April 11

The Day Before The Wedding

Today was the day before Brad & Lauren's wedding, but I knew that there would be a lot of "down" time during the day, so I'd handicapped the races for both Keeneland and Oaklawn.  My initial thought was that I KNEW I wanted to bet both Wise Dan in Keeneland's feature, the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile going a mile over the turf, and Close Hatches in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn.  But, because I had time on Thursday I handicapped both cards looking for some solid selections.  I thought I had found five additional races, so I bet them in the morning and then checked the replays later in the evening. 

In the 2nd at Keeneland I liked Bustle who was being aggressively dropped from $50K to today's $16K by top owners Ken & Sarah Ramsey with Javier Castellano on board.  But she broke slowly, then rallied five wide.....second best, beaten less than a length at the finish at 3/5.  In the 2nd at Oaklawn it was non-winners of two lifetime, but A Firm Prospect was lightly raced, dropping in class, and had a double-Beyer advantage.  He had traffic problems and had to move wide when then got into the stretch.  He was never going to catch the winner, and was actually all out to save the place at 6/5.  Back to Keeneland for the fifth which was a nw2x allowance turf test.  Riposte was a Group winner in Europe and was dropping into this allowance spot off back-to-back second place finishes in Grade 3 efforts here in North America.  She was sent off at 8/5 and was near the back to the far turn.  She moved up four wide and forged to the front as they turned for home.  Led all the way to the final jump when nailed by an 8/1 shot....ironically ridden by Javier Castellano who had not been able to win for me in the first Keeneland pick!  My third runner-up finish from three selectIons!

Next on my selection sheet was the featured Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile.  Last year Horse of the Year Wise Dan launched his championship season with a win in this spot and he looked to do the same thing today.  But his trainer was quoted prior to the race that, "....if they are going to get him, today is the day....." adding that his training had been interrupted by the tough Kentucky winter.  But the more I looked at it, and at the competition I didn't think they could beat him even if he wasn't 100%.  I made him "prime time."  Jockey John Velazquez had to restrain Wise Dan who wanted go, but JR wanted him to save something for the final furlongs.  He had him clear four wide down the back stretch, then let him go on the turn.  He glided up to challenge, blew on by and was quickly clear by mid-stretch.  If you watch the stretch run it appears that the runner-up was getting to him, but Velazquez never asked for more - if anything he was gearing him down through the final 16th.  Easy-peasy-pie!  Whooo hooo! 

In the eighth at Oaklawn, it was a Maiden Special and I liked Declans Fast Cat.  He was the DRF's "Best" of the day, had a field-best 76 BSF last time out for top connections and just looked solid.  Sent away at 7/5 he made steady progress from mid-pack but was no match what-so-ever for the runaway winner.  I went with 13/1 longshot Mighty Brown in the Bachelor's Stakes at Oaklawn, but he was never a threat.  Then it was time for he featured, Grade 1 Apple Blossom.  I had originally thought I might go to Arkansas to see this race months ago, but then this was chosen as the wedding weekend.  Close Hatches had won several times for me last season and she'd wired the prep for this, the Azeri, to kick off her four-year-old season.  She drew the one hole for the Apple Blossom, but I knew she had won for me by stalking the pace, so I looked for her to break well, hold her spot on the rail through the turn, move off the rail to challenge for the lead on the far turn and draw off as much the best.  But instead she broke sharply, went right to the front and never looked back!  WHOOOO HOOOOO!  My second prime-time winner! 

The rehearsal?  It went very well, in fact my only complaint about the day / the dinner (which we hosted) was how slow the service was.  I would not have minded about the service except that Lauren & Brad wanted a small dinner (only wedding party & parents) so we planned to meet all the out-of-towners afterwards.  So the fact that the dinner took from 7:30 until nearly 9:30 was a little long for me.  But it was a good time, especially having our grandson Cameron at the table with us :)