Gulfstream Park Championship Season: Gulfstream Week 9

Pegasus World Cup Week
January 24 - 28

Well, more than ANY week so far of this Championship season, this week was A-L-L about the big day on Saturday....and in more ways than one! First, and most obviously the Pegasus World Cup Day is one of THE highlights on the Gulfstream Championship Meet calendar as well as on the international stage of racing events. And today would be the SEVENTH (of eight) Pegasus Cups that I'd be sitting on the finish line to see the multi-million race. Typically a "big" Saturday might have 3-or-4 thousand people crowding on the apron and around the track facility, but Saturday it was more than 41,000. So amazing to be a part of such a big day. Secondly, from a racing stand point, after scoring in three of eight races over the first two days of racing, I was shut out on both Friday and Sunday. So, again, clearly the big story was Saturday. Still, let's see how the week played out.....

Past Pegasus World Cup Days

Wednesday saw me with only three selections. What was most interesting, to me personally was that in back-to-back races today I not only found but would be wagering on runners who's names were "inspired" by two of my most favorite former students, the "dynamic duo" of Kimmy & Christy.....

I was disappointed that Fast Kimmie failed to run to her form, but with all the money being poured in on Shea D World, I upped the bet to a "Prime Time" play. Right to the front under confident handling from Paco Lopez....even got the "patented condescending look" under the arm turning for home as if to say, "you don't really think you'll threaten me do you....really?" And as she ran away got the ever so popular call from Announcer Pete...."She's making 4/5 look like EEEEEAAAASSSSY Money!" :)

Thursday saw my selection sheet with five runners to be played. The first winner came in Race 2, a starter allowance on the turf. What Say Thee looked the more likely to run to his form going first off the claim for trainer Mike Maker. Had concerns as he was at the back of the pack into the far turn. But when given his cue he inhaled the field going last-to-first for the score!

Missed with a 10/1 longshot that didn't fire and then we came to Race 7. I had thought Star of Saturn was worth a triple investment on paper. Based on the comments and the betting I decided to up the bet on the three-year-old favorite in this entry level, six furlong sprint. I again had concerns when after tracking the leaders to the turn it appeared that the rider was having to push the filly to keep up. But she was just gathering momentum because once she got her legs going she drove by and drew off. Best of all, maybe because I'd upped the bet on Wednesday and won, I'd not only upped the bet, but REALLY UPPED the wager to a $30 to WIN play. Cashed for nearly $50 on what turned out to be the final winner of the week day racing.

Saturday: Pegasus Day

As I began preparing for the big day, my handicapping started on Monday with a horse-by-horse analysis for all eight stakes races. I considered only playing Gulfstream races for the day and just enjoy the day. But the more I thought about I thought even if I played online, I'd enjoy the day more with more "action." Also, by the time I'd finished handicapping the big 13-race card I was certain I'd want to play other tracks. Why? Because - and to be honest, as we headed out on Saturday, I was less enthused about the big day than I can remember from other years because all the races appeared "good," but there were very few that I felt confident in my selections. Mentally I just shook my head after the first two races were official. In the opener I'd landed on an Irad Ortiz horse who came calling at the top of the lane but flattened out to be third. Then in the second, a wide-open Maiden Special for 3yo I had to choose between two Todd Pletcher first time starters. I went with the John Velazquez riddent sophomore than the Irad Ortiz one on the rail. They'd worked together and they were hard to separate. I was surprised that neither was taking betting action but I thought my pick at 11/1 had as good of chance as the other. Irad Ortiz blew by and drew off by daylight which was bad enough but when the prices were posted at $18.00 for a $2 bet I was thinking it might just be one of "those days" where I'm always zigging when the horses are "zagging." I got on the board with my third bet, the opener at Laurel where Dennison Girls was dropping out of a $30K maiden event for top trainer Brittany Russel into a cheaper spot. I was surprised she was NOT the favorite but not surprised when she won. The $6.00 payoff allowed me to cash for $30 and suddenly I was ahead after three bets with "my girl" Kimberly - with whom I chatted all day long :)

