Day 75

March 20 - THREE WINS from Four Selections

When I handicapped the Friday card I thought it was one of the weakest, or most puzzling, of the meet as I went race after race without having any convictions. In the end I'd found a minimum investment in the 2nd, then two double investments in the 3rd & 4th; and finally - after passing five races - a double investment in the finale. My handicapping was right on the money as three of the four were solid winners.  In the second race I liked General Ann.  She had been off slowly and found herself tenth of eleven runners in her debut six weeks ago for trainer Chad Brown  She made up ground but was carried five-wide through he final turn.  Considering all that I thought it was remarkable she ended up fourth only two lengths off the winner.  Today with a clean trip I thought she'd run an improved race.  She rode the rails well back to the far turn.  She kicked into high gear when swung out for a clear run and blew by to score!

She paid a generous $6.20 so I cashed for over $15.  Right back in the third I doubled the bet on Rebecca's Surprise.  She had multiple races in her past performances that would make her a daylight winner in here.  In her last she chased a runaway winner but was ELEVEN clear of the rest of the field!  My two concerns were that she'd not been to the winner's circle since October at Laurel, and with two straight second place finishes at this level I had to wonder if she still had the heart to win.  No worries!  She drew up four wide on the turn and cantered home with jockey Paco Lopez never moving a muscle....just a hand ride to the wire! 

She paid $3.20 so I cased for over $15 again!  In the fourth I liked Michael Maker's Tex Appeal who was a huge 5/1 at post time.  Led into the stretch and I thought I might have a nice winner, but he tired late to finish third.  My final bet was in the tenth - yes, I skipped the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th races....and none of my top picks won!  Good decision Mr. Mark!  In the finale it was a maiden claimer for three-year-olds going a mere 5 1/2 furlongs.  Twelve of he fourteen starters had been beaten in their last race by a combined 268 lengths!   OH MY!  That's an average of over 20 lengths per horse! You can see that I didn't have to find a superstar to pick the winner here!  Rocket Man Richie was second in his last start and beaten less than a length.  In comparison to the rest of this field he was a Breeders' Cup Champion!  AND the show horse out of that race came right back to win!  I doubled the bet.  'Richie went right to the front and never looked back! 

The third win from four selections paid $3.40 and I cashed for over $15 again.....for the day I was 3-of-4 and collected nearly $50!  One other item worth mentioning...... in looking through the thoroughbred news of the day I was D-E-L-I-G-H-T-E-D to read that the top candidate for the Kentucky Derby, Bob Baffert's American Pharaoh - who was the 2014 Juvenile Champion - has been committed to run in the April 11th Arkansas Derby.....you may remember that Kim and I will be in Hot Springs that day!  WHOOOOO HOOOOOO!