar figure. I thought he run well on the return to the grass. Right to the front and was never threatened!
When I got back to the seats I'd mentioned that I wanted to watch the next race, the Challenger Stakes from the rail so Jack and I headed down. I'd never had a chance to chat one-on-one with Jack and I enjoyed talking to him while we waited on the rail - a really good guy.....which Anya deserves because she's a really sweet gal. The Challenger was a listed $100K event and the obvious choice was Todd Pletcher's Stanford who was a multiple graded stakes winner. As I told everyone, IF he ran his race he would be way, WAY too good for these. But my "issue" with him was that he had more than once tossed in a clunker. But, he was coming off a 2nd place photo finish loss in the $400K Poseidon - the support race for the "alternate" entries to the $12 Million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup to this $100K spot. We were just down from the gate and he burst out of the gate and was quickly in command. He wired the field in hand and flashed by us to the finish line. An interesting side note....as Jack and I stood on the rail chatting prior to the race I told him the one thing I didn't like about Tampa was that IF you stand on the rail, during the stretch run there are people walking by and they seem to time it so that just as the winner is running by you they block your vision. True to form, just as Stanford passed the furlong pole and I began shooting my video - check out the pic above. Sigh....... I headed inside to the simulcast televisions as I had another race from Gulfstream. There was about eight minutes to post so I circled around to the backside of the mutual windows, pulled out my program (make note of this, it's significant to this story!), and cashed my tickets then made my next series of bets. I remember this distinctly because the amount that was being returned to me after making the bets was $4 and I gave the guy a $1 bill and said, "What a deal, I make bets and get money back" and we both chuckled. So I then headed to the paddock area to film a clip with the winning ticket from the Stanford race. No where good to film. Headed back towards the grandstand facility and found some stairs where I could position my camera and take the clip. I did so and then headed inside to watch the Gulfstream race. After the race (see results & comments below) I went to add my comments and results but wait.....where's my program? It's not in any of my pockets, nor is it in my jacket pocket. I just had it, I know I did. I circled back to the paddock, no - back to the stairs, no - back to the teller's window, no - back to the simulcast area, no. Where is it? Did I leave it at my seat? I'm sure I didn't, as I distinctly remember having it out making the bets. So I retraced my steps again - paddock, stairs, teller, tvs......no. Seriously? Not that it's a huge issue as I have the picks online and I can always document afterwards, but it's how I do it. I went back to the seats and of course it's not there. I told Ed and Anya my story and kindly Anya gave me her program that I'd made for her. No, no I said, but she insisted. I thanked her and made a note about the last race then told them I was heading down to film from a closer vantage point. As I walked down the stairs I hitched up my pants and went to re-tuck my shirt in down my back and then....felt it, THERE'S my program! I'd put it inside my belt during the video filming. Went back up to tell everyone about my senior moment :) Well, at least I got some extra walking in :))))
So the race at Gulfstream was the 9th, a claiming race going six furlongs. At first glance the field was pretty nondescript, but then I noticed.....Starship Apollo had been claimed for this $6.25K price tag two back by top claiming conditioner Jorge Navarro. I've seen him do this so many times.....raised 'Apollo up in price where he ran evenly, and now today he was returning to the claim level. Nearly always the Navarro runners respond to this with a big effort. He was my play. He saved ground through the turn, slide outside four wide into the stretch and caught the leaders inside the final 16th to score! And the best part.....the price!
