What A GREAT Day!
FIFTEEN WINS!
My triple investment returned $25.50 and I was off to a 2-for-2 day having cashed for over $50 from $35 bet! Then came the longest stretch of the day, and in fact when I lost with four straight favorites at 3/5, 4/5, 9/5, and 4/5 I was wondering what kind of day I was in for. At Gulfstream Poor Etiquette was sent off as the 2/1 favorite - as a Gulfstream 40% Club for Marty Wolfson with Javier Castellano on board. He's still looking for his first win of the meet after having won back-to-back riding titles. He sat patiently to the turn, burst to the front and looked home free, but like his first few mounts, he'd moved to early and was caught late to be second. Joe C was the 1/9 pick for much of the wagering at Laurel in a maiden claimer, but I wouldn't move about my minimum bet. Glad I didn't as he was second best at the final odds of 3/5. In the featured Grade 3 Sugar Swirl I went "Prime Time" on R Free Roll. She wired the Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga and I thought she looked too fast for these, but had a bad feeling. Sure enough in spite of an easy :22.3 opening quarter when in front by daylight she caved in the stretch. The only good news was that the winner was ridden by Castellano so now I could bet him with confidence. Next I was a well-beaten sixth at 9/5 in a maiden claimer at Aqueduct. Donegal Hall was one of only two bets at Tampa for e and looked much the best at 4/5 on paper. Broke slowly, rushed up to contend into the turn then stopped to be 8th. Royal L.S. was the 2/1 second choice at Laurel and cruised to the lead turning for home then hung while being outfinished - 6th. WOW. FINALLY back in the winner's circle, but I thought it was ironic that I only had the minimum on Alaco Castle in Gulfstream's 4th. I did not like that she was claimed for $8K two back, then won for $10K first off the claim but was dropped into this $6.25K claiming sprint today AND was stuck on the far outside. BUT, she looked best and if able to run to her recent form SHOULD win. She ranged up under Paco Lopez as they turned for home and cruised home under a hand ride!
So after hitting back-to-back odds-on favorites and losing four added investment bets my profit line wasn't boosted by the $16.50 I cashed for, but I took it as a sign of better things to come! Next up was my "BET of the Day!" It was the Louisiana Champions Day Classic, and I thought Sunbean was much the best on paper. On Friday I saw an interview with his owner/breeder who was so excited about the possibility of him winning and being the youngest La-bred to reach $1 million in winnings. My plan was to bet probably $30. But when he was hammered to 1/9 I reconsidered and went in with a U.S. Grant ($50) to win. As they loaded into the gate I thought that only poor racing luck would get him beat today. The gates sprung open and he leaped straight up in the air, hoofs over his head and spotted the field a good five to seven lengths. Really? Sigh....... It didn't help my confidence that (a) his regular rider was injured (though Corey Lanerie had ridden him before and he is the two-time Churchill Downs leading rider) or (b) Sunbean likes to be pressing the pace. But Lanerie showed why he's a top rider by allowing his horse to settle and while they were trailing he was comfortable. As the field approached the far turn with a 20/1 runner loose on the lead, Lanerie cruised up with the second choice to reach a challenging position. As they turned for home the front runner spurted away but Sunbean was in full flight now. As he was slowly inching closer, but not catching the leader I thought about how I'd read he really wasn't probably best at nine furlongs....was the distance AND the poor break going to do him in? He was all class and heart as he nailed him in the final strides.....PHOTO finish, but I felt sure I'd won, and his number went up - HORRAY! But almost immediately the INQUIRY sign went up. As I had watched the stretch run there was some bumping between the leader, Sunbean and the second choice who had tried to split the top two but was shut off. The inquiry was AGAINST ME! I didn't think it was my fault and as they showed the head-on slow-mo I was standing next to a guy who started pointing out to me (like I couldn't see) that it was "so obvious" that it was the front-runner who came out on the second choice while Sunbean ran straight as an arrow to the wire. And that's the way the stewards ruled - Sunbean the winner, the second choice was put up for second money and the 20/1 longshot dq'd to third. 
The 1/5 odds were, again, not financially rewarding, but the fact I was rewarded for my confidence (and with $65) was all I needed. WHOOOO HOOOO! I took a "selfie" of me and my big ticket and posted it to Facebook where I was congratulated by several of my FB friends! In the fifth at Gulfstream Yolo Kitten went off at 2/1 as a GP 40% Club play for Michael Maker/Javier Castellano but was an even fourth. But I was back in the winner's circle fifteen minutes later when Via Strata justified her even-money favoritism at Aqueduct. She was a first-time starter for Kiaran McLaughlin with Irad Ortiz riding - a 30% winning combination. She stalked the leader into the lane and then accelerated away easily! Another $20 plus for me! I made it two in a row in the first of the two stakes races at Hawthorne. In the Illinois-bred Debutante for two-year-old fillies I tabbed Tizgorgeous. She had been a best-of-the-rest second behind Timeaday in the Showtime Deb on my Mom's birthday while we were in Ohio and I had bet the winner. Timeaday had come back to win again and that KEY race angle made her look strong to me. She stalked the pace three-wide into the lane and all three fillies ran well with Tizgorgeous holding off the 4/5 favorite by a long neck on the wire! I had the minimum and collected almost $15. At Laurel, Next Best Thing was 1/5 but could not catch the front runner and was second, disappointing with a double investment. But in fifteen minutes I scored at Aqueduct. Oltre' Oro had broken her maiden last out using a wide draw to stalk several pace setters, then running by them in the lane to win. As much as I typically don't like to bet maiden winners right back, this looked like an identical set-up with multiple "need-to-lead" types and her post 8 draw. Just as described as she swooped up four wide and edged clear late. But the best part, she went off at 7/2 and paid a juicy $9.70! I had doubled the bet so I cashed for nearly $50. NICE! 
