Week 17

 March 22 - 26

It was another very good week at Gulfstream and I hit several big plays this week.  The only downside was that on the "big day," Louisiana Derby Day, most of my stakes plays missed and while I hit on 33% of the picks for the day it was a losing day at the windows overall.  As it turned out, Wednesday was the ONLY day I had a single winner at Gulfstream.  I ran 2nd at 6/5 in the opener then in the third Oasis Jak looked really strong - check out my analysis.....

Irad Ortiz sent him RIGHT to the front.  Confidently handled into the lane he opened up lane and won for fun without ever being asked!  In the 5th I was 2nd again as the 8/5 favorite - but both runner-up finishes had been minimum plays so with the triple investment on 'Jak I was a winner on the day!

Thursday was a very interesting day!  Much like last week in Ohio I missed on the first four picks running 3rd at 6/5, 2nd as the prohibitive 1/5 favorite, 3rd at 9/5 and 2nd at a generous 4/1.  I honestly DID have the thought cross my mind - "don't forget, like last week, we can close out the day strong and be a winner!"  My fourth bet had been around 2:30 and around 4:30 Kim and I began to watch TV.  Around 5pm I pulled up the replays on my phone as we were watching TV and because I didn't want to interrupt our program I had the sound off.  Watched as Sanura walked around the track easily wiring the field with my double investment on board.  Even though it was a half hour past post time for the final race the replay wasn't up yet.

About fifteen minutes later I pulled up the replays and hit the "PLAY" button for the final race listed.  My was horse, #7 Red's Revenge.  I watched as the 7 sat mid-pack all the way around to the turn then made a belated move to finish fourth as the 3-horse went wire to wire.  Here's the best part of the story!  About a half hour later I was scrolling through Twitter and came across a post from Gulfstream that said, "Irad Ortiz wins four races on the card as he wins the finale on Red's Revenge" - wait, what?  I looked at the photo of the horse, and yes, he was #7.  I pulled up my selections and yes, my pick was #7 Red's Revenge.  What happened - there could NOT have been a TRIPLE DQ, right?  Note the number of Senura above.....yep.  When I pulled up the last race listed on the replays, the 9th race wasn't up yet.  I just hit the "PLAY" button and because I had the sound off I re-watched the 8th!  So I watched the 9th, the REAL 9th race and watched as Red's Revenge sat in fourth to the turn, went three-wide into the lane and drew off to score by daylight.  And here's a DOUBLE-BONUS.....because during the day one of the GP analysts had said he was making Red's Revenge his single on his Pick-4 ticket I'd upped the bet to $10 to WIN.  And the BEST part was that somehow the crowd let the horse go off at better than 7/2 and paid $9.20....so I cashed for almost $50 to AGAIN have a strong finish and have a winning day!  WHOOO HOOOO.

Friday again was a slow start.  2nd at 3/5 with a Todd Pletcher 3yo maiden, 2nd at 1/1 in Race 2 and 4th in Race 3 at even money.  We come to the fourth race and it was a maiden claiming 3yo five furlong sprint on the synthetic.  I noted when I wrote the analysis on Wednesday morning that it might be significant to check how Oasis Jak ran Wednesday because here Raka Raka Cruz was an identical story line to Oasis Jak.  That one was first off the claim for Rohan Crichton with Irad on board and they are winning at nearly a 50% clip.  I made 'Raka a "prime time" play because the rest of the field looked very weak - note in my analysis below.  Also, of interest, one of the firsters was named "Chloe's Dream" which reminded me of my social-media gal-pal Chloe Nelson who's the daughter of one of my best school friends, Jeff Nelson.  Raka Raka Cruz "raka'd right out of the gate" to wire the field easily at a very short price.

Passed on the fifth race, and in the sixth all three Gulfstream analysts made Dem A Wonder their top pick, with Samantha Perry making him a single in her multi-race ticket.  Not me, I preferred My Destiny in this starter optional claiming sprint.  I was a mite bit hesitant because by the numbers My Destiny had run SEVEN STRAIGHT figures that beat every figure on the page - that was a recent number posted by, you guessed it, Dem A Wonder.  AND today Dem A Wonder was being ridden by Irad Ortiz for Rohan Crichton.  UH OH.  But looking down the pp's Dem A Wonder had lost by TEN lengths to My Destiny earlier in the year....made me feel better.  Tracked patiently on the rail in third to the stretch...guided into the clear and drew off as easily best with 'Dem running 2nd.  Good play Mr. Mark!

