New Year's Week

 Racing Into The New Year:  December 29 - January 2

It was the final week of racing in 2021 as we headed into the New Year and with it begins the journey towards the Florida Derby & Florida Oaks at the end of the meet.  The first two days of racing saw me score with two runners on both days.  On Wednesday, the first betting selection came in the second race of the day where I thought Tone Feelin was the best option in this nw3L event going a one turn mile.  It was a bit disconcerting that he'd taken FIFTEEN tries to break his maiden.  BUT, he'd won two of his last three and he'd passed horses from a pressing style in those.  Sat just off the pace to the inside of the front runner, got clear of that one on the turn and then gamely held off the closers to get the win.

In the seventh it was a MSW going six furlongs and the question was to go with the experience or the debut runner from Chad Brown.  Brian Lynch's Only Kidding had backed up after showing speed in all three of her starts but I thought with Luis Saez up today she'd wire the field.  The Chad Brown firster might be good enough, but Brown was off to an 0-for start to the meet to date.  Saez cleverly let the filly sit just to the outside of the dueling leaders to the far turn.  Inhaled the leaders and then drove clear to win by daylight.  I'll be content with a 2-for-6 on the day.

On Thursday it was a similar result from my handicapping selections.  As I'd looked at the field for the third on the day, a maiden claiming event going six and a half furlongs I did agree with the on air analysts that trusting Beth's Dream, especially at a short price was difficult.  She'd not been seen since October.....of 2020.  Oh my.  And she was plunging from MSW to MC $16K off the long break.  But, that Luis Saez was willing to take the call and that she had two swift bullet works told me that today was the day for the filly.  Right to the front and dueled for the opening quarter, but I could tell she was well within hand.  Opened up without being asked on the turn and when Saez asked her to kick for home boy did she!  Opened up to win by nearly ten lengths going away in an impressive performance.

Got the second and final win of the day in the in my last play of the day, the seventh where it was a starter optional claiming event going a mile-70 on the Tapeta.  Two runners looked very equal - Omnia and Pearlescent.  As I noted, the numbers usually don't lie.  While the runners looked similar, with Omnia you had Luis Saez on board with 26 wins and trainer Jorge Delgado who had five wins and was 29% first off the claim.  With Pearlescent you got Leonel Reyes who was 8-for-68 at the meet riding for trainer Elizabeth Dobles who was 1-for-12.  Omnia went right to the front and led them on a merry chase as the 5/2 second choice while outdueling the 4/5 Pearlescent.  WHOOO HOOO.  

Later that night I took my oldest son Jeff and his son Cameron to the Panthers game where we were playing our arch-rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning who'd won nine of their last ten.  We BLASTED them by a whopping 9-3 score....NINE goals!  Only the second time in franchise history we'd scored that many.  Was great fun.

Friday had three stakes races on the card.  The first of them was in the opener, the Janus Stakes going five furlongs on the turf.  This race carries significance for me because it was in this event last year that Imprimis scored as my BEST of the Day and provided me with my milestone 9,000th winner since I began keeping records.  The rival he'd beaten that day, Extravagant Kid was back to look for a win.  He'd only won once this year, but had run well nearly every time; and that win had come in a Group 1, $1 Million sprint on Dubai World Cup Night.  But to me it looked to be all about the outside, front running speed of Carotari under Luis Saez.  And that was exactly the case.  Broke sharply and had to work to get over to the rail and the front, but did so without a lot of effort by the time they hit the turn.  Held the advantage into the lane, and then spurted clear to score decisively.

The second win of the day was easily the most exciting race of the week for me, the 11 furlong Via Borghese Stakes on the turf.  While you could make a case for several I thought it was all about the fact that Always Shopping was running over the Gulfstream course today.  As I told my son Jeff, I've seen trainer Todd Pletcher do this soooo many times - he has a good horse who runs big here at Gulfstream, wins stakes races and then doesn't have near the success at other tracks the rest of the year.  The next winter, back here at Gulfstream they're let go at a "fair" price and they revert to their Gulfstream form.  Well, Always Shopping - a Michael Repole owned runner, and he's a top client of Pletcher who LOVES to win races - had won THIS race last year and followed it up with a win in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante before failing to win the rest of the year.  I thought he'd sit the ideal trip pressing the leaders and then scoot away to score.  Well, nearly right.  Pressed the leader through the first nine furlongs into the far turn, moved to take the lead but was immediately taken on and then headed by a 9/1 upset challenger.  But as they cut the corner into the lane Always Shopping was not done.  Kept trying, kept pushing still couldn't get by.  Then in the final fifty yards he got his nose in front....head up and head down, PHOTO FINISH.  I felt pretty good that I'd won as did my son Jeff.  YES!  And at a nice $7 payoff allowing me to cash for $35 and a profit on the day.

