9/29/13 PRX R4 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

We began following Pete and David back in June when Trainer Bruce Levine claimed him for $20,000 out of this race in which Pete and David went to post at Final Odds of 13.70 and finished seventh.  On Saturday, September 29, Levine took Pete and David down the Jersey Turnpike to Philadelphia, where he said goodbye to the three year old gelding.

Pete and David (Final Odds 2.30) broke third in the field of eight, took the lead near the sixteenth pole, and was never headed from there, crossing the wire a length in front of the rest of the field.  For his winning effort Pete and David earned $13,800 in purse money.  Pete and David also gets a change of scenery, as he was claimed by Trainer J Guadalupe Guerrero for $15,000.

So the tale of Pete and David under the tutelage of conditioner Bruce Levine comes to an end.  Pete and David earned $15,110 in purse money in the three races that he ran for Trainer Levine.  When that amount is added to the $15,000 sales price collected at the end of Saturday's contest, the total return is $30,110; $10,110 more than the $20k for which he had been claimed.  I won't call that figure profit; since, of course, Pete and David had to be housed and fed and medicated and all the other costs that go into caring for a thoroughbred race horse; but the earnings are more than the outlay, which isn't bad for a horse that ran well out of the money at long odds in the race out of which he was claimed.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

8/17/13 SAR R3 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Pete and David is the longshot claim by Trainer Bruce Levine that we've been following since he was scooped up for $20k out of this race in June, a contest in which Pete in David went to post at Final Odds of 13.70 and finished seventh.

Saturday, Pete and David made his second start for the Levine barn, running with the same $20k price tag on his head for which he was purchased, albeit this time in a race restricted to New York breds.

Quoting from the Equibase chart of the race, Pete and David (Final Odds 6.90) "broke in at the start, then was sent hard".  But despite being sent hard, Pete and David couldn't make the lead, and eventually faded in the stretch, finishing fifth, eight lengths behind the winner, G W's Hammer (4.80).

Pete and David's fifth place finish was worth $1,110.00 in purse money; bringing his total purse winnings for the Levine barn to $1,310.00.  So Pete and David still has a ways to go before he earns back the twenty grand for which he was bought.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

7/20/13 SAR R2 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Last month we added Pete and David to our watch list after the three year old gelding was claimed for $20k by Trainer Bruce Levine.  Saturday, Pete and David made his first start for the Levine barn, competing in Race 2 at Saratoga.  The event was an MSW restricted to state bred horses, run at a distance of five and a half furlongs over a firm turf course.

According to the chart caller's notes, Pete and David (Final Odds 15.90) did not enjoy a very smooth trip.  Pete and David was in tight early, and then checked about two furlongs after break.  How much of the trouble was of Pete and David's own making is difficult to say; but the bottom line is that Pete and David finished eleventh in the field of twelve, a little over thirteen lengths behind the winner, Asset Inflation (1.85*).

The purse money earned by Pete and David in Saturday's contest was $200, or one percent of the $20k for which he was claimed.  It would appear that Trainer Bruce Levine still has quite a bit of work to do in order to get his money's worth from the purchase.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

6/16/13 Belmont Park - Two To Watch

Checking Sunday's charts for Belmont Park, I see a couple of horses that I think we'd do well to add to our Watch Lists.

Pete and David - Finished 7th in Race 10 ($20k Mdn Clm) at Final Odds of 13.70; yet got claimed by Trainer Bruce Levine.  As regular readers of this blog know, I’m fascinated by longshot claims, especially those where the horse did not run well in the claimed race (because it means that the betting public was correct in their assessment of the horse’s ability to win at that class level; and that the new trainer isn’t getting a bargain, but will rather have to improve the horse’s ability to compete in order to make the claim profitable).

Hurricane Jackie - Three year old filly broke her maiden for Trainer Todd Pletcher in Race 5 by covering nine furlongs on the inner turf course in 1:50.11.  Two races later a listed stakes over the same turf course run at the same nine furlongs distance would be won by a three year old filly in 1:50.74.  Caution is advised as final times on grass can be misleading; but I think the comparison shows that Hurricane Jackie is ready to successfully compete her next time out against winners.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo