Saturday, July 25, 2020

7/25/20 Del Mar Late Pick Four - Results

Race 8 - # 10 Zimba Warrior (Final Odds 2.00*) - "A" Selection
Race 9 - The San Clemente - # 3 Laura's Light (1.20*) - "B" Selection
Race 10 - The San Diego - # 5 Maximum Security (0.40*) - "A" Selection
Race 11 - # 8 Sassyserb (2.00*) - "B" Selection

It was a "Chalk 'em up" afternoon Saturday at Del Mar, as the Post Time Favorite was victorious in six of the eleven contests on the card, including each of the final four races.  Much better for me would have been had # 6 Midcourt (6.00) won the photo over Maximum Security in the San Diego.  But you can't win 'em all when it comes to photos; because if you did, that would be..........actually, that would be rather heavenly; wouldn't it?

For the record, here are the $0.50 Will Pays for the other five runners to which I would have cashed in the nightcap:

# 2 Nice Ice (3.50) - $51.40 Finish: 2nd
# 3 Peace Pipe (13.40) - $116.35 Finish: 6th
# 4 Nocherylikemychery (22.10) - $246.35 Finish: 10th
# 12 Warrior's Moon (12.70) - $126.20 Finish: 7th
# 13 Charmingslew (13.80) - $145.40 Finish: 9th

But that's what might have been.  What actually came to be was a correct Late Pick Four sequence of  10 / 3 / 5 / 8  which paid $38.75 for a fifty cent wager; an amount which is considerably less than my initial investment of $70.  And while cashing at a loss definitely beats not cashing at all, it's certainly not what I had in mind when I placed my bets.

Oh well; onto the next race.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

7/25/20 Del Mar Late Pick Four - Preview

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” - Will Rogers

Racing returns to Del Mar this weekend, with a Saturday card that features a pair of Graded Stakes.  I'll be taking a look at those two events below, as I take another run at The Late Pick Four at the place Where The Turf Meets The Surf.

RACE 8 - Clm $50k - Seven Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 10 Zimba Warrior (Morning Line 6-1)

B’s

# 2 Itsthattime (ML 5-1)

C's

# 1 Handsome Cat (ML 4-1)
# 3 Hidden Promise (ML 7-2)
# 4 Octopus (ML 8-1)
# 6 Promise Nothing (ML 12-1)
# 8 Final Final (ML 20-1)
# 9 Drippin Sauce (ML 6-1)


Scratch # 5 Agamemnon (ML 15-1) and # 7 Antithetical (ML 10-1)

Zimba Warrior should benefit greatly from the class relief, as well as the return to the main track.  Itsthattime is another that could move up with the class drop.  Itsthattime should also improve with the return to one turn racing.  The backup "C" Selections are the rest of the field.

RACE 9 - (F) The San Clemente (Grade 2) - Eight Furlongs Turf

A's

# 9 Warren's Showtime (ML 7-2)

B's

# 3 Laura's Light (ML 3-1)
# 4 Over Attracted (ML 15-1)
# 6 Cheermeister (ML 6-1)
# 7 Little Bird (Ire) (ML 15-1)

C's

# 1 She's So Special (ML 5-1)
# 2 Lazy Dazy (ML 20-1)
# 5 Croughavouke (Ire) (ML 6-1)
# 10 Guitty (Fr) (ML 20-1)
# 11 Applecross (Ire) (ML 12-1)

Scratch # 8 Mind Out (ML 15-1)

Most of Warren's Showtime's successes have come against Cal-bred company; but Warren's Showtime also has a pair of Listed Stakes victories, suggesting that she can handle the likes of this field.

Laura's Light, winner of Grade 3 Honeymoon last time out, can win from anywhere on the track.  Over Attracted could improve going second off the layoff.

Expect Cheermeister, a two-time Graded Stakes winner at Gulfstream Park, to be forwardly placed early.  The freshening may help Little Bird (Ire) show more today than she did last time out in the China Doll.  The backup "C" Selections are everyone else.