Right back with my THIRD STRAIGHT win when Loco Abarrio sprinted home the easiest of winners in the very next race.  After missing with a minimum play in the 8th I upped the bet on Rhymes Like Dimes in the finale to a triple investment.  He was in traffic between horses and behind others while the front runner set a slow pace.  Began accelerating on the turn, got in the clear four wide and wored down the leaders thru the stretch to score!  A BIG four-win day.  WHOOO HOOO.

Saturday was the slowest of days for me.  But it sure didn't start out that way.  It was Louisiana Derby Day with fourteen races, nine stakes on the card.  I played there, at Gulfstream and had a few picks from Aqueduct.  As I was getting ready to watch the races on I turned on the morning broadcast from the Dubai World Cup.  I had no strong opinions on the race but was watching.  The race just prior to the big one was the $6 Million Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic, a mile and a half on the turf.  It caught my attention when one of the analysts remarked that in here was the ONE favorite on the card that he just could not go past, Japan's Horse of the Year, Equinox.  I did some quick research and EVERYONE seemed to think that he was as certain a winner as you could get.  I made the bet.  Gates opened and he went right to the front.  Was tracked by a couple within about a length to the far turn.  Then without being asked he simply galloped home, widening his margin with every stride and I said, out loud, "WOW."  It was an amazing performance, one of the very few I'd say made me say "WOW" out loud.  A good way to start the day!  When the rest of the racing began I hit the opener at the Fair Grounds, the Crescent City Derby and then the opener at Aqueduct - when grouchy old man Andy Serling said "I won't bet on this favorite" and he walked with it.

Missed on three straight but opted to pass the 2nd when I just didn't have a good feeling about the 4/5 favorite - he ran sixth.  Great decision.  And then decided to pass the fourth in New Orleans when it was still on the turf and most of these had never been on the grass - my initial pick ran off the board.  Another very wise choice.  In the fifth at Gulfstream I upped the bet from $10 to win to a full blown "prime time" WIN bet on Etnico who had all the right angles going for him in this Maiden Special 3yo sprint going 5 1/2 furlongs.  Right to the front, opened up by daylight and looked long gone into the lane.  Began to tire, and as Announcer Pete called it he was "saved by the wire!"  But hey - a win is a win...and it was a big play win.  Missed in New York before I won two of the next three - an entry level allowance at the Fair Grounds and a Maiden Special for 3yo in New York.  Now it was 4 pm and with a 5pm puck drop for our Florida Panthers I made the remainder of my bets and we headed to the game.  As I checked my sheet, at this point I was a superb 6-for-11 on the day :)

The Panthers opened up a commanding 2-0 lead through the first period and as I said to Kim - it's so unusual for the hockey to go well when the racing is going well on the same day.  Spoke too soon as we gave up four goals, got one back and lost 4-3.  Came home to watch the replays....  7th at even money at GP; opened up a daylight at the FG as the 6/5 favorite, nailed in the final strides; made a big run into the lane to challenge for the lead in a FG stakes, caught late; and ran 2nd at 4/5 with the winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus, Art Collector who everyone said prior to the race might be about to launch a Horse of the Year kind of campaign.  Nope - confirmed my initial opinion that that day's big stakes at Gulfstream were not nearly as "big" as the purse or graded stature might lead you to believe.  Finally, in the co-feature at Gulfstream, Sassy Nature wired the five furlong dash on the turf with ease.  Only had the minimum play on her, sigh.  Closed out the day 3rd, 9th, 2nd, 2nd and 6th.  WOW what a collapse - just like the hockey team.  Went from a 6-for-11 start to a 7-for-21 finish.  

Sunday I began handicapping and noted that it was "Florida Cup Day" at Tampa with multiple stakes there and our leading rider Irad Ortiz was there.  After picking races at Gulfstream I went through the card trying to be conservative unless I liked someone more than usual.  In an interesting story.....for years when I worked at Cypress Bay High one of my favorite gal-pal teachers was Jennifer Cook, or "Cookie" as she was affectionately known.  She almost always mentored one of my WISE students and she was ALWAYS a big time helper with graduation - which I ran.  So after retiring, several years ago I said to her light-heartedly that she needed to retire and be my "full time track assistant."  She said she'd like that but had several years to go.  Many times since then we've exchanged comments about that job and then this week while at the Panthers game she messaged me that this coming year would be her "graduation year" and that she needed to learn how to play the ponies.  I replied that I was looking forward to her being my full time aide.  And so I themed the Sunday picks to our partnership and wrote a brief intro about this story.....