Back-to-back-to-back losses left me considering how the final tally would play out. I counted up my total plays to be 30 and if I were to hit 40% I would need to win with at least five more. But as I looked down the list I thought I saw at least six more winners for sure! Of the three losses the one I wish I had back, and I KNEW IT even before I bet it, was at Gulfstream. Majestic Z was 10/1 in the program in a two-year-old maiden turf event AND was a Gulfstream 40% Club play for trainer Jane Cibelli and jockey Joel Rosario. I have to say that the fact I'd just scored for nearly $60 on Thursday with this same combination made me even more inclined bet here at the big price. But #8 in the field......Escondido, for Todd Pletcher. How many times do I say on video, "Who didn't get the memo" about Pletcher maidens at Gulfstream and that on the turf you always get a better price. Well, Majestic Z got into all kinds of trouble on the turn AND through the stretch while, yes, you guessed it, Escondido won for Pletcher and paid a big $7.40. That's nearly $40 I let get away. Not again this meet, I promise. In Aqueduct's feature, the Queen's County, I was right that the favorite Vyjack would not win, but my pick was 4th at 3/1. Finally back in the winner's circle with the first of two Gulfstream feature events. It was the El Prado on the turf. I liked Mshawish, also trained by Pletcher, had been my pick when I was at Monmouth for the $1 Million Haskell in the Grade 3 Oceanport in his first start in North America. He was too far back and wide when finishing off the board. He came right back to win at Saratoga, but in one of the worst steward rulings I saw this summer he was DQ'd. Still winless in North America I had not lost the faith. He was trapped in and among horses into the lane, but once he got free he BURST past the leader and was much the best.
He was the 3/2 favorite, and I only had the minimum, but he was a winner! I collected and was ready for the second half of the day.
It was on to the Fair Grounds next. It was the Louisiana Champions Lassie for two-year-old fillies. As I looked at the field the first thing I saw was I did NOT like the morning line favorite Vivian Da Bling - she was pure speed and it is next to impossible to go wire-to-wire over the New Orleans strip. The second thing I saw, I DID like.....on the outside was Wind Chill Factor. On Nov 22, while we were in Ohio, she'd been my pick in the Louisiana Jewel at Delta Downs and she had won oh-so-easily from off-the-pace. That style was the perfect fit for the Fair Grounds. I doubled the bet. As I was waiting for them to line up for the Lassie I was keeping an eye on the Gulfstream monitor where my top pick in the Harlan's Holiday, Liam's Map, was the heavy 1/5 favorite. This in spite of the fact he had only three races under his belt, was making his stakes debut, and was facing a field full of multiple stakes winner, most especially Pants On Fire who had just run third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Valid who had won the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup when I was on the Jersey Shore, and several local stakes. I had tripled the bet on this ultra-talented Todd Pletcher runner and had been encouraged at his chances when I read Pletcher's quote that Liam's Map "was ready" and he was "excited to see him stretch out in distance." It was also a BIG plus that Pletcher compared him to Cross Traffic and Graydar who both had gone from lightly-raced allowance winners to score in stakes company. But 1-5? I thought to myself that this was turning out to be "one of those days" for me, and then I made a deal with myself. I looked up at the Fair Grounds monitor and Wind Chill Factor was sitting at 7/2. I promised myself that if she won, at this nice price I would take it as "a sign" and would add money to the bet on Liam's Map!
Vivian Da Bling went right to the front and was clear by daylight at 4/5 as Wind Chill Factor dropped down from her outside draw and got within five lengths as they hit the far turn. I could see her rider was motionless as she was passing horses and closing the gap on the favorite with each stride. At the top of the lane she was three wide but within a length as she was asked for her best. She accelerated and BLEW BY the favorite then was under wraps, drawing off with each stride to score as MUCH the best! WHOOOO HOOOOOO! The payoff was a huge $8.40 and I was collecting nearly $45. Right to the windows and my favorite teller and I added ten dollars to the Liam's Map bet making him my Gulfstream BEST Bet - $25 to WIN! As they walked up to the post in front of me, as I stood along the rail at the first finish line Liam's Map went into the gate at a fair even money. With the short run to the first turn and he being in post 8 I thought he'd sit mid-pack, but despite the wide trip through the turn he was quickly pressing the leader (Csaba, a multiple stakes winner locally with graded stakes on his resume) and they were clear of the field. Couldn't be in a better spot I thought, he's just waiting to spurt clear! Sure enough as they hit the far turn he blew right by Csaba, but immediately was confronted by Valid. It's hard on even the most seasoned stakes runners to have to duel with one horse, put them away and have to deal with a fresh challenge. Much less a situation like this where my horse is lightly raced, never been tested, and his challenger is an old pro who's got nothing but the finish line on his mind! They dueled through the turn and as they turned for home Valid had poked his neck in front. Again, it is the rare horse, even a proven graded stakes runner who can be headed in the lane that will come back......to challenge, much less win. But Liam's Map showed that he is truly the real deal as he battled right back and it was GAME ON! One head up and one head down they dueled to the final fifty yards where Liam's Map was just too good and he edged away to a half length win! 
