Day 67

March 13 - 14

The good news was that to start the week I went a combined 3-for-9 over the two day span. The bad news was that on BOTH days I failed to reach a profit. On Wednesday, I had Horse-for-the-Course Blues and Silvers in the second, my first bet of the day.  He was 3-for-4 over the course and looked to be able to take these wire to wire.  He got an early pace challenge, but the fractions were not too fast;  I thought he easily could have dismissed that rival and had plenty left for the stretch.  But I did not think our chances evaporated when the rider let the longshot go and stalked the pace.  Blues and Silver moved easily to the front, but could not withstand the late closer and was a close-up second.  No problem as I came right back to score in the third when I supported Team Calabrese's Tale of Peace in a non-winners of three lifetime sprint with top rider Javier Castellano on board.  Moved to challenge on the turn and wore down the leader in deep stretch while being confidently handled! 

Cashed for a mere $13 with the minimum.  I only had two other plays and El Gran Joyful was the price play in the fifth at 7/1.  Never a threat, checking in eighth.  So, it came down to Honor Code winning the feature to launch his 3yo campaign and he disappointed in second. Not surprised after hearing Shug McGaughey say they just wanted him to have a good race. But he still should have EASILY run down that loose-on-the-lead last-out maiden winner. Sigh......

Then on Thursday I won four of the ten races. Sadly I only bet on five of the races and one of the two wins that I missed was when I listed a $19.00 winner on top with the comment that, "....may be worth a shot in this evenly matched group....." then decided against investing.  In the fourth I went against the 4/5 favorite (who was my second choice) in Veramundo.  He was the class of the field, dropping out of the Grade 1 Donn into this $25K optional claimer, but as a deep closer over the speed-favoring Gulfstream main track, not for me. I went with Bernie the Maestro who was the second choice at 9/5.  He led to the top of the lane and then Vermundo came flying like a freight train, right on by.....second.  Much like Wednesday I bounced right back, only this time I won with not only the next race but the NEXT TWO!  In the 5th, a maiden claimer on the turf, I went with Main Man Mike.  His first three starts saw him line up in the gate with future graded stakes stars Revolutionary, Orb, and Jack Milton.  He had excuses in his last two and the rider upgrade to a jockey winning at a 43% clip for the barn.  He won at a nice 2/1, pulling away in deep stretch.  But I'd only bet the minimum, so I only netted $15.  In the sixth I came right back to score over the turf in a claiming event when Jesse Can Mambo was MUCH the best at even money. 

Castellano again was in the saddle for me and I cashed for $10.50.  In the 7th Be My Love was the 2/1 choice and I doubled the bet as she'd won three of her last four turf sprints.  Led into the lane, and weakened to be third.  Awesome Vow in the 9th was my strongest play of the day.  She was a 10x winner, including five of her last nine .  The trainer was a 35% winner in 2013 and off to a 28% start here this season.  She'd won at this level in AOC company nw1x FOUR times and was the LONE SPEED!  Right to the front and in the clear by two open lengths at the furlong marker......run down in the final 16th to be second at 6/5.
With the two wins I had being the two smallest wagers of the day, I got a strong 40% winning percentage in handicapping for the day, but lost money, again. Such is the trend at the present. Hoping for bigger and better things through the remainder of the week!