RACE 10 - The San Diego (Grade 2) - Eight and a Half Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 5 Maximum Security (ML 1-1)

B's

# 6 Midcourt (ML 4-1)

C's

# 1 Higher Power (ML 7-2)
# 2 Ax Man (ML 8-1)

# 4 Combatant (ML 6-1)

Scratch # 3 Sharp Samurai (ML 12-1)

Maximum Security, previously trained by Jason Servis, is making his first start for Trainer Bob Baffert.  While it's fair to presume that Maximum Security won't be the same horse that he was, it's also fair to presume that Baffert wouldn't be putting Maximum Security in this spot if Baffert didn't think that Maximum Security was up to the task.

Expect Midcourt to be much improved over his last time out, now that the one race blinkers off experiment is done.  The backup "C" Selections are the rest of the field.

RACE 11 - (F) [S] OC 20k/N1X - Eight Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 4 Nocherylikemychery (ML 12-1)

B’s

# 2 Nice Ice (ML 7-2)
# 3 Peace Pipe (ML 20-1)
# 8 Sassyserb (ML 8-1)
# 12 Warrior's Moon (ML 8-1)
# 13 Charmingslew (ML 8-1)

C's

# 1 Oh Pretty Woman (ML 9-2)
# 6 Smiling Rose (ML 10-1)
# 7 Kristi's Tiger (ML 12-1)
# 11 Magnificent Q T (ML 20-1)

Scratch # 5 Goodtingscominpink (ML 6-1); # 9 Hot On the Trail (ML 15-1); # 10 Harper's Gallop (ML 8-1); and # 14 Ruby Bradley (ML 20-1)

Nocherylikemychery and Warrior's Moon filled out the bottom two rungs of the Trifecta at this class level last time out.  Nice Ice could move up with the drop in class.

Peace Pipe graduated last time out in her first start for Trainer Richard Baltas, who tends to do well when placing his last out maiden victors.  Sassyserb, also trained by Baltas, could improve with the cutback in real estate.

Charmingslew was a winner at this class level the last time that she competed on the turf.  The backup "C" Selections are the rest of the field.

OK, that's the analysis.  Playing my tickets in modified Crist fashion, I get:

All A Entries

$1.00 P4: 10 with 9 with 5 with 4 $1.00

All A Entries with All B Entries

$0.50 P4: 2,10 with 3,4,6,7,9 with 5,6 with 2,3,4,8,12,13 $60.00

A's with One C

$0.50 P4: 1,3,4,6,8,9 with 9 with 5 with 4 $3.00
$0.50 P4: 10 with 1,2,5,10,11 with 5 with 4 $2.50
$0.50 P4: 10 with 9 with 1,2,4 with 4 $1.50
$0.50 P4: 10 with 9 with 5 with 1,6,7,11 $2.00

Total: $70.00

Post Time for Race 8 is 8:30 EDT / 5:30 PDT.  Good luck to all.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

Saturday, July 18, 2020

7/18/20 Monmouth Park Late Pick Four - Results

Race 11 - The United Nations - # 5 Aquaphobia (Final Odds 10.70) - "B" Selection
Race 12 - The Haskell - # 2 Authentic (0.60*) - "B" Selection
Race 13 - The Wolf Hill - # 6 Archidust (2.70) - "A" Selection
Race 14 - The Molly Pitcher - # 11 Horologist (3.70) - "B" Selection

Authentic easing up just a bit too soon in the Haskell, allowing # 7 Ny Traffic (5.70) to close to within a nose of the winner at the wire, injected a lot more drama into Saturday's proceedings than I personally would have preferred.  But the final results are all that matter to the bottom line; and, when all was said and done, it was nice to find myself Saturday collecting instead of contributing.