Right away I was in the winner's circle when Order of Magnitude pressed the pace of a maiden claiming turf route to the stretch and drew off handily.  Paid a nice $6, too bad I only had the minimum.  I did up the bet in the 2nd where Tweaqued looked to be awfully tough in this six furlong dash for non-winners of two lifetime.  Right to the front, in complete control turning for home and then began zig-zagging all over the track giving up valuable ground.  But as Announcer Pete accurately called again, "saved by the wire!"  And like the earlier winner - it WAS a winner.

Missed at even money at GP before the Tampa races started.  I had found nothing of interest in the first four races but in the fifth, the first of the stakes races I liked Zyderceaux in the Ocala Breeders' Sophomore Stakes going seven furlongs.  How the crowd let him go off at 8/5 was beyond me because he'd won the OPEN Pelican Stakes and then tried back-to-back graded stakes around two turns.  The cut back to the Pelican distance seemed ideal.  The lack of solid support kept me from upping the bet.  But he was the winner going away.

Missed in the Turf Classic when Irad came too late - 2nd at 4/5 behind a wire-to-wire winner.  The seventh at Tampa was my BET of the Week - with Todd Pletcher's lightly raced and unbeaten filly Munnys Gold in the Sophomore Fillies.  She'd been my Bet of the Day back in January when I took my Mom & sister to Gulfstream when she made her second career start.  She'd debuted last summer at Monmouth and drew off by 14 plus lengths, earning a sensational 101 Beyer.  She was easily best and won with a lower number at Gulfstream facing allowance foes off the bench, but was under a tight hold throughout.  Today she'd have to go to a new track where the Tampa surface is decidedly deeper and more sandy, face stakes foes for the first time AND go seven furlongs.  Broke cleanly from the gate but immediately was challenged by a longshot.  They did each other no favors whistling the opening quarter in :21.3 - way too fast for 7f, especially going the extended distance for the first time.  Munnys Gold put away the pace rival into the turn but had run a sizzling :44.1 half mile  Almost certain to be caught by a closer, eh?  Turning for home Irad opened her up and she drew off by SEVENTEEN lengths and change - the rest of the field was far out of the TV picture.  OH MY - the second "WOW" race I saw this weekend.  AND she shattered the track record - in just her third start.  YOWZA.  THAT was worth the price of admission on this Sunday racing afternoon.

My final bet at Gulfstream was the THIRD TIME this week I had a "prime time" play - highly unusual for me, especially this year with all the longshots winning.  The eighth at Gulfstream was an entry level allowance which are always difficult to figure.  But in the ideal world you'd like a runner who broke their maiden in their first or second start and has had one, maybe at best two good efforts against winners.  Well Contemporary Art was just that kind of runner.  After a just-miss second on debut the filly got a decisive win with a big Beyer figure.  Came back with a sharp fourth in a Grade 3 to close out her 3yo season.  Now off the layoff celebrity chef Bobby Flay had moved her to Christophe Clement's barn.  Joel Rosario had her comfortable near the back into the far turn, then instead of losing ground going wide he hugged the rail hoping for an opening.  When a narrow slot appeared he asked and the filly exploded through to win going away under wraps.  NICE!  Finished the day a solid five-for-eleven :)

For the week - at Gulfstream alone (I should have played ONLY at Gulfstream LOL)......next week is Florida Derby week and the close of the winter season.  Ten of us will be "duded up" in our "Saturday best" for the big day!

Social Media this week....

It was quite an active week for me and my "gal-pals" online.  After the hockey game on Monday I saw that Panther girl Katie was leading the way with the "Light The Lamp" competition.  I reached out to her and she replied back :)

With the big win on Monday night our Panthers - for the moment - moved into the playoffs and immediately playoff tickets went on sale.  We opted in (won't be charged unless we actually make it) and I reached out to our cutie account manager Emma who wrote back to me.  I very much enjoyed that for the SECOND time she remarked how much she liked our photo together :)

Later in the week our adorable, "adopted daughter" Jillian posted photos from her recent family vacation.  She is just so, SO cute that one set of pics wasn't enough to illustrate our exchange.

At the hockey game on Thursday I saw that Jennifer Cook had liked our photo.  I reached out to her to see if she and her husband were interested in joining us at the Florida Derby.  She replied immediately that she would be on a cruise then, but thanks for thinking of her.  Then she noted she'd be "graduating" this year and would be ready to become my "full time assistant" at the track (see above in the journal).  I will be very excited for that and curious to see how that plays out in real life once she truly CAN go to the races with me.

