January 1 - 5
Here's the good news......it's 2025! Racing has moved to a 5-day-a-week program, it was our 38th anniversary, and I WENT to the races for only the second time since last spring's Florida Derby Day (had a winning day). Now the bad news....struggled to find the winner's circle most of the week. So very thankful that the way my racing luck went, that Saturday did NOT follow that pattern. So - and it's MY journal so I get to write what I want to write - this week I'll be focusing nearly the entire review on what happened Saturday. We celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary on Friday. I got Kim a card and two dozen roses to go with the Mickey & Minnie ceramic I'd let her open on Christmas. She's not the romantic one in the couple, and of course she's "crippled" so not even a card came my way. Sigh.... Been the best 38 years of my life and I am so lucky to have a life partner that for the most part shares the same interests that I have - especially during our retirement.
So, about Saturday.....I handicapped the races from Gulfstream, Aqueduct, the Fair Grounds, Oaklawn, and Santa Anita. And all but the Fair Grounds were running the first leg of their Derby preps. Keith and I planned a full day at the races, just like the old days and set off from the house at about 11:30am. I THOUGHT I had a PASS in the first race at Gulfstream, but I actually didn't. Walked in as they were approaching the gate and my horse was double digits. Pondered what to do as it was a Todd Pletcher 3yo maiden but obviously cold on the board. Rather than rush to the windows I passed. Stood along the rail and saw my horse - at 11/1 now - sit the perfect trip and target the winner in mid-stretch. JUST missed in second. WOW that would have been ugly had he won without my wager! But my actual first bet was coming up in New York so I went to my favorite teller, Kimberly and cashed tickets from the last time I was at the races (the week before Thanksgiving) for over $100 and put $10 to win on Master of Arms in a six furlong starter allowance at Aqueduct. We chatted for several minutes about Kim's surgery and Kimberly talked about when she'd had surgery a few years ago. Good to have a "gal-pal" at the track :) Master of Arms had run three straight races - and was claimed out of all three - with Beyers that beat every figure on the page. That trumped the barn's 1-for-20 first off the claim stats for me. Pressed the pace to the stretch, took command and was clear to the wire. The best part, left the gate at a more than generous 3/1 price and paid $8.20 so I cashed for $41! I had messaged gal-pal Lauren Pastrana that I was enjoying a day at the races (see below) and when I cashed for over $40 on the first bet I told her so and got the "shocked" emoji back :) LOL
Missed in the next at Aqueduct before it was time for the first "real bet" live at Gulfstream. Rapture Bay was the pick in this cheap, $8K nw2L going two turns on the Tapeta. Despite the 14/1-3-3 record this one was going first off the claim for Victor Barboza, and that was a 35% win angle. Mid-pack into the turn, swung wide into the lane and got to the front. Seemed gone but then a closer came flying on the outside.....JUST held on. WHEW!
Missed on the next four, the first two as short priced favorites before it was time for the second race at the Fair Grounds. Boomin' Belle had been claimed by Mike Maker a few months ago and she'd run big numbers in races in open company, against better. Off an even fifth (with some trouble) in the La Champions Day Ladies' Turf she was in a state-bred allowance today. Was well back and in no hurry to move up into the turn. Was advancing thru the turn but was blocked turning for home. The rail opened and she shot through and quickly blew by the leaders! Geared down thru the final 100 yards the easiest of winners.
The opener at Santa Anita was a $25K nw2L event on the turf. I liked Baldoro on the drop from a $50K restricted event, and upped the bet when I read he was Brad Free's BEST Bet of the Day. Tracked the leaders from mid-pack thru the turn, swung wide and to the front turning for home but when he reached the front he did not keep going, but instead the runner he'd collared dug in and they dueled all the way to the wire. JUST got the bob! Less than ten minutes later they were off in NY in a one-turn mile, MSW for 3yo where Sunday Gilt had improved his figure with each start. Tracked in fourth to the stretch and drew off easily - and like the first winner in NY paid over $8.
Missed at Gulfstream before they loaded into the gate at Santa Anita for a two-turn mile under 3yo MSW conditions. Bob Baffert's $485K son of champion Authentic, Rodriguez had been a best of the rest second sprinting and today I thought, as announcer Trevor Denman often says, "they would have to sprout wings" to catch him. Right to the front and despite another runner pestering him, but the rider seemed unconcerned. As they hit the top of the lane he shook the reins and BOOM, Rodriguez flew home drawing off by a pole while under wraps. ULTRA impressive. I'd been so confident I'd gone "PRIME TIME" on the bet!
