Day 14

Another WINNING Day!

Much like yesterday I had a "best" bet on the turf scratch due to the race being taken off the inner course; but they kept the featured 9th on the grass where my "other best" was running.  The day started with a score in the opener.  Fearless Cowboy was 5/1 in the program, but was nearly certain to be well bet.  He was first off the claim for Midwest Thoroughbreds and trainer Jamie Ness who win with 36% of those.  Even better, Ness is a Gulfstream Park Handicapper 40% Club member with runners making their first start of the meet - 45%.  I felt lucky to get the 5/2 and felt very good about myself as Fearless Cowboy was loose on the lead turning for home.  But as they hit the final 16th he was tiring....where's the wire????!!!!!! 

Whew!  That was close!  But still, I cashed for close to $20.  In was a disappointing 5th at a big 6/1 in the second.  No selections until the 8th when I took Todd Pletcher's Golden Lad.  He had paired top efforts off the layoff while going this one-turn mile distance, HERE.  He was six clear of the show off a two-month break then scored last time out against nw1x company.  Pletcher is the CEO of the GP 40% Club with ELEVEN winning angles that score at the 40% rate or better.  Stepping up in class is a 47% win angle, so I took him.  I decided there were at least two others that were legitimate threats, so I only bet the minimum.  As they hit the 16th pole my "other" pick, Valid (who was the favorite) was cruising on the lead and Golden Lad was trying to wear him down.  Inside the final two hundred yards he found another gear and surged to the wire to score. 

Hard to believe that a Todd Pletcher horse, much less one with all those angles, would pay over $10!  And with that I'm a guaranteed winner on the day!  Next up was my "best" of the day.  Madame Giry was a multiple stakes winner sprinting on the turf and today she was in a non-winners of money allowance event.  I thought Shrinking Violet would provide the most competition, but she'd never seen the kind of class company Madame Giry had.  Sure enough as they turned for home Shrinking Violet slipped through the inside to take the lead as Madame Giry ranged up on the outside, four wide.  The gauntlet was thrown down and they battled through the lane, one head up and one head down......PHOTO FINISH! 

Oh, it was close, but I knew.....second best.  In the last selection of the day I liked Cytherean on the turf.  He was claimed for $16K and confidently raised to $25K today....and the barn had scored with four of it's last ten first off the claim runners.  Evenly at 9/2, fifth.  Much like yesterday I was very pleased with the final numbers.....2-for-5, an excellent 40%, with a profit of nearly $10.