Over the next hour and a half I didn't have any out of town races, but missed on both my Gulfstream picks. Race 5 was an allowance on the turf which appeared wide open to me. I liked Ice Chocolate under Irad Ortiz enough to make a bet, in large part because we were HERE and it was a big day. But I was not wild about the 12-post he'd drawn and even less so that he'd not been out since October 2022. BUT when last seen he'd been in six straight graded races. Willing to play. But the on-air analysts talked about how he'd be such a favorite and the betting was strong on him. Game-time decision to up the bet. Ortiz had him mid-pack to the turn, then began picking off horses. Had to swing six-to-seven wide into the clear turning for home and at the furlong pole it was still a lot of ground to make up. But he was flying at at the 16th pole Keith cried out, "You've got it!" 'Chocolate continued his surge and was up in the shadow of the wire. The price had floated up to more than 2/1 so I cashed for over $30 again and after six races I was hitting 33% and in the black again :)

Over the next hour I missed on four straight one of which was in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante at Gulfstream going a mile and a half on the turf where I thought Romagna Mia was the most likely winner on the card - as did more than one "professional" handicapper. Sent off at 4/5 she seemed "disinterested" down the backstretch....I just didn't have a good feeling, but kept telling myself she'd not been asked yet. Asked on the turn she didn't accelerate at all and finished a dull fifth of six. Truly looks like "one of those days." I was grateful to have the bets out of town more than ever now, and was glad to collect first on Galatians at Laurel in a claiming route and then with Bear Oak in a starter allowance over a sloppy & muddy track at Oaklawn Park. Those two wins got me close to even again and boosted the win average back to 33%. I thought, "at least I'm winning at a good percentage!"

Missed on four in a row at Gulfstream. In the Gr 3 McKnight going a mile and a half on the turf my minimum play pick ran 5th at 3/1; in the Grade 2 Inside Information I had "Horse for the Course" Maryquitecontrary who was the 3/2 favorite. She was a less than enthusiastic third finishing behind a $16 winner who she'd beaten by eight lengths last time out. WOW. That winner gave jockey Irad Ortiz his FIFTH win from the first nine races! I wasn't all that surprised in the Grade 2 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf when Star Fortress didn't win. She'd popped a huge 104 Beyer in her first US start winning a Grade 3 at Churchill. And as I wrote and told Keith - she either IS or IS NOT that good. It was the latter as she finished a well beaten 9th at 3/1. And finally in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper I took Bob Bafferts very fast Hejazi. Set sail with a daylight lead turning for home at 6/5 - so clear that I had the video on and was saying "Bob Baffert's Hejazzi wires....." only to see him inhaled in the final 100 yards by an $18 winner. YOWZA. Can't find a winner anywhere locally. Like most Saturdays I was playing the races from New Orleans at the Fair Grounds. But when I began handicapping the races I thought there had to be a misprint where the Racing Form listed post time for the first race at 4pm EST. Nope, they were starting late AND had just eight races today. Hmmm. After passing the first - when they came off the turf with a lot of heavy rain in the area over the last two days - but I liked Just A Touch in Race 2. The first time starting filly for Brad Cox was listed as the 3/1 favorite over a last out debut runner who earned a big 77 Beyer. That had to be a good sign. Tracked the front runner into the lane then took over and drew off impressively!

The 9th at Laurel saw former Bob Baffert runner Messier entered in an allowance race. I thought 3/5 was stealing as he turned for home with a daylight lead. Nailed late - second. Sigh..... After a flat fourth at Oaklawn it was time for Laurel's co-feature, the Spectacular Bid Stakes for 3yo colts. a field of ten had been entered and I liked Guanare who had debuted with a dismal effort at Gulfstream, then changed trainers and shipped to NY where he won for fun in a $40K maiden event. Last time out he whistled home as much the best with a field-best 88 Beyer to earn a trip to this stakes event. When I looked at the board after Race 9 went official I was stunned to see that SEVEN of the ten had scratched out. What the???? The muddy track or fearful of my pick who was a prohibitive 1/9 as the betting began? I opted in this three horse field to go prime time. When I went out to the grandstand to watch the Fred Hooper with Keith I remarked "We'll see what kind of racing luck I'm going to have - I've got the 1/9 favorite in a three horse field....you'd think I would HAVE to win, right?" Came back to watch as Guanare sat behind the dueling pair into the far turn. Looked to be cruising to the front three wide, but once in front in the lane he failed to draw off. I kept thinking, at this short price in this short field I SHOULD be a more handy winner. But in the final yards he did edge clear to a daylight score. Cashed for just over $25 with my "big bet" and first stakes win of the day.

