June 26 - 27

What A Great Time In Williamsburg!

Williamsburg Trip

Well, you know it couldn't have been a good racing day if my headlines refers to the vacation we had, but honestly it was a GREAT adventure in Williamsburg with our friends Sue, Dan & Lori.  Click the link "Williamsburg Trip" between the photos to see the pictures and videos from our trip.  The first two days of racing produced very little to write home about.  I "knew" right away when I watched the replays from Thursday back in our Bed & Breakfast from the Thursday card and my pick, the 1/5 favorite was loose on a clear and easy lead going 5 furlongs over the turf and couldn't hold on......hard to blame Julian Leparoux, but I will for failing to ration the speed of The Absolute One.  The third and fourth race selections also were alone on the lead and gave way late......my next two picks were never in the race and in the Thursday finale Gibson's Bullet led into the turn at 8/1 giving me brief hope, only to stop like he was shot.  My third 0-for day in the last five days of racing at Churchill. 

Friday's races were held under the lights for the last "Downs After Dark" of the meet.  My first selection was in the third race, a Maiden Special event going the unusual distance of a mile and a quarter.  None of these runners had ever traveled this far, and there didn't appear to be anyone who wanted to go this far.  The only thing that would lead me to a bet would be if there was someone who appeared to be the LONE speed, and indeed that was the case for C J's Awesome.  Unfortunately the crowd saw the same thing and while I was able to break the winless skid, the $3.40 payoff did little for my bankroll....still, a win is a win!  My picks in the 4th and 5th both finished off the board, but in the sixth I had the 4/5 favorite in On The Same Page going 8 1/2 furlongs on the turf.  He sat a comfortable 4th, made a four-wide bid on the turn and surged to the front in mid-stretch.  I am going to win again I thought......just as the second choice at 9/2 came flying from the back to pass me inside the 16th pole, second.....sigh.  The featured 8th was a nw3x turf allowance with the field a combined 6-for-67 over the turf while my pick, a Churchill Downs 40% Club play for trainer Gary Simms - Pappascat - was 2-for-4 on the turf.  I tripled the bet on the 8/5 favorite.  He trailed early and never picked up his feet to finish a well beaten 7th.  Wow.  In the finale Panama Will pressed the pace into the turn and looked ready to take command, but was no match for the winner who blew by and drew off while my pick held second.  Well, tomorrow has several stakes races and I have four picks from other tracks that I hope can get me back into the winner's circle!