The hot streak continues!
Saturday February 16
The way the week started I was so discouraged....but I thought at the time that I've been here before and if I just stick with it things will turn around. And today continued that streak. Since getting shut out on Wednesday I've hit on eleven of sixteen selections - close to 70%!
In the opener I dueled on the lead at 3/1 and kept waiting to pull away because the favorite had run second in three straight....of course today he went on with it and I faded to fourth. In the third race I tripled the investment on Emollient. It was a nw1x AOC for sophomores and she had run a strong second in the Grade 2 Demoisel in New York late in the fall. She had a double Beyer advantage and her typical speed figure would top everything the rest of the field ran routinely. As the race began and they hit the backstretch, jockey Joel Rosario had her saving ground on the rail and right away I could tell he was in for trouble and would get pinned on the rail if he didn't get out of that spot down the backstretch. He sure was in trouble, but finally once heads were turned for home was able to get clear. The Pletcher horse was trying to get away by in the final 100 yards Emoillent surged clear as the best. Nice way to start off the winning!
Right back in the 4th was a nine furlong maiden special for sophomores. Duh, obviously the Pletcher horse! Though I was a bit concerned that he did not score in his debut, but Mr. Todd is 47% with his second time starters. As a $300K purchase for top stable WinStar, I knew he had talent. He was green through the lane weaving all around, but he was clear on the wire and I cashed for over $20 for the second straight race!
I was a very close second in my next investment with Finale on the turf for Pletcher and then I missed in the first of the two graded co-features when Kadaya ran evenly without a late kick in the Grade 3 The Very One. In the 9th one of my favorite 2-year-old early Derby horses was running here at Gulfstream. I had tabbed Capo Bastone in his maiden win at Del Mar last summer, and since then he'd been graded stakes placed going two turns....but he'd yet to win. He was a good 4th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile as well. But since that start he was transferred from John Sadler's barn to Todd Pletcher's barn. Like he needs any more top sophomores! But one thing I've noticed over the last few years.....when an owner moves a runner into the Pletcher barn, he has them fully cranked for their first start for him; my guess is that he wants, obviously, for the new owners to think they've made a good move! So today, even with reservations about his ability to win at the 8 1/2 furlong distance with the short run to the second finish line, I thought John Velazquez would try to sit closer to the pace. This could negate his big closing kick, but I thought he'd run a top race. It went exactly like I had envisioned it....he sat closer to the pace, moved strongly to the longshot leader, but then the only part I did not envision....it was a thrilling stretch duel as he finally was able to put away the long time longshot leader....be he won with my second triple investment of the day!
The 10th was the second graded co-feature, the Grade 3 Mac Diarmida. I had won this race with one of my favorite horses, Presious Passion (and the photo hangs on my Wall of Fame), but today there wasn't a standout. I did not like the program favorites and went with 4/1 Amira's Prince who was making his stakes debut. But, the crowd was not fooled either and made him the 8/5 favorite. He blew by in the stretch and was MUCH the best....my third winner on the day!
The 11th came off the turf and with it my pick scratched. So for the day I was 4-for-7, hit with all three of my added investments, and netted a profit of close to $50. It was a very good day! Tomorrow we drive over to Englewood to spend the rest of the weekend with Kim's mom and dad....but thanks to the wonder of the Internet I will be at the races virtually!
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