Day 42

Aunt Ruby's Kitten Salvages The Day

When I handicapped the Thursday card I had a hard time finding many runners that I felt a lot of confidence in, but I found several what I thought were worth an investment at a fair price and three that were worthy of added investment.  In the opener Sherry's Angel was 5/1 in the program and looked good IF she was ready to fire her best off the shelf.  She made a middle move - too soon I thought - and flattened out in the lane to be 7th.  My BEST of the day was Commerce Firing in the second.  Team Calabrese simply wants to WIN....so when this horse was plunged down to a $6.25K level after winning three entry-level allowance races I wasn't afraid to back him.  This is a frequent move for them....the horse has some issues and they want to get one more win and unload him, unlike many stables that just want to unload a runner.  Commerce Firing went off at 4/5 and burst to the lead, like all Team Calabrese runners.  But halfway through the turn jockey Edgar Zayas had already begun to ride his mount hard and go to the whip.....this can't be good :(  Faded to fourth.  I passed four races in a row before I had Volcano Run in a claiming event on the turf.  He was wide through the first turn from post 11, wide down the backstretch, and wide through the far turn.  Lucky to get fifth. 

In the 8th I thought that 10/1 longshot Panella had a real chance to win.  The barn had an $8.72 ROI with debuting maiden claimers.  Panella went off at a gigantic 25/1 and was riding the rails in third turning for home.  No big kick to catch the dueling leaders, but more than enough to be a clear third.  Good handicapping, no payoff.  And like a race last week, if I'd boxed by top three choices - because the dueling leaders were my other two picks - I would have had a $484 trifecta for a $12 investment.  In the featured Awesome Feather I liked Risky Rachel to spring the upset at 8/1 in the program.  I wrote in my analysis that this race was hard to envision because the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie on Sunday reportedly was looking for runners to fill out the gate to oppose champion Groupie Doll, and several of these were under consideration.  True enough four scratched out of here changing the complexion, including my pick.  The one thing I was right about was the favorite, My Pal Chrisy, who is a closer, was not the winner.  In the finale, my top pick was Aunt Ruby's Kitten.  She'd won for me a month ago, but in one of the worst stewards' decisions of the month she had been disqualified after being clear by daylight. 

Today she was facing the same kind of runners, and a couple (including the supposed 'victim" of her trouble-causing run).  I thought she looked best handily so I doubled the bet on the Pletcher-trained, Ramsey-owned filly.  She was sitting off the pace chasing the filly she'd bothered last time and looked ready to run by her, but that one was stubborn.  It was a stirring duel to the wire....PHOTO finish!  I was pretty certain in spite of the "photo" sign I'd won.  The results came up.....WIN! 

And instead of the 9/5 price she paid a huge $7.60....so I cashed out for nearly $40 and suddenly I was nearly even despite going a paltry 1-for-5 on the day.  Gotta love the races!