Gulfstream 2012-13

Thursday January 10 - On Track Today!

Today I headed out to Gulfstream on a glorious afternoon where the temperatures were in the low 80s and the sun was shining!  I had spent two hours at Cypress Bay today helping "the ladies" organize the 2013 graduation and then headed down to Hallandale Beach.  I missed on my first three selections.  But in my second selection at Gulfstream I was a winner!  My selection was Top Striker who was coming out of a dismal first effort here.  He'd run well earlier and I drew a line through the latest.  He went off at a nice 2/1 and was clear into the stretch, looked long gone........ 

......but on the wire it was a photo finish (I wasn't worried, but it was VERY close!).  The payoff was a nice $6.40, and with my double investment I got back over $30!  Whooo Hooo!  

I came right back to score in back-to-back Aqueduct races from New York with short priced favorites.  I was then watching the Fair Grounds pre-race show (which I had been a guest on last January!) and as they were finishing up it was announced that due to severe weather all racing was cancelled at the Fair Grounds.....cost me six selections and made for a much SLOWER day :(  The highlight story of the day however came while I was waiting for the fifth race.  I checked my Facebook and found that my cousin Anita from Louisville had obviously seen my picture I'd posted about enjoying the weather and cashing tickets at the track.  But what was unusual was she asked me to make a bet for her, AT GULFSTREAM!  I messaged her back and said sure, but how curious it was that (a) she'd ask me to make the bet, but even more so that (b) she'd know who was running at Gulfstream in a maiden race (the 7th) here in South Florida......

I ran 4th with a Todd Pletcher first-time starter, disappointing, but Anita's horse was a distant, and when I say "distant" I mean DISTANT last.....but it was a fun exchange, and I was excited for her when he left the gate at 35/1 because, you never know!  Over the next hour and a half I ran third twice and second before heading for home with five races to watch later.  

In the last five races......I was a disappointing 3rd in a turf sprint where I thought my selection was the clear speed of the race and for some reason I was in mid-pack and rallied late, never really threatened to win.  Then the finale at Gulfstream was my "BEST" of the day.  #12 Starship Valor was trained by Jamie Ness and was a Gulfstream Handicapper 40% Club play with several categories over 40%.  But the one that stood out to me was that Starship Valor had been claimed last out from a race here, and Ness is a 57% winner with those kind over the last two years.  He was TONS the best!  YAY!  

I scored my final win of the day at Santa Anita when I handicapped a claiming sprint down the mountain.  I love races over this unique course and I have found that the BIGGEST edge is to find a runner who has already proven themselves down the hill.  It is such a unique course that this pays off so much, it is almost the only thing to look for.  Well the field had a total combined record of 0-for-2, with seven runners never even been down the hill.  But my pick, #10-Belle Passe was 2-for-2.  I should have, in retrospect, bet much more.  She went off at 3/2 and was easily, EASILY the best!  I finished the day five wins from seventeen selections - 29.4% (almost my typical 30%!).