Went off at a generous 4/1 so I cashed for nearly $30! The one race that I wish I'd won was the next, my "BEST" of the day at Tampa in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks. At the beginning of the day Anya remarked to me that she'd read through all the material I'd sent them and she found it interesting that I mentioned one jockey who nearly never won for me - Julian Leparoux. And I smiled and told her that ironically he was riding my BEST BET of the day - that was La Coronel here. He rated he to the stretch, split horses and forged to a narrow lead but was caught in the final strides by a well-timed ride from a deep closing rival. You can't really blame Leparoux for that, but I will - he should have made a better timed ride! See the photo at right. Right back with my first selection at Santa Anita where Paradise Woods was MUCH the best in a maiden special sprint for sophomores. Cashed for nearly $20. I was disappointed - despite running off three in a row at Gulfstream - that I didn't win the tenth. It was a MSW on the turf and I liked Hieroglyphics who had been nosed out at 11/1 when close to the pace a month ago when I won that race with a closing Chad Brown filly. I thought he looked like the lone speed, but he pressed a longshot, forged to the front into the stretch, but weakened late to finish fourth at 2/1. The tenth at Tampa was the Grade 2 Hillsborough and I'd been hoping that Breeders' Cup Champion Tepin would make her 2017 debut here, but it was announced a week ago that she wouldn't make the race. I told Ed that Isabella Sings was the logical favorite and indeed had been my Tampa Best a month ago in the prep for this, the Grade 3 Endeavour. But I also told him I didn't think today was her day, especially at this nine furlong distance. My two alternatives were Swiss Range who was a Euro import who'd run well when just missing in a Woodbine Grade 1 in her first NA start. The other alternative was Dickinson who was exiting a Grade 3 win at Gulfstream and I thought she had a good chance, but I preferred Swiss Range. Should have gone with Dickinson who won with my pick running fifth at 4/1. The fifth race at Santa Anita, where it was "Big 'Cap Day" was the Grade 2 San Felipe, their last prep for the 3yo colts shooting for the Santa Anita Derby and hopefully a Run for the Roses on the first Saturday in May. Bob Baffert, like Todd Pletcher in the east, always has several top colts. This year's star is Mastery who was a perfect 3-for-3 with two Grade 1 wins. The only question was if he was ready coming off a layoff when he won the Los Alamitos Futurity in mid-December. But Baffert, like most top trainers spot their lightly raced prized colts carefully when they are unbeaten. If Mastery had already lost once or twice they might use this as a prep race and have him fully cranked for the SA Derby. But being unbeaten, I expected a sharp effort. And he was as he wired the field easily.
The bad news was that shortly after passing the wire jockey Mike Smith thought he was acting funny and when they took x-rays back at the barn they discovered Mastery had a leg injury and so he's off the Derby trail. In the Tampa Bay Derby I wasn't a fan of either Sonic Mule or Tapwrit who were both Pletcher colts. But I just had this feeling that one might win, most likely Tapwrit who was a strong closing second in the Gr 3 Sam Davis, the prep for this. The star of the day should have been the unbeaten McCracken, but he had to withdraw due to a minor injury and he's now pointing for the Bluegrass Stakes in a few weeks. But I went for the upset with Beasley who'd run strongly when facing Todd Pletcher's Battalion Runner. I've seen that guy win his maiden debut and then his allowance start last time out - both as my BET of the Day - and now he's being pointed for the Florida Derby. Beasley was a nice 9/2 at post time but ran evenly. We headed out after the Derby and the exit from the parking lot was one of the smoothest and quickest from a major sporting event I've ever enjoyed! We made good time back to Englewood and had a late dinner with my mother-in-law Peggy. After we finished eating I checked my four late races. Lost back to back in races where you just had to smile and say "whatever"......in Gulfstream's Silks Run Stakes Power Alert was the 4/5 favorite and was a perfect 5-for-5 at Gulfstream....until today, 2nd. Then in Santa Anita's Grade 1 Triple Bend Masochistic was the LONE speed, a multiple graded stakes winner, and a perfect 3-for-3 at this distance. Loose on the lead to the stretch when a 19/1 longshot ran by him. Ironically that longshot had been my pick last time out as the favorite and had lost! But I closed the day with a nice win in Santa Anita's China Doll Stakes. At first glance I wasn't feeling strongly about any of these, but DRF analyst Brad Free is one of only a couple national handicappers that I value his opinion and he made Sircat Sally his BET of the Day saying, "....she's undefeated, faster than these others and the most probable winner on the card...." She was easily the best as the 6/5 favorite.