Thursday's NCAA basketball game pushed the CBS-4 late news to way past midnight and my gal-pal anchor Lauren commented on that.  I replied and got a "reaction."

When gal-pal and now Atlanta News anchor Karli had posted about spring last week I'd commented on several of her pictures.  She reacted to the Facebook post this week.  It would be the first of several interactions with "my girl Karli."

Saturday Karli posted a photo of her in the studio promoting her upcoming newscasts and I replied - to which she "replied" back to me.  Then during the hockey game, during a time out I happened to open Facebook and saw that she was having one of her Saturday LIVE chats.  I couldn't follow and also could not hear the chat, but I jumped on to say "HI" from the Panthers game.  Later I watched the video and saw I'd received a big smile and a reply back on air.

On Sunday I wrote to Karli after having watched the video of the chat.  She had seemed so "down" when she left South Florida and she seemed oh-so-excited and happy now.  I reached out to tell her that I'd enjoyed seeing that excitement and hoped that she knew I personally was happy for her, personally.  When I woke up Monday morning I was greeted by her reply :)

And perhaps THE coolest social media story of the week came Monday morning.  In 2015 when Kim and I went to Europe for the first time, I had discovered ahead of time that one of my favorite former students lived in Amsterdam.  We arranged to meet her for breakfast and got to meet her 3yo daughter.  We've returned to Amsterdam several times but never had much time in the city.  But this year, we leave next Monday April 3, we will spend nearly two full days in Amsterdam.  So I tried reaching out to her again and she replied back.  Her genuine excitement and desire to hook up was touching.  Looking forward to seeing her again.

2015 Meeting With Jennifer and her then 3yo

Week 16

 March 15 - 19
Ohio Visit

This week was NOT a big racing week, but it was one filled with "adventure," sub-freezing temperatures, good friends, and multiple social media "conversations as I headed off to Ohio to visit the family this week.  And along the way I played strictly the races at Gulfstream Park.  The week started on Tuesday as Kim and I prepared to head out for a week apart doing our own adventures as we had dinner out at our favorite venue, Cooper's Hawk.  The next day she drove to Daytona for an extended weekend with her girlfriends and I headed to the airport to fly to Ohio.  Then on Friday I had lunch with my high school girl-friend Gayla.  Saturday morning I dropped my Mom off at work and drove two hours to Northern Kentucky (just across the river from Cincinnati) to visit with our friends Mary Pat & Tom.  Spent the day, the evening and the night with them before driving back to my Mom's early Sunday morning.

All the while I was playing the races each day.  As I was getting ready to head to the airport on Wednesday I played the races at Gulfstream, but I only had four picks, all minimum bets.  I only won one of them and ironically it was the one race that I decided to up the bet.  The fourth today was a starter optional claiming event going seven furlongs, limited to three-year-olds.  Pouncival was claimed for $25K and the new barn moved him UP to $35K where he whistled the field earning a big 79 Beyer.  That was in January so EITHER he would bounce off the big effort or the extended time was enough for him to recoup.  He was in the clear some five wide into the turn, swept by and was clear by a length turning for home.  But then the additional furlong began to get to him.  He was shortening stride late but held on to win.

Thursday I was playing while at my Mom's house and I had six selections on the nine race card.  As I watched I saw my horses run 3rd, 4th, 2nd, and 6th.  And as we got to the seventh race I DID actually think, "stay with it, you never know how the day is going to turn out until the day is actually over."  In the seventh it was a MSW for three-year-olds and up - we've reached that point in the season where the sophomores are pitted against older, sometimes.  There were a couple in here but I liked Chad Brown's first time starter Acede.  He was a Juddmonte home-bred who had some bullet works and leading rider Irad Ortiz on board.  Stalked the pace through the turn, dove down between rivals into the lane and spurted clear to win going away.

No bet in the eighth and in the finale we were going a mile on the turf with maiden specials, restricted to 3yo.  Despite the outside draw I liked Chad Brown's Preliminary.  He was one of only two first time starters in the field and those with experience did not inspire me.  He was hung out five wide through the first turn, got good position on the backstretch but was behind most of the field.  Began to pick off horses three wide on the far turn then launched his bid some six or more wide into the lane.  Got to the front nearing the 16th pole and drew off under a hand ride.  And the best part.....after cashing for almost $25 on Acede, this winner produced a very generous $8.80 payoff and I cashed for almost $45 to turn an 0-for-4 start into a 2-for-6 day with a flat bet profit.  WHOOOOO HOOOOOO - and THAT my friends is why you stick with it!