Missed in NY before it was time for a turf sprint in New Orleans, a maiden special for older. Out Too Late had run four straight Beyers that would beat everything on the page so I tripled the bet! Sat mid-pack thru the turn, swung wide into the lane passing runners easily. Collared the leader and then, much like the opener at Santa Anita, the front runner would not go away. Heads up and heads down, I wasn't sure on the wire, but the slo-mo replay I THOUGHT I'd won. Was glad when the number came up as mine being the winner. At slightly better than even money I cashed for over $30.
The first of the Derby prep of the day was R8 from Aqueduct, the Jerome. This one-turn mile looked pretty wide-open to me, and I didn't think there was a legitimate Kentucky Derby horse in the field. But Cyclone State looked to be the speed of the speed. I thought with his post 6 draw he might stalk the inside speedsters but he burst out to the front. Cleared the field and opened up by daylight. Turning for home he widened in a strong effort for the win, and for the third time in NY at a nice 3/1 price!
Bob Baffert had - in my opinion - been wrongly suspended, indefinitely by Churchill Downs over the last several years. That ban was finally lifted last fall and he shipped in his pricey, $3.2 Million colt Barnes for his debut run. Despite getting shuffled back AND running into traffic in the lane he was up in time. Today, for his first start against winners Baffert had entered him in the Grade 2 San Vicente - the first So Cal step on the Kentucky Derby trail. His main competition was from Bullard who had run faster Beyers AND had already won a graded stakes. STILL, I thought Barnes was the one to bet. I wish I'd bet more, but still doubled down. Pressed the leader under confident handling into the turn, edged to the front and when given the cue in the lane he took off like a rocket. As I said on the video, "THAT GUY has got talent!"
The final two races at Gulfstream were the co-features for 3yo. The first was the Mucho Macho Man going a one-turn mile and then the finale was the one mile turf test, the Ginger Brew for the fillies. Guns Loaded was my pick in the Derby prep despite coming off an impressive, big figure maiden win. The $800K son of champion Gun Runner had been a best-of-the-rest 2nd on debut and then earned a field best 88 Beyer winning his maiden in sparkling fashion. Quickly took control under jockey Luis Saez and as he turned for home he looked long, LONG gone. But inside the final 16th be began to tire from the fast early fractions and the closers were coming......JUST lasted! WHEW. Just the opposite story in the Ginger Brew where I liked Mark Casse's Nitrogen. Tracking in mid-pack to the turn she began to advance as I turned my camera on. Then she was checked just outside the furlong pole and I turned the video off. Found a seam at the sixteenth pole, burst thru, can't have enough time, right? FLYING to the wire JUST in time for the clean sweep of the features. WOW.
Left for home and had one last winner when El Potente drew off in the Santa Anita turf finale.
Interestingly, when I logged onto Xpressbet to check my totals it said I was 10-for-26 with a loss of just over $5 which seemed about right. The next morning I began processing the photos to put together the highlight video and something didn't seem right. I counted the number of horses highlighted on my sheet - TWELVE. Re-opened Xpressbet.....10-for-26. What's happening. Well I know I took photos of all my winning tickets, let's count..... 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10....and 11-12! Did the figures on my own and voila......
Saturday's Highlights
Social Media this week......
The week saw me have more than my fair share of contact with my social media pals - and again, almost exclusively the girls. But the two who actually "talked" with me were limited to my favorite former student and adult gal-pal Kimmy. In fact, in what may have been the highlight of our friendship over the last several years happened New Year's Eve. Kimmy is great staying in touch with me, but it's almost exclusively when I initiate the contact. To be more than fair she's married, with two little ones, and has a full time job. So I am truly grateful that she takes time to nearly always reply and "chat" with me. I planned to reach out to her on New Year's Day but in the middle of the evening my phone lit up and it was Kimmy who reached out to me. I wish you could have seen the big smile it brought to my face. She's a very special girl and such a good friend to me. We also chatted in regards to our anniversary.
Lauren Pastrana and I had many exchanges this week. FIFTEEN times she and I interacted from Monday thru Saturday, which is a lot. And though many were simply "likes" (with a heart) on Instagram, the fact that she saw them, and reacted to them nearly always quickly after I reached out to her made me smile. They included in response to when I sent a photo of my daughter and I at the hockey game; when I sent a photo showing I was watching her live at 7pm; when I told her I'd be watching the recorded version later; when I told her I was looking forward to the cold snap coming next week; when we exchanged web site URL's; when I sent her a video of the Panthers winning in a shootout; and when I told her about cashing my first ticket of the day on Saturday at Gulfstream. When she actually "talked" with me came......I told her I was glad to see her back on the anchor desk and when I contributed to her Dolphins challenge charity drive....
Also she wished me happy new year and sent Kim and I anniversary wishes.....
And finally when she replied to me noticing her new profile photo and when I sent her a photo of me at the track....
