A short week of racing following the special holiday card on Monday, and it's a rare Saturday - for this time of year - without a graded stakes, and in fact one stakes event here locally. I wanted to come out today as the weather called for nice weather today and nationally they are anticipating multiple FEET of snow through fifteen states. Living in Florida, retired and live racing at Gulfstream - I'm there! So prior to handicapping the card I was hopeful I could find either back-to-back races or two races in a three race sequence that would make for a good outing. Fortunately for me the way the selections fell, I had picks in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and then the 7th. So I decided to head out for the first five races. But first on the agenda for the day was to cash in my tickets from Saturday (see photo at left). I was able to collect nearly $300 to add to my bankroll as I started the new week. WHOOOO HOOOOO! The opener on this Thursday afternoon, under partly cloudy skies with warm temperatures in the upper 70s was a Maiden Claiming sprint going 5 1/2 furlongs. Everyone was certain to be all over the program favorite. But he'd debuted three back with a "big" 3 Beyer - that's right, THREE. I just can't bet that kind of "talent. The third choice had two figures in the 20s and was making his first start for a barn that was 2-for-39. I liked the second choice, a first-time starter for a small barn that was winning with a 22% average, albeit a small sample. Javier Castellano was up on the son of champion Super Saver. But as the gates opened immediately Larry Colmus called, "Big Saver hesitated at the start." At the opening quarter he was FIFTEEN lengths behind. He was flying late - one to watch down the road - and blew by all of the others but fell short by about a length to the 4/5 favorite. In the second, a MSW on the turf I went with a Chad Brown first time starter, again with Javier Castellano. They were winning at a near-40% average this winter. But again the gates opened and Colmus said, "Warranty breaks slowly and is at the back." WOW. He made a belated gain to make the losing distance smaller, but was still 6th. I passed on the third race. I was passing the time enjoying the weather and I'd taken my notebook with all the information on our upcoming Viking River Cruise to France. VERY much looking forward to that. I sat in the paddock until the horses came into the walking ring for the fourth, this was my "BEST" of the day. Penwith was the top choice in this one-turn mile being run under allowance conditions. The big negative was that Penwith had not been seen in ELEVEN months! But, not to worry, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is a 26% winner with long layoff types and you score a flat-bet profit on his runners like that. He always has good stock as he's the trainer for international powerhouse Godolphin Stables. Penwith's past performances showed all eleven of her career starts and when I looked at it something remarkable leaped off the page. After a sprint debut she'd run in ten route races. In seven of those she'd been in stakes company - and ran credibly with two thirds and a second. But in the three NON-STAKES tries she WON ALL THREE! Today was a non-stakes event - BINGO! In addition it looked to me like she was the LONE speed of the race. I had planned to triple the bet, but I decided to up it to a "prime-time" play. The crowd settled on three of the short field of five to concentrate their betting dollars on. And Penwith was NOT the favorite, but second choice at 8/5. The gates opened and jockey Joel Rosario let her settle in the "garden spot," third behind dueling front runners. I was encouraged by how easily she was running and the fact that the horse the crowd had settle on was at least a half dozen lengths behind Penwith. Through the turn Rosario waited patiently and as they began to spin out of the turn he easily glided her outside and into the clear. He never went to the whip, just gave her the cue and rode her with a vigorous hand ride as she blew by and won comfortably to the rallying favorite!
WHOOOO HOOOO! The winning ticket is worth over $50 and I'll be a winner today! I was thinking after the race that on weekdays when I come out like this, it's all about (a) being ABLE to come out because I'm retired; (b) being able to enjoy gorgeous winter weather here in Florida; and (c) to cash on a "BET of the DAY" kind of selection. That's all it takes to make me consider it a great day. In the fifth we were back on the turf and it looked to be wide, wide open. I went with Nomnative who went off at a 9/2 price. He was way back as they approached the far turn, but was starting to pick off runners. He made a strong finish to just miss by less than a length and a half in a four-horse blanket finish (4th). I only had the one more bet and I wasn't going to wait around for an hour to watch one race AND run the risk of hitting rush hour traffic. So I made my final bet and headed to the car. I checked my Fitbit and discovered I'd logged about two miles on this short day at the races and while I wished it was more, it was a good day's exercise. Decided that I didn't need to walk when I got home, I'd just enjoy the afternoon. When I got home it was two minutes to post time for the 7th where I'd made my final bet, so I opened the live feed and watched. This was a 7 1/2 furlong turf race for Maiden Special Weight older horses. The automatic play with sophomores (and with 2yo runners in December) is a Pletcher runner. With older it's a little more dicey. But it WAS a Pletcher runner that drew my interest. First of all, Old Sport had to be a disappointment so far to his connections. The son of champion War Front - who gets LOTS of turf winners - had cost $425K at the Keeneland sales. But in four efforts he had only a second and a third to show for his work. But, BOTH of his best races came here. In his most recent, here off a short layoff, he'd led gate to final jump while finishing open lengths clear of the show runner. Neither of the top two "go-to" riders for the top trainer were named, but to be fair, Joel Rosario had been up last time and the barn honored the commitment to ride him back Because he was coming back today after another short break of 31-to-60 days Old Sport was a Gulfstream 40% Club play for the Pletcher barn. Right out of the gate, unlike his rival rider Castellano, Rosario had his horse sharply away and right up on the hip of the longshot leader. He pressed the easy pace into the far turn, and then, as he'd done with Penwith he asked for run. As they came out of the turn and into the stretch Old Sport had made the lead, but he drifted out about two paths losing ground AND opening a seam to the post-time favorite - my second choice. That one even got his head in front as they hit the sixteenth pole, but Rosario kept riding hard and Old Sport found one more gear and kicked away late to win by a little more than a length! NICE! 
And best of all, he'd been a generous 5/2 at post time, so the $7.40 payoff meant my second winning ticket would be worth nearly $40 and I'd be collecting close to $100 when I next head out to Gulfstream Park!
Thursday January 21 Recap
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