Risen Star Stakes Week

 February 12 - 15

It was a week highlighted by Valentine's Day and visiting Gulfstream on Saturday.  But other than that it was a week that was characterized by very few wins.  Wednesday I had ONE win on Wednesday at 4/5; on Thursday I had a single winner at 1/2 odds; on Friday, Valentine's Day I was shut out.  Saturday saw me win only once - officially - at Gulfstream; and I closed the week with a single win at 4/5.  Not a week that I'll recall with great pride in my handicapping skills.

Friday:  Valentine's Day
While I was shut out at the races I enjoyed feeling the "love" in the air as my sweetie, Kim and I exchanged cards and gifts.  I had purchased a cartoon version of us that was made from a photo on our trip to a winery last fall.  I also shared that with several of my online pals who agreed it was cool.  That arrived on Wednesday so i went ahead and gave it to her.  Then I had a dozen roses delivered to her on Valentine's Day.  When we were in Orlando last week out to dinner I had what I remarked was the best Moscato wine I'd had, so Kim tried to find it for me.  Didn't find the exact one but a similar one.  And then throughout the day I exchanged Valentine's messages from my favorite online gal-pals.

Saturday:  Risen Star Stakes Day

Keith and I set out for Gulfstream Saturday around 11:45 am knowing we'd miss the first race at GP because I didn't have a bet.  We got our seats on the finish line in the grandstand and I posted a pic noting the "Chamber of Commerce" weather - which got reactions from several of my online pals.  Started the day by finishing third at Gulfstream, then 2nd at the Fair Grounds and fourth at Gulfstream.  Though, in that race I had a Todd Pletcher runner who was 20/1 and made a threatening move into the lane so I got some excitement.  The first win of the day came in Baltimore where Laurel was hosting four stakes races.  A short field of four went two turns over the sloppy going and I preferred Brittany Russell's Sea Dancer.  Has spent his career on the turf until moving from the west coast to Ms Russell's shedrow in Baltimore.  She put him on the dirt and he won a stakes.  Today he was 9/5 as the four horses got in the gate, but by the time they hit the backside he was 1/5.  WOW.  Sat fourth behind the embattled trip into the turn, slipped up the rail and dueled with the 1/1 2nd choice to the furlong pole before drawing off.

I ran 6th twice and then in the fifth at Gulfstream I told Keith that in this Tapeta sprint I didn't have a lot of confidence in Heir to the Roar, who'd gone down as the favorite in back-to-back starts at this level and distance, but he WAS the one to beat.  Surged to the front.  Stretch duel - photo finish and then the slo-mo replay confirmed what I'd seen live, sitting on the finish line, I'd won....The camera showed #5 Heir to the Roar galloping out and then the announcement, "The photo shows the unofficial winner as #2 Bodacious Bren...."  WHAT?   CLEARLY, still as I write this two days later I'm incredulous.  And like every other "official photo" you'll note that the red and white of the rail is not in the official picture.  We just couldn't believe it.  Ahhhh, the track.....

Next up was the Barbara Fritchie from Laurel.  When I'd looked at the past performances the only question was how legitimate were the Beyers Irish Maxima had earned when racing at Parx.  Especially the last out 101 Beyer which would make him a daylight winner.  I liked that the Parx-based rider was here and so I made him the minimum bet.  With ten minutes to post time he was being hammered in the WIN pool and all the multi-race payoffs made him the shortest of short prices.  So I doubled the bet.  Right to the front, clear without any problems and when asked to finish the job he held everyone off by multiple lengths.

Ran 3rd and 2nd in the next two....at least I'm in the hunt, sigh..... Then in the seventh at Gulfstream, a non-winners of two-lifetime turf route I liked Victory Dash.  Jockey Joel Rosario gave him a great ride, sat just off the pace, surged to the front into the lane, was clear and then shortened stride late.....PHOTO finish!  AGAIN, I was "sure" I'd won but as I said to Keith, we'll see what the "official photo" shows.  It DID show I won.  You'll note in the inset how on this "official photo" the rail IS pictured, but note how it is extended beyond the finish line?  First NO finish line and now an elongated one?  This has been something I've seen and wondered about for years.

Next up was the fourth and final of the Laurel stakes (the second place finish before the Victory Dash win had been their third one).  Quint's Brew was my pick, and like nearly all my other wins today - and for the week for that matter - he left the gate as the short priced favorite.  Tracked the leaders into the turn, kicked by and ran off.