For the day I finished an excellent 10-for-22, 45% with five seconds and a third. Next weekend is Oaklawn's final set of prep races for their big Arkansas Derby Day extravaganza....and Kim & I will be meeting Keith in Hot Springs for that adventure in mid-April, so I'll be playing that card as well as Gulfstream's live races on Saturday for the feature activity of the week.
Race 1 from Tampa was a nw2Y claiming event going a mile and a sixteenth. As I looked at the race the first time it appeared that Financial Freedom on the rail was the probable favorite, and looked like a likely winner. As I looked for alternatives I found the key to the race. Two races back in a nw1Y event Financial Freedom had dropped in for this price tag and was sent off as the 4/5 favorite. He was 2nd in a photo finish behind a horse by the name of China Prince. Looking down through the entries, nearly every horse in the field had been defeated by OPEN lengths by this same China Prince. This made Financial Freedom look even stronger to me. He opened as the 2/1 favorite and the longer the betting went on the more money he took. He left the gate as the 6/5 favorite and shot right to the front. Tampa typically is not kind to front runners but he was strong on the lead and no one came within three lengths of him throughout. One-for-one! As we all cheered I exclaimed, "We're undefeated - time to go home!" :)
I had doubled the bet so I was cashing for nearly $20. I hurried downstairs as post time was approaching for the second at Gulfstream, a maiden claiming event for three-year-olds for a basement price of $12,500. This was a particularly WEAK event and it made the program favorite, Sparky's Surprise, look even stronger as he was dropping from $25K company. AND both of his races had earned a speed figure that would EASILY beat any number earned by the rest of the field. Figured to run at least as well on the drop. He stalked to the top of the stretch, moved three wide to the front, but as he drifted out there was a runner up the rail that made it close, but I was certain I'd won....and I did! TWO for TWO!
I thought the even money price was more than generous and I was holding a ticket worth $20. Went to the windows and cashed both tickets and made my next set of wagering selections. I missed in the Tampa 3rd and the fourth at Gulfstream before cashing my next ticket. This was another live race at Tampa, their fourth. It was an entry level allowance for three-year-olds going seven furlongs. A month ago I'd tabbed Todd Pletcher's Egyptian Hero to break his maiden here. That day it had looked to me that his debut loss at Gulfstream may have been due to not being fully cranked, and a hint to that was that a local rider was up. So when he came here and John Velazquez was riding I thought they were serious. Looked impressive. So today, with Velazquez back up and none of the others looking formidable, I thought he could win right back. The likely alternative was The Cookie Man who already had three wins, but those were in cheap claiming events. That one took the lead and was clear into the turn. Velazquez asked the Egyptian to run and he caught him just outside the furlong pole. It was a thrilling stretch run, but in the final fifty yards Pletcher's colt edged clear! HORRAY!
I thought the $4.40 payoff was fair and I was collecting over $20. I didn't have a bet in the fifth at Tampa so we set this break as our "photo op" time. The four of us headed down to the rail and I asked a guy to take our picture. Then we took turns taking pictures in pairs.....
Missed at Gulfstream and then I was third in the sixth at Tampa where I went with Closing Bell for Bill Mott. I mention this because after the second race here I was walking along and there was Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. I stopped him and shook his hand. When I said, "I've bet a lot of your horses over the years," he smiled broadly and replied, "Well thanks, I hope you're not losing money!" I assured him I was not. Another interesting tidbit was my second choice was Gold Shield and my father-in-law Ed is a big time jockey handicapper. I told him I liked that horse, with John Velazquez, but I thought the race was too short for him as he normally ran in marathon events. Velazquez showed why he's a Hall of Famer as he kept Gold Shield close to the front and they won easily. In the seventh at Gulfstream it was a state-bred AOC with a field full of mostly low level claimers of the $10K variety. I typically don't like to bet those kind of runners right back, but Prudhoe Bay had just scored with authority AND was claimed away by trainer Saffie Joseph. That guy is having a super meet and is winning at a nearly 40% clip first off the claim. He tracked the field into the stretch, came into the straight some three wide and just wore down the leaders before drawing off late.
