Christmas Week: December 26 - 31
Following the final day of racing last Sunday, Kim and I spent Christmas Day with our son Brad and his wife Lauren, and our grandson Oliver as we continued our Christmas Cruise vacation. We headed back home late morning and were home just in time for the first post of the special Tuesday card at Gulfstream. The highlight of this first day of the extended race week was later when Santa Anita opened up with their traditional December 26th program featuring multiple graded stakes. After missing on the first three bets I made up for the losses and then some in Gulfstream's fifth, a second level allowance being run over the Tapeta - having been moved from the turf. I didn't like the favorite, a Euro import who'd not won since July 2022 on the turf, and even less on the all-weather. Saffie Joseph's Beechnut looked best on the grass. And it has seemed to me through the first month of the winter that Joseph runners have run very well on the synthetic. Saved ground through the far turn, shot through an opening on the rail and drew clear at a BIG $11.60 payoff. NICE!! Cashed for almost $60 :)
Missed on the next two but then it was the first of the graded events out west, and I made Easter my top bet of the day at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 San Gabriel going nine furlongs. He'd won back to back stakes and just had to not get too far off the front runners. Sure enough, at the back to the far turn causing me some concern through moderate splits. But swept up picking off rivals on the turn, split the last of the also-rans turning for home and kicked on by to a daylight win!
The very next race was a MSW event, but Mark Glatt's Judge Miller looked like as good a bet as there was on the card. Debuted with a stakes-quality 92 when 2nd best. Flavian Prat was on board the $550K son of champion Curlin going seven panels today. Pressed between runners to the top of the lane....dueled to the 16th pole then asserted himself as he edged clear for my second win out west.
Ironically, despite all the big graded events out west, THE BET of the Day came at Gulfstream where they were running a stakes event, the Via Borghese slated to go a mile and 3/8th on the turf. Romagna Mia had won 3-of-10 starts in Europe before coming to North America. First try stateside was a sharp third in the Grade 1 Beverly D which has become a KEY race. Exited that to take down Keeneland's Dowager Stakes at the strong fall meet. Out of back-to-back graded events for this listed stakes was a decided class drop. With the move the all-weather I didn't mind at all.....if Graham Motion says she can run on the plastic, I'm on board and love it when Johnny Velazquez rides for this barn. Tracked in the clear while fourth around the first two turns then given the cue into the far turn for the second time she took off and ran off by a pole. The BIG BET brought back nearly $60 to the bankroll.
With the exception of the first graded event, the aforementioned Gr 2 San Gabriel, the rest of the stakes out west were very wide-open and in my opinion didn't have a single star you could hang your hat on. I might have passed them all were it not Opening Day and/or they were graded events, and I DID pass the next one the Gr 1 American Oaks. Ran 4th in the Gr 2 San Antonio - the prep for the Big 'Cap nex month - and 2nd in an allowance before it was time for the Grade 1 Malibu for 3yo's. While I didn't have a lot of confidence, Bob Baffert's speedy Speed Boat Beach had paired figures and was third off the bench. Good enough angles for a minimum bet. Dueled from the instant the gate latch sprung open to the furlong pole mid-stretch, then edged clear as the 9/5 tepid favorite. Finished the day with five wins from fourteen picks and a tidy profit in hand. A great start to Christmas Week racing!!
Thursday at the Races As our stay in Orlando was winding down I got a text from my oldest son Jeff and he asked, "can we have a track day on Thursday?" Well duh, you don't have to ask me twice. And even with the very rainy weather we were both excited to be on track and were joined by fellow FAU coach "Roc" - the Defensive Coordinator there and a long time race fan.
I next to never play Mahoning Valley in Cleveland but there were next to no tracks on the slate for Thursday racing so I added them to the Gulfstream & Aqueduct slate. It was raining so much that neither Jeff or I had any interest in parking and walking through the puddles to arrive for the day soaked. So we used the valet service parking, to the tune of $20. As soon as we got into the venue I pulled up the changes and saw I'd lost several runners from my selection sheet. My pick in the GP opener was even money and couldn't get to the winner finishing second. In Race 2 Movin On Up was dropping from MSW to MC and obviously today we'd be off the turf. But trainer Brendon Walsh wins nearly 30% with the most powerful drop in racing. And like Tuesday, if Walsh was willing to run on the all-weather, I'd trust his judgement. Tracked the pace to the top of the lane, glided to the front and drew off, easy-peasy-pie.
