March 12 - 16
Monday late afternoon I took off on Spirit Airlines for a non-stop flight to Columbus to visit my family for the week. While there I enjoyed the mid-30's to low 40's most mornings and the pleasant afternoon temps in the upper 60's to low 70's. It was another "interesting" week at Gulfstream for me as there are so very limited races I think provide betting opportunities. And I continue to struggle to cash tickets there. But I may have learned a valuable lesson this weekend - I very much enjoyed playing Colonial Downs in Virginia and scored with an amazing 9 of 13 selections, including a rare Pick-3 selection. Here's how the week played out......
Wednesday & Thursday at Gulfstream I had a combined eight selections.....had one third and three seconds and all eight were between 3/5 and 7/2 odds. Go figure - it's Gulfstream this year. Friday was the first day that I played Colonial as well as Gulfstream. Started the day with a 7th and an 8th, both....yes, of course....at Gulfstream. The fifth at Colonial was my first bet there and it was a MSW for 3yo's. Trainer Brittany Russell was debuting Reply who was a $450K daughter of champion Curlin. She was being pounded at the windows, but minutes before post time the trainer was interviewed and she said that the filly had been working well, but had shown a bit of a tendency to begin slowly. As the horses loaded into the gate the FanDuel analysts pointed out this could be a big problem as all day Friday and thru the first four races at Colonial today ALL the winners had never been farther than 1 1/2 lengths off the lead. Sure enough, Reply broke a beat slowly and while she was last of the five she was only five or six off of it. Turning for home she was still being pushed along, third a little more than five off the lead. But suddenly she found another gear and just inhaled the field to win going away. And after being 1/9 for a long time, her odds floated up to 1/2 at post time so I cashed for nearly $25.
Missed once each at Gulfstream and Colonial before it was time for my BET of the WEEKEND. Book'em Danno was making his first start since running in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile. Earlier in the year he'd won the Gr 1 Woody Stephens and was 2nd beaten a neck in the Group 1 Saudi Derby - who's winner last weekend won the $20 Million Group 1 Saudi Cup. CLEARLY the $150K Boston Handicap was a starting point for bigger and better. The barn was winning nearly 30% off the bench and the latest workout was a 2nd best of 100 near bullet. All of this obviously scared off the competition because the original field of eleven was reduced to THREE with scratches. Pressed the leader into the lane, dueled for about a 16th of a mile to the furlong pole then drew off handily, just missing the track record. How he paid $2.60 instead of $2.10 was amazing to me. Ran second in the finale to close out the Friday races.
Saturday - Virginia Derby Day
Saturday kicked off with Quantum Burst being even money as they approached the gate, and crossing the line, an easy winner at a miniscule 1/9. Missed in the second, passed the third and then scored handily in the fourth with Keepsake who had missed three times but towered over all the others.
The fifth at Colonial was a MSW sprint for 3yo's and I liked Brad Cox's first time starter Lion of Justice. This colt cost St. Elias Stable $1.1 Million at the Keeneland Sales. Not that it's a big handicapping angle, but his five rivals cost a combined $910K. 'Lion was working well and lured Flavian Prat who was winning at nearly $40% for Cox. Pressed between rivals to the top of the stretch, then opened up and drew clear. I like two runners in the sixth, which was another MSW sprint for 3yo's. Couldn't separate the top two so I played a Pick-3 which I hardly ever do. Verafire, the longer priced of the two rolled home easily.
Ran off the board in Gulfstream's Hutcheson Stakes but FINALLY had a winner at Gulfstream in their sixth when Solidaria pressed the leader into the lane and edged to the front late. In a second level one turn mile I liked Lure Him In with Irad Ortiz as he'd already won at this level and ran for a $50K optional tag. Edged clear in deep stretch to give me my fifth win in Virginia.
The Virginia Oaks was next and my top pick scratched. I debated passing the race but landed on second time starter Fondly who was highly regarded despite facing winners off of a single start AND stretching out from seven furlongs to this one-turn mile and a sixteenth test. Dueled with her rival into the lane, lost a length turning for home and seemed to not be making up any ground to the furlong pole before she accelerated and was up in the shadow of the wire to earn the 50 points towards a berth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.
After missing in the Virginia Derby I won the last three races on my sheet. Movin On Up scored over the GP turf at a nice $8.40, and then Passing Game won the finale by drawing off at a nice $6.40 price. And finally, Pleasant Embrace looked like the lone speed in the GP finale so I upped the bet. Rocketed to the front and set fractions of :21.2 and :44.2 while holding a daylight lead. Never threatened as I closed the day out with ten wins. MORE than made up for the two winless days early in the week.
Sunday I had only three selections, and surprisingly I won with the biggest bet of the day when Shred the Gnar wired the field impressively. Had brief hopes of a big score in the last of the three when a Todd Pletcher firster was flying through a five furlong sprint to be fourth at 9/1. Next week...... Louisiana Derby Weekend!
Social Media this week......
It WOULD have been a very slow week for human interaction based on my online "conversations", but being in Ohio I was able to spend time with my Mom, sister & niece every day as well as have lunch with one of my high school classmates, Gayla.
Former student Jen posted a cute photo of her with their puppy and I commented & got a reaction.
I checked in with Teri on the progress of her ankle twice and got hearts each time :)
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