FOUR WINS - this is MUCH better than last Saturday :) Missed in the seventh at Tampa in the Columbia Stakes when Bird's Eye View was a big 9/1 and ran evenly. I went on a nice winning streak over the next hour, first back at Gulfstream where I won my second in a row in Hallandale. This was an entry level allowance for three-year-olds on the turf. Mo Maverick had won with authority the first time he moved to the inner course and his Beyer figure skyrocketed. Came right back to win in allowance company off that. Then in his last he was a sharp 2nd in a stakes on the main track with a similar figure. I thought he run well on the return to the grass. Right to the front and was never threatened!
NOTE: This is a photo I took from the rail :)
So the race at Gulfstream was the 9th, a claiming race going six furlongs. At first glance the field was pretty nondescript, but then I noticed.....Starship Apollo had been claimed for this $6.25K price tag two back by top claiming conditioner Jorge Navarro. I've seen him do this so many times.....raised 'Apollo up in price where he ran evenly, and now today he was returning to the claim level. Nearly always the Navarro runners respond to this with a big effort. He was my play. He saved ground through the turn, slide outside four wide into the stretch and caught the leaders inside the final 16th to score! And the best part.....the price!
The bad news was that shortly after passing the wire jockey Mike Smith thought he was acting funny and when they took x-rays back at the barn they discovered Mastery had a leg injury and so he's off the Derby trail. In the Tampa Bay Derby I wasn't a fan of either Sonic Mule or Tapwrit who were both Pletcher colts. But I just had this feeling that one might win, most likely Tapwrit who was a strong closing second in the Gr 3 Sam Davis, the prep for this. The star of the day should have been the unbeaten McCracken, but he had to withdraw due to a minor injury and he's now pointing for the Bluegrass Stakes in a few weeks. But I went for the upset with Beasley who'd run strongly when facing Todd Pletcher's Battalion Runner. I've seen that guy win his maiden debut and then his allowance start last time out - both as my BET of the Day - and now he's being pointed for the Florida Derby. Beasley was a nice 9/2 at post time but ran evenly. We headed out after the Derby and the exit from the parking lot was one of the smoothest and quickest from a major sporting event I've ever enjoyed! We made good time back to Englewood and had a late dinner with my mother-in-law Peggy. After we finished eating I checked my four late races. Lost back to back in races where you just had to smile and say "whatever"......in Gulfstream's Silks Run Stakes Power Alert was the 4/5 favorite and was a perfect 5-for-5 at Gulfstream....until today, 2nd. Then in Santa Anita's Grade 1 Triple Bend Masochistic was the LONE speed, a multiple graded stakes winner, and a perfect 3-for-3 at this distance. Loose on the lead to the stretch when a 19/1 longshot ran by him. Ironically that longshot had been my pick last time out as the favorite and had lost! But I closed the day with a nice win in Santa Anita's China Doll Stakes. At first glance I wasn't feeling strongly about any of these, but DRF analyst Brad Free is one of only a couple national handicappers that I value his opinion and he made Sircat Sally his BET of the Day saying, "....she's undefeated, faster than these others and the most probable winner on the card...." She was easily the best as the 6/5 favorite.
For the day I finished an excellent 10-for-22, 45% with five seconds and a third. Next weekend is Oaklawn's final set of prep races for their big Arkansas Derby Day extravaganza....and Kim & I will be meeting Keith in Hot Springs for that adventure in mid-April, so I'll be playing that card as well as Gulfstream's live races on Saturday for the feature activity of the week.
View from our seats :)
Tampa Bay Derby Day Highlights
The Tampa Bay Derby Program
No comments:
Post a Comment