For the record, here are the $0.50 Will Pays for the other three runners to which I would have cashed in the nightcap:

# 1 She’s a Julie (2.60) - $176.05 Finish: 7th
# 2 Royal Flag (1.50*) - $141.30 Finish: 3rd
# 5 Vault (3.30) - $228.20 Finish: 6th

But that's what might have been.  What actually came to be was a correct Late Pick Four sequence of  5 / 2 / 6 / 11  which paid $289.70 for a fifty cent wager.  That makes for a profit of $197.70 on my initial $92 investment; or approximate odds of 2.15-1.

I hope you all had it with me.  May God bless us as we spend our winnings.

Onto the next race!

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

7/18/20 Monmouth Park Late Pick Four - Preview

"If you're not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take the long hard look and just believe that if you're consistent, you will succeed." - John Lewis

With the cancellation of racing at Del Mar this weekend due to the outbreak of Covid-19 among their jockey colony, I decided to shift coasts Saturday and attempt to tackle the Final Four on the Oceanport, NJ program on the biggest day of the Monmouth Park meet.  So with that let's get to it, as I take a run at The Late Pick Four at The Shore's Greatest Stretch.

RACE 11 - The United Nations (Grade 1) - Eleven Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 6 Current (Morning Line 4-1)

B’s

# 1 Arklow (ML 5-2)
# 3 Muggsamatic (ML 8-1)
# 5 Aquaphobia (ML 9-2)
# 9 Paret (Aus) (ML 6-1)

C's

# 2 Standard Deviation (ML 7-2)
# 4 Eve's Medal (ML 30-1)
# 7 O Dionysus (ML 20-1)
# 8 Corelli (ML 10-1)

Current typically improves when going second off the layoff; at least on those few occasions where Current has been healthy enough to make a second start off a layoff.  Arklow is the class of the field, and will almost certainly be the one running best late.

Muggsamatic and Aquaphobia, both trained by Mike Maker, are both certainly capable of winning against this level of competition.  Paret (Aus) appears to be a strong candidate to make this Grade 1 a replay of his victory last time out in the Tiller at Belmont Park, where Paret made every post a winning one.  The backup "C" Selections are the rest of the field.

RACE 12 - The Haskell (Grade 1) - Nine Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 1 Dr Post (ML 5-2)

B's

# 2 Authentic (ML 4-5)

C's

# 3 Jesus' Team (ML 15-1)
# 4 Ancient Warrior (ML 20-1)
# 5 Fame to Famous (ML 30-1)
# 6 Lebda (ML 20-1)

# 7 Ny Traffic (ML 7-2)

Maybe the Jerry Hollendorfer trained Ancient Warrior freaks in his first try around two turns.  Maybe the Saffie Joseph Jr trained Ny Traffic finally takes that next step forward and proves himself to be a viable Kentucky Derby contender.  Maybe.  But probably not.

Anyway, the way I see this contest is the Bob Baffert trained Authentic early and Todd Pletcher trained Dr Post late.  I flipped flopped several times this morning as to which of those two should be my top pick; but I think I've got it right with Dr Post having a slight edge.

RACE 13 - The Wolf Hill $75k - Five and a Half Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 6 Archidust (ML 7-2)

B's

# 4 Smart Remark (ML 8-1)
# 5 Dubini (ML 9-2)
# 9 Shekky Shebaz (ML 5-2)

C's

# 1 Nice Tune (ML 30-1)
# 3 Snowday (Fr) (ML 30-1)
# 7 Coop Tries Harder (ML 10-1)
# 8 Singanothersong (ML 30-1)

# 10 Regally Irish (ML 20-1)
# 11 American Sailor (ML 5-1)
# 12 Three Rules (ML 30-1)


Scratch # 2 Lonhtwist (ML 8-1) along with the Also Eligible, # 13 The Critical Way (ML 12-1)

Archidust and Shekky Shebaz are leaving the barns of trainers Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis, respectively; so your guess is as good as mine as to how well they'll run in the hands of reputable horsemen.  I using them on the presumption that they'll run close to form; but we'll just have to watch and see.