Saturday January 1st

Today I took my Mom to the races.  There were multiple stakes races for three-year-olds on the card and I was playing a select number of races from Oaklawn, Laurel and Aqueduct.  In the opener it was a head-scratcher - a maiden claiming event for newly turned 3yo who were going two turns on the Tapeta.  But for me, Canelito offered an angle.  First, the colt got Luis Saez which automatically makes him "LIVE," and secondly, he had fired a bullet work over the deep Payson Park training track.  Listed at an absurd 15/1 by the early DRF line I anticipated him being closer to 3/1  Was 6/1 as he went into the gate, but was 7/2 as he rounded the far turn in front to go wire to wire handily.  

Right back in the second where Saez looked to sweep the early double on Gods Promise.  Several angles pointed him out.  He'd run SIX straight figures that would take a near-career best from all the rest to beat him;  last time out at this level and distance he was a well beaten second, but was daylight clear of everyone else; and finally, from limited mounts for the barn, Saez had won more than 40%.  I also liked that he was hottie handicapper Acacia Courtney's BEST of the day.  Pressed the pace to the far turn then drew off a MUCH the best.

I passed the third at GP but my Mom, who'd won both the first two had the $13.60 winner!  The fourth was the first stakes event of the day, the Cash Run for 3yo fillies looking to maybe head on to the Oaks.  I'd read an article recently that Javier Castellano was trying to regain the form he'd had when he'd won three consecutive riding titles here and two Eclipse Awards.  And he was on board Shug McGaughey's Kathleen O.  In her debut she'd been last of the seven behind by double digit lengths into the far turn and blew by to be up in time.  Was well worth noting that BOTH the fillies she beat who ran 2nd and 3rd had come right back to win as short priced favorites.  As I stood at the rail Announcer Pete called, "and they're off....that was Kathleen O breaking last and spotting the field multiple lengths...."  Sigh, really.  As I watched I could see her now second from the last, but distanced from the pack down the backstretch.  But then I noted she was closing the gap.  On the turn she hit high gear and swooped by the leaders and was clear into the lane before running away to a daylight score right in front of me where I stood at the finish line.  WHOOOO HOOOO.  Three-for-three at Gulfstream to start the day!

While the Cash Run Stakes was being run my Mom had gone to the casino.  When she rejoined me at the table she told me she'd had the winner to go 4-0 to start the day.  And then she said she'd won at the casino.  I said, "how much did you win?"  And she pulled out her voucher.....

Oh my....my Mom cashes for over $600.  What a great day for her!  Unfortunately, Kathleen O proved to be the final Gulfstream winner for both of us.  I did cash with two other picks - one at Aqueduct when Impressionist went wire to wire in the 6th, a MSW event and then with Allotahope at Laurel in an entry level allowance.

Only five wins on the day but it was a good day.  And oh yeah.....when my Mom went to cash in her voucher she told me she wasn't going to play anymore, just collect her winnings.  But upon her return she admitted she'd played a little bit more.  AND CASHED FOR AN ADDITIONAL $240 and change.  What a big day for my Mom.  On the final racing day of the week, Sunday, I only had five selections.  Missed on the first two and then Javier Castellano showed off his Hall of Fame skills rallying Shug McGaughey's On Alert through the field.  Split horses with a hundred yards to go and was JUST up in time for the $15 upset!

Closed the day down with Paco Lopez and Todd Pletcher as Royal Spirit was much the best.

Monday was my wife Kim and my 35th wedding anniversary.  Here's hoping to many more happy years and adventures.  Looking very much forward to our mid-February getaway to Denver to celebrate the event.

New Year's Week Racing Highlights

Social Media This Week

First, in a follow-up to the Christmas holidays.  When we rented in Cape Coral last fall, our favorite restaurant was Ford's Garage.  And towards the end of the fall there were several occasions where I was in town alone and when I went there I was always able to get our favorite waitress, Jessica Jordan.  We became good "friends" and I asked her to be my Facebook friend which she agreed to.  She's not on very often, but she saw my Christmas wishes to her and she got back to me at the end of the week.  She is such a sweetheart and has the cutest little daughter.

Second, I reached out to one of my two favorite local CBS anchors to wish her a Happy New Year and Karli Barnett returned the wishes.

Third, all week long at Gulfstream the two analysts were broadcasting from home.  I found this odd and most particularly I found it odd that long-time Gulfstream analyst Ron Nicoletti was not to be found on air, at all.  On Saturday when my Mom and I were at the races I reached out to Acacia Courtney and asked if she was at the track, and she quickly responded and told me to enjoy the day with my Mom.  Sweet :)

Finally, on Monday my most favorite anchor and long time Facebook & Twitter pal Lauren Pastrana was finally back on the air.  Interestingly she was on the anchor desk alone.  So I exchanged messages as I watched for the final time with the Christmas tree up.