Another GREAT Day!
Sunday February 17
With the hot streak of the last four days I was waiting for "the other shoe to drop" today....however I had two "BIG TIME" selections today and felt pretty confident that I SHOULD score today. It went better than I could have imagined!
When I handicapped the card the other day the first three races were all toss-up races without any edge to me I felt. But in the fourth race it was a nw2x allowance for older runners and the obvious program favorite was Bill Mott's Cigar Street. He had debuted last winter at the Fair Grounds with an electrictifying win which earned a 99 speed figure. Then in his first start against winners he was sent into the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby! A respectable 4th losing by only two lengths. He was then moved to the Mott shedrow after that March run and the Hall of Fame trainer gave him time off until two days after Christmas. he demolished an entry allowance field that day nearly matching his career best figure. So today he was coming into the race with bullet works for his four-year-old debut. He went right to the front and was under a firm hold from the start. Finally on the far turn he was allowed to open up and he drew off without any problem going a demanding nine furlongs.....didn't even break a sweat! I had a "Prime-Time" investment and cashed for nearly $40!
In the 5th I thought Red Hills would reverse his last decision on Evil Powder, and the crowd bet him down the same way. Apparently when Evil Powder beat him the last time it was not a fluke as he drew off as much the best while Red Hills struggled to hold third beaten nearly half a dozen lengths. The 6th was a 3-year-old maiden special event....you know what that means! "Where's the Pletcher runner/" I learned my lesson early in the meet when I'd followed the Gulfstream Handicapper which proclaimed that Pletcher was much less effective with turf routes. I had missed a double-digit payout because of that and since then Ive followed my instincts and have at least doubled the bet on every one of his runners. Adventurine broke slowly in his Saratoga debut, 9th of 10 runners and over 15 lengths behind. He rallied to be within three of the winner on the wire. So today I was sure jockey Javier Castellano would have him closer to the front and he'd prove much the best. The crowd, in their infinite "unwisdom" allowed Adventurine to go off at 2/1. Castellano had him rating just off the leader to the far turn. he took command and drew off easily through the lane! The $6.00 payoff allowed me to cash for $30!
My next selection in the 7th scratched. In the 8th it was a Maiden Special for sophomores on the main track going seven furlongs. Mr. Todd Pletcher was kind enough to NOT enter anyone, allowing the training colony to have a shot at a MSW prize. Iroquois Girl had been right up on the pace and finished second earlier in the meet going six furlongs and projected to be the favorite, and she was. But I went with #6 Manuka Honey at 6/1 in the program. All six of her career starts were two-turn-turf events where she'd been up on the pace. I thought she'd sit a tracing spot and blow by them late. It all went according to plan until the top of the stretch when Iroquois Girl opened up a daylight lead. But Edgar Prado kept busy on Makuka Honey......I could tell it was going to be close and it was a bob of the head on the wire.....and I WON! The crowd bet her down to 5/2, but still the $7.80 payoff yielded nearly $40, AGAIN! I am having a very good day!
Now it was time for the feature, the Grade 3 The Sabin. This time last year Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic winner Royal Delta was making her 4-year-old debut and prepping for the Dubai Cup. I thoought she was vulnerable that day, in spite of the fact I'd made her my "BEST" on Breeders' Cup Friday. I was right as Awesome Maria walked with it as my "best" that day and Royal Delta was a best-of-the-rest 2nd. o today, she was coming off a convincing Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic win, again as my "BEST" of the BC Friday program, and again prepping for a Dubai Cup run. But I'd read trainer Bill Mott say that she was "bigger and stronger" this year and he thought she'd be "more ready." I also thought that her main challenger was the newly turned 4-year-old Grace Hall, who in her last had lost to Royal Delta in the BC Ladies' Classic by nine lengths. I had a curious thought about the #1 One Last Dance who was going to be a huge price. I thought it odd that top rider Javier Castellano had ridden Grace Hall most of last year, but got off this multiple graded winner to ride this one who only had a non-winners of two other than allowance win on her resume. Sure enough, it was the 20/1 One Last Dance that took the lead to Royal Delta. But the queen moved handily to the lead on the far turn and seemed to open up effortlessly. But as they started to spin out of the turn One Last Dance began cutting into the lead with momentum on her side......uh oh! But Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith shook the reins and the two-time Breeders' Cup Champion was gone as my "BET of the DAY!" She had made a triumphant return to the track as a popular favorite!
So for the day I was an amazing four-for-five and had profited nearly $75! That runs my four-day total to an astonishing 15-for-32 (68%) with a profit of over $150!
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