At Gulfstream, the grandstand which had been maybe 50-60% full to this point was now packed as was the apron below. So much so that it was difficult to find your way from the simulcast area inside to the stairs to your seat! Obviously it was time for the BIG SHOW! First up was the Grade 1, $1 Million Pegasus Turf. My pick was European invader Warm Heart, a filly taking on the boys. Much like the pick in the Filly & Mare Turf I told Keith, in my opinion she either WAS or WAS NOT the clear winner. Here were the facts...... last fall top international trainer Aidan O'Brien had sent her to Santa Anita to run in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Shed been nailed on the line, finishing second by a neck to a mare that's widely considered the best female turf runner in the world. So you KNOW if Warm Heart had been entered in the Grade 2 $500K Pegasus F&M Turf she'd have gone off at 1/5 or less and probably won for fun. But instead O'Brien wanted a piece of the boys. Second, you had to believe that top international rider Ryan Moore - who you could easily make a case that he's THE BEST jockey in the world - came to South Florida specifically to ride here. And finally, after traveling from So Cal to Japan - where Warm Heart was 3rd in the Group 1 Japan Cup against the boys - and now all the way to Florida for her career finale....you had to believe they didn't come here to pick up a minor check. I debated while handicapping just how firmly I believed she WOULD win as I was convinced the connections believed she would. In the end I thought I'd go "prime time" and put my money where my mouth was. None of the three "professional handicappers" for Gulfstream picked her on top! The "buzz" horse was Shug McGaughey's newly turned 4yo Integration who was a perfect 3-for-3. McGaughey rarely has them ready to go at first asking, and often it takes several races to hit their best stride. But this colt won at first asking in a Colonial MSW (first "hmmmm" for me); then won the Virginia Derby in his first start against winners, and topped off his 3yo season with a win in the Grade 2 Hill Prince. But I thought this race was a whole different kind of animal he'd be facing. My opinion was solidified when I watched a video by hottie Acacia Courtney - who I so miss her being an analyst here - when she said much the same. On a side note, it was so good to see long time GP handicapper Ron Nicoletti back after a bout with cancer. Today was his first day back and he looked great. And the pic with Acacia she posted on Twitter brought a big smile to my face - those two were so great together and so enjoyed each other's company as well. Back to Warm Heart..... I was so very surprised that as the horses came onto the track that Integration was a short price and solid favorite. I said to Keith, "I just don't think that's right" and was wondering if the tepid play Warm Heart was getting maybe indicated she wasn't as likely a winner as I thought. They left the gate to a huge roar from the overflow crowd and sat the ideal "garden spot" trip in third behind two embattled front runners. As they hit the far turn Announcer Pete voiced what I was thinking - what would Ryan Moore do now, swing three wide on the turn and probably be four or more wide turning for home, or patiently wait on the rail. In what was later referred to - and I completely agreed with - a "Hall of Fame ride" Moore hugged the rail and then shot through a very narrow opening to the front before they hit the furlong pole. Warm Heart opened a daylight lead and while the closers capitalized on the quick early pace to make up a lot of ground late, they were too late to catch the filly who crossed the wire to the wild cheers of the fans, including THIS handicapper! When the prices were posted at nearly $7 I was cashing for almost $70 and suddenly we're having a VERY GOOD time at the Pegasus! And this moment is worth not one but TWO photos :)

