Day 5

Ending The Week With Disappointing Finishes

2nd - 2nd - 2nd - 2nd

WOW

Yes, that's the way today went; but not only four consecutive seconds, but seconds in every way.  In the opener I nailed the exacta with my top two choices running one-two, but I passed the race.  In the second my top choice was Zindaya, the 4/5 favorite sprinting over the turf.  I made him my top choice because trainer Christophe Clement is a Gulfstream Handicapper 40% Club member with turf sprinters.  I had this nagging doubt because all last winter I played him as a 40% Club member with maiden first-time starters, and they next to never won for me.  My third choice was Tizgale who had never been on the grass, but had top Tomlinson numbers for the grass, had Joe Bravo in the irons, and the bar had a 21% win rate with first-time turf runners at a $3.01 ROI.  Tizgale went right to the front with Zindaya tracking her.  They turned for home an Zindaya went after her in earnest, but could not get by.  SECOND.  I had bet the minimum on Zindaya, but here's the worst part.....Tizgale went off at nearly 19/1 and paid $39.80, and the exacta came back worth $94.00.  I passed the third.  The fourth was the Sunshine Stakes and it came up a pretty salty race.  I thought Jackson Bend was sitting on a big effort and he was a nice price play at 7/2.  The favorite went to the front and Jackson Bend came rolling late......not enough, finished SECOND!  So I had the favorite chasing the price play, and the price play chasing the favorite and couldn't get the money.

In the 5th I liked Frere Pilgrim, who was 6/1 in the program.  She was the LONE speed of the race; she'd drawn the rail, AND she was ridden by Joel Rosario for trainer Brian Lynch.  Lynch is a 40% Club member in one instance only, when Rosario rides!  She went right to the front and set comfortable fractions..........

Inside the final 16th the price play closer was coming to her and as they hit the wire it was a PHOTO FINISH!!!!!!!  It was awfully close, but I knew.....yes, SECOND again.  That hurt, because she would have paid over $6 and I would have collected over $30. 

Can't win rallying with the favorite, chasing the favorite and now LEADING with the favorite.....sigh.  In the sixth we were back on the main track and I tripled the bet on Da Wildcat Girl, who was sent out by Kirk Ziadie.  He'd been winning at better than 40% for Team Calabrese all summer.  In her last she chased Liberty Fuse who set pedestrian fractions and held her off.  Looked like there were speed rivals today and/or Liberty would have to run faster today, setting it up for Da Wildcat.  The crowd thought the result would be the same today, but I thought I knew better.  Nope......Liberty did have to run faster, but she wired the field and Da Wildcat Girl couldn't run her down again......SECOND.  How many races are going to turn out this way today?

In the 7th I backed Celebrator who was a three-year-old first time starter for Todd Pletcher.  This guy is the King of the Gulfstream 40% Club with ELEVEN categories producing 40% win averages.  The ones that applied today were coming off a layoff (45%), dirt sprints (42%), and "win early" (40%).  Celebrator was a close fourth as they hit the turn, ranged up three wide and then drew off with authority.  FINALLY, a win!  The payoff of $5.40 netted me nearly $30.  

I still had two races with live runners, including what I thought was my "Best Bet."  In the 8th I liked Sleepless Knight on the turf.  First, he'd been facing graded stakes competition over the turf and second he was just about the only one in here who had turf form.  It looked like most the other trainers had entered horses on the assumption it would come off the inner course.  AND Joe Bravo was up.  He had Sleepless Knight right there to the turn at a nice 6/1, but no stretch punch.....fifth.  In the finale I made Money For Memories my Best.  She as coming off a layoff for Kirk Ziadie and Team Calabrese, a 40% win angle.  Top rider Paco Lopez, off to  50% start to the meet was riding; and best of all, Money For Memories had never run for a claiming tag, much less in a 3-lifetime condition like today.  She went off at 6/5 and I was looking at cashing for over $40.  She dueled on the front end through tepid fractions of :49 and change and 1:13 for 3/4 of a mile.  So when they turned for home I was certain she would have enough punch to finish off this weak crowd......but no, she was outfinished and was third on the wire, beaten less than a length.  Sigh......

The best news of the day came that evening when Kim and I headed to downtown Ft. Lauderdale for the 30th Anniversary of the Ft. Lauderdale Christmas Pagaent.  We'll be back on track next week.