FOUR Stakes Wins In Simulcast Action
S-L-O-W Day At Gulfstream
I was disappointed in the way the Gulfstream selections turned out, though for the most part I was in nearly every race with a chance at winning - at least I thought so - at some point. I decided that I would enjoy the races on the 65" television from the comfort of my new recliner so I hooked up my older laptop to the big screen and brought my wireless keyboard to my chair. It was an ideal "simulcast" center for the day. In the opener at Tampa I made a bid, then flattened out, fifth. In the third at Gulfstream Ousby swept up three-wide on the turn and then accelerated to the wire, drawing off by over ten widening lengths in easily the most impressive win on the Saturday card.
He went off as the co-favored 2/1 choice and with my double investment I got back $30. I thought I was off to a typically good day.
That was at 1:00 pm. The next time I cashed a ticket it was at 4:30 pm. WOW. At Tampa Kandoo was 4/5 and dueled into the stretch before weakening to be third. At Gulfstream Stallwalkin' Dude was never in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector as the winner - who I never considered - wired the field at 2/1. In the 7th Todd Pletcher sent out a Chilean import, Golden Canyon, who was 5/2 at post time. Trailed to the stretch before slightly improving to sixth. In the 8th it was my BET of the Day locally. The son of champion Uncle Mo, Mo Power was debuting for Pletcher. He was a generous 8/5 at post time but was fifth turning for home. He was F-L-Y-I-N-G inside the final furlong and was oh-so-close on the wire. Two jumps later he was two in front, but it was too late. In the Tropical Park Derby I went with Mark Casse's multiple graded stakes winning Conquest Typhoon who had not run since Derby Day. He was a big 8/1 and was right there halfway down the backside. But jockey Joe Bravo decided to stay inside horses through the turn and had no where to go as he was screaming out to run. Still blocked until inside the furlong marker he finally was shifted outside, but it was too late and he was a very close fifth. I believe if he'd been given a chance to run through the turn he would have outclassed these.was the 4/5 favorite in the Sandpiper for 2yo fillies. Dueled into the stretch and weakened to be third. In their 8th Jay's ways rallied strongly at 4/1 to be a close third in the Inaugural for 2yo colts, but was never really a win threat. At the Fair Grounds Beach Patrol was clear in the stretch in a Maiden 2yo turf route, but was nailed late to be second.
Finally, in the 9th at Tampa, the Lightning City Stakes I was able to find the winner's circle - but I was oh-so-close to changing my bet at the last minute. This was a five furlong turf sprint for older and when I handicapped the race the thing that leaped off the page to me was that there were SEVERAL who wanted the front, apparently setting the stage for a late running closer such as the likely favorite Joya Real. But then I remembered that for at least the last two years IN THIS RACE, and maybe more than that, I'd analyzed the race and said there were multiple speed types that would set the table, but instead one of the speedsters stole it. I saw that Chicago-based trainer Larry Rivelli was shipping Richie's Sweetheart, which was a plus in and of itself. She was 6-for-9 in turf sprints and in three of her last four turf sprints she'd earned Beyers in the low 90s which would win this. Finally, Chicago-based rider E.T. Baird, who I think is THE best front-running rider, was coming in to ride. And the program odds were a generous 4/1. I doubled the bet. But when the post parade came up I heard the announcement that there was Dean Butler would be riding - a local journeyman. Uh oh....better change the bet I thought. But then I thought, no, stick with it. The gates sprung open and within two jumps Richie's Sweetheart was two in front. The opening fraction was posted at :21 and change - too fast, but it seemed that the rider was sitting chilly and the horse was running well within her self. As the field turned for home the closers began making up ground, but she had another gear left and held them all safely at bay.
Best of all, the final odds floated UP to 5/1 and the huge $13.40 payoff meant I'd collect nearly $70!At Gulfstream Todd Pletcher's Tennessee was the 9/5 favorite in a one-turn mile but broke poorly, rushed up, then was blocked and wide when third. I rebounded to win my second stake of the day, this the first of several added money events on the Fair Grounds "Super Santa" card. This was the Blushing KD Stakes. I liked former Grade 1 winner Kitten's Dumplings who was dropping out of graded company for Michael Maker. She was at the back after a half mile, moved entering the turn and burst to the front spinning out of the turn. She was daylight clear at the furlong marker but a late runner made her work to the wire where she held on by a diminishing half length. The odds were fair, at better than 2/1 and I collected over $30. In the Tropical Park Oaks at Gulfsteram Pletcher's Osalia was bet down to 8/5 favoritism. She stalked the pace in 4th on the rail to the turn, then stopped badly to finish 12th and last. I had three races left on my sheet at this point, a little after 5 pm, so I made the bets and Kim and I had dinner and then watched a television show. When dinner and the show were over I told Kim I wanted to check my last few races and she went to take her bath. In the 8th at the Fair Grounds Regally Ready looked much the best in the Diliberto Memorial going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. He could set the pace or stalk from the rail. He broke sharply and went to the front in hand. But a 10/1 outsider came flying up to engage him. The two dueled into the backstretch and then Regally Ready edged clear. But the rider of the longshot began pushing his horse, even though they hadn't gone four furlongs yet. So the two dueled to the far turn before that one quit. Regally Ready was two in front but the softening had taken place and he had nothing through the lane, finishing a tiring 6th at 3/2. It was minutes from post time of BOTH of my last two selections. At the Fair Grounds Eagle was my pick in the Tenacious Stakes going a mile-seventy yards. He was bet down to 7/5 favoritism and when he split horses at the top of the lane he simply galloped to the wire easily best.
As the field at the Fair Grounds hit the backstretch, the gates opened at Los Alamitos in the Grade 1 Las Alamitos Futurity with a $350K purse and Kentucky Derby points on the line. Trainer Bob Baffert had two in here and I thought that Mor Spirit would be the favorite but he looked like he might be a serious Kentucky Derby contender to me. But as they came through the far turn the "other" Baffert runner was moving to the front and Mor Spirit was fifth, some six off the lead. It looked like he wasn't even beginning to move, but as they began to spin out of the turn Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens asked for run. The response was immediate and without being ridden hard he was quickly challenging. At the furlong marker it was down to the two Bafferts and STILL Stevens did not ask. Mor Spirit won by a little more than a length, but if you look at the replay below you'll see that even as they cleared and hit the wire Stevens NEVER asked for run. So despite a single win from the opening bell to 4:30 in the afternoon I finished at over 31% with five wins from sixteen races. I'll take it.
Mor Spirit WINS Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity
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