Two Stakes WINS
Today we left snowy Pennsylvania and headed back to Columbus on the final day of our Christmas vacation. The roads were snow-covered to the Interstate leaving Karrie's house and a little slick for the first 40 minutes of the trip in Pa; but after that it was smooth sailing and the sun actually came out for the last hour of the trip. We enjoyed a great dinner at the Spaghetti Warehouse to top off the trip. Once we returned to Mom's I logged on to the GP Replay show and watched my races from Saturday's stakes filled card. In the opener I liked Breakfast Time on the turf - made a strong bid on the turn then flattened out to finish well beaten. In the third Sheikh of Sheikhs was my selection in the Grade 3 Hutcheson for newly turned sophomores. He was second choice at 9/5 and couldn't run down the loose-on-the-lead favorite, 3rd. I went for an upset in the Grade 3 Old Hat for 3yo fillies with Catira Rock at 6/1 in the program. Rallied belatedly at 13/1 to be 5th. In the fifth race, the Ginger Brew Stakes I made Todd Pletcher's Lira my BET of the Day. She was unbeaten in two starts including a stakes win last out at GPW. She was tracking the leaders into the turn, then had no where to go but was crying out for running room. She was blocked again through the lane until finally at the 16th pole she was able to slide outside, shifting four-wide into the stretch but she was running out of time. Then with a dazzling display of acceleration she blew by the leaders to score impressively! Whoooo hoooooo!
Billy's Kitten was a non-threatening sixth at 4/1 in the sixth race; and Ray's the Bar was a very disappointing 6th at 5/2 in the Grade 3 Dania Beach. But I got my second stakes win in the Mucho Macho Man for 3-year-olds when Awesome Speed delivered on his 3/5 favoritism. He broke slowly when bumped hard at the start, but quickly recovered to go up and press the leader. When heads turned for home he took over and drew off handily as much the best.
The final race of the day saw Dixie Runner rally for second as the 9/5 favorite in what was generally a disappointing day of handicapping. And so tomorrow we fly home - and all of us agreed, while the trip has been great - loved seeing everyone and really enjoyed the picturesque snow - we will all be very happy to be home.
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