Gun Runner, is now our champion, winning in one gutty and outstanding performance.
Taking heat from Collected – every step of the way – he continued on in excellent stride defeating a valiant Collected. West Coast, who looked superb in the post parade, loomed large at the top of the lane, but couldn’t sustain a suitable winning bid and finished 3rd. Arrogate broke poorly again – needing to be brought to straight, reminiscent of his race in Dubai. However, the big run in Dubai is just a memory now — as he has done in his last two race — he simply wouldn’t try. I am sure, Bob Baffert, is just scratching his head.
But this was a race, any fan of our great sport, would simply have to love and remember, whether or not we won or we lost… Gun Runner is the story and it’s a good one!
2017 Breeders’ Cup is now is soon to be in the rear view mirror and I will go into detail in a “Post Race Review”. There are just so many interesting things which have occurred during this BC. The most interesting “ effect” and still happening for The Classic, which will be contested in 1 hour from now, is the track bias. We have seen every horse that touched the rail, go backward in the stretch. In the sprint, literally every horse (excepting the unruly Takaful) was outside Imperial Hint through the lane and Imperial Hint was out 3-4 paths from the rail. (Drefong didn’t have a chance from the #2 post).
More than any racing exhibition, this Breeders Cup has “hit trainer’s upside the head” who thought they could train their horses up to the BC with only 1 or 2 races over the past several months, with a single exception being Liberal Member for Peter Miller. I have lots to say about that as well…
The biggest disappointments for me was the track… not a single front running horse was able to hold sway for 2 days, while for the 2 days prior,with only one exception, no closing horse was able to make up any ground. The only horse with a modest closing effort was in the final race on Thursday.
While this is “annoying” on our biggest day of racing, ti will produce numerous winning plays for us, so it’s an “annoying gift”!
I will be Blur”p”ing a Post BC Review… If you want to receive these, just send me an e-mail to jerryj@cox.net, I will be happy to add your name to the list and send you the BC Blurps… this is a totally FREE service…
“Race Day Las Vegas” Plays
Wednesday’s
At Del Mar, my selection in the 8th was scratched. Then my play, Channel Crossing in the 9th off at 5/1, ran right to the lead — as expected — but tired abruptly, just before they got to the home straightaway! Interestingly, Choo Choo – the eventual winner and the other Hollendorfer horse — won at 14/1, so I guess I played this one like a “card dealer on the street plays a sucker”.
Thursday’s
My first play was OK Doll ff at 5/1, who was alert and sharp, getting up on the leaders before settling back “into the pocket”, snuggly saving ground. Turned for home looking for a place to make a bid, but could not find racing room, got out late but didn’t show enough of a spurt to make me think it mattered….
Friday’s and Saturday’s Selections will be updated later today!
Then came A Red Tie Day off at 7/1 in the 7th, attended the pace early while being wide and then rated kindle about 4-5 lengths off the lead, still on the outside. Then moved up on the far turn, again on the outside, but didn’t seem to have a lick when expected, but after straightening away, took to running again and missed by a head in a 3 way photo. It was visually odd and to be sure, the ground loss in the first turn was enough to impact the result, but that was a very likely scenario.
TOTALS for New York and So. Cal Plays
(starting February 24, 2017 )
NY Total Return $405.70, Total Cost $ 314.00 ROI Total $1.29/$1.00
SC Total Return $299.90, Total Cost $ 310.00, ROI Total $ .97/$1.00
Returns on all plays for 2017
Total Return $ 814.70
Total Cost $ 760.00
ROI $1.07 (1-1-2017 thru 11/2/2017)