Caribbean Classic Week

December 5th - 9th

The first full week of racing at the Championship Meet - nothing like winter thoroughbred racing in Hallandale Beach1

Wednesday December 5th

As I handicapped the Wednesday card it reminded me of a Calder-esque kind of card without any "real Gulfstream" kind of races or horses.  As a result over the ten race card I had only three selections and only one where I went more than the minimum.  That came in the opener, a maiden claiming event going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf course.  False Info was from the barn of Todd Pletcher, which made picking him all the easier.  He'd debuted on the dirt at Gulfstream Park West in a Maiden Special sprint.  He'd had trouble when trying to rally which added to the appeal.  Until last winter nearly always a Pletcher runner who ran at GPW was a play-against for me; any Pletcher runner on the turf and especially going dirt-to-turf was also a play against.  But I had the best winter I've ever had last year largely because early on I saw all of those winning for the top trainer.  With two-time riding champ Luis Saez on False Info, I doubled the bet.  Saez saved ground to the far turn, moved three-wide to challenge the leaders and drew even in the stretch.  Edged clear and drew off late at $4.60 meaning I'd cashed the first bet of the week for nearly $25.

But that proved to be it for the day.  In the only other two plays, both for the minimum, I ran 9th as the 4/5 favorite and then 7th at 3/1 in the finale.

Thursday December 6th

I found the Thursday card much more "Gulfstream-like" when I handicapped.  As a result I had seven selections from the ten races and I felt pretty good about them all, and some were at what I thought would be fair prices.  I got fair prices most of the day, but not a single win.  My best chance came in the eighth when I had Hidden Facts, the 3/2 favorite.  It was a Maiden Special for 2yo - no, there weren't any Pletcher runners.  He'd faltered on the lead previously but looked to be the lone speed and much the best of these.  He set sail and was four clear heading into the far turn.  The fractions looked fast but jockey Julian Leparoux hadn't moved a muscle.  The field began gaining through the turn, but he still held the advantage inside the 16th pole.  But with less than 50 yards to go the 53/1 winner, yes fifty-three to one, edged by him.  Wow.

Friday December 7th

After the disappointment of Thursday I didn't know what to think of the Friday card.  But I DID know that my experience has been that in the long run it all evens out.  When I'm not hitting at the usual 33-35% clip, just be patient - I'll go on a run of high percentage wins and all is right with the handicapping world!  I was a late running 2nd in the opener at 3/1.  Then a no-show at 9/2 in the 3rd.  In the fifth it was a maiden claiming event for older runners going a mile on the turf.  The obvious favorite was King Orb.  He had been a $300K purchase and originally ran for Todd Pletcher before dropping into maiden claimers and changing barns.  The on-air analysts all talked like he was a solid single in the multi-race wagers.  I thought he was suspect.  And I thought even more suspect because C Major was in the race - he WAS a Todd Pletcher runner and he had Luis Saez up....just like the Wednesday opener where I won with False Info.  He too had debuted at GPW and had not only been wide on the turn for home but on the first turn as well and still had finished second.  He was 6/1 in the program and I was hopeful of getting a fair price.  I have to admit I took a second look at King Orb because he was getting pounded in the multi-race wagers, but I stuck with my pick.  While the favorite struggled in fifth to the far turn, Saez had C Major well in hand pressing the leader.  On the turn he took over and opened up.  He ran away to score by daylight and King Orb didn't even hit the board.  The best part.....C Major paid over $9 so I was cashing for nearly $50!  WHOOOO HOOOO!

