February 14 - 18: Risen Star Stakes Weekend
Well, as always I enjoyed the week's racing, but certainly it was a far less productive week than I am used to. On Wednesday I had five bets originally but one scratched - which would make for an "interesting" story later in the week! After missing at 4/5 in the opener I got on the board in a MOC for 3yo going five panels on the synthetic. Trumpets had blistered the opening quarter and half mile on his debut over the all-weather before failing to last by less than a length. If the Tapeta continued to play to speed, as it has for the last couple weeks AND she ran back to those fractions she would be a daylight winner. Right to the front and ran away just as I anticipated.
Thursday I had five selections from the nine races on my sheet to bet. But two of them scratched before the races began making for a very short racing day. In the third I thought East Side Cool was the lone speed but the rider took back to stalk the pace and watched the winner go wire to wire as I was a non-threatening fourth. Was second at 5/2 in the fourth. Scratch in the fifth before the sixth, a starter optional claiming event going six furlongs on the main track. I'd planned to bet $15 WIN on For Some reason but after listening to everyone talk about how very much better For Some Reason would be in here I re-evaluated and made him the "Gulfstream BEST Bet of the Week." He dueled with a rival into the far turn then was let loose and ran off as TONS the best! WHOOOO HOOOOO.
Friday brought "good news" and "bad news" for the results. On the upside I'd planned to pass the first two races, but prior to R2 the FanDuel analysts were all over Definite Diva in a MSW turf sprint. They talked about the terrible trouble she'd had, how she could have had the lead but was wrangled back, and that in her last she took on the boys - today back with the girls. AND finally that the hot-riding Paco Lopez was a big winner for this barn in turf sprints. All of that led me to jump in on a double investment wager. Dueled along the inside to the top of the lane then was long gone. Nothing after that - second at even money, 4th at 5/1, then a dismal 7th at 3/5 (WOW). In Race 8 I had Hidden Presence in a MSW turf for 3yo. Made the front at the furlong pole but was nailed on the wire. That was bad enough but the next day as I was updating my stats it flashed in my mind that the winner had been a horse named Lady Madonna. Was that right? I looked back - remember I noted that on Wednesday I had a scratch that would play into this week's stories? On Wednesday I had picked Lady Madonna who was a 10/1 starter for top trainer Todd Pletcher. Then later in the week when I handicapped the Friday card I noticed she was entered for the 8th in here and I wrote, ".....may have to reconsider Lady Madonna if she scratches out on Wed to run here....." but I didn't even read my own analysis or look at the field, just made my bet. Lady Madonna paid $15 and change - should have had that one. Sigh.....
Saturday
I was playing multiple tracks today but the bets for Laurel I made prior to leaving for the track because they were offering a "bet back" promotion if you're win bet ran 2nd or 3rd. The first winner of the day did indeed come from Laurel when 9yo Iywaan tracked the leaders into the lane and then drew off at a generous 9/2 price.
I got my first and what turned out to be my ONLY win at Gulfstream when Nova Sol edged clear in the fifth, a $50K "beaten" claiming event on the turf. I actually had THREE winners on the card, but in my infinite wisdom I opted to make two of those races "PASS" races. Still at the end of the day I felt better about MY handicapping when noting that long-time Gulfstream analyst Ron Nicoletti and current analyst Brian Nadeau only had two winners. And Mike Welsch of the Daily Racing Form - who, like the other two guys GETS PAID to pick winners, went 0-for-12. It was also interesting when I turned on the FanDuel broadcast on Sunday that analyst/host Larry Colmus remarked he was hoping for a better day on Sunday as HE had gone 0-for-12 on Saturday. So I guess 3-for-12 wasn't so bad, eh?
I picked up my first stakes winner on Saturday in Aqueduct's Ruthless Stakes for 3yo fillies. I was surprised that the last-out maiden Ghalia's Princess scratched out of Oaklawn's Rainbow Stakes to run where - I thought she had an "ok" chance to win there, but little chance here. Yet the crowd made her the slight 2/1 favorite. My pick was Halina's Forte who if she ran back to either of her first two Beyer figures would win for fun. The question was the inexplicable decline last time out. I counted on a rebound and she blew by 'Princess in mid-stretch to draw off to a $6.20 win, letting me cash for over $30.
