August 29

The Final Weekend Of Summer Racing

Today was the final day that we had access to the Beach condo and I had five selections on the Jersey Shore.  We met our good friends Sue & Dan as well as a few others at the beach and had steamed crab legs with corn on the cob.  A delicious end to a great week on the beach.  On the Jersey Shore it was another day where I really thought I would do better than I actually did.  In the opener Forest Meadow was an even third at 5/2.  In the fifth Secret Ops went right to the front in a maiden claiming turf sprint.  Led all the way to mid-stretch and weakened to be second best.  The same scenario in the 6th where Lucy Acton was a Monmouth 40% Club play.  Jorge Navarro has won many races for me this summer with Club angles like this.  Lucy Action was making her third start off a layoff, and that's won at a 48% rate.  Paco Lopez was on board, and that is a 45% winning angle.....tripled the bet.  She burst to the front and was in hand turning for home, only to weaken and finish a well-beaten third.  In the 8th Horn Buckle was another Club play, again for trainer Jorge Navarro.  First off the claim has proven to be a 52% winning angle for the barn so I doubled the bet.  He was sent off at 2/1 and stalked the leaders into the lane.  I'm ready for his big move, only to watch him stop and finish well back in sixth.  FINALLY I win a race in the 9th with What A Party, the day's feature.  It was a nw2x allowance optional claiming event sprinting on the turf.  I have to admit I was concerned when the opening fraction was posted at :20.4; and even more so when the opening half was a sizzling :43.2.  But no problem for this gal as she cruised across the line.  And best of all, somehow the crowd let this Eddie-Plesa / Paco Lopez runner go off at 5/2!  The $7 payoff generated a return of $35 for me!