Christmas On The Elbe
December 5 - 15
Racing From Europe!
I handicapped all four days of the Week 2 programs from Gulfstream and was able to place the bets on Thursday & watch the races. Same on Friday and then at 8pm our driver arrived to take us to Miami International to begin our holiday Christmas Markets cruise.
The week started out "ok" as I won two of four on Thursday. But as I watched on Friday, anticipating the big trip, but failed to score with any of the three picks.
Ripton's Music draws off in the fourth
Itza Lock easily in the Thursday finale
Saturday & Sunday was not the best span of handicapping as I won only one race on the Saturday program before finishing 2-for-4 on Sunday.
Fly Erik Fly edges clear in the Saturday finale
Nemo rallies to win the Sunday finale
Week 3
I wasn't sure I'd handicap and/or play this week but as it turned out (a) I did have enough free time to do the handicapping and (b) it went a lot faster than usual as the cards were pretty light on runners who I felt had a legitimate angle worth betting on. Thursday the day was a great one. My youngest son Brad made the bets for me and when I woke up on Friday (six hour time difference in Germany) I was able to pull up the charts and see that I'd won with ALL FOUR selections! Whoooooo hooooo!!!
Girvin Star draws off in a wire-to-wire win
Maitre D - another wire-to-wire winner!
Irwin rallies from the back to take R5
Gabaldon long gone in the eighth
Friday I had only two bets - see what I'm saying about a lack of racing quality? And I won with one of them.
Neodora draws off after leading all the way
Then on Saturday I won with three of six picks and I closed the week out by winning two-of-four on Sunday. A MUCH better week of handicapping with the final tally being 11-for-16!
Rebel With A Clue holds on to open the Saturday card
Firster Jackson Hole edges clear to win on debut in Saturday's fourth
Imperatrice repulses the challengers to draw clear in the 9th
Sunday
Gold Pole wins by a pole as the odds-on favorite
Accelerize kicks clear to score in the Sunday finale
To review our trip, GO HERE:
Social Media on the trip.....
My gal-pal Teri, who's now in Washington DC followed along on the trip though commented far fewer times than in the past. Part of that whole "work & marriage" things taking up her time I'm sure1
Lauren Pastrana wasn't as "talkative" as she has been in the past, but she "liked" a lot of my posts/messages including when we signed on the condo in Orlando to close the deal and when I let her know I was watching from Orlando before we left. Then on the trip she "liked" 13 different posts. My favorite was when we were sailing on the Elbe and I sent her a photo of me having hot chocolate on the top deck and remarked that of all the people I knew, she'd be the most appreciative of that photo. And within a minute she had "liked" it :)
Karli Barnett and I used to stay in pretty close contact via Instagram and she always enjoyed following our trips And when she'd have a 'FaceBook LIVE" chat she always talked about me as "our resident world traveler." But since she moved to Atlanta we aren't nearly in touch as often. Last year I sent a Christmas card to her at the news station where she works and she seemed very appreciative. I did the same this year and she seemed even more heartfelt appreciative. She also commented on our trip when online at that point :)
