December 1: OPENING DAY
It was a glorious Opening Day on Saturday, December 1. I have to tell you, it is VERY unusual that I am thrilled to report that for the day I lost only $30 - which today was the difference in ONE photo finish. But as you read through how the day went, you'll see why I was delighted at day's end. There was a huge crowd on hand and the races were very exciting as we watched from our seats just past the finish line. As is our annual tradition, Kim and I spent the day together in celebration of the first day of winter racing. We used to always go as part of our Anniversary because Gulfstream's Opening Day was almost always on our anniversary date; but with the new opening date in December last year and this, we just go because it is so much fun. Kim's good friend Elaine joined us for most of the day - it was her first racing experience!
After getting our tickets, programs, and a commeorative pin I filmed a "Welcome To Gulfstream" video for my racing homepage, and then it was time for the racing to begin. I missed in the opener at Aqueduct and was a close second in the opener at Gulfstream. Over the next three hours I went a discouraging 0 - for - ELEVEN in my selections and found myself behind by nearly $120. NOT the way I'd envisioned the beginning of the winter meet! Finally at almost 3:00 pm I cashed a ticket when Singlet won the featured 6th at Aqueduct in New York, the Garland of Roses Stakes. I honestly could have cared less that he was the 9/5 second choice and only paid $5.80 - I was just happy to finally cash a ticket :)
But, I was proud of myself for keeping the faith in my betting all afternoon. I kept telling myself, even as I became more and more anxious as I spent more and more of my betting funds, that I KNOW my handicapping. I A-L-W-A-Y-S win at a 30% clip. If not today, then I'll make it up the next day, or some time soon. So, I was not really surprised when in my very next pick I won again, this time at Gulfstream when Bernie the Maestro won the Rapid Transit Stakes. I had doubled the bet and collected nearly $40.....here we go! What made this a really interesting story was that Bernie was my second choice. But my top pick scratched and I was happy to bet him - I had in fact written in my analysis that he might be the winner in spite of my initial top selection!
After running second and third, and then a distant 12th at Gulfstream I scored in two of my next three......At the Fair Grounds in New Orleans Secret Heiress scored on the grass with a double investment and then Sea of Laughter was TONS the best over the Tampa grass in their eighth race, another double investment. Squeezed in between was a second place finish (my fifth of the day!) at Aqueduct. I was surprised when Silver Screamer did not win the Tiara Stakes at Gulfstream (well beaten 9th as the 6/5 favorite), but was quickly rewarded when I scored back to back Triple Investments. The first was in a thrilling stretch duel at the Fair Grounds when Fire Alarm was JUST up in time, and then in the Skillful Joy Stakes at Hollywood Park Reneesgotzip rallied to just be up in time, in a rail-skimming ride at 1/5 - that would have been a HUGE upset had she gone down.
It was then, as it turned out, time for the race that would spell the difference on the bottom line for the day. It was the 9th at Gulfstream, the Claiming Crown Emerald Stakes. i was against the favorite, and I doubled down on Major Marvel. He went off at 4/1. As they turned for home he was battling my third choice, Nikki's Sandcastle. Through the last 16th of a mile I truly thought my nose was consistently in front - watch the video recap at the top of this entry - and on the wire I wasn't confident, but I thought I just might have won. I WOULD have collected $50 and change, which would have made me a winner for the day, but as you can see in the photo, I JUST missed.....sigh......
Not to be discouraged I came right back to win over the Tampa lawn when Fire Guard went wire to wire, and drew off through the stretch in a powerful finish. And then it was time for my "BET of the DAY"......On Breeders' Cup weekend, Game On Dude was the 6/5 favorite in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic. A win there would cement his Eclipse award for Horse of the Year. He likes to run either on the lead, or right off the leader. But he broke poorly and by the time they got to the first turn he was out of it. Trainer Bob Baffert kept him in training and he'd worked spectacularly for a rebound effort today. Baffert also made a jockey change and put Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith on for today's Grade 3 Native Diver. The second choice, 3-year-old Nonios tried to deny him the rail and the lead, but Smith would have none of that and he led into the stretch. It looked like he was going to pull away to an impressive score, but Nonios would not give up. It was an epic struggle to the final 100 yards when Game on Dude put him away. I suspect Smith had him well measured though as through the final yards he was only hand-riding the Dude. WHOO HOO!
I walked out to the rail to watch the final live race at Gulfstream - 6th at 20/1! Then Kim and I went back to the paddock to film my recap. As we walked through the simulcast center my next-to-last bet was running at the Fair Grounds. Contemporary drew clear through the final sixteenth to win at a nice 4/1 - collected over $25! After filming, on the way to the car I told Kim that I had not added up my totals for the day, but I'd rallied to win nine races and I didn't think I was too far off from breaking even, though I knew I'd finish behind for the day. My last race was the 9th from Hollywood. I watched it online a couple of hours later, and if you watch the highlight video at the top of the page, you'll see that Creditcardroulette was DEAD LAST entering the stretch, some eleven lengths behind. But he was FLYING late and got up to win. I'd doubled the bet there, and he paid $8.40, and I collected over $40!
So for the day, after starting 0-for-11, I finished with a 10-for-17 run, including seven wins in my last ten bets. And my losses for the day were a mere $30. That photo finish......sigh.... I would have wound up $20 ahead, and pick any of the other close finishes and if I win JUST one more of them, it could easily have been a $100 day! But still, it was a great day.
See Sunday's Selections here: http://www.freewebs.com/markim/gp13_selections.html
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