As a prelude and warm-up to Opening Weekend at Gulfstream I played the races over the Thanksgiving weekend. The highlights were two wins in their career finale in graded events for horses I've followed for several years. Here's how the weekend went.....
On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day I had selections at both the Fair Grounds, where it was Opening Day, and at Churchill Downs. Disappointed overall especially being shut out in New Orleans. But I did pick up two wins in Louisville. The first came in the fourth where Front Street looked to be an "obvious choice" as the early 7/5 program favorite. She had the best speed figures and came off a just-miss at this level last time out. BUT....two back she'd broken her maiden in her TWELFTH trip to the post. Oh my. Still she looked strong if you looked at her current form and connections: Joel Rosario riding for Steve Asmussen. She dueled through the far turn on the inside, and when asked at the top of the lane drew off handily.
Because Front Street was so well played in the WIN pool and in the multi-race wagers I upped the investment! And I got my second win of the day late in the day in the 9th. It was a Maiden Special for juveniles and I liked All In Sync. He had dueled in his debut at Keeneland, led into the stretch and held on to the place in a gutsy performance. You had to figure the $300K son of Maclean's Music would improve off that effort for trainer Asmussen. Much like Front Street, he broke sharply, pressed along the inside to the top of the lane and then ran away as easily best.
Friday was a MUCH better day, and honestly the best day of the three days of racing for me. It was Clark Handicap Day at Churchill and I had picks in New Orleans. Got my first win there in their second, a starter on the turf. Mangelsen looked much the best on paper. There were some angles you COULD take if you didn't like the short price, but I thought he'd be a decisive winner. Right to the front and "walked the dog" through a slow :48.3 half mile to enable him to coast all the way around the track.
Got my first win in Louisville in their sixth, a $20K claimer. The entire field with the exception of one had been running consistently in and around this level or lower. That exception was Hombrazo who'd been keeping company with FIFTY THOUSAND runners. Two back at today's one-turn mile, here, against much steeper company he was a best-of-the-rest second. I upped the bet when the betting clearly favored him. Tyler Gaffalione tracked the leaders on board the roan runner and then let him go at the head of the lane and he was the easiest of winners.
Picked up my second and third winners in New Orleans, again on the turf. This time it was an entry level event going a mile. Money Well Spent looked to be a short price and he was. The conditions were written for non-winners of two lifetime, or non-winners of an allowance race. Most of the field had only a maiden win while 'Money had won SIX times on the turf. Oh. Pressed while three wide to the head of the stretch. Took command and easily held off the late runners with my triple investment on board. And I cashed a third ticket at the Fair Grounds when Spendthrift Farms had an entry in an MSW for juveniles. I preferred Underhill's Tab, and he tracked his stablemate to the stretch then took over to win as the 3/5 choice.
The featured Grade 1 Clark was slated to be the star-crossed multiple graded stakes winning Maxfield's final start before heading off to stud. There was a lot of chatter about 3yo Midnight Bourbon, who was on the rail having the lead all to himself and running away with the race. But for me, 'Bourbon had had many chances and seemed more than content to let someone else win. I also doubted he'd be out there all alone, and I knew that if no one else went Maxfield did not have to be mid-pack. Finally, the fact that Maxfield LOVED Churchill Downs made him my BET of the Weekend. Jockey Jose Ortiz asked right out of the gate and they were on Midnight Bourbon's hip to the far turn before gliding by as easily as can be. But Todd Pletcher's Happy Saver came as a late challenge making the champ work to hold on, but I was never worried and cashed for almost $70. HORRAY for Maxfield!
Maxfield's Grade 1 Clark Replay
Saturday was a long day at the races with only three winners, total. But the first two were in stakes. In Aqueduct's Discovery Stakes I was against the short priced favorite and went instead with Chad Brown's Miles D. What I thought was key was that this stakes event called for NO lasix medication. The favorite, Speaker's Corner, had two gaudy triple digit figures in his last two, BUT both came with the anti-bleeding medication added. And in all his other races without it he ran average numbers at best. Meanwhile, Miles D had run his best two figures, recently WITHOUT the medication. Turning for home it was the favorite on the front end but Miles D wore him down in the final 100 yards for the win and I cashed for nearly $40.
Got the final winner of the weekend at Churchill in a 2yo allowance when Trademark wired the field easily going two turns.
Then at Woodbine, it was the end of a most remarkable career for two-time Canadian champion sprinter and Horse of the Year, Pink Lloyd. He was the 5/2 program choice and I figured he'd be geared up for his final career start for a big effort. I made him my "BEST Bet" of the Day. They loaded in and broke on their way with the champ settling in fifth behind the leaders. As they approached the far turn he began his patented late run. When he moved into fourth his number and odds appeared at the bottom of the screen and I was stunned to see he'd left the gate at an over-inflated 7/2 price. Oh my! He was grinding away and it was a "stretch duel" but I knew the champ was not going to be denied! He surged to the front in the shadow of the wire to win for the 29th time, his 25th career stakes win. And somehow the crowd had allowed him to pay $9.40, so I cashed for almost $100! WHOOO HOOO!
WHAT A CAREER! - Pink Lloyd's Final Win
I am very excited for next weekend because not only is the opening of the Championship Meet at Gulfstream, but for the first time in nearly two years I'll be able to go any day, any time and watch live racing from the grandstand and/or rail!
Social Media
First, on Thanksgiving Day as I watched the races on "America's Day at the Races," my favorite "filly" handicapper Acacia Courtney was again hosting. So I reached out to wish her a happy holiday and she took note of that while on the air :)
Then, I decided I'd take the initiative to wish the same holiday wish to my two favorite CBS-4 news anchors Lauren Pastrana & Karli Barnett. Karli reacted shortly there after....not only with a "like" but her own holiday greeting back to me. So sweet :)
Friday Acacia posted it was her final day with "America's Day at the Races" before heading back to South Florida and the Gulfstream Meet. I again reached out to tell her how glad we'd be to have her "home" and she noted my wishes.
Finally, Saturday night while at the hockey game I was checking Facebook between periods when I noted that Karli was hosting a Facebook Live video chat. I remarked to her and she commented about me being at the arena again :) But even better than that, after the game I was watching college football until a little after 11 pm. As I went to bed I turned on the news as I normally do. By now it was about 11:27 and Karli introduced the final story of the program, about a flight landing in Antarctica. I was still awake and after watching the story I grabbed my phone and messaged her that I'd enjoyed that report and that we would be there next November. By the next morning my girl had messaged me back.
