Day 42

February 1st - A New Month

LOTS To Look Forward To

I had said over the holidays that I didn't want to wish my life away, but I would be oh-so-grateful when January came to an end because I had three medical procedures and countless visits for tests, etc.  Well, I made it!  And I am so excited that there are two months of arguably the best racing ahead of us, we have a trip to New Orleans for the weekend of the Risen Star Stakes (the Fair Grounds prep for the Louisiana Derby), the Florida Derby, our trip to Oaklawn in April and then my trip to Baltimore for the Preakness in May.  And that doesn't even count our summer trip-of-a-lifetime when we are taking a European River Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam! 

I have to admit that I was a bit curious to see how today's selections would pan out as I'd handicapped after coming home off of surgery.  And I'd had seven selections on the card.  What better way to kick off a new month than with a winner!  In the third Loverbil was the 8/5 favorite in a starter optional claimer as he was coming off a win in the $100K Claiming Crown Express Stakes for Jorge Navarro.  Not only was he obvious on the class drop, but Navarro is a Gulfstream Park 40% Club member with class droppers.  Loverbil sat mid-pack to the turn, then without even being asked he split horses on the turn, glided by three wide and galloped home in a "breezing" workout-like effort.  Oh-so-easy! 

I thought the $15 return on my double investment was almost like taking free money.  I had flashbacks of last Sunday when I had backed Todd Pletcher's Itsonlydancingdad at 9/1 and he'd nearly won when I supported Twizzle, also at 9/1.  Not as close, but second and way the best of the rest.  In the 8th I backed Pletcher's first-time starter Tennessee.  Even Caton Bradar on HRTV had remarked that she was looking forward to seeing this colt run today.  We were only going 5 1/2 furlongs so when he quickly burst to the front and was clear on the lead I thought I was home free at 3/5 odds.  The only horse close to him was my third choice, Grand Bili who had top jockey Javier Castellano riding for a small outfit that scored at a 20% rate with FTS, but at a big $3.11 ROI.  Tennessee seemed to have him measured in mid-stretch, but in the final fifty yards Castellano got his mount up in time at a $10 and change payoff.  In the ninth race we were on the turf for non-winners of three-lifetime.  March Reward had won for me two back and he got the nod again on not one angle, not two, but three Gulfstream 40% Club angles for trainer Michael Maker.  First, Javier Castellano keeps the mount here, and when ever he rides for Maker they score at a 40% rate over he last two winters; second, March Reward was dropping in class from a $35K spot today - class droppers have won at a 40% clip for Maker over the last two winters.  And finally, any time Maker enters a horse for a claiming tag below $40K - and today is for a $20K tag - he scores at the requisite 40%.  Castellano had him stalking the leaders in fifth to the far turn.  No where to go so he swept up five wide, but ran right by them all to be clear at the 1/8th pole.  A closer seemed to be narrowing the gap, but that close to home you are going to beat Mr. Castellano. 

And the best part?  Somehow the crowd let him go off at a generous 2/1!  The $6.60 payoff got me over $30 back!  WHOOOOO HOOOOOOO!  Missed on the last two of the day, but I'll be content with 2-for-7 for the day as it allowed me to close out the week 10-for-33, a 30% week.  Considering the 0-for-9 start to the week on Wednesday, I've got to be delighted to get back to my "normal" winning percentage!

Week 9 Highlights