4th of July Racing

There are some real nice stake races especially at Belmont.

Monmouth opened today with a small 6 race card starting @ 5 pm. There are a few trainer/jockey combinations that excel here. Kelly Breen/Paco,Jane Cibelli/Paco/Nik Juarez are usually live. Jock Antonio Gallardo also joins the jockey colony. I find Monmouth tough to cap because it's relatively short meet & you have invaders from other tracks looking for a soft spot for their horses, so there are plenty of surprises at least for me.

In Race 10 I'm taking a long look at # 8 Jag who ships in from Delaware after running a troubled 2nd in his last @15-1. We get a big jock upgrade to Antonio Gallardo for trainer Jaime Ness. A couple years ago, Ness was en fuego because he had great stock training for owners Midwest Thoroughbred who dramatically reduced their barn size. At the same time, they have kept quality winning this year @29% win rate. Unfortunately these owners don't have anything racing this weekend. Back to trainer Ness, he may have this one ready to run @ 15-1. Nothing else has me pumped @ Monmouth.

At Belmont the Ortiz brothers have been red hot. Just as kind of side bet, I'm going to play rolling DD with the brothers. If you don't know what a rolling double is, I'll be playing every horse in every race where both brothers have a mount in successive races. For example in Race 1 the double plat will be #8 (Irad) with #1 (Jose) & #6 in Race 2. In race 2 it would be 2&6 with #2 in the 3rd race, Race 3 it would be #2 with #2 in the 4th. It's not an expensive wager but if the Ortiz brothers remain hot we'll make a few bucks & be live throughout the card. 

Starting in the 8th race we'll have 4 consecutive stake races with excellent quality.

At Gulfstream there are a few I like but we have a chance of rain tomorrow so I'll wait for scratches in the morning before posting anything.

At Delaware Jersey Joe Bravo has 2 nice mounts. In Race 9 he has #7 Sunsation. On May 30th @ GP he had a beautiful ride on this colt winning @55-1. In the next race on the same day, Bravo won with another 51-1 on the turf. His DD paid $1440.00. Anyway Bravo is an excellent turf jock & I like him here @5-1. He ships in from Gulfstream for this 125k stake race. In Race 7 he has another turf mount on #4 Pure Rhythm; I'm boxing 4-6-9 here.

Since tomorrow is the 4th, you may want to google the history of Marine Sargeant Reckless.

She's a twice wounded decorated war horse that brought munitions to our soldiers in battle going over mountains & through barbed wire during the Korean war. If you are a horse lover, her story will bring tears to your eyes.

If you have a flag, please fly in tomorrow. If you don't have a flag, you can get one for less than 20 bucks on sale at Loews or Home Depot. The flag comes with a pole so you can fly it with pride.

Thanks 

Met mile I like #7. Place

Happy 4th Midnight

Happy 4th vet & too all...

At Belmont Race 1 other than my Ortiz brothers rolling DD, I'll be watching this one. #8 looks though here.

It's great listening to Richard Migliore's point of view about what a jockey sees when the gates open up & exactly what an apprentice sees. Their peripheral vision improves the more they race. The Mig's capping is spot on as well. 

#8 won easily so I'm ali ve in the Ortiz double with the 1 & 6.

The Paco/Kelly Breen connection also won @ Monmouth on the chalk.  

Well, the Ortiz bothers double hit for $5.50 for a +1.50

Tolling along in the 3rd it a 2-2 double

Monmouth R4 I have a ex/tri key 9 with 2-4-5 

Chalky ex 9-5 @ Monmouth & the Ortiz brothers DD run was broken by Johnny V on Frank's Rockette who ran 1/5th off the track record.

GP R6 ex/tri 5 with 8-6-2

Mon R5 ex/tri key 8 with 2-4-9

Damn....#8 broke down as Paco was making a move on the rail & #4 wins @ 73-1 with #9  running 2nd! 

Antonio Gallardo @ 73-1............BOOM! Pays $143 & a $1470 exacta.

I'm sick

GP R7 ex/tri key 5 with 1-3-2

Just saw Paco whipping #5 to get into the gate. He was really whacking her.

WTF!

#5 won @ GP paying $10.40 & a $44 exacta.

Delaware R7 ex wheel 4 with all; tri box 4-6-9

Nope at Delaware.

Time to get serious..

Bel R7 ex/tri box 1-2-4-8

Mon R9 ex/dd wheel 4/all (need long shots here)

GP R10 ex/DD #9; WP #9 

Bel 4-1 exacta paid $82.00; alive in the Ortiz brother double with #5-9.

The play @ Mon ran 2nd & was a really dumb wager on my part.

GP ran 3rd

Cashed an Ortiz bothers double $71.50...

Delaware R9 #7 WP Sunsation to beat the heavy chalk...I hope. Currently 9-1 

Alive in the double @ Bel with 2 long shots #1 & 4

Ex/Tri key 2 with 5-6-7-8 

Finale @ GP ex/tri box 1-2-3-5

It's pouring here so anything can happen in this one.

as someone who frequents Monmouth Park I can tell you that bravo is the most overrated jockey there is

Bravo has won over 184 million in purses including almost 5,500 races won & a win 18% rate.

Great ride by Irad on Instilled Regard keeping me alive in the double with #7.

It was a great day of racing all across the country