Gulfstream 2012-13

Shocking - 30% through the first two days!

February 13 - 14

All I will say about Wednesday is that the numbers were 0-for-6 and only hit the board one time.  So, let's move on to Thursday.  

It was indeed Valentine's Day, and it couldn't have been "sweeter" for me at the races!  The day started and it looked like it was going to be "more of the same" from Wednesday when in the opener I was off the board at 8/5.  Wow..... But then in my next selection, in the third, I had picked Princess Appeal.  What I liked about her chances was that she just missed for a $16K tag; then in her next she was jumped up two levels where she was obviously over her head.  But today she was dropping THREE levels and at a fair price of 6/1 in the program.  She went right to the front and led into the stretch.  A challenger came to her, but her ability to run vs. better aided her in drawing off through the final 16th.  And at a nice 5/1, she paid $13.00 even and I cashed in for over $30!  HORRAY!  

I ran a good 3rd and 4th in my next two picks at 6/1 and then 2/1 before it was time for my "BET of the DAY!"  No surprise that it was a Todd Pletcher runner, and she had several Gulfstream 40% Club angles in her favor.....47% second start of the meet, 45% with second time starters off a layoff; 43% with Johnny Velazquez.  She stalked the pace to the middle of the turn and then just dominated the field under a hand ride, never asked for her best.  Ultra impressive!  Didn't pay anything, but the way she ran more than justified the "BET of the Day" status I accorded her.  

In the 9th we were on the turf.  Dimples was my pick....she had run for trainer Michael Maker and owners Ken & Sarah Ramsey two back, then was claimed away for a $15K price.  In her first start for the new connections they moved her up to $25K....but Maker was waiting at the claim box and he gladly put down the extra $10K for the Ramseys.  In her last, her first start against winners, she ran 2nd and the winner had come right back to win again.  Better yet, Dimples had been NINE clear of the show horse.  Throw that into the mix with the claim back and I thought she was an obvious pick.  She made her move at the top of the lane and drew off as the 7/5 favorite!  

In the finale I had picked Kissin Gentleman - appropriate for the holiday :)  It was a great piece of creative handicapping I thought, and I was disappointed that the crowd bet him down to 4/5.  Three back he'd dominated his maiden win at a one-turn mile - like today's distance.  Two back he was beaten FORTY lengths!  But that was by the Pletcher rising star, Graydar who exited that race to win the Grade 1 Donn Handicap!  You could toss the last, a failed turf experiment.  The drop into a 2-lifetime claiming spot made him a solid win candidate.  It was a stirring stretch duel, and he was actually headed inside the 16th pole, but he would not be denied on the wire!  

So for the day I was 4-for-7, a whopping 57%!  And when you look at my week's totals so far I was 4-for-13....30.7% - shocking, as the title says :)  Topped the day off at the Panthers game where Kim surprised me with a new addition to the gift shop - a hooded sweatshirt that looks just like a game jersey!  And yes, she was treated well - got her gifts before she went to school this morning!