Friday was St. Patrick's Day.  And in what's somewhat unusual for a weekday card I had SIX bets from the nine race card.  In the first race it was a real mind-boggler as the field came from oh so many different events - different distances and surfaces.  But three of them had gone to two turns on the turf and those would PROBABLY produce the winner.  Well, two of them had been beaten double digits last time out so toss those.  That left me with Chad Brown's Kalik.  His first try had been a nondescript dirt sprint. Second start a turf route with a sharp second and a 78 Beyer.  But that was in October.  Leading rider Irad Ortiz was up.  A wide trip throughout saw him challenge into the lane, go six wide turning for home and struggle to get by, but inside the final 50 yards he inched to the front to score.

In the fourth race - my next bet - I liked Father Delay.  It was a $35K maiden claimer for 3yo and I'm ALWAYS skeptical of those kind of races....if a 3yo is already in for a tag at this point in the year you know they aren't very good.  But Father Delay had debuted with some late interest in a Churchill MSW and now was dropping in class.  OK, some interest - but Irad was up for Mike Maker and over the last two years he'd only been on fourteen horses for Maker winning with SEVEN.  OK, THAT has my attention!  Pressed the pace into the turn, and then took off turning for home.  Clear by two...by four....by six and nearly a pole under the wire.  Should have upped the bet, but the precipitous drop on just the second start made me not want to invest more than the minimum.  I'll take the "pad your stats" win and be happy.  

Right back in the fifth where I liked Beth's Dream a lot more so I doubled the bet.  It was a conditioned allowance and the question was, "WHICH Beth's Dream would we get?"  After being absolutely buried in her first two starts she was not seen for MORE THAN A YEAR!  Returned and ran four really big Beyers (85, 89, 95, and 88) while going from a MC $16K win to a just-miss 2nd in Monmouth's Lady's Secret Stakes.  Then she set the pace in the Gr 3 Molly Pitcher and stopped badly.  That ended her 2022 campaign.  Began this year in Tampa's Wayward Lass where she dueled into the lane before weakening to finish third - that was an "OK" effort but those last two Beyers were only 68 & 77 - those would make her "one to consider" in here.  But the previous four would make her a decided favorite.  Jose Ortiz had her stalking the pace way out in the middle of the track as they raced down the long backstretch run of this one-turn mile.  Took command on the turn and opened up by double digits while under a hand ride.  Under wraps to score decisively.  THREE-for-THREE to start St. Paddy's Day!

Ran second in the sixth and third in the seventh before my final bet in Race 8.  It was a starter allowance going a mile on the turf course.  Masterofthesenate had won at first asking over the Colonial Downs turf and then run in back-to-back allowance events.  In his fourth and most recent start trainer Jimmy Toner had put him in a $50K nw2L.  Trainer Mike Maker claimed him as owners Ken & Sarah Ramsey forked out the big ticket price.  Now in a spot where he could not be claimed and with an improved Beyer in EVERY start I expected him to run strongly under top rider Irad Ortiz.  Near the back to the turn he surged to challenge the leaders and wore them down in deep stretch to produce my FOURTH WIN on the day.  Oh it was a very good day at the "virtual racetrack!"

Saturday morning I dropped my Mom off at work and then headed south towards the Ohio River where I would arrive on the "Kentucky side of Cincinnati" to meet our friends Mary Pat & Tom Bischoff.  We'd met them on our 2019 Portugal Viking River cruise and have been fast friends ever since.  It's become standard on my Ohio itinerary that any time I come visit my family I'm requested to drive down and now spend the night with them.

Even though Saturdays are typically the "BIG" days of the racing week there were not any really "BIG" races this weekend.  That fit perfectly into my plans since I'd be spending the day with our friends and would not be wanting to follow the races.  So I had four picks from Gulfstream.  The bad news, only won with one of them.....the good news, it was the BEST Bet of the Week in the featured Hutcheson Stakes.  Super Chow had won five of seven career starts with his only two losses coming in Saratoga's Grade 2 Saratoga Special in his second career start off the maiden win; and then his last when he led into the lane and weakened in the Grade 3 Swale Stakes going the extended seven furlong sprint distance.  Today, back at 6f and with listed stakes opponents he looked much the best.  My only concern is that hottie model/jockey Chantal Sutherland always lets him free wheel to the front and there looked to be other "need to lead" types in here.  Even if they dueled I still felt confident 'Chow was way too good for these and would not weaken before the wire at today's distance.  I'm certain it was not the plan, but when the gates opened Super Chow was caught flat footed and was fourth behind a trio of front runners.  Chantal, not only very hot to look at but an excellent rider as well patiently let the colt settle into stride, let him go into the clear on the turn and run away as EASILY the best.  You go Chantal!

