Days 11 - 12

Disappointing Friday Followed By

A HUGE SATURDAY!

Friday we enjoyed the day at sea - walked the track (which alternated between two decks with twenty-two steps up and twenty-two steps down....that's 396 steps we walked today if anyone is counting); and then had a good dinner, but the show with the Caribbean Princess singers and dancers was average I thought.  When I checked the races for Friday I was shut-out, but like Thursday I had several winners on the sheet.  In the second I tabbed Angel's Girl at 10/1 in the program, ON TOP, and she won at 9/1 paying $20.....but it was a "no bet" race.  I had the winner in the third listed as the upset pick over my top choice; they ran 1-2 in the wrong order.  Had the winner in the 5th, again as the upset choice over my top pick, and again they ran 1-2.  In the eighth I ran 4th at even money while my third choice won at 10/1!   

Saturday: Tropical Park Turf / Tropical Park Oaks Day

When I looked at the Racing Form for Saturday I noted that there was a stakes race on the Fair Grounds card, so I handicapped the card.  Came up with three picks, but one was a main-track-only and he scratched out.  At Gulfstream the co-features were two stakes races that had always been a part of the Tropical-at-Calder meet, but with Gulfstream controlling all the racing it now is on the Championship meet calendar.  I made my bets early in the morning and then we headed out on an all-morning through mid-afternoon exploration of Grand Turk Island.  It was a fabulous day and the show, which featured an illusionist from "America's Got Talent" - one of our favorite summer programs, was excellent.  The racing matched the sensational day we'd had.......

On Governor's Beach

 

I was in the winner's circle right away in the Gulfstream opener.  Right On Course was listed at 8/5 and he was dropping from a $30K spot to today's $6.25K level.  Might have raised a red flag if not being a Gulfstream 40% Club play.  Peter Walder with Javier Castellano - already won with one of those this week.  Easy-peasy-pie!  I was a disappointing 6th at 3/1 with another "Club" play in the 4th and then ran fourth in the fifth race when 10/1 Dr. No was bet down to 8/5.  What had been exciting to watch in that race was my second and third choices were ridden by top jockeys Javier Castellano and John Velazquez and they finished in a dead heat!  In the 7th I was just ill......I wrote that if program favorite, Battle Red, had been trained by ANYONE but Todd Pletcher he would have been a big-time play against.  But I wasn't about to let Pletcher beat me again - as you read in earlier entries, that has happened once and it won't again, no matter the circumstances.  Should have an exception here as I described Reconfigure at 10/1 in the program as the one to fear.  It was a photo finish with that one nosing out Battle Red....the payoff was over $20, sigh......Then it was time for the first of the co-features, The Tropical Park Turf.  In my analysis I wrote that any of five or six would be no surprise if they won.  But I was going with Mark Casse's lightly raced colt, Sky Flight.  He'd only been out three times, and won two of them.  His two best figures by far were the only two times he went long on the grass, like today.  It was an added benefit that this was another Gulfstream Park 40% Club play as over the last four years any time Casse teamed up with Jose Lezcano on a turf route runner they's won 12-of-31 times!  Sky Flight was tracking the leader, who appeared ready to wire the field with a furlong to go, but then Sky Flight kicked into gear and cleared by him with a 16th to go.  WHOOOOO HOOOOOOO! 

And did you see that price?  OH MY!  Oh yeah baby, $11.40 so I'm cashing in for nearly $60!  In the finale, the co-featured Tropical Park Oaks I thought Sandiva was an obvious win contender. She was a multiple Group winner in Europe and was now trained by Todd Pletcher with top jockey Javier Castellano riding.....duh.  I was hoping that post 14 would discourage some bettors, and it did!  She was sitting just off the leader as they spun out of the far turn and then edged clear through the stretch.......check out this price! 

WOW!  $10.60 on a Pletcher-Castellano runner, are you serious!  I am cashing out for another fifty and change.  Swept the feature races and I added another win with my "Best" of the day at the Fair Grounds where Cinco Charlie won the Sugar Bowl Stakes!  What a fabulous day today was from start to finish!  Kim and I remarked today that this has been a great cruise "to nowhere" (well, one stop today, but honestly there was nothing to return to Grand Turk Island for), and it has been the perfect length.  We are looking forward to tomorrow's day at sea.