FINALLY....A B-I-G Day!
I came right back to make it two in a row when Upon Reflection rallied five wide on turn to draw clear late. The price was even better, 2/1, and the $6.60 return netted me over $15. Back to the Spa where we were on the turf. I liked another Todd Pletcher runner, Mshawish. He was the class of the field as he'd run in four group races in Europe then was the losing favorite in the Grade 3 Oceanport at Monmouth last out. The drop into allowance company should do the trick I thought. He was blocked through the turn, then finally found a seam in deep stretch, split runners and was flying at the finish......PHOTO! As I watched the slow-motion replay I was pretty confident I'd won, and when the picture came up, I had! THREE IN A ROW!!!!!! Wait..............Inquiry & Objection! I watched the replay and it looked to me like the outside horse bumped me before I bumped him. Too close of a call to warrant a disqualification. No, then took me down. And suddenly my triple investment that was bringing me another $30 was gone. I later looked back through my racing records and this was the very first winner I'd picked over the summer that got DQ'd - over 700 races! This seemed to put a jinx on my selections - or maybe it was just evening out - as It's Macaroni led easily into the stretch in Monmouth's 4th only to stop badly, 8th. Right back with a Pletcher 2yo at the Spa and Royal Son was second after chasing a loose on the lead front-runner. But I was back to cash in the fifth at Monmouth where I picked Alwaysthinkingofyou in a Maiden Special sprint on the Jersey Shore. He had hesitated in his debut then rushed up to take the lead through a :44.4 half. A clean break and he'd be long gone I thought. Not only did he win, but did so just as I'd thought.....broke on top, quickly to the front and never threatened. The only surprise was generous $6.40 payoff. So I cashed for over $30. Minutes later it was time for my BET of the DAY. It was the first of four graded stakes at Saratoga, the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch. Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan was making his return to the races after suffering an emergency colic attack. Many handicappers thought today was the day to beat the champ, and there was a lot of evidence to support trying to beat him. The long layoff, the distance was NOT his optimum (he prefers a mile, this was 8 1/2 furlongs); and he had to run down what looked like a loose on the lead front-runner. But, as I've followed this guy I've found his trainer, Charles Lopresti is exceptionally conservative as to where he spots his horses. He had pointed Wise Dan for the one mile, Grade 2 Fourstardave earlier in the meet, but he was quoted when he passed the race that he wanted Wise Dan to be not 100%, but 110% and literally dragging the exercise rider around the track. That was the case for today. Still, the extra sixteenth of a mile and the fact he was carrying 127 pounds while all of his rivals were at least 8 pounds lighter would be a challenge. He got good position early, running fourth. Jockey John Velazquez had him positioned in the clear down the backstretch and he pushed the "GO" button on the turn. He looked to be working a little harder than usual, but he picked off the runners in front of him and drew even with the leader at the furlong marker. A runner was gathering steam from the back, but Wise Dan glided to the front and was clear at the sixteenth pole by over a length, but here came D. Wayne Lucas' Optimizer flying down the middle. I really never thought Wise Dan would let him by, but it was very close.....but a win's a win. This guy is a champion, big time. 
My $30 investment returned a big $54 as the crowd had let him go off at 4/5, one of the biggest prices he's paid in quite a while. In the sixth at Saratoga Duke of the City tracked the leaders and gave way at 9/2. I had intended to bet the 7th at Monmouth, but somehow missed the bet - lucky me, as he ran second at even money. The ninth at the Shore was next up where I had picked Oaks Bluff. Here was my analysis: "....gets the upset nod in here as a lightly raced four year old who not ony has never seen a claiming tag, but has yet to see 2-lifetime conditions. He has a best of seventeen bullet work nine days ago...." He went right to the front and was never challenged! WINNER! But here's the best part, check out the payoff........
That's right my friends, $15 for a $2 investment, so I was cashing for nearly $40! WHOOO HOOOOO! But then it was even more good news. On Haskell Day at Monmouth I had picked Stonetastic to win an allowance test early on the card. She wired the field easily. Well, today she showed up at Saratoga.....now to ship to the Spa where the competition is much stiffer is a big sign of confidence; for top Monmouth rider Paco Lopez to give up his multiple mounts on the Jersey Shore is an even bigger indication of intent. But here was the part that intrigued me most about the move.....today trainer Kelly Breen had spotted her in the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes! What the?????? But as I handicapped the race what jumped off the page to me, in addition to the whole shipping angle, was that her pace numbers SHOULD put her on an easy lead. I doubled the bet.........right to the front and she set sizzling fractions - :22.1, :44.3 - too fast I thought. And as the field closed in on her as heads turned for home she rebroke and opened up on the field and drew off in hand. OH MY! And much like Oaks Bluff she was a big price, 5/1 at post time!
When the payoffs were posted, the $13 mutual meant I'd be cashing for over $60! HORRAY! I missed in the ninth at the Spa when Hot Squeeze stalked the pace at a bit 8/1 before fading to 7th. Bug I was in the winner's circle yet again in the 11th at Monmouth. Snake Pit rated well off the pace in 4th in the featured nw3x allowance test. I was not concerned because she was a Chad Brown 40% Club member as he'd won a huge 67% over the past two summers with dirt routes. She came swooping by at the head of the lane and drew off in hand. Another fair price at $7.40, so I collected nearly $40. I am having a great day! Next up was the national highlight race, the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes. Two races back I had picked Moreno to wire the field in the Grade 2 Suburban. He led to deep stretch at nearly 9/1 before being caught late to be second. So I passed on him last out in the Grade 1 Whitney, but he wired the field at 10/1! Leading up to today's race trainer Eddie Plesa had made some remarks about his second place finisher in the Whitney, Itsmyluckyday, that led me to believe he felt he should have won the race if ridden differently. So I thought Paco Lopez would ride the hair off this horse today and sit a stalking trip while someone kept Moreno busy. I doubled the bet on Itsmyluckyday to turn the tables. Well, to my surprise it was Itsmyluckyday that pressed Moreno and as they turned for home it was strictly a two-horse race. There was more than one exchange of bumps, but in the end Itsmyluckyday was in front! The Inquiry sign came up but I didn't think it was serious enough, especially in a big Grade 1 race. The stewards let the order stand!
The big $7.70 payoff meant I was cashing for yet another near-$40. I missed on the last bet, a turf contest at Saratoga, but I was a big winner on the day. I had made fourteen selections and won with eight of them! The profit of $165 was one of the best days of the summer, and certainly one of the very best of the Monmouth Park project.
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