WHOOOOO HOOOOOO, again! The payoff came up at $4.20 and I was collecting $52.50. I am having a wonderful day! But despite winning three in a row, all stakes races I was not done yet.....but a long shot. Less than fifteen minutes to post for my "best" of the day at the Fair Grounds (if you count the Sunbean play as the BET of the Day!). String King in the Louisiana Champions Turf looked much the best to me. Loved his 9/4-2-1 local record and I thought maybe I'd get a "fair" price since he was on a three-race skid. But those had all been quality efforts against better. I was "PRIME TIME" on him - $20 to WIN! He was sitting just behind the leaders through the far turn, then made his move three wide into the lane. He kept grinding and grinding wearing down the leaders and with 100 yards to go his nose was in front. He gradually edged clear to score by a length.
And his $3.00 mutual payoff netted me an even $30 for my FOURTH stakes win in a row! As he crossed the finish line I shifted my gaze to Hawthorne's monitor and looked for Creative Art, the number 6. Where is he? Oh there he is, as they turned for home - way back! But he swung into the clear with all the momentum and ran right by the field from last-to-first! No matter he only paid $4.20 and I had the minimum on him....it was ANOTHER win and my fifth in a row. Wow, I TRULY am having a wonderful day! Two more live races before heading for home. Could I make it six in the South Beach Stakes here at Gulfstream? I sat down for the first time all day and watched as Sassy Kitten was in striking position into the far turn, then suddenly stopped and was pulled up as he barely was able to jog through the lane. But inside I watched as Natalie's Wonder ran to her 1/5 odds at Los Alamitos. She looked like a virtual slam dunk on paper as the lone speed, while dropping from MSW into a first time maiden claiming event as the lone speed. She was under pressure but in control to the top of the lane. Los Alamitos has a VERY long stretch, a full quarter of a mile and the closers were coming. No.....not getting to the favorite today as she held them safely off and in fact was drawing off again late! Win #13 on the day. As I walked to the car I was now 13-for-25 with five late races to watch. Kim and I shared a pizza while we watched some TV and then I sat down to watch the last five races. At the Fair Grounds Tensas Harbor would be a big score if she could fly by them late in the Louisiana Champions Ladies at a big 4/1 with my triple investment. She was flying but was too far back and fourth. But at Hawthorne I had my "best" of the day there in the second featured event, the Illinois Futurity. Much like the other runners I've mentioned from November 22, I had bet Dom the Bomb that day and he was the easiest of winners. Today all three of his career figures were better than the lifetime numbers of all his rivals. BUT, he was stretching to two turns for the first time AND was marooned in post twelve. Could he sit mid-pack and get the distance, at a short price? I thought so and tripled the bet. When the gate sprung open he was quickly past eleven of the twelve juveniles before they even got to the turn. This is PERFECT I thought. He sat just off the hip of the long-shot leader and it was obvious to me that the rider had a firm hold of him. It was just a question of the distance. As they hit the far turn he glided to the front and when heads turned for home he was LONG GONE! Devastatingly easy! 
Man this guy is good! I was going to collected for over $25 on my fourteenth winner of the day! I missed on two Los Alamitos bets (4th and 3rd) and I wanted to bet Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly champion Take Charge Brandi in the Grade 1 Starlet, but I went back and forth, and back and forth until finally I decided that all this indecision made it clear I did NOT have a firm opinion. She gutted out a courageous wire-to-wire win and is the most likely Eclipse Award winning two-year-old filly. The last win of the day came in the finale at the Fair Grounds, and the last of the Louisiana Champions Day stakes, the Ladies' Sprint. I thought there were three that were nearly even in chances, but Afternoon Tango was listed at 6/1 and had missed by a neck when rallying in the 2013 edition at a big 15/1. The crowd was smarter than I gave them credit as she was 5/2 at post time. As the field turned for home she was still far back, but was just getting going. She came running with all the momentum and blew by the field to draw off handily. The $7.40 return will get me $18.50 when I go back out to Gulfstream this week. For the day I cashed on fifteen winners from thirty selections with only three seconds and one third (which again is why I do not bet win-place, or across the board!). I had bet well over $350 but cashed for nearly $430....a big profit, the best of the young meet!
Next up is the Sunday card tomorrow. But next week there is a special Tuesday racing card! So I'll have selections tomorrow, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday before we leave for our Holiday Caribbean cruise. We'll be gone until Monday the 22nd, but I'll be handicapping AND betting from on board the ship for sure!
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