Sunday Racing - Cirque da Soleil
Again after a big Saturday I was somewhat disappointed by the racing results on Sunday. But this time I was a "little smarter than the average bear" as Yogi Bear used to say. After completing the recap video (in the middle of the night because I couldn't sleep) I could not stop thinking about the picks and bets for the Sunday card. It just didn't set well with me and I kept thinking that I was way over confident in my selections and betting plans. So the first thing I did this morning was reexamine my analysis and selections. After looking them over with a mind to be more conservative I cut two bets off the sheet and dropped the wagering on two others. I did not win for the day, but I did control the outcome to a more "acceptable" level. I was very tired during the day not only from the full day at the races, but then the short amount of sleep. But by 4 pm we were off to a matinee at the arena of the latest Cirque de Soleil production, "Toruk." This production was billed as much more of a story than a series of acrobatic acts and as a prequel to the movie "Avatar." It was all of that. The sets were simply amazing. We had purchased tickets long ago and gave them to my in-laws as their Christmas gift. We all enjoyed the performance quite a bit and went to Dairy Queen afterwards. Here's a clip of what the production was like.......
Cirque de Soleil: Toruk
Once we returned home I went online to check out the results from today's racing at Gulfstream. My first selection was in the third, a MSW on the turf for 3yo fillies. I went with Chad Brown's first-time starter who'd been listed at 15/1 in the DRF morning line - duh. She was ridden by Javier Castellano (a 37% winning rider for Brown) and the barn is 19% with debut runners. She was well back to the far turn, then closed ground to get within striking position through the turn. Once they turned for home Castellano eased her outside and she came with a flying, determined run to reach the leaders. But the two front runners were stubborn and it was a head-bobbing finish, but Just Talkin had just enough to get up to scored! WHOOOO HOOOOO!
In the 4th I went with Todd Pletcher's Osalia who had disappointed in December, but had run well last season in European Group events. She went off at 7/2 and ran evenly to be 4th. In the fifth I went for an upset with Boss Hawg who had stumbled last time out and two back had been on the turf. His previous two races would win this 2-lifetime sprint. He showed little throughout and was 8th under the line. In the 6th Todd Pletcher's Better Not Blink was the 6/5 favorite. The $850K first time starter was a daughter of graded stakes winning Hard Spun and had John Velazquez up. Shot right to the front but as they spun out of the turn he stopped and was dead last. In the finale I tripled the bet on Super C Me who had disappointed last time out and I thought might be tailing off in form. So when he showed up today at first I was reluctant to make him the choice. But he was dropping back to the bottom claiming level where the last time he'd raced this low he was a dominant winner. I reasoned that even if he was a step or two slower than he'd been against $16K "beaten" runners he'd run away here. I think two things hurt him - one I could not have accounted for and the other I might have considered. First, he broke slowly, so the rider rushed him up to get to the front. Still, not so sure that was that big a problem as through the turn and into the lane he was in hand and clear on the lead. At the furlong pole he was clear, but being ridden; at the 16th pole he was under pressure and faded to be third - it was then I remembered his wins had been at 5 1/2 furlongs. That might have been an important consideration. :)
Still it was a good first week of March, and it marks the next-to-last week of the Championship Meet for me as we are now in full-blown preparation for our French River Cruise in about ten days!
In the 4th I went with Todd Pletcher's Osalia who had disappointed in December, but had run well last season in European Group events. She went off at 7/2 and ran evenly to be 4th. In the fifth I went for an upset with Boss Hawg who had stumbled last time out and two back had been on the turf. His previous two races would win this 2-lifetime sprint. He showed little throughout and was 8th under the line. In the 6th Todd Pletcher's Better Not Blink was the 6/5 favorite. The $850K first time starter was a daughter of graded stakes winning Hard Spun and had John Velazquez up. Shot right to the front but as they spun out of the turn he stopped and was dead last. In the finale I tripled the bet on Super C Me who had disappointed last time out and I thought might be tailing off in form. So when he showed up today at first I was reluctant to make him the choice. But he was dropping back to the bottom claiming level where the last time he'd raced this low he was a dominant winner. I reasoned that even if he was a step or two slower than he'd been against $16K "beaten" runners he'd run away here. I think two things hurt him - one I could not have accounted for and the other I might have considered. First, he broke slowly, so the rider rushed him up to get to the front. Still, not so sure that was that big a problem as through the turn and into the lane he was in hand and clear on the lead. At the furlong pole he was clear, but being ridden; at the 16th pole he was under pressure and faded to be third - it was then I remembered his wins had been at 5 1/2 furlongs. That might have been an important consideration. :)
Still it was a good first week of March, and it marks the next-to-last week of the Championship Meet for me as we are now in full-blown preparation for our French River Cruise in about ten days!
Gulfstream Week 11 Highlights
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