Day 69

What A  G - R - E - A - T   Day!

Finally - One of "THOSE" Days!

Profit = $139!

Finally, after multiple days of winning my fair share, but not making any money, I had a big day.  Ironically it came after changing plans to drive Kim up to Orlando for Lauren's bridal shower, so it meant no simulcast handicapping, and no visits to the track.  I handicapped the Saturday card on Thursday and of the eleven races I found eight where I thought I had an edge.  None of them inspired me to go "prime time" or even triple the investment, but all of them were worthy of a double investment.  I passed the opener but in the second I had an upset selection.  As I wrote in my analysis, "....he does not have outstanding credentials for the win spot here, but then, do any of them?  - but he has one very solid angle that makes him my top selection....today he goes first off the claim for trainer Michael Pino....." As I noted, Pino is a Gulfstream 40% Club member with a single angle....first off the claim.  Over the last two winters he has scored with a sharp 42% of those.  And at a generous 5/1 in the program I doubled up on him.  On With The Show broke sharply and dueled to the turn before forging to a short lead.  As they turned for home he was still under pressure and I would not have been surprised to see him fold, but instead he kept going and drew clear late to score by over a length.  And the best part was he was 6/1 at post time, producing a payout of $15! 

With my bet that meant I was cashing for $75 and had nearly paid for the day's eight race slate already!  WHOOO HOOOO!  Next up I was third with Chad Brown's first time starter Pink Poppy at 5/2; and failed again in the 4th when Sea Queen was no better than fourth at a very short 3/5.  But my second winner, which guaranteed a profit for the day came in the 6th where we were going 8 1/2 furlongs on the turf.  Hey Leroy had first drawn my attention five races back when Major Marvel was defeated at odds-on by 'Leroy who earned a career best 90+ Beyer that day.  Since then he'd run 90's in two of his next four despite running second in four straight.  But upon closer examination I was willing to excuse all four of them!  Four back he was second best behind a loose-on-the-lead stakes winner who dropped into the allowance conditions and handily went wire to wire.  Three back he was second best to another loose-on-the-lead multiple stakes winner.  Two back he was ran and was steadied; and in his last he was the 2/1 favorite but was moved to the front prematurely by a low percentage rider.  Today he got Elvis Trujillo, a veteran of multiple graded wins over the turf.  He had him in the right spot today and turning for home he wore down the front runner, who was an 11-1 loose-on-the-lead pace setter!  Just edged up in the final sixteenth, and considering the rest of the field regularly topped out in the mid-80s on the Beyer scale the 3/1 post-time price was generous. 

The tote board flashed up $8.40 when it was official and I was cashing for over $40!  Awesome!  Todd Pletcher's first time starter, American Bond was allowed to leave the gate at a big 6/1, but ran to those long odds when 8th.  Right back to the winner's circle in the ninth however with Bill Mott's Pinball.  I'd picked him on top last time when he made his initial turf start off of three straight dirt scores.  He wired the field that day and paid over $7.  Today he was the only one in here with a win over the course and that Mott is a Gulfstream 40% Club member with two applying angles:  John Velazquez riding - 57% and moving up in class - 42%.  I thought he might rate today, but Velazquez had him battling on the lead to the top of the lane and then he spurted clear.  He was all out to hold off the closers, but safely under the wire at yet another good price. 

This time the board showed $6.40 which meant I was cashing for over $30!  In the Grade 2 Honey Fox I just could not bet Centre Court with Julian Leparoux, and besides I have always been a fan of Bill Mott's Tapicat....who was a perfect 3-for-3 over the course. Tapicat was the tepid 5/2 favorite and was a non-threatening fifth while Centre Court defended her 2013 Honey Fox title.  The last race of the day and on my betting slate was a Maiden Special for sophomores.  Lawn Party was a Todd Pletcher first time starter for Javier Castellano, for the powerful Stonestreet Stables....duh.  She was the 3/1 second choice in the program, and while Pletcher is not nearly as effective on the turf, his prices there are often more generous.  Such was the case when the crowd let her go at a giant 6/1!  She sat fourth into the turn and then Castellano asked the $675K daughter of Medaglia d'Oro to run.  She exploded four wide to inhale the field and set sail for the wire as CLEARLY the best!  The payoff was an astounding $14.00....on a Pletcher debut sophomore?  For real? 

FOR REAL!  I was cashing for $70 to run my record for the day to:

8 / 4 - 0 -1

Wagered $80 / Collected $219.00

TOTAL PROFIT:  $139.00

 

Truly, one of "those days" and it boosted me to a clear profit for the week!