Day 6

First "BET of the DAY"

Big-Time Score of the Meet!

To kick off he third week of the Championship Season, I had a few selections, but I had what turned out to be the first BIG BET win of the meet.  The winter season always features good racing, and I'd made myself the promise to come out to watch live racing more often during the week to take advantage of my retirement status to enjoy these top thoroughbreds.  So today I headed out for a couple hours.  As I left the house the skies were overcast and I made sure I had my Gulfstream umbrella in the car.  And sure enough, as I arrived it there was a nice "sun-shower" going on.  So I kept dry under the protection of my signature umbrella.  By the time I got into the facility it had stopped, so I put the umbrella back into it's protective sheath and headed to the rail to watch the fourth.  No sooner had I hit the outside than the skies opened up.  I thought, "how silly do I look - getting soaked with an umbrella in my hand!"  I didn't have a bet in the race, but my top choice won (seems to be happening a lot this meet!).  Then I missed on the turf when a Pletcher horse ran 6th at 4/1.  Finally time for the "big race."  When I handicapped the race I saw this as strictly a two horse race........

But as the odds came up for the first time I quickly noticed two things, first, the #5 horse had scratched and second my pick, Zaikov (#6) was 1-9.  I looked at the names matched to the numbers and lo and behold the scratch was the only horse I thought had any chance to upset my pick!  So right away I mentally made the decision to up the bet from "Prime Time $20" to a "Best Bet" level of $30.  Throughout the betting Zaikov's numbers did not change, and then the paddock analyst came up, all she talked about was who to put WITH Zaikov on the underneath side of an exacta......no alternative to the win slot.  I thought to myself, "who am I kidding, he's a near certain winner."  All the Pletcher stats in play, the scratch of the only legitimate rival, and the betting action.  So I upped the bet to a full $50.  As the horses came onto the track the showers started again, but one of the main reason I'd brought the umbrella was to be able to be on the rail to see my horse score.  The second choice, who took a lot of money, set the pace to the top of the lane.  Zaikov collared him at the 1/8th pole, but then a duel ensued.  Would he be able to win off the shelf?  Javier Castellano gave him his cue and he exploded to the wire!  WHOOOO HOOOOO!. 

It was just a sidelight how the rest of the day went after this :)  I won the second race on the card, and Javier Castellano was on board for that winner.  With that win he set a North American record for earnings in a year.  I ran off the board in four others and second in the finale on the day.  But I'd scored when it counted most!