December 18 - 21
First week back from our big Christmas Markets adventure and it was back to a regular routine. I decided to see if I could bring some winter snow to So Fla so I tried the FB messenger AI program. After trying several different directives I finally was able to get a snow-covered pool-deck in our back yard. How "cool" is that, literally. Then I took a video of myself with the morning coffee in a Christmas/Mickey sweater and took three still poses from it. Manipulated it the same way until I got another snowy scene. Check the photo at the bottom of the journal and note not only how it created this winter scene, but the details. In particular, note how there is snow on my shoe :) For the races this week, I got my first winner in the second on Thursday, a maiden claiming turf route. I had originally planned to pass the race but had noted that Amelia was the only runner who'd run to par, but that was on the synthetic. Wasn't ready to pull the trigger in a cheap $17.5K maiden event until while watching FanDuel TV both analysts singled her in a multi-race sequence. Jumped in and she won for fun.
Ran second and third in the other two bets before the finale where I had selected Cairo Comedy in this 2yo maiden claiming turf route. She'd only tried turf once in her four-race career but it had produced the best figure she'd ever run. Saved ground thru the far turn, swung three wide into the lane and powered past to score. And at a healthy $6.60 payoff which was nice.
Friday I thought I had a real chance in four races but two scratched out. The "Bet of the Week" came in the featured seventh, an allowance event which marked the return of 2024 Florida Derby winner Tappan Street. Had not been seen since the Derby last March....facing older for the first time.....and certainly has bigger targets down the road. But on paper he just looked so much the best. Tracked the leaders into the turn while being encouraged all the way. Worked hard to run down the leader in the final furlong but was clearly the class of the field. To me it appeared that he wasn't fully geared up, but as I anticipated, on talent alone he was just too good for this field. The biggest "ticket" I cashed for the week came later in the day Thursday as the distribution of the $2.5 Million sales of my filly Seismic Beauty was distributed. I was hoping for maybe $50 or so, but instead it was over $150 per share and I had two shares - whooooo hoooooo!
Saturday I normally either would have played more tracks and/or actually gone to Gulfstream as it was the first big Saturday of the winter with multiple stakes races. But there was a Panthers hockey game with an early 6pm faceoff and we were taking our two grandsons and their Mom to the game, so I played only the Fair Grounds & Gulfstream from the "Sunrise Simulcast Center." Unfortunately through the first four plus hours of racing I cashed only one ticket from the ten races I played. OUCH, that's not a good sign for the way the day would turn out. Only Lynn's Milky Way was able to get to the wire - and just barely at that - in an entry level allowance sprint. Made the rest of the bets and we headed to the game.
We enjoyed being at the game but after two periods our Panthers ran out of gas. Understandably as Friday night they'd rallied from 0-3 with ten minutes left in the game to pull out a remarkable shoot-out win 4-3. Once we returned home I pulled up the replays starting with the Grade 3 Harlan's Holiday, the local prep for next month's $3 Million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup. I like Saffie Joseph's Skippylongstocking who I anticipated being overbet to a short priced favorite. He was 4-for-5 at this distance and off a freshening since disappointing in the longer Gr 2 Charles Town Classic I expected a bounce back effort. Surprisingly he did NOT go off as the favorite. Saved ground between and behind horses to the top of the lane when Tyler Gaffalione split rivals and got to the front heading for the first finish line. Dueled to the final 100 yards before just edging clear. The generous $6.80 payoff led to a return of over $50!
In New Orleans they too had a multi-stakes program, the "Road To The Derby Kickoff" which featured two 2yo stakes as preps for their Oaks & Derby later this spring. In the Tenacious Stakes my top choice scratched out but I had thought that Not This Boy was the horse to beat so I went with him. Right to the front and was pressured all the way. In the lane he dug in and gamely was first on the wire!
Made it three in a row in the Grade 3 Fort Lauderdale going 9f on the turf, the prep for the Gr 1 Pegasus Turf with Wolfie's Dynaghost. Like the Tenacious, my top choice scratched out but I had thought that the one to fear was 'Wolfie who had a chance to steal it. Set a wicked :22 and change, :45 and change pace - way too fast for the distance and I was certain he'd fade. But instead he kicked away through the lane and set a new course record!
Ran second in another FG stakes before the 2yo filly Hit Parade dueled through the lane and was JUST up on the wire to win the Untappable Stakes. Lost the final play, but I'd finished the day with a 4-for-6 rally and came close to getting back to even on the day. Considering the way the day started, I was delighted with those results!
Sunday I began the racing day in R2, a Maiden Optional Claiming where Todd Pletcher's $400K Been Busy looked to have found a pretty soft field. Pressed the leader into the lane, dueled to the 16th pole then edged clear late.
Sky's Not Falling was the DRF BEST Bet of the Day in R5. I thought in this $35K "beaten" turf route he looked best, but far from being a "best" bet. Tracked the leaders while fourth to the top of the stretch. Swung out into the clear and ran them all down for my second win.
Closed the day and the week with Maerdama in a two-lifetime claiming sprint. I got a little extra satisfaction when GP analyst Brian Nandau - who I don't think is much of a handicapper honestly - said he would be playing against the likely favorite. OK, so he's had some winners over the years, but his opinion does little if anything to influence my choices. In fact I prefer that he goes a different direction :)
Saturday Racing Highlights
Happy Holidays!
Social media this week............
Back home we're back to little human interaction except with my lovely wife, so I was appreciative of some social media contact this week. This week was Chloe Nelson's birthday. Loved the pic of her and her puppy, Millie :)
One of the highlights of the week came while I was at the hockey game on Friday. I opened FB during the second intermission and there was Karli Barnett doing a FB Live. So, even though I couldn't hear in the arena I messaged her a "Happy Holidays" message and figured I would check after the game to see if she saw it and replied. I was so delighted when I saw that she did see it, and the look of happiness (captured in the still below) was really cool for me. And then she not only remarked about the game but went on to talk about how I was a "world traveler" and must be back from my Christmas Markets trip. She's a sweet girl and I appreciate her friendship.
Regular gal-pal Lauren Pastrana and I had several interactions this week - about her two well-deserved Emmy awards and about the retirement of her 10-year partner and long time So Fla news anchor Elliot Rodriguez.
