May 25

Yet ANOTHER 50% Day

The winning continues!  Though, to be fair, it didn't take a genius to figure out the first two of the three wins on the day.  In the opener you don't find many horses who appear, on the surface, as unbettable as Kodiak Syd who was 0-for-11 as a maiden, in the maiden claiming opener.  But the other choice was going out for a 3-for-62 barn.  But when compared to this field Syd looks like a Breeders' Cup champion.  No fooling the crowd who was 1/9 early on.  In the second the favorite looked even stronger and there were multiple scratches.  I considered a daily double which was paying even money.  But typically that kind of bet, for me, would result in only one of the pair winning; I'd be 50% on the day and I'd be behind. So I bet both Kodiak Syd and Lincoln Law to win, straight up, double investments.  They both walked with their races.  I was surprised, and delighted that Kodiak Syd floated up to 1/2 so I cashed for $15, but Lincoln Law paid only $2.60. 

I ran second in the 5th race, leading all the way to the stretch before weakening;  n the 7th I dueled on the lead, and weakened to be fourth.  I had a 14/1 longshot in the 8th.....led to the turn and I briefly had thoughts of a giant upset, but no, he stopped to be sixth.  Closed the day out with a very nice 4/1 winner in Strike Charmer.  He was a Churchill Downs 40% Club winner, going out for David Carroll.  He makes the Club with long layoff runners, which was the story on Strike Charmer.  Adding to the evidence was the fact that Charmer's lone win came HERE at this distance and he had a sharp five furlong work for today's return to the races.  I might have passed on this one considering Carroll's 0-for-10 start to the meet.  But, having read the Churchill Downs Handicapper, I knew something the crowd did not.  When he rated off the leaders to the head of the lane then drew off as much the best, I was rewarded for my research!