Smart Remark is getting some significant, if somewhat hidden, class relief here.  Dubini could move up with a better trip.  The backup "C" Selections are the rest of the field.

RACE 14 - (F) The Molly Pitcher (Grade 3) - Eight and a Half Furlongs Dirt

A's

# 1 She's a Julie (ML 5-2)

B's

# 2 Royal Flag (ML 3-1)
# 5 Vault (ML 9-2)
#11 Horologist (ML 5-1)

C's

# 4 Wrong Color (ML 30-1)
# 6 Queen Nekia (ML 12-1)
# 7 Our Super Freak (ML 12-1)
# 8 Cloud Charmer (ML 30-1)
# 9 Sweet Sami D (ML 15-1)
# 10 Flat Awesome Jenny (ML 20-1)


Scratch # 3 Gotham Gala (ML 12-1)

She's a Julie is classiest here, and a replication of her victory last time out in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps would almost certainly get She's a Julie back into the winner's circle today.  Royal Flag is stepping up in class, but appears capable of contending at this level.

Vault could be the one running best late.  Horologist is the horse for the course, undefeated as she is in her four career starts over this main track.  The backup "C" Selections are everyone else.

OK, that's the analysis.  Playing my tickets in modified Crist fashion, I get:

All A Entries

$1.00 P4: 6 with 1 with 6 with 1 $1.00

All A Entries with All B Entries

$0.50 P4: 1,3,5,6,9 with 1,2 with 4,5,6,9 with 1,2,5,11 $80.00

A's with One C

$0.50 P4: 2,4,7,8 with 1 with 6 with 1 $2.00
$0.50 P4: 6 with 3,4,5,6,7 with 6 with 1 $2.50
$0.50 P4: 6 with 1 with 1,3,7,8,10,11,12 with 1 $3.50
$0.50 P4: 6 with 1 with 6 with 4,6,7,8,9,10 $3.00

Total: $92.00

Post Time for Race 11 is 5:10 EDT / 2:10 PDT.  Good luck to all.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

Saturday, July 11, 2020

7/11/20 Del Mar Late Pick Four - Results

Race 7 - # 4 Lil Sydney (Final Odds 4.00) - "C" Selection
Race 8 - The Wickerr - # 5 Bob and Jackie (8.20) - "C" Selection
Race 9 - # 7 Teachers Big Dream (9.30) - "C" Selection
Race 10 - # 6 Resarcio (7.00) - "B" Selection

Needless to say, the above are not the formful results that I was expecting.  More pointedly, when the only winner you have on your main ticket is in the leg where you went "ALL", you know that it wasn't one of your better handicapping efforts.  Still, miss one, miss 'em all, it's all the same to the bottom line.  So perhaps better to get all the bad stuff out of your system in one play, as Saturday was undeniably a day for me to contribute instead of collect.

Oh well; onto the next race.

Meanwhile, those who had the correct Late Pick Four sequence of  4 / 5 / 7 / 6  were rewarded with a payout of $2,234.20 for their fifty cent wager.  May God bless them as they spend their winnings.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

7/11/20 Del Mar Late Pick Four - Preview

"The niceties of judging by conformation are almost entirely lost on me. But I yield to no man in my genuine affection and admiration for the horse." - Bing Crosby

It's Opening weekend at Del Mar!  Sing it, Bing!




The Wickerr, a restricted stakes on the turf, is Saturday's featured race.  I'll be taking a look at that contest below, as I take a run at The Late Pick Four at the place Where The Turf Meets The Surf.