The highlight of the day came in the fourth of the Laurel stakes, the Grade 3 General George. I thought that Brittany Russell's Post Time was tons the pick. A career 6-for-7 record and 3-for-4 at this seven furlong distance were just part of the thinking. I thought he'd be a short price, but not odds-on. But from the first flash of the odds he was 1/9. My original bet had been $10 online and another $15 live. I watched the board for about ten minutes then went back to "my girl Kimberly, the teller twin" and asked her to cancel the bet. I then said, "I'd like $40 to win." She looked up at me with big eyes and said, "4 - 0?" And I said yes. I was mildly concerned when he was behind a wall of horses turning for home, but found a seam, got clear at the furlong pole and rolled home as easily best. I smiled broadly when I went back to Kimberly to cash my ticket and said, "I finally had a winner...." and gave her the ticket. She gave me a big smile and said, "....and this is the one you changed!" I happily collected my money :) I won one more race while we were there, a maiden race at the Fair Grounds. And then Keith and I headed home.
Sunday I had four bets at Gulfstream. But the weather called for not only rain, but big time storms. And shortly after the racing started it was POURING there. But the races went on. And for once I was very happy that they had the Tapeta track because I thought it made for "fair-er" racing than on the sloppy dirt. In the second Classic Mo Town defied the recent trend that you had to be on the lead on the all-weather and rallied from the back to score.
Picked up my second winner in a 3yo entry allowance event going a mile and a sixteenth with a short stretch to the first finish line. I very rarely like to bet last-out maiden winners but Donegal Forever had been ultra-impressive in his debut for Todd Pletcher. He'd been off several months and those kind of "talented 2yo / off a layoff / first start as a 3yo" kind of horses win often for him. Forged to the front turning for home......stretch duel.....JUST in front for the win!
I decided to "Handicap the Handicappers" to give myself some "action" on the day and was rewarded with another FIVE winners to make my total for the day seven for thirteen! A good way to end the week :)
This Week's Racing Highlights
Social Media this week.......
Lauren Pastrana and I had oh-so-many interactions this week, by far the most I've "talked" to someone other than my wife in a long, long time....and all online. It started on Monday when I messaged her that we'd both picked the underdog Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl and she messaged me back. She posted a rhetorical question wondering how many people would be interested in seeing her, and the others in the newsroom, wild reactions to the Chiefs winning in overtime. Lauren had posted a similar video last year when the Panthers had won in overtime. I voted YES to seeing it, and when she did post it I messaged her that it was so much like the hockey win reaction. And that evening (Monday) the weather forecast called for chilly temps on Valentine's morning so I reached out to her, knowing how much she enjoys coffee in a hoddie on the porch on a chilly morning.
Lauren and I had a "real conversation" on Wednesday. I reached out to her via Instagram messenger and remarked about how interesting her piece on "Only Fans" had been and asked what had been her reaction to meeting them in person. She wrote back to me, in detail almost immediately. And then I reacted to her reply, and she answered right back. Then I decided to ask if she'd be interested in helping me prepare for my next Viking TV episode. And I have to say it was one of the highlights of the week when she said maybe she could get me to the studio. I would so very much enjoy meeting her in person.....and getting some pointers for the next TV episode. Finally, along the lines of that piece, Lauren posted the link on Facebook and asked for reactions. I did, and later I saw one guy, "Robert" had been pretty negative about it, so I reached out to her in another Instagram private message to tell her I thought he was way off base and that I certainly supported her work. And again, she wrote back to me. :) Finally a couple of interactions from newscasts, one of which came when the evening news did a feature on the Miami Boat Show and I wrote that I'd like to have one of those.....note I sent that message at 6:31pm while she was on the air and she answered me at the top of the hour, while she was on the air. :)
On Valentine's Day I saw a FB post from Miami (Oh), my alma mater about Miami Valentines and so I sent one to former student and fellow Miami Redskins alum, Jen. She replied back with similar wishes.
Used to interact with Karli Barnett more than any other social media gal-pal, but that's tailed off. But this week she posted a pic of her kitty watching the news. I commented and she wrote back to me.
On "Fat Tuesday" - Mardi Gras Day - KC Sherman, who typically does the weekend weather was on the regular morning show. I saw her talking about her hometown of New Orleans and they brought in her parents via video. I commented to her and she reacted.
Weekend anchor and gal-pal Teri Hornstein liked my two posts letting her know I was enjoying her broadcast - especially on Saturday after she interviewed a chef about a variety of Mac & Cheese dishes!
Finally, it was cool that when Jeff brought the two boys over on Tuesday night there wasn't any Florida Panther hockey on, so I turned on ESPN to see who was playing and settled in to watch the Colorado Avalanche play the Washington Capitols - who we had JUST beaten them both at home. As I started watching and they went to intermission break I remembered and saw that the studio host for Colarado is former Panther girl Katie Gaus. She's a cutie and I really thought she did great work. I reached out to her and she replied back to me within minutes.
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