Some Days You Get The Bear and ....

Yesterday was one of the days the bear got me, it happens and I don't worry about it too much although I did nearly throw my binder when my playing in selection in the 8th race at Gulfstream Park reared at the start. It was one of those days.



I did get to meet Michael Nikolic, the writer of Gathering The Wind http://blackwatchholdings.blogspot.com/. Meeting Michael was very enjoyable and it is always nice to put a face on a name. Only hope I didn't ruin his day.



Meanwhile back to Saturday's results. If its any consolation, I didn't do any better in my other investments than I did with the stakes races.



The Mac Diamarda Stakes at Gulfstream was easily the most frustrating. Firstly because I was there. And mostly because I got to sit there and watch the odds sit right at my overlay points on Pressious Passion, Quasicobra, and Always First. At first, all three horses were overlays with both Quasicobra and Always First both at 8-1 or higher, which would have been a no play. Pressious Passion sat at 5-1 for most of the betting until, maybe 3 minutes before post. Finally, Pressious Passion dropped to 9-2 leaving me with Always First at 7-1 and Quasicobra at 10-1 making the bet to win on Always First with the exacta of Pressious Passion, Quasicobra, and Spice Route over Always First. A look at the results chart of the race shows me that Always First was only $0.10 away from being 8-1 and would have had a nice exacta. The cliche about football is that its a game of inches. Horse racing is more about inches in more ways than football can ever dream about.

Meanwhile, over at the Tampa Bay Stakes. Classic Campaign gave it a good go before being edged at the wire by a neck. Technically, there was no overlay in that race so no detriment to my little record on the left. Unfortunately for me, and this is why I do so much better with a simulcast monitor I can invest from, Classic Campaign dropped from a very nice over layed 8-1 to 7-2 between 5 MTP and Post, actual final odds were 3.9 to 1. Since the 28 to 1 long shot, Victory Alleged indeed, outfinished all my contenders, I came up empty there as well.

Meanwhile, as the bad streak continues, at Turfway in the Valdale Stakes. Spoilher was the play. Unfortunately, Spoilher did not finish. I didn't play that race because I was on my way to the Florida Panthers game by then. However, if I had played that race, Spoilher would have been the 3rd horse I played in 2 weeks that broke down. Bad luck for me and even worse for the poor horses. Trainers and owners should start paying me to not play their horses.

Later at Santa Anita, at least Bel Air Sizzle gave me a conteder with a picture in the winner's circle even if he did have to share the spotlight with One Bad Kitty. However, the play for me was Christiana's Heat at 4-1. Good thing I was at the hockey game by then. Still, it has to count against me as far as the little results thingy on the left goes.

That's racing! The great thing is there is always another race just around the corner. I have to go out now and buy a new mattress.