RACE 7 - Clm $16k N2L - Six and a Half Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 7 Mantaray Island (Morning Line 7-2)

B’s

# 1 Rogallo (ML 5-2)
# 8 All I Can Say (ML 3-1)

C's

# 3 Lucky Patrick (ML 15-1)
# 4 Lil Sydney (ML 8-1)
# 5 Suances Secret (ML 20-1)
# 6 Taco Waco (ML 5-1)

Scratch # 2 Include the Tax (ML 8-1)

Mantaray Island drops in for a tag for the first time in his career, and he should benefit from the class relief.  Mantaray Island also projects to be the speed of the speed in this contest.

Rogallo goes first off the claim for Trainer Andrew Lerner, who tends to do well with such.  All I Can Say has finished in the Trifecta at this class level in each of his last two starts.  The backup "C" Selections are the rest of the field.

RACE 8 - [R] The Wickerr $65k - Eight Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 1 Kiwi's Dream (Aus) (ML 3-1)

B's

# 9 Big Score (ML 7-2)

C's

# 2 New Year (ML 20-1)
# 3 Jasikan (Ire) (ML 8-1)
# 4 Voodoo Song (ML 4-1)
# 5 Bob and Jackie (ML 8-1)
# 6 Bolo (ML 5-1)
# 7 Souter (GB) (ML 12-1)

# 8 Murad Khan (Fr) (ML 12-1)

This contest is restricted to runners that have not won a Stake (Graded or Listed; but exclude Stakes for State Bred only) at a distance of eight furlongs or more since September 1, 2019 where the winner's share of the purse was $50k or more.

Kiwi's Dream (Aus) took the Place in the Grade 3 San Francisco last time out.  Kiwi's Dream has won from off the pace before; which could prove to be a useful trait Saturday, as Voodoo Song projects to be the early leader.

Big Score has run well in the past over this turf course, and I don't expect Big Score to be compromised by the extended layoff.  The backup "C" Selections are everyone else.

RACE 9 - (F) Alw 50000s N3L - Eight Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 3 Diva in Charge (ML 5-2)

B’s

# 6 Rather Nosy (ML 3-1)

C's

# 1 Paige Runner (ML 10-1)
# 2 White Velvet (ML 15-1)
# 5 Buyback (ML 6-1)
# 7 Teachers Big Dream (ML 12-1)
# 8 Sabinos Pride (ML 4-1)


Scratch # 4 Kristi's Tiger (ML 6-1)

Note for future reference that this contest is for fillies and mares which have not won three races in their career.  For whatever reason, that tidbit of information doesn't seem to ever find its way into the Past Performances.

Diva in Charge defeated classier competition last time out.  Rather Nosy has finished in the Trifecta multiple times while competing higher up the class ladder.  The backup "C" Selections are everyone else.

RACE 10 - (F) MSW - Eight Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 12 Sweet Devil (ML 8-1)

B's

# 1 Vegas Palm (ML 12-1)
# 2 Fabiolla (GB) (ML 12-1)
# 3 Dolci (ML 20-1)
# 4 Into Victory (ML 12-1)
# 5 Nurse Goodbody (ML 3-1)
# 6 Resarcio (ML 4-1)
# 7 This Tea (ML 15-1)
# 8 Red Diamond (ML 15-1)

# 10 Bristol Bayou (ML 8-1)
# 11 Surround (Ire) (ML 6-1)

C's

None

Scratch # 9 Convincingly (ML 15-1)

Had I so chosen, I'm certain that I could have gotten away with going five or six deep here.  But if the first seventy-five percent of this sequence proves to be as formful as I'm predicting that it will be, then this will be the only contest with a legitimate potential for producing a price.  So it's everybody into the pool, as I go "ALL" in for this leg.