The "BIG" races of the day were at the Fair Grounds with multiple graded stakes and 50pt Derby/Oaks preps.  Right before the first of those, the BEST Bet of the Day was in a Gulfstream allowance where Bill Mott's Knightsbridge was returning to the races.  He'd won on debut with a mid-90's Beyer.  Drew off by double digits in a one-turn mile here against entry level foes with another big 90+ Beyer.  And has run a troubled third with yet another mid-90's Beyer in a Gr 3.  EVEN if today was a workout he figured to win under a hand ride.  Thru the first eight races we'd already had multiple double digit payoffs including two horses that paid over $50.  STILL, Knightsbridge looked as sure a thing as there could be.  Dueled early through quick fractions, opened up turning for home and then got run down by a 14/1 longshot under Paco Lopez.  That sealed a losing day for me.  But in the first FG stakes, Mansa Musa rallied to be up in time in the Colonel Powers, a turf sprint stakes.

After the disappointing 2nd with Knightsbridge locally I ran 2nd again, and again in the final two live races - split by a third at the Fair Grounds.  And just before we left I watched Nanda Dea win the Al Stall Memorial Stakes over the New Orleans grass.

Keith mentioned as we walked to the car that he'd won a couple dollars and I said I thought maybe I'd have a small loss if I did ok with the final four races from the Fair Grounds.  Had the 2/1 pick in the Gr 3 Mineshaft - ran seventh :(  Was 2/1 in the Gr 3 Fair Grounds - ran even worse, finishing 8th.  In the featured Gr 2 Risen Star Stakes I had the favorite at 4/5 but a 43/1 longshot wired the field as I again was off the board in 8th.  The ONLY good news in the sequence was Brad Cox's talented and unbeaten filly Good Cheer was an easy winner in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra - the Oaks prep.  AND I'd doubled my wager from $15 to $30.  The bad news was that the field was only 4-deep and she went off at a miniscule 1/9 price.

Risen Star Day Highlights

As I said, it was NOT the kind of week that inspires going back to the track as for the week I was a mediocre 10-for-44.  The winter has NOT been a highly successful one through the first two months anyway and I may be heading for an all-time low win percentage that I set back in 2011-12.  But if there's one thing I've found to be true, it's that by and large if I keep firing it nearly always balances out to be in the low-to-mid 30's for a win percentage.  Here's hoping for a better week, next week.

Social Media this week.....

I was in touch with several of my "peeps" this week.....on more than one occasion I reached out to poor Teri who's still recovering from her foot surgery, but for the first time since her operation, this time she told me she was getting better!

I sent out the "animated" version of Kim and I to a few people, of course first and foremost to my most fav-former, Kimmy who replied that it was cute :)

Several exchanges with my girl, Lauren, as is usual for a week.  I had told her I was writing to the program director about her 7pm solo news segment being cut and she helped me get the facts straight on her background.  Then, Monday night as I got into bed and turned on the 11pm news there was Lauren AND Eliot, both with the "professor" look wearing glasses.  So I sent a message to that effect and immediately - while she was on the air - got a reaction.  The next morning I was watching the recorded news and they told the story who was ARRESTED for hitting a tree - who knew that was such a law.  Then Eliot proceeded to say he hit a tree once and Lauren's reaction was priceless.  So I snapped four stills of her and sent them to her as a collage saying it was these kinds of personality moments that make her my favorite.  She wrote back very soon after saying the pics had "cracked her up" and could she use them.  So she then posted them saying she'd received them from a "loyal viewer" - that would be me my friends - and linked to the story.  Cool stuff - at least I think so!  Next, Lauren has started posting reels that she calls "Walk & Talk" - like the "Top Ten things you don't know about me" from last week.  But on this day she had her daughter along.  So I commented it was this kind of revealing looks at her as a person that made her a more effective and trusted journalist.  And she replied that she wanted people to know she's just a wife & mom trying her best. 

Valentine's Day Exchanges

I exchanged Valentine messages with my "Disney Girl" Amanda; my "adopted" daughter, Jillian; my favorite country DJ & Fla Derby girl Chloe; my favorite Viking girl Petra; from fellow Miami (Oh) and former student Jen; and finally.....I've thought several times about a photo I knew I had somewhere of my gal-pal Kimmy when she and her mom joined us at the Florida Derby for the first time.  I remembered her sitting beside me and looking intently as I explained something about the Racing Form.  It was a cool moment for me that she took an interest in what I am so passionate about.  Found it, finally and sent it to her on Valentine's Day as she replied back with V-Day wishes.  And finally, when I sent a Valentine's virtual card to Lauren, she wrote back to me.