Sunday morning the three of us were all up by 7 am and had a cup of coffee together before I headed out, braving the 18 degree early morning temperatures for my drive back to Columbus.  I arrived back well before 10 am and had plenty of time to set up the virtual racing and make the bets.  I had six races I liked and in the opener Chad Brown's Root Cause looked so much the best.  I originally planed to make it a double investment but his odds were 1/9 until late when they "floated up" to 1/5.  So I upped the bet and he walked with it under a hand ride.  And the final win of the week came in Race 6 on the Tapeta track where I liked Short Circuit.  This is an interesting story because it's become quite the "thing" at Gulfstream this winter as they've added Latin handicapper/analyst Claudia Sparado to the broadcast.  She is an excellent handicapper but as you can see she's also very attractive.  Well the "thing" is when she's analyzing a race on the synthetic, it's so cute how she pronounces "Ta-peet-tuh" and it makes who ever is sitting with her smile.  Well, I do follow her on social media but I don't think we've ever interacted.  But we DID this week when she and gal-pal, former GP analyst, hottie Acacia Courtney, went to a Miami Heat game together (see pick/comments below).  So for this race Claudia was one of the two analysts pre-race and she made Short Circuit her BEST Bet and a single in her Pick-4 wager.  He stalked the pace and blew by at a very generous 7/2 price.  Well done Claudia!  You deserve a reward for that pick!!!

It was a good week - not only visiting with friends and family but at the races.  Two additional stories, non-racing related......on Wednesday I participated in a Viking TV chat where they highlighted our August 2024 Viking Oceans "The British Isles" itinerary.  I prefaced my questions by noting that this itinerary would mark our SEVENTEENTH adventure with Viking.  The narrator of the presentation noted (a) that's more trips than he's had with Viking cruises and (b) that I should be on Viking TV and share my many experiences.  I reached out to the Viking TV email and summarized that exchange and offered to do just that......waiting for a reply.  That WOULD be cool.  And as I write up this journal entry it is exactly two weeks from today that Kim and I begin our next wave of adventures as we'll be flying to Amsterdam to meet our great friends Claudia & Gary for a Viking river cruise through the Netherlands.

Social Media this week......

On Monday "our little girl" Jillian gave a presentation about her books to a group of elementary kids and I commented, to which she reacted.  And later in the day daughter to one of my best pals, Chloe posted about being on an Orlando radio station and we exchanged comments.

On Tuesday, gal-pal and former CBS-4 Weekend anchor Karli Barnett responded to one of my last comments regarding her hosting chats now that she's re-located in Atlanta and was very enthusiastic about my joining in.

Wednesday, CBS-4 evening anchor Lauren Pastrana (and social media gal-pal for a long time) announced on Facebook about how the local station was making some changes.  I responded and shared that I would be going north to experience some REAL cold weather.  Lauren replied and wished me a good trip, so sweet.  Also Wednesday, the first day of racing for the week, Latin handicapper for Gulfstream Claudia Sparano (who I follow but rarely interact with) posted a picture of her and one of her besties, former GP analyst and hottie handicapper Acacia Courtney-Clement - who I DO interact with a lot, as they enjoyed an NBA evening together.

Thursday I saw a series of photos from former colleague and good Gator-pal Mishelle who's turned her life around and now seems so very happy.  I also reached out to my gal-pal Kimmy, and while she didn't respond this time, I was thinking about her alot this week as I shared my Viking TV story.

Friday, St. Patrick's Day Karli posted pics on both Facebook and Twitter and shared a photo of her on the set of her new Atlanta newsroom.  I commented on all three and she replied back to me.  Glad we will remain "close" even though she's not local any longer.

Saturday after I'd arrived in Cincinnati I saw a post from our very attractive gal-pal Michelle who used to work with both Kim and I at two different schools.  She was visiting with her girlfriends and they looked to be really enjoying themselves.  So I reached out to her and she responded sweetly, as she always does to me.  :)  Later that evening while we were in between courses of dinner I just happened to open up Facebook on my phone and saw that Karli was hosting a short, impromptu chat.  I jumped in and she gave me a big smile as she replied to my various comments.