OK, that's the analysis.  Playing my tickets in modified Crist fashion, I get:

All A Entries

$1.00 P4: 7 with 1 with 3 with 12 $1.00

All A Entries with All B Entries

$0.50 P4: 1,7,8 with 1,9 with 3,6 with ALL $66.00

A's with One C

$0.50 P4: 3,4,5,6 with 1 with 3 with 12 $2.00
$0.50 P4: 7 with 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 with 3 with 12 $3.50
$0.50 P4: 7 with 1 with 1,2,5,7,8 with 12 $2.50

Total: $75.00

Post Time for Race 7 is 8:07 EDT / 5:07 PDT.  Good luck to all.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

Saturday, July 4, 2020

7/4/20 Pleasanton Late Pick Four - Results

Race 7 - # 4 Ride Out the Storm (Final Odds 11.70) - "B" Selection
Race 8 - The Oak Tree Sprint - # 6 Anyportinastorm (0.10*) - "A" Selection
Race 9 - # 7 Cartellate (3.00*) - "B" Selection
Race 10 - # 5 Rowdyrooster (4.80) - "A" Selection

Watching the two shortest prices on the board finish one-two in the third leg wasn't what I had in mind when I punched the "ALL" button.  And I would have been better off leaving # 9 Hold Me Close (7.90) off the main ticket in the final leg, as he proved that the twenty-third time was not the charm.  But I did get my big ticket single home in the Oak Tree Sprint; and getting a non-Post Time Favorite "A" Selection home was a nice way to close out the sequence.  So overall I did more things right than wrong, thus making Saturday a day for me to collect instead of contribute.

For the record, here are the $0.50 Will Pays for the other three runners to which I would have cashed in the nightcap:

# 1 Gold N Grand (1.40*) - $126.95 Finish: 5th
# 2 Blues Rapper (3.10) - $153.90 Finish: 3rd
# 9 Hold Me Close (7.90) - $307.95 Finish: 4th

But that's what might have been.  What actually came to be was a correct Late Pick Four sequence of  4 / 6 / 7 / 5  which paid $444.65 for a fifty cent wager.  That makes for a profit of $367.65 on my initial $77 investment; or approximate odds of 4.77-1.

I hope you all had it with me.  May God bless us as we spend our winnings.

Onto the next race!

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

7/4/20 Pleasanton Late Pick Four - Preview

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." - The Declaration of Independence

Happy Birthday USA!  Here's hoping that all Americans, as well as all freedom-loving people everywhere throughout the world, spend the day enjoying life and liberty while pursuing happiness; and an even greater hope that all those in search of freedom shall eventually find it.  So with that let's get to it, as I take another run at The Late Pick Four at Pleasanton.

RACE 7 - (F) Clm $8k N3L - Eight and a Third Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 8 Dreaming About You (Morning Line 5-2)

B’s

# 1 Cimarron (ML 6-1)
# 2 Hardsense (ML 5-1)
# 4 Ride Out the Storm (ML 10-1)
# 6 Be Lifted Up (ML 3-1)

C's

# 3 Autism's Quest (ML 12-1)
# 5 My Idol (ML 6-1)

# 7 Circulodeganadoras (ML 15-1)
# 9 Sweet Chayane (ML 15-1)

Officially, this is a (F) Clm $8k B, with the conditions allowing for the entry of three year old fillies with more than three career victories.  However, since Autism's Quest is the only three year old in the field, and she has only one lifetime Win, this is a field of non-Winners of three lifetime; and therefore I record it as such above.

Dreaming About You took the Show at this approximate class level last time out, and now goes first off the claim for Trainer Jonathan Wong, who tends to do well with such.  Cimarron's two lifetime victories both came over a Fast dirt track.

Hardsense could be the speed of the speed.  Ride Out the Storm is trained by Blaine Wright, who tends to do well when moving his runners from turf to dirt.

Be Lifted Up could move up with the drop in class.  The backup "C" Selections are the rest of the field.

