Well, disappointing is the word that most comes to mind as I reflect on the 2025 Pegasus. Not only was the racing subpar on all the days BUT Pegasus Day (thankful for that!), but the 13 races on the big Saturday were so wide-open that it made it hard to find a winner. Made even more difficult when the winning payouts on the thirteen races were: $18.60, $11.00, $15.40, $19.80, $6.60, $16.20, $13.60. $19.00, $40.40, $16.80, $6.40, $17.80, and $7.60. Add in that the winner of the big race - and I usually have the Pegasus winners, was a horse I never would have bet - and had been defeated at 1/5 odds when I bet him last time out. The only "consolation" was that after deciding it was "the right thing to do" to not go to the races with my family in town, with Brad & his family in for a one-day visit, and having to take Kim to Miami this week, at least I wasn't out there all day watching pick after pick NOT find the winner's circle. Enjoyed watching the action, but also still unhappy after Gulfstream had announced earlier in the week that they would probably be closing the facility within three years and selling it off for the real estate value. WOW. But I did have some success out of town to somewhat salvage the Saturday of racing. Here's how the week played out......
My Mom & sister arrived on Tuesday, which was just in time for 40 degree mornings - temps South Florida had not seen in two years. I posted the photo below showing how it was nearly the same chilly weather - leading to the same outfit for me - here last week as it was when I was sailing down the Danube River with my niece Khloe a month ago. On board that day, just FYI it was 45 degrees as we sailed thru the scenic Wauchu Valley of Austria.
On the Wednesday nine race card I went 0-for-3 including a 4th at 4/5 odds to go with a 2nd and a 3rd place finish. On Thursday I had a much better day as I cashed tickets on two of three selections. I ran third at 7/2 odds to start the day but then in R5, a non-winners of two lifetime sprint on the all-weather, it looked to me like Denver's Alley was going to be all alone on the front end. Broke sharply, cleared the field and never looked back. And as a bonus, left the gate at a more than fair 2/1 price allowing me to cash for over $30.
My last bet of the day came in R6, an entry level allowance for 3yo's going 6f on the main track. No matter how you looked at it, you were either going to take a short price on Neoequos or hope for a longshot to somehow outrun his odds. He'd tossed the rider on debut then scored in a sparkling win. First time winners he faced the ultra-talented Rated By Merit in the FSS Dr. Fager Stakes and ran a sharp 2nd. Faced the same rival next time out in the FSS Affirmed Stakes. He was seven clear of the field and three of the four who'd come back to run from that race had WON. Much like the first winner on the day he was quickly in front and never had to be asked for his best as he ran away handily.
On Friday I predicted that Tonight would be overbet in the 2nd, a cheap 3yo maiden claimer and he was when sent off at 4/5 and could do no better than third. I only had one other bet and that came in R7, a MSW two turn event for 3yo's that got moved to the all weather. Tuscon was a $1.3 Million sales purchase who'd run a solid 4th sprinting on debut behind a runner who'd come right back to win again. Irad Ortiz tracked the leaders into the lane while 4th, swung into the clear and ran down the front runners to get the top prize. I actually had the winner in R9, a second level off-the-turf event. I'd won with Todd Pletcher's Life's An Audible in a 3yo stakes last winter and he'd looked good to win again this past weekend, but the race got washed off the turf. When I read we were off the turf again today I just assumed they'd scratch again. Didn't and he won as the 3/2 favorite.
Saturday: Pegasus Day
After handicapping the big 13-race card I told both Kim & Keith that it was the first time all winter that we had a REAL "Gulfstream card" - with fields full of contenders. I had my son Brad take my picture before the racing began as I sported the outfit I'd purchased for today.....sigh.....
In the first bet of the day I ran 3rd as the short-priced 1-2 favorite. The second race was second level AOC event which featured 2023 Pegasus Turf Cup winner Atone. The good news was as a Gr 1 winner over the course he'd posted a string of Beyers that should win here. The bad news was that the $1.4 Million earner had not won since that 2023 big event. Oh. Still I thought he had an excellent chance today. Perfectly spotted close to the leaders into the lane, got into the clear and wore them down late. The big $15.40 payoff allowed both me and my son Brad - who was playing along with my selections - to get off to a fast start.
I ran 2nd in the GP Turf Sprint at a generous 5/1 price before picking up my first win of the day at Oaklawn where it was Southwest Stakes Day - their first big graded stakes prep on the Kentucky Derby trail - on a car that featured SIX stakes events. Rapture was an expensive 3yo colt trained by Brad Cox. He's run 2nd in a one-turn mile at Gulfstream on debut but was more than a dozen clear of the field that day. Despite breaking from post eleven he quickly was near the front and tracking the longshot front runner to the far turn. Took command turning for home and was long gone.
Two non-threatening finishes at Gulfstream (6th and 7th) were sandwiched around a 2nd at Laurel before I got back into the win column when I tripled the bet on Bishops Bay at Oaklawn. It was a second level allowance but the conditions read, "....which have not won $24K twice...." and his second level allowance win had paid out $21K at Horseshoe Indiana so he qualified. Sent off as the legitimate 1-2 favorite he pressed the pace to the stretch then drew off impressively. And at this point in the day I stood at four-for-ten with a flat bet profit. Over the next fourteen races I'd only cash three tickets - and one of those was a Xpressbet "money back" promotion when Locked ran 2nd in the Pegasus World Cup. The "worst" losses came in the Grade 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream when prime time bet Emery rallied under Tyler Gaffalione - who was up in the nick of time in two other stakes - and fell less than a head short on the wire and at Oaklawn in the Martha Washington, a 3yo filly stakes where favored Quietside broke last - shocking that my pick would do so, not - and was too late to catch the winner when second at 1-2 odds. The two wins I did have were in stakes at Oaklawn when Kinetic justified by prime time investment as the "BEST Bet" at Oaklawn in the General MacArthur and when the Wine Steward proved best when edging clear in the final fifty yards of the Fifth Season Stakes.
Sunday's card was "better than usual" as I found six horses playable in the first nine races. But probably was a little too ambitious as I won with only two minimum bet plays - and both were short priced favorites.
With the end of the racing weekend we've reached the conclusion of the first two months of the winter season. This time last year I'd had 462 bets and had won with nearly 40% of them while showing a flat bet $2.01 profit for every $2 bet. I honestly don't think it's my handicapping as much as it's the quality of the racing as this year I've only had 341 bets and won with only 31% of them while showing only a $1.62 ROI.
Social Media this week.....
I had "conversations" with former student Jen on two occasions this week. First, she posted pics from her snowy home in Atlanta. You may recall that last week she had done the same and I'd inquired about coming to visit :) And the second exchange was when I wished her a happy birthday :)
Monday night was the college football national championship and gal-pal Shelly, who worked with Kim and I at Piper and Cypress Bay posted a pic of her in an Ohio State hat. We exchanged messages regarding that - the Buckeyes went on to win the title!
This week former childhood friend of our youngest son Brad, Jilly posted a pic of her new hair style and I commented, and got a reply.
Poor Teri, my weekend CBS-Miami anchor friend had to have surgery on her ankle after breaking it. She and I had a conversation about my leather jacket & sweatshirt when it was really cold earlier in the week, as well as about her poor ankle/
Always have multiple exchanges with my best only gal-pal Lauren. This week I had several exchanges with her as she gave reports from Washington D.C. on Monday's Presidential inauguration day events. And then more at the end of the week when she returned home and to the anchor desk.
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