December 14 - 18
The Viking Skirnir - a Christmas Card setting
Before we get to the racing, you just could not have scripted a more magical Christmas cruise than we have enjoyed this week. And through the wonder of the Internet, I was able to play the races each of the five racing days of the week. Here's how MY week played out......
Wednesday December 14: Dordrecht, Germany
Today when we were finished with dinner and I'd completed writing the journal and posting pics for the day I went to check the race results. The WiFi is good on the ship, but streaming video does not come through so all I can do is check the results and look at the charts. I had four picks today and ran second with ALL FOUR! Even money, 5/2, 2/1, and 3/1 all reported in as second best. Moving on.....
Thursday December 15: Dusseldorf & Cologne, Germany
With changes and scratches, today's racing was reduced to two selections. I often complain about the racing on the synthetic surface, but in this rich $50K starter optional five furlong sprint it was the ideal racing surface for top choice One Identity. He had an 8/4-1-1 lifetime resume, but the only two times he'd been on the fake dirt he'd WON BOTH, AND earned his two best Beyer figures! Was sent off as the favorite and he tracked the pace close up in second to the turn. Took control and then held on late to get the win and allow me to cash for the first time this week.
Came right back in the final pick of the day in Race 9, going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf under Maiden Special conditions where I liked Todd Pletcher's Watch It with top rider Luis Saez. The question was the surface because in both career starts he'd been on the main track, BUT both times he had been entered for the grass and it got washed off. Finally got the surface the Hall of Fame trainer wanted and he obviously enjoyed it. Broke a touch slowly, but tracked up close in third to the far turn. Took control, opened up and was a daylight winner!
Friday December 16: Koblenz & Rhine River Valley, Germany
I picked up another two wins today while enjoying THE BEST day of sailing on the trip. If you take a Rhine River cruise the highlight is "Castle Day" where you see multiple castles all afternoon dotting the landscape along the river and you get to visit a medieval castle! I had four selections on the Friday card and ironically it was like the "perfect mix" of the first two days. Two of my selections were second (again) at odds of 4/1 - that would have been nice - and 9/5. And I scored on the other two. The third was a 2yo MSW event going a one-turn mile. And while I noted these were lightly raced juveniles and anything COULD happen, it seemed obvious that the one to beat was Brian Lynch's Emporer's Appeal. He'd run at this same trip at Churchill Downs and broken 11th of 12. But came running to be third. With experience and the rider switch to hot ridding Luis Saez he looked pretty good to me. Broke a touch slow again, but tracked up close in third through the far turn. Challenged turning for home and got the upper hand inside the 16th pole to score.
Came right back in the fourth in a juvenile, MSW turf sprint. None of those with experience had ever run to par so toss those. The one and only first timer was a Todd Pletcher runner, Kanthari. From top turf bloodlines, the expensive $575K sales grad had top rider Luis Saez up. Got a bit squeezed at the start but Saez got him into the race right away. Edged to the front on the turn and was clear without a problem through the final furlong.
Saturday December 17: Speyer, Germany
The Saturday card had two stakes races and while I typically don't do this, I will count them both on my records despite the fact that I handicapped them for turf and despite what appeared to be sunny skies they were transferred to the Tapeata track. Four of the six picks ran second - 3/1, even money and two odds-on choices. The other two were off the board. Sigh.....
Sunday December 18: Strasbourg, France
Last day of racing and next to last day of the trip - in fact this evening we got all the details about how to disembark and get our transfers to the airport. I scored with my first pick when Cheers For Kitten was the default pick on the all-weather as a firster in a bad field. When I saw he won and paid $7 I thought - that will pay for the day's four wagers. Immediately thought I should not have had that thought and as is often the case - that was the case. Went 1-for-4 but broke even, I'll take it.
And so I ended the week five-for-twenty, which was OK, and I was satisfied knowing I was enjoying first and foremost the trip! Back home in time for regular racing through the holidays!
Social Media While Sailing Through Europe.....
Jayce Birch is the morning co-anchor on the local ABC station and I follow her on Twitter. Not nearly the kind of "gal-pal" that my "CBS Girls" are, but we've exchanged messages before. Four months ago this cute girl broke BOTH feet and she was unable to work for several weeks, and then when she returned it was without her signature high heels. Finally she got back into them this week and I congratulated her, noting I was in Europe. She replied, duly impressed :)
A Facebook memory popped up showing Kim and I with our good friend Melissa at a Panthers game. Melissa and her husband have since moved to Naples but we've remained good friends through social media. I sent her the pic and we exchanged "Miss You" messages.
My gal-pal and former student Kimmy keeps close touch with me and we frequently exchange text messages. She knows how much I like to travel and sail on the rivers so I texted with her and she replied back after a day of sailing.
Social media "gal-pal" and CBS-4 Weekend Anchor Karli Barnett and I are frequent message and chat partners. I'd learned months ago that she'd always wanted to go on a Christmas Market cruise so I knew she'd enjoy pics from this trip as much or more than she enjoyed our Alaska, Hawaii, and Antarctica photos. So I sent her a few and she replied saying she always wanted to enjoy one of these trips.
Karli sent me another message after I sent her a short video highlight of a Christmas Market a couple days later.
Later in the week it was Melissa's birthday so I wished her a happy birthday and she replied back.
Finally, both Karli Barnett and weekday evening anchor Lauren Pastrana had indicated interest in our Christmas Market cruise so I made a 45 second slide show of highlight photos from the first week and sent it to the two girls. Karli replied back on Sunday - the day her live chat was moved to but again because of the time difference I was unable to join in. Hopefully next week!
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