Day 22

A New Week - 33% Today!

The weather across the country is beyond frigid with temperatures in the minus-double-digits.  And we had our version of the "Arctic Blast" when the thermometer read 49 this morning.  The drizzling rain over the past two days and this morning led to all the grass races at Gulfstream being moved to the main track.  That cost me three selections, but I got one back in the featured 9th where I had a MTO selection to go with my turf pick.  I have to admit that I was surprised that I didn't win at least one of my first two ......

In the 4th I went with Hearty Congrats who was bet down to be the 3/5 favorite at post time.  Not only did he exit a dominant win at this price level (albeit vs. maiden claimers), but more importantly he was claimed by Team Calabrese and trainer Kirk Ziadie.....a nearly 50% win angle.  My second choice set the pace thru the turn and then Congrats ranged up to him, with apparently plenty in the tank.  But the front runner wasn't finished and I ended up best of the rest as the runner-up.  In the very next race Rocky Point Home was a near identical play.  First off the claim for Team Calabrese AND in this case dropping in class but nearly half the price.  Over the last two winters Ziadie has won with 42% of his class droppers.  The crowd wasn't fooled and 'Rocky went off at the same 3/5 price.  This time we failed to hit the board as he faded to fourth. 

But in the 9th I got my win for the day!  At least twice at the meet Majestic Express had been entered as a MTO runner, and in both those cases the race stayed on the turf.  Today was his day to run.  He too was a Team Calabrese runner.  He sat just off the pace to the far turn, the accelerated to draw even with the leader as heads turned for home and the short run to the alternate finish line.  But then he blew on by like the leader was tied to the rail.  The crowd let this "obvious" win contender go off at a nice 7/5, so I earned back nearly the entire amount of money I'd invested for the day, making me not only 33% for the afternoon, but also a virtual break-even on the bottom line! 

Then this evening Kim and I had tickets to the Broadway production of "The Wizard Of Oz."  We'd given each other this as 27th anniversary gifts.  It was a very nice day indeed!