Conditions at Saratoga:
Overnight showers are expected for tonight and then again into tomorrow’s racing day. And the overnight showers are potentially HEAVY, that’s 1′ to 2″ possible. So with the additional rain on Friday, I have handicapped the card as follows… handicapping Race #7 and Race #8 for the SOFT TURF… but all other Turf races have been handicapped for the Main Track. Hopefully, I have gotten it correct… or at least close to correct.
Star horses rise up!
We had another excellent day with STAR horses across both tracks on Friday. With 3-winners paying $14.00, $10.20 and $9.00 and 1-place horses and 2-show horse (Ragazza de Vola in the 3rd at Del Mar – who absolutely should have won, but was shut off at a critical spot, losing all momentum, then re-rallied to finish a good closing 3rd — all this at 15/1 (I think) ). There was only a total of 8 STAR horse… Also my V horse, Cool Your Jets in the 5th at Del Mar was just nosed at the wire at 10/1, but it was still a terrific PLACing that paid $8.60…
Trending in the right direction:
That what is happening here at JJPP…. One comment on our Race Day plays at Saratoga and Del Mar, they both ran lively and with some heart. At Saratoga, Yummy Bear went off at 6/1 and broke very sharp, taking the early lead and trying to go flagfall to finish in front. It was just too difficult a task on this particular Turf Course. It was a little too deep and tiring. I didn’t see Yummy Bear being quite that sharp, but he was and I can take that. The price was very good and the effort was first rate, we just didn’t win, but he tried super hard.
Then at Del Mar, Secret Spice in the 6th, was very, very good. Unfortunately, and this goes to luck, she broke a little slow, almost as if the ground broke out from underneath her. But she recovered quickly to attend the pace the entire way, on the outside. I call this an XBB trip. XBB means, misused early speed, no saving ground, dealing with another’s pace move. XBB trips simply do not win very often, so while we had a 5 length lead turning for home, I knew we might get caught… Interestingly, the miss step in the gate, was worth 2 steps in the late stages of the race… at least that is how I see it! But again, we got a great run for our money and the winner was the obvious other horse… actually these two were my top 2-rated horses on both the JJPP and the JJPP-PLUS… so naturally we got out of the race just fine, especially when Chickatini got 3rd for our trifecta… hope you did well too…