I was fifth in the sixth race at 5/1 and I was hopeful of the "score of the day" in the 7th.  Last year I'd been handicapping and found a maiden race with a runner named Pretty Shea D.  From my days at Cypress Day High two of my most favorite girls were Kimmy Westmoreland and her partner in crime Christy Shade - who has the Facebook name of "Sea Shadey."  (That's Kimmy on the left, and Christy on the right)  I went with that filly on that day and 8/1 and she was a good second.  Went with her the next time and she disappointed.  Hadn't seen her since but she was in here today, and despite the name association I didn't like her chances.  Instead I thought that Irish Fix had a real upset chance with Paco Lopez.  This was a turf sprint and Irish Fix not only had the inside draw but had clearly the quickest early speed.  I could see Paco bursting out of the gate and sailing all the way to the wire.  She did go off at a big price, 7/1 but instead rated off the leaders and came running late.  But the 7/1 winner had been analyst Ron Nicoletti's "Upset Special" and she went wire to wire at 7/1.  Sigh....  The eighth was one of "those" races for which Gulfstream is noted.  Nearly every runner in this no-conditions allowance was a former graded stakes winner, but they all had been winless for a long time and/or had been away for a long time.  I liked Todd Pletcher's Biblical with John Velazquez.  Went off at a big 5/1 but ran evenly to be 7th.  In the 9th race it was an entry level allowance, which I typically find difficult to separate the contenders.  It is typical that I avoid these races because there are so many with solid chances.  But here I decided to go the minimum investment on Goodthingstaketime.  She had begun her career in Europe and after four starts (two of them seconds) she came to the US and promptly broke her maiden.  Since then she'd run in SIX STRAIGHT stakes races, four of them graded, earning four show checks and a runner-up check.  She most certainly would appreciate the class relief, but was she the kind that just likes to be close without winning was the issue.  I decided it was worth the minimum investment.  But as I watched the handicappers show prior to the start of the day's races all three talked at length about how Goodthingstaketime was a near "gimme" in the multi-race wagers.  As I watched the races streaming live I considered upping the bet.  When the 9th rolled around I checked all the multi-race payoffs and she was an overwhelming favorite.  I decided to go from a $5 bet to a $15 bet.  As they hit the far turn and she was still sixth I wondered about my decision.  But Irad Ortiz timed it perfectly and once in the clear in the lane she blew by to be up in the shadow of the wire and guarantee a winning day.

Finished 11th of twelve in the finale at 2/1, but I'd had a winning day and was hopeful it would set the stage for a big day Saturday at the races!

Saturday December 8th

This time last year Gulfstream hosted the Caribbean Classic Day card for the first time and I have to admit I was disappointed.  Five stakes with all Latin American runners where reading the Form is like looking at Chinese.  But there were six two-year-old stakes races prior to the Latin American races, and the same thing held true today.  So I handicapped several tracks and figured I could leave early for the hockey game.  But I found two Caribbean races I liked and won them both.  I won five of nine at Gulfstream and fourteen of twenty-five overall - had a great day.  Click HERE to read the detailed stories.

Caribbean Classic Day Highlights - Part 1

Caribbean Classic Day Highlights - Part 2

Sunday December 9th

After such a big day I thought maybe this would be a "return to normal" kind of day that balanced out the win percentage for the week.  And with eight picks from ten races I knew I'd have to be right on at least three or four to keep that from happening.  Not that I wasn't confident in my picks, but I have seen many times a Sunday card ruin the week's numbers after a huge Saturday.  So when it rained in Hallandale and we were off the turf, reducing my eight picks to four I wasn't totally disappointed.  In the second, a non-winners of 3-lifetime I noted that R Lucky Dice was either much the best or somebody would be the "upset special."  Rolled the front at 2/5 and clear into the stretch.....caught by a longshot.  Sigh.  Ran fifth as the 6/5 favorite in a 2yo maiden claimer - not a Pletcher!  In the 6th Dizzy Gillespie had Luis Saez and buried in his past performances were a string of 80 plus Beyers, HERE and at this one-turn mile.  He was dropping in class and with the top rider I thought he'd run back to those.  He did - just wish I'd invested more than the minimum.

So I was close to even heading into my "best" - a Pletcher first timer in a 2yo maiden special  John Velazquez up I was confident.  But as seems to be the theme in the short seven days of the meet, my pick missed the break.  Moved into contention then faded through the stretch.  I won't remember a lot about the Wed, Thur, Fri, and Sun cards but I will remember the BIG day Saturday!