Pegasus Saturday

My usual table @ Ten Palms Restaurant in the Gulfstream Clubhouse has outpriced our group of 6. The regular price of 70 bucks each, included a nice buffet , has been increased to $1250 per seat. Beer & liquor of course are not included. So our inital cost went from $420 to $7500. Standing Room Only is $60. Racing just kills the little guy on big race days like this.

We are expecting rain here in South Florida today, Friday will be windy & we have a 40% of rain as well as a cloudy 72 degrees for Saturday. The wind chill factor will bring it to a chilly 63.

Nice to see a few jocks arriving from across the country to get a piece of the 17 million in purse money. Bravo. Bridgemohan & Geroux are here from the Fairgrounds ; Chris DeCarlo from the BIGA; Detorri & Loudan from across the ocean & Rosario & Flavien Prat from Cali. They supplement the current GP jock colony of the Ortiz brothers, Johnny V, Javier, Gafflione & leading jock Luis Saez.

The usual barns of Billy Mott, Chad Brown & Todd Pletcher are loaded for bear.

Post time for the first race is 11:30.

It's an excellent card Saturday with races full. If weather becomes an issue, we may see some scratches allowing some live AE/MTO horses to get in a race. 

Should be a fun day of racing & plenty of chances to hit some nice exotics.  

Will do Rob...

Isn't that outrageous? But they will sell out all of those freaking tables. And watch downstairs in the walking ring & check out the empty seats. I think they go for $250 .

It will look really packed because the SRO players will make it looked packed because of obvious reasons. Most want to eyeball their plays. But once the horses leave the walking ring, you will definitely see the empty seats.

Stronach is a smart dude. Sadly he's fighting his daughter in the courts to regain control of his empire. Gulfstream is the only game in town. Hialeah closed years ago & Calder closed recently.

When you control the market. you can do BS like this. Anyone what to chime in on this?

Stronach tries new things and invests tons into tracks and buys faltering tracks. In my opinion he helps keep my favorite game going so I am 100% in his corner. He has had much success and some well publicized failures but the positive must outweigh the negative. The fact that he can sell those seats at that price (assuming he can) is proof he is a good thing for horse racing. 

For Pegasus win bets - Channel Maker in the turf and City of Light in the dirt for me. 

I'll be playing gimmicks also and coupling up 3-5-8 in the turf and doing a large ex bet in dirt as i think Soul or Gunner get up late for 2nd over a tiring City of Light or Accelerate win the other winning 

Staying home vet & throwing a party with my fellow degenerates. Will be watching on HRTV & playing on TwinSpires. 

The weather today is beautiful but a chilly 63 right now.

David..I'm a Stronach fan as well & he has saved many tracks from going under. However, I liked the "old" Gulfstream that had green grass where you could throw out a blanket, bring in a cooler & toke on a dubbie. All that was replaced by concrete. It's still a great place for racing.    

Weather Update...rain tonight & 80% rain Saturday.

Expect some scratches & MTO's & AE's getting in to races.

Have a capped Saturday's card & here a some things that caught my attention in each race. Weather may impact who goes & who doesn't. The constant rain & consistent drizzle will not help the turf. Maybe they will come off the grass until Race 11 the Pegasus World Cup Turf. Who knows????

Race 1

We have 5 first timers going for Casse, Kenneally, Brown, Duarte & Lynch. One thing to point out about Duarte is he's en fuego winning 4 of 10 at the meet so far.  

Paco is back up on #1 Olympic Runner for Casse/Barber. I love the Casse/Barber connection & you never know if your going to get Good Paco or Evil Paco. In fact, he had to steady this guy in his only race & he's stretching out tomorrow.

#2 Kitten's Spa, is out of Kitten's Joy, for the powerful local owner Ken Ramsey. Jose Ortiz replaces Lanarie & this one also had a problem in their only race getting bumped at the start & running greenly. Been away since October.

#3 Raison Martini gets Irad on this firster for Kenneally. Your guess is as good as mine.

#4 Broadway d"Oro is Casse's firster for John Oxley. Gafflione has won 2 of 3 for this barn. I like the breeding here (Medaglia d'Oro).

#5 Sir Chubby..Like the daddy Tiznow but this one was al over the track in his only try. I threw out.

#6 Value Engineering is an expensive 250k colt for Brown's firster & attracts Javier.

#7 Thetrashmaniscoming is the most experienced having raced 8 times & finished 3rd twice on an "off" track.

#8 All in Stew Oui I also threw out although he was heavily in his last.

#9 Traveling gets a big jock upgrade with Rosario & ran a decent 2nd in his last for a trainer who has never won a race with a career 0 for 21. BUT..attracts Rosario.

#10 A.K. Safari is 0-4 & didn't show anything in his last.

#11 Friary is a firster out of War Front for red-hot trainer Duarte & gets Bravo. Lots to like but want to eyeball him tomorrow.

#12 Midnight Oasis is a firster for Lynch & attracts leading jock Luis Saez. This guy is a roan out of Midnight Lute & is another I want to eyeball.

#13 Last Sunrise didn't show much in his only try but it's interesting to note his dam Coogee Sunrise has 5 winners out of 7 tries but none on the grass.

#14 Cause For Alarm had trouble at the start but ran an OK 4th. Ships in from Woodbine.

The firsters make this a difficult race to cap. I'm going to watch the tote early & late. Two reasons (weather, on/off the grass)  not to share a play here now but will tomorrow. Will be in & out tomorrow cause my wife certainly isn't keen on hosting a gambling party by herself.   

Race 2 

#1 is now in the Pletcher barn; in from Tampa; last 4 dull but Saez hops aboard.

#2 I threw out.

#3 loves GP; only problem he likes to run 2nd as he has in his last 3.

#4 has banked over 400k but was the beaten favorite in his last 2 for popular local trainer Navarro who has been fined/suspended in both Florida & Jersey. Surprise to see Landeros up with all the available talent here. Neither Javier or Johnn V has a mount on this race. Go figure

#5 been away 4 months but well bet in all 3 of his races. Trainer is 0 for 12 . In tough here

#6 Javier gets off & Paco get on. last 2 were lousy @ big odds.

#7 Trainer Jane Cibelli always gets me to look twice at her horse. Jock upgrade to Rosario, Has won 2 of 3 on an "off" track.

#8 was heavily bet stinker in his last. If you throw that out he has a chance here stretching out.

#9 Casse may complete the early double with this one. Love the Speightstown speed; has been favored in all 5 races & won his last.

#10 trainer/owner here; ran 2nd in last @ 8-1; jock has won 2 of 40 at the meet.

#11 has won 2 in a row for a trainer winning @ 27%. Will have to catch him.

#12 first race off the claim; last 2 not good but the 2 before that were real good. 

Race 3 (1st Stakes of the Day)

#1 in from Woodbine; drops in class for Navarro who takes over as trainer. Only closer in the race.

#2 trainer/owner; 9 year old has banked over almost 600k; outrun in last.

#3 class of the race; has won almost 2 million; ships in from Cali; had won 4 in a row until running 2nd last time out. 

#4 will give the 3 all he can handle; speed galore & won his last by 13. Trainer Jason Servis is winning @ 38%.

#5 last 2 not good at all from trainer/owner Vaccarezza. Has won 4 of 12 but cheap.

#6 this one is trained by new friend (not really) Georgina Baxter. Has won 12 of 17 @ Gulfstream. Don't think he can run with 3 or 4 but you never know.

#7 last 4 lousy. I threw out.

#8 love the trainer Stanley Hough & most Floridians do. Trying grass for the first time. Another speed ball.   

#2 trainer/owner; 9 year old has banked over almost 600k; outrun in last.

Forgot to mention this one has won 10 @ this 5F distance 

Race 4 looks wide open with a number of first time starters, big barns & owners; excellent breeding in these 3 year old maidens.

#1 firster from Hard Spun for Mott/Juddmonte/Rosario 

#2 firster; dam has 5 winners from 9 starters but this one would be a big surprise.

#3 Bodemeister colt tries for the 3rd time; good 2nd in last @ 18-1. Saez stays on for the ride.

#4 heavily bet in all 3 where he has run 2nd in all 3 for that man again Navarro.

#5 first timer for Pletcher & big time owner LaPenta.  NOTE: Flavien Prat bets the ride.   

#6 first timer for Chad Brown attracts Javier. He better run well; he cost 725k.

#7 4th try for this one owned by the Ramseys. Interesting Johnny V gets off this one & on #13. Geroux picks up a live mount here.

#8 had trouble in his only start but still finished 3rd. There's a Monmouth Park connection here with Paco riding for trainer Joe Orseno. 

#9 Paco off; Landeros on for trainer Plesa. His wife owns this one & will try for the 2nd time.

#10 another first timer for Chad Brown out of Bernardini; Dam Lady On Holiday has 4 winners from 5 starters. Can't ask for much more than that.

#11 & 12 threw both out.

#13 in from Tampa didn't want to get into the gate but got 2nd in his only try for Pletcher. Maybe extra schooling  & the addition of Johhny V is the answer. 

Going to sleep.

Miserable weather with a steady drizzle & 53 degrees. My chair is feeling better & better.

Waiting for the scratches & track surface ratings.

Races 1,3 & 5 have fallen apart. Coal Front & Capla Temptress scratched later in the card as well.

Looks like it's going to be a college basketball afternoon

Think we have to find the Mudders!!!

Paco sweeps the early DD $50

#6 Javier gets off & Paco get on. last 2 were lousy @ big odds. Paco gets a $20 winner & a $50 double

#3 loves GP; only problem he likes to run 2nd as he has in his last 3. This guy runs 2nd for the 4th time in a row to complete a $91 exacta.

Race 4

Ex/tri box 1-4-5-13

Got the Mott & Brown first timers

#1 firster from Hard Spun for Mott/Juddmonte/Rosario . Mott's colt romped @ 7-1

#10 another first timer for Chad Brown out of Bernardini; Dam Lady On Holiday has 4 winners from 5 starters. Can't ask for much more than that. This one got 2nd @ 10-1

I had Billy's colt but picked the wrong Chad Brown firster. Looks like a $200 exacta. This is hard work

Javier got 3rd in the 4th & had I picked the other Brown we are looking @ a $500 tri. UGH!!!

No play in Race 5. Time for a Heineken..

Terrible terrible result for #7 Tripwire who suffered a heart attack & was euthanized on the track This is one of the reasons my wife doesn't like going to the track with me anymore.

Sad

The sun just came out...YEAH!

Race 6 ON the Turf

#1 has won 7 of 18 on the grass; last was dull

#2 has won 8x @ GP @ this distance

#3 I threw out

#4 tries grass for the first time

#5 has won 7 of 12 & 4 x @ GP/distance; little known trainer wins @ 25% & is 4 of 10 @ this meet. Moves up in class.

#6 I threw out

#7 in from Cali; may close with Leparoux.  

#8 throw out last; Geroux up here after being thrown earlier in the day.

#9 Mott/Johnny V; one to beat. 9 of 10 ITM

#10 I threw out.

#11 live Pletcher filly with Flavien Pratt

#12 been away 7 months but it's Casse/Barber/Irad; has won 3 of 4

#14 ?

Ex/Tri box 5-9-11-12