Monday’s (8-21-2017) Power Page and PLUS for Saratoga are ready for download…

Before we discuss the Pacific Classic, I want to brag on the outstanding results we had on the Power Page’s and the Power Page PLUS.  I would rate them “GOOD” at Saratoga today and FANTASTIC at Del Mar… Just my opinion of my work…but here is an e-mail I received from one of my customer’s last night…

The following e-mail from a customer exactly as it came in:
Best $7.50 I’ve ever spent yesterday…$20K Pick 6 winner on my own $192 ticket.  Had to pick one of your top 4 in your last to keep ticket under $200. Went with Powder bc A. Tyler Baze up,
Outside (ish) in a Sprint. And B. Your 2nd choice of Top 4 (to me) seems to hit most often especially when just .2 or .3 away from Top score.
Great work Jerry!!! Thanks a million…or at least $16K after taxes. 😉

Sent from my iPhone

 

The proof of the puddin’ is in the eaten’.  Good words to live by.  Here is what happened with Arrogate today.  He broke more alertly but didn’t look entirely effortless, seemed to give a little ground on the first turn, then on the backstretch seemed to hold position well, then again had trouble on the far turn, then once on the straight, he “TRIED” and started to gain ground late.   This was a brave effort, and the horse that won is clearly talented, but it was an EFFORT.  There was nothing about this horse that reminded me of the horse I saw winning the Travers last summer, exactly 1 year ago.

 It needs to be said, this might be a dislike for the track and not that something is pinching him that remains elusive to the greatest trainer of our time.  But I still suspect that it is something that Bob Baffert can’t identify and at full speed inhibits Arrogate from producing his best…  I am sure we will revisit this again… at least I hope so…

 

The Pacific Classic arrives, soon we will be able to answer some of the questions caused by the terrible performance of Arrogate on July22nd.  I remember back to 1977 when Seattle Slew shipped to California to run after winning the Triple Crown.  He was totally lackluster, sat 4th all the way around the track.  Seattle Slew then got a long – long – layoff.  He was a sick horse and needed a long time to recover…  What was so amazing was how lackluster he was.  It was impossible to imagine.  And that’s what I saw with Arrogate. 

Arrogate is a great racehorse, by virtue of the phenomenal Travers, the fantastic Breeders’ Cup and the totally unbelievable race he ran in Dubai.  By any measure this he has proved that his best race would simply dust these!  But it’s my opinion that his best races are behind him, as of this time, not in front of him…

My function is as a handicapper, not a publicist for horse racing, but to share some of my experience with each of you… and let you think it over… and maybe you like and maybe you don’t.  But my function is to read the form…  So consider this, every major horse has been beaten (exception is Personal Ensign) and after they have been beaten they come back an run big to win.  But in getting beaten, they FIGHT.

The absence of FIGHT bothers me a ton… and maybe like Seattle Slew he would be better off with a nice long layoff… but of course, Bob Baffert will try to prove me wrong… what’s the chances!

Race Day Plays from Last Week…

I had 2 winners… Fairybrook $ 8.80 and Irish Freedom$6.00… We had 9 total plays, with 5 at Saratoga and 4 at Del Mar )…all in all, the totals were up $14.80 at a cost of $18.00…

The summer session is a bit more difficult, so I am abbreviating things…more time on handicapping and less time on bookkeeping…I am sure you can appreciate.

TOTALS   for New York and So. Cal Plays

(starting February 24, 2017 )

NY   Total Return   $215.4, Total Cost $ 202.00, ROI Total   $1.07/$1.00

SC  Total Return   $222.50, Total Cost $ 202.00,  ROI Total   $1.10/$1.00

Returns on all plays for 2017

Total Return $ 544.90
Total Cost   $ 546.00

ROI $1.00(1-1-2017 thru 8/14/2017)