Should have just went with the lesser number of bets as the only win in Cleveland was at 4/5 and I went down in flames later in the day at 3/5 and 1/9 - ouch. Just Katherine was the top choice in a second level allowance at Aqueduct. Toss the ambitious try in the Grade 1 Cotillion and her numbers just towered over her rivals. Dueled at the top of the stretch then ran off as easily best.
Race 6 at Gulfstream was the "best story" of the day. I'd narrowed the selections to Secret Lover and Khoolzan who'd faced each other previously with Khoolzan earning a big number finishing a best of the rest 2nd in front of 'Lover. That figure was validated when Secret Lover exited that maiden event to be a sharp second in a STAKES race. But when I went through the changes, Khoolzan was scratched. Compared to the rest of the field Secret Lover now looked so, SO much the best. So I not only moved him up to be the play, but made ho, the BET of the Day. Have to admit I was more than a little concerned when he trailed the field down the backstretch, but given his cue he accelerated and wove through the field to assume command turning for home and ran off by a pole. WHOOO HOOOO.
The seventh was a "beaten" claimer which was basically a nw3L or in six months. Souper Success had not won since January but he was 3/1-2-0 over the all weather and his Beyers when running over the synthetic towered over the rest of these. Just a question of him being ready. Pressed the leader into the far turn, took over and edged clear through the final furlong.
Closed out the big 4-WIN day at Gulfstream when Irad Ortiz brought Space Launch home as easily best in the eighth, a mile-70 synthetic (moved from the turf) claiming event. And I topped off the day by not only nailing the winner of Aqueduct's Bay Ridge Stakes, but cashed for over $30 as he went off at 2/1 (bet down from the early DRF 10/1 early odds). Cashed on seven-of-sixteen for the day and WOULD have had a big winning profit were it not for playing Mahoning Valley. But, I'll take nearly 50% winners any day of the week.
Friday I had five picks on the ten race card but lost two of them to scratches so the entire day consisted of three "live bets." Lost the first when I ran 4th at 6/5 in Race 2. But Porotfino wired the 3rd - and survived both an objection and inquiry; and then I upped the bet on class dropper Rod Two Rod who was moving up off a 2-lifetime win to run in a 3-lifetime sprint, but at a lower price tag. Cleared the field in hand and jogged home without taking a deep breath. Two-for-three and another profitable day as I got ready for the BIG day Saturday at the races.
Saturday: Pegasus Preview Day
It was a B-I-G day at Gulfstream as there were four stakes races on the card, all serving as prep races for the late January Pegasus World Cup Day graded events. I had made selections for not only the local races but also at Aqueduct, Laurel, Oaklawn & the Fair Grounds. The opener in Hallandale was one of "those" maiden specials that make this the best time of year for thoroughbred live racing. I won't be at all surprised to see several of these 2yo in stakes races later in the year. You can always count on Todd Pletcher having a leading contender in these kinds of races, but like most of these in the winter you have to decide between two of them. Both Born Noble and his stable mate had sold for over $700K but it was the St. Elias stable standard bearer that got my money as that's where Irad Ortiz landed. The crowd agreed and sent him off favored while the other was a double-digit price. Pressed the front runner to the top of the lane and took off willingly. He looked SO good that I remarked later he very well could turn out to be my Florida Derby horse! Within minutes they were off in New York and my pick Regulatory Risk got the win so I was off to a quick start.
The early races at Gulfstream were taken off the turf to be run on the Tapeta - which I'd anticipated as they are "Nervous-Nellies" about their inner grass course since last year's multi-million course looked like a cow-pasture by the time March rolled around. My selection in R4 was Graham Motion's Marksman Queen who was making her North American debut. The move to the Tapeta didn't bother me. Johnny Velazquez went right to the front, looked comfortably like a winner until Tyler Gaffalione sling-shotted off the turn to challenge.....stretch duel, photo finish - oh yeah, I held on :)
The fifth locally was the first of the added money events, the Rampart Stakes for older fillies & mares. Last year local heroine Maryquitecontrary was a popular winner. She'd run some excellent races out of town without winning and today she came in off a layoff. But her 8/6-2-0 local resume made her the BET of the Day for me. I did have concerns about her late running style over the usually speed-favoring dirt course. Sat mid-pack into the turn, split rivals and got clear with a furlong to go. Lengthened her stride and showed off her class by blowing by in hand late.
As you can see, I'm having a good day at Gulfstream. But....where are the out-of-town winners? That was the issue as we moved to mid-afternoon. I'd won at Aqueduct and then had missed on TEN straight races from the other tracks. But I was so happy with myself because in spite of that, I still made Souper Bourbon my "prime time" best bet at Laurel. And not only did I stick to my guns, but worth noting he was a first time starter. Oh my. I've seen trainer Brittany Russell throughout this year win over and over again, and with brother Sheldon up I thought this guy was rock solid. Right to the front and coasting until about the 1/8th pole when he began to tire. But the rider had saved enough and I got my fifth winner. Hitting at 33% but behind for the day, I need to pick up the pace!
Every day - and I mean E-V-E-R-Y day at the track produces great stories, but far and away the two best stories from today came here at Gulfstream and the first was in this turf sprint for entry level allowance runners in Race 7. Clearly Cruzin Man would be ultra tough to beat and with Irad Ortiz on board, that made him the obvious short priced favorite. But what I saw was that he was a confirmed "need to lead" front runner and there were at least two if not four more of those. What if he had to work oh-so-hard on the front end and would be vulnerable in deep stretch. Whenigettoheaven had Paco Lopez and had come flying late in the Maryland Million Turf Sprint two back and had darkened form with a troubled outing in his last. I thought if anybody, ANYBODY can put pressure on the favorite I've got a chance at a price. The gates opened and in two jumps Cruzin Man was all alone with a daylight lead. Really? But instead of lagging at the back, 'Heaven was stalking in third. On the turn you could see that clearly my horse had the momentum as he cruised up alongside and put his head in front turning for home. Here we go I thought, but the favorite was not done. Head up and head down all the way to the wire and it LOOKED to me like I'd lost the head bob. Watched the slo-mo replay and yep, I was second. Good handicapping, but not going to cash I thought. Headed inside to watch the upcoming race from the Fair Grounds. But as I got inside I saw on the big screen TV the "OBJECTION / INQUIRY" on the board. OOOHHH this could be interesting, but I sure didn't see anything watching live that would indicate a DQ was in the works. Then the stewards view came up. WOW, the favorite began in the two path and drifted out all the way to the wire, ending up in the ten path and taking my horse with him. It was a L-O-N-G review but then the graphic changed and I was put up via DQ. And best of all, he'd left the gate at 5/1 and I collected nearly $35 for my minimum bet.
I ran 3rd, 2nd and then didn't finish in my next three before I headed back up into the grandstands to watch the 74th running of the Grade 3 Suwannee River going a mile on the turf course. I thought the field had several legitimate win candidates but Brittany Russell's Full Court Felicia under Irad Ortiz looked to benefit greatly from the pace flow I foresaw. I also liked her BIG RACE, not so big, BIG RACE, not so big pattern that led to today being one of the BIG ones. Add in a smoking bullet work and she was the legitimate bet. Cleverly saved ground tracking the leaders through the far turn, waited patiently and as is nearly always the case, the leaders drifted off the rail and Irad shot through to the front and edged clear late with my double investment on board the first graded stakes winner of the winter here for me.
Missed twice out of town again and then it was time for the $100K St. Augustine Handicap going a mile-70 on the all-weather. And this would mark the final live race I'd watch before leaving to get home in time to take Kim to the hockey game tonight. It was an overflow field and after going through it several times I couldn't make a strong case for anyone. BUT.....I've seen Fly The W run all year long and he continually gets up in time to win over this surface. He LOVES running on the synthetic. Today he got top rider Luis Saez on board as he went for his TWELFTH win locally. Listed at 10/1 in the program I thought he was more than worth that price. I made the bet and looked up at the board - already bet down to 6/1, see.....several people are taking the approach I have. Walked out to the rail to watch and as they approached the gate Fly the W was 9/1....as they went into the gate, even higher at 14/1. OK, I thought, now we'll see. He sat mid pack into the far turn and then I could see him accelerate and I actually thought, "so you're sayin' I've got a chance!" as they hit the top of the lane. Here's a guy who typically runs for $10-$15K and now he's with the big boys, can he sustain it? He kept moving and in the final 100 yards he burst between runners to the front and WON! The second great story of the day as the board lit up to a $30.40 mutual pay off and I'd be cashing for over $75! Oh I'm having a great day at Gulfstream.
Once I'd arrived here at Gulfstream earlier I'd looked at when I'd be leaving and how many bets I'd need to make. There were seven and the total cost was going to be about $100. For what ever reason, and maybe it was because I was leaving SO early today to watch the Florida Panthers vs. Montreal hockey game, but I didn't feel comfortable leaving that much money on the table. So I sat down early in the day and made the bets via my 1st Bet app.
I got home a little after 5pm and had enough time to watch all seven races before heading to the hockey game. In the Woodchopper Stakes at the Fair Grounds, a one mile turf test for 3yo runners, I thought that Gigante was an obvious choice. I even remarked in my analysis, "is there something I don't know because Gigante is a multiple graded stakes placed runner....upset the Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes this summer and had beaten today's rival Northern Invader BOTH times they'd run against one another. And yet the latter was favored in the program. Well, if they are going to give money away I'll triple the bet I thought. As the field hit the far turn Northern Invader as making a move to the front as the 4/5 choice and Gigante was swinging wide into the clear. Rolling down the middle of the track he was up in time and edged clear late.....and somehow went off at an inflated 3/1 price. I cashed for over $60! Thank you foolish bettors!
While the 8th at Oaklawn was NOT the featured stakes race it DID have the best runner on the card, multiple stakes winner Skelly. The only question was the layoff having not been seen since April. But he had won previously off a long layoff and the Steve Asmussen trainee had back-to-back-to-back-to-back sharp works. Made him a "prime time" play. Right to the front and coasted home as much the best. My worries about having a good day AT the track and seeing my winnings melt away with the late races was NOT going to happen today!
Missed on the next four, but just before we had to leave for the game the 3yo's were in the gate for the co-featured Pago Hop Stakes at the Fair Grounds. These 3yo fillies would go the same one mile on the turf as the colts had earlier in the Woodchopper. My pick was Tufani and I thought I had a chance to get a "fair price" because I was banking on her most recent career top Beyer being a sign that she'd come back from the layoff a more mature and stronger filly. Sent off at a "fair" 2/1 price she immediately was near the back all the way to the far turn. The rider began weaving through openings in the field and produced the filly out in the middle of the long stretch with a clear run at the leaders. Gathered momentum and blew by to WIN as my 11th winner on the day. Cashed for over $30 to end the amazing day.
Pegasus Preview Day Highlights
Sunday I only hit one of six picks, but the one I hit was the best of the day when Sand and Sea set a track record with my "prime time" bet on board.
With the last race in the books Sunday, the first month of the Championship Meet had come to an end. Typically I do "ok," just a little below my normal numbers through the first month and get better and better each month to finish the winter strong. But the December totals show me on a pace to have the best winter I've ever had. Go me....go me.
No time to rest on my winnings as next week is ANOTHER extended racing week with a special New Year's Day card on tap tomorrow which includes a BEST Bet for me and not one but two stakes for the newly turned 3yo's as the fillies and colts begin their march to the Gulfstream Park Oaks & Florida Derby!
Social Media this week.....
Most of the contact this week came through exchange of Christmas wishes to my online pals. Ironically next to none of the limited male friends I have replied, but many of my gal-pals. I guess I'm a rarity at holiday and birthday wishes, go figure. One of the very coolest exchanges came when my girl Lauren Pastrana replied to a message and thanked me for sending her a Christmas card. I thought we'd become good enough friends to be able to do that, but sent it to the CBS station in care of her. Didn't know if she'd get it and when I didn't hear for a couple weeks I figured it was just lost in a pile somewhere....but no :)
And here are the virtual Christmas cards....
