Day 62

So Close

After the big washout on Saturday we were right back at it on Sunday, including all the turf races on the turf!  So happy with the way Gulfstream runs their races.  As I told my Mom, if we were racing at Calder there would be no turf races for a month after the deluge Saturday!  Today opened a new month - the final month of the 2015 Championship Season and Derby Month!  It was a disappointing day.  However, if there is one lesson I've learned since I began handicapping on a regular basis,  it's that my wins WILL come.  So a slow day today simply means there is a BIG day ahead!  In the opener Tiger Bourbon was the even money favorite under Javier Castellano on the turf.  He stalked the pace, glided to the lead into the stretch, but was caught late.  Sigh.....In the second Defense Article looked even more solid and was sent off as the odds-on choice at 3/5.  After leading - comfortably it looked to me - into the far turn, he stopped.  A tired and well-beaten 7th.  Wow.  In the third Vipera was a Gulfstream 40% Club play and was a big 5/1.  He split horses and looked to have an excellent chance to win as he challenged for the lead in the lane, but he was outfinished by my second choice, second.  In the sixth it was my "BEST" of the day.  A Todd Pletcher 3yo maiden special.  Thepartyneverends had lost her debut when breaking slowly going 5 1/2 furlongs.  I wrote in my journal that day that she was a horse to watch later, especially after I read that not only had she broken slowly, but she'd hit the gate AND was four-wide turning for home.  Well, here she is today!  She dueled on the lead from the top of the lane to the wire before losing the head bob......sigh (see photo above).  I thought I was going to make a profit for the entire ay in the 7th when my "UPSET SPECIAL," Mighty Warrior zipped right to the front at 7/1 and looked to be in complete control as they hit the top of the stretch.  But he weakened late t finish a close fifth.  Missed again in the 10th when Clara Kelly was a wide third in a MSW turf sprint at 6/5.  FINALLY the first win of the month came in the 11th.  It was a one-turn mile for AOC company and I landed on Chad Brown's Matrooh.  He was listed at 20/1 in the DRF but you knew that with Javier Castellano riding for Brown that was unrealistic.  He'd not been seen since October of 2013 and today was making his first North American start AND first start on real dirt..  But all the numbers for Brown runners fit here:  1st North America-20%, 1st time gelding-29%, 1st time for Brown-28%, 1st off a long layoff-28% and of course with Castellano:  31%.  The field broke out of the gate and he was last and wide.  But after the first 16th of a mile he went zooming up through the middle of the field and took charge of the race!  He led them into he turn and as heads turned for home and you'd think he'd tire from his early move, he re-broke and drew off impressively! 

Unfortunately, as I had expected, the post time odds were not even CLOSE to those listed by the DRF's linemaker.  Matrooh left the gate at 9/5 and I was left to collect just short of $15.  But hey, at this point a win is a WIN!  Missed in the final when Weekend Hottie was 20/1 and in position to make a run heading into the far turn, only to simply run evenly to the wire - 6th.  The two graded stakes that were washed out Saturday, including the Grade 2 Swale with the highly regarded Daredevil entered are now going to be run with the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap this Saturday!  Excellent!

Check out the very brief recap of the week's winners:

Week 13 Highlights