Now it was time for "THE BIG ONE" - the Grade 1 $3 Million Pegasus World Cup. And while this most certainly was "the big one," it wasn't as big as it once was or had been for several years. The original Pegasus was a $12 Million race and featured Horse of the Year Arrogate. Then it became a $10 Million race and featured Horse of the Year Gun Runner. As the purse dropped we still got the Breeders' Cup Classic winner two years in a row. Then we had a less than big name, but followed that up with a match-up between the Breeders' Cup Classic winner against the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner two years in a row. But last year the field was decidedly NOT a $3 Million quality field. And this year's was much the same. BUT......I thought of the full field of "good horses," if Bob Baffert's Grade 1 Preakness winner, National Treasure could repeat his photo finish loss in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile to Horse of the Year and 2x BC winner Cody's Wish he would be the winner. This talented, newly turned 4yo was speedy and I thought he'd shoot right to the front like Todd Pletcher's Life Is Good had done two years ago. But like that race, there APPEARED to be other front runners and so the question for me was COULD he get to the front. If he dueled on the lead it could set it up for Brad Cox's talented and lightly raced First Mission. But my opinion on this horse was similar to that I had on Integration in the Turf. The races he'd run in as a 3yo did not have the kind of horses with established graded stakes talent like this one. The starting gate was right in front of us as we sat on the finish line and I LOVED the roar of the crowd as the gates sprung open. Immediately I knew this would NOT go the way I had envisioned it. National Treasure was asked for speed from jockey Flavian Prat but was outquicked to the front by Grade 2 Cigar Mile winner Hoist the gold. Prat smartly settled National Treasure right off his flank and the two opened up on the field. They went quick but I kept thinking back to an interview I'd read from trainer Bob Baffert where he said how happy he was the owners were racing 'Treasure as a 4yo because he was bigger, stronger, and a better race horse now. I was counting on this as Prat asked him to take command. He easily glided to the front and had a multi length lead approaching the furlong pole. But from the back, dead closer Senor Buscador was flying with all the momentum. The lead began to dwindle but I was confident we had enough to last - and we did! WHOOOO HOOOOO! And just like in the Pegasus Turf the crowd was so wrong in the betting as they sent First Mission off as the short priced favorite allowing National Treasure to float up to better than 5/2 odds. The $7.20 payoff meant I'd cash for over $50. Oh now it's a VERY GOOD Pegasus World Cup Day for me!

National photo - me highlighted

NBC screen shot during post parade

NBC screen shot pre-race

As of this writing I have not had a chance to watch the NBC broadcast of the Pegasus races, but I'll be more than a little surprised if Keith and I are not on camera. One of the photos of National Treasure scoring the big win was taken from the infield and you can clearly see (if you know what you're looking for!) us standing there. I'm in my blue sport coat and white Pegasus polo and have my phone in front of my face filming the race (see above). (UPDATE: watched the broadcast and found myself on a couple of occasions, see above). We watched the trophy ceremony and then headed to the car. I knew I'd had a "good" day but also that I had a few races left to watch at home. Won two of them, both from the Fair Grounds as Gun Pilot drew off as much the best with my triple investment on board, then Foxfire was a decisive winner at a generous $6.80 with my double investment on board.

I didn't cash out my Pegasus winning tickets and obviously brought home the Fair Grounds tickets. So when I return to Gulfstream this next week I'll be cashing out for nearly $200! Oh I like doing that my friends!

Pegasus World Cup Day Highlights

The totals for today....and with next week bringing the first of a new month, I ran the numbers for my two month totals at Gulfstream. Pleased with my results hardly expresses my satisfaction with the way the first two months have gone. I just LOVE this time of year!

Pegasus Day 2024 - WHAT A GREAT DAY!

Social media this week.....

I know I've mentioned this before, but I'm so thankful that I DO have "friends" on social media, because without them I'd have very little "human contact." One of the most frequent of those, Lauren Pastrana from CBS-Miami had several "exchanges today. The local CBS station put together a promo for the upcoming Super Bowl which Lauren posted and I commented that I'd watch the telecast if she and her co-anchor would do the commentary. She "laughed" at that. Another one of "those" cool exchanges that I enjoy came when I noted she was back on the anchor desk after missing back-to-back broadcasts. You can see below I posted a phot of her and welcomed her back at 5:14pm while they were on the air delivering the news. Four minutes later, at 5:18pm WHILE ON THE AIR Lauren not only noted my post by wrote back to me about an upcoming story that was the reason why she was not anchoring as she was "on assignment." When I told her I'd be interested immediately she again, while on the air, "liked" my reply comment. When she posted on Instagram about that story she "liked" my curiosity comment. And for the first time, when I commented on another Instagram post she replied to me through that social media platform.

One of my favorite exchanges of the week came with gal-pal, former CBS-Miami weekend anchor Karli Barnett. Not only that she messaged me, but for the first time since mid-December when Facebook Messenger stopped linking with Instagram, Karli replied to me ON Instagram :)

Our "adopted daughter' and "noted author" Jillian posted a pic of her interacting in a classroom which I commented on and she replied to me......

Pretty Slovakian gal-pal from the Viking Osiris, Petra and I had several exchanges back and forth as she's home on vacation. I'm happy we've kept contact, she was so sweet to us on board.