RACE 8 - The Oak Tree Sprint $50k - Six Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 6 Anyportinastorm (ML 6-5)

B's

# None

C's

# 2 Touched by Autism (ML 7-2)
# 3 Honeymoonz Over (ML 12-1)

# 4 Detangler (ML 8-1)

Scratch # 1 Bear Chum (Aus) (ML 5-2) and # 5 Sparticle (ML 8-1)

Anyportinastorm has failed as the Post Time Favorite in each of his last two races.  But the more recent of those two was on the grass, while the other was a Graded Stakes around two turns; so I don't consider the two recent defeats to be much of a concern.  In his four most recent dirt sprints, all Listed Stakes, Anyportinastorm has three victories by open lengths.

For those looking to spread a bit here, Touched by Autism took the Place in last year's running of this event.  But note that Touched by Autism has not run in the three hundred and sixty-six days since that contest.  So I'll be going one deep in this leg on the main ticket, with all others being used as backup "C" Selections.

RACE 9 - Clm $20k N2X - Five and a Half Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 5 Gobsmack (ML 8-1)

B’s

# 1 Whoa Buddy (ML 8-1)
# 2 Ecologist (ML 10-1)
# 3 Tomahawk Tuesday (ML 5-2)

# 4 Country Road (ML 3-1)
# 6 Implicitly (ML 7-2)
# 7 Cartellate (ML 9-2)

C's

None

So one leg after taking a stand with a single, I'm throwing up my hands and going "ALL" in this contest.  Most of this field has demonstrated an ability to win over a Fast dirt track.  Several in this field faced classier opposition last time out; which, incidentally, begs the question: "If everyone is dropping in class, is anyone dropping in class?"  If I wanted to split hairs, I could probably get away with using only four or five.  But once you realize that you don't have a handle on a race, it's usually best to just punch the "ALL" button and get on with your life.

RACE 10 - [S] Md $5k - Eight and a Third Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 5 Rowdyrooster (ML 5-1)

B's

# 1 Gold N Grand (ML 3-1)
# 2 Blues Rapper (ML 9-2)
# 9 Hold Me Close (ML 7-2)

C's

# 3 Irish Outlaw (ML 12-1)
# 4 Beausun (ML 6-1)
# 6 Dye Maker (ML 12-1)
# 7 Al Million Bob (ML 8-1)
# 8 California Candy (ML 20-1)

In my copy of the Past Performances, the conditions state that this race was carded for open company; but all nine entrants are California bred.  Whether or not this was an error in the Past Performances, or just an incredible coincidence, the bottom line is that this is a race for California bred runners; which is why I placed the [S] designation above, for future reference.

Rowdyrooster took the Show with a higher price tag on his head two starts back, and Rowdyrooster could improve going third off the layoff.  Gold N Grand is another who hit the board in a recent start and could move up going third off the layoff.

Blues Rapper was very much over-matched in his one prior start on a Fast dirt track; perhaps Blues Rapper will show more today than he did in that contest.

Hold Me Close is the best runner in this field.  But Hold Me Close is oh-for-twenty-two lifetime; so what to do?  It's obvious that Hold Me Close is good enough to win at this level; but, as he has shown time and time again, he probably won't.  But despite that reality, I just can't bring myself to leave Hold Me Close off the main ticket; because this might be the day that Hold Me Close gets so far in front of the field early that he won't be able to lose no matter how bad he hangs.  So Hold Me Close gets slotted in as a "B" Selection, with the rest of the field being used as backup "C" Selections.

OK, that's the analysis.  Playing my tickets in modified Crist fashion, I get:

All A Entries

$1.00 P4: 8 with 6 with 5 with 5 $1.00

All A Entries with All B Entries

$0.50 P4: 1,2,4,6,8 with 6 with ALL with 1,2,5,9 $70.00

A's with One C

$0.50 P4: 3,5,7,9 with 6 with 5 with 5 $2.00
$0.50 P4: 8 with 2,3,4 with 5 with 5 $1.50
$0.50 P4: 8 with 6 with 5 with 3,4,6,7,8 $2.50

Total: $77.00

Post Time for Race 7 is 8:41 EDT / 5:41 PDT.  Good luck to all.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo