Saturday's Breeders Cup Results

The first Breeders Cup race on Saturday was the Juvenile Fillies - two tragedies occurred, tied to one another, and a long shot won the race.  The tragic events - the breakdown of Bob Baffert trainee Secret Compass during the race and the fall of jockey John Velasquez.  Secret Compass continued to run after a catastrophic ankle injury, and in doing so, destroyed her blood supply to her hoof; she had to be destroyed. John Velasquez landed hard and was stepped on by trailing horses.  He grasped his left forearm and was holding it closely to his side, so most of us viewers thought he had a broken arm - he had a ruptured spleen, which had to be removed later in the day.  John is in "comfortable" condition today.  Due to a disqualification for drifting out and brushing in the stretch, Ria Antonia was declared the winner, while She's a Tiger was placed second.  Rosalind ended up in third.  The payoffs (for a $2 bet) were:  $66.60 for the win, $6.40 for the place (second), and $6.80 for the show (third).  The $2 exacta paid $739.20.
   Dank, bred in Great Britain was the betting favorite in the $2 million Fillies and Mares Turf, and she deserved to be.  She won, followed by Romantica, also bred in Great Britain, and third was Alterite, bred in France.  The payoffs were: $5, $5.20, and $7; the exacta paid $23.20.
  In the Fillies and Mares Sprint, Groupie Doll won a repeat, with Judy the Beauty in second, and Dance Card running third.  The payoffs were: $8, $9.20, and $4.80; the exacta paid $58.
  The Turf Sprint saw a rare Deat Heat for second place, which caused odd payoffs.  Mizdirection won the race (under jockey Mike Smith), and Reneesgotzip and Tightend Touchdown crossed the finish line at the same instant behind her.  The payoffs were: $7.20 for Mizdirection, Reneesgotzip paid $3.60, and Tightend Touchdown paid $8.60.  If you had a $2 exacta ticket on Mizdirection and Reneesgotzip, it paid $19.40; if your exacta was Mizdirection and Tightend Touchdown, you got $66.60.
  The Juvenile was wide open - and lightly noted New Year's Day made the best of it, beating Havana and Strong Mandate.  The payoffs were:  $23, $4.60, and $6; the exacta paid $107.80.
   In the Turf, the betting favorite was The Fugue, and Irish-bred mare.  I liked Magician more(also an Irish horse), and bet on him to win with The Fugue in second.  That's the way they finished, with Indy Point in third.  The payoffs were: $27, $4.40 and $5.40, with the exacta paying $73.40.
   The Sprint, with a purse of $1.5 million ran next.  I bet on Laugh Track in this race.  The winner was Secret Circle, with Laugh Track second, and Gentlemen's Bet third.  The payoffs were: $7, $13.40, and $7; with the exacta paying $100.80.
    I was a believer in Wise Dan in the Mile, even though he lost his last race.  He roared back, and defeated Za Approval and Silentio.  The payoffs were: $3.60, $8.40, and $9; with the exacta returning $33.60.
    In the $5 million Classic, the field, again, seemed wide open - so many excellent horses.  I have to admit I bet on three to win, and then combined the three in my exacta betting.  I wanted Declaration of War to win just because Joseph O'Brien was riding, and the lanky (6 feet tall) kid is outgrowing thoroughbred flat racing weights.  The winner was Mucho Macho Man, with Will Take Charge in second and Declaration of War in third.  The payoffs were: $10, $7.20, and $4.80; with the exacta paying $73.

   I finished betting in the black -  I started out with $50, and ended up with $690.80.  I don't think I did too bad, considering each bet I made was only $2.....