I liked the idea of mail-in ballots when I moved here, 10 years ago, and I still like them - except for one thing: once you do vote, there is no way to stop the telephone calls, e-mails, and television advertisements urging one to vote for or against a certain measure or candidate. I mailed my ballot in, and the County office received it on 22 October. The national voting day is tomorrow, 4 November, and the ads, calls, e-mails and bombast will reach new heights until it's time for the polls to close. I am very glad that we have major elections every two years only - I would not be able to put up with this mess year-in and year-out. I receive 30 to 65 e-mails each day asking for campaign contributions; I receive, on average, 6 to 10 telephone calls each day, even though I am on the "National Do Not Call List;" and I can't watch any program on commercial television without being bombarded by campaign advertisements - "Vote for so-and-so," "Don't vote for so-and-so," "Vote for this measure," and "Don't vote for that measure."
I read what people running for office have to say. I watch debates and moderated question and answer sessions. I listen to any political advertisement the first time I see it; and I watch local television stations subject these ads to "the truth test." I read editorials regarding the candidates and their views, as well as editorials regarding amendments and proposals. My county sends out a booklet to all registered voters, telling them what is on the ballot. This booklet does not list candidates for office, but it does give one the text of proposals and amendments to laws, and also prints comments, both for and against, each item.
I try to make an informed decision when I vote. The information is out there for anyone who wants it - it is in newspapers, on television, and on many websites. Here in Boulder, people who cannot read have access to volunteers who will read to them; there are multiple stations set up around the city and county for people to either hand-in their ballots in person, to drop them into a lock-box, to go to a polling place, etc. Boulder County tries to make it easy for any registered voter to be able to vote.
Please use your right to vote today. It's something that our forefathers died for; and it's something that many people around the world cannot do themselves. Vote.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Monday, November 3, 2014
Cold, Snow, a Young Hawk, and the Classic
The past week, I have watched the snow levels creep down the mountain tops in the Indian Peaks Wilderness area. This morning, fog and clouds are obliterating the scene, so that even the Flatirons are invisible from my building. The temperature is also falling - about 1 degree Fahrenheit per hour. I awoke to such heavy rain that I thought it was hailing this morning - I put on my glasses, and looked out the window, and saw that it was just large drops of rain; but it sounded like they were absolutely pelting the ground. Just as I pulled my covers back up, there was a huge clap of thunder, and Nedi dived under the bed, while Lovey climbed under the covers with me. The news said there was thunder snow up in Genessee, and I believe it. We had lightning and thunder for about an hour, and then it calmed down again. Right now, we're having periods of drizzle, while the forecast calls for a rain/snow mix most of the afternoon and evening.
Yesterday morning, a juvenile red tail hawk came arrowing down into the back yard and missed one of the squirrels by inches. The squirrel ran up a tree, and the bird seemed stunned. It sat in the grass for a few minutes, then flew up to the fence and sat for about 30 minutes. One of our male squirrels ran up the fence and sat within 6 inches of the hawk, and the hawk just looked at him. I had to laugh out loud - the squirrel looked belligerent and the hawk looked abashed.
I made a nice sum betting on the Breeders Cup races, but the taxes in two states and the IRS ate more than half of my winnings. People are still talking, declaiming, discoursing, and arguing over the race inquiry in the Breeders Cup Classic. Bob Baffert, who trained the winner, and finally won the BC Classic, is upset because of the furor. He feels it diminishes the fact that his colt, Bayern, actually won the race - even though Bayern did not break straight from the gate, and was the cause of the stewards' and jockeys' inquiry. Bayern broke to the left, and didn't straighten out until he was 3 or 4 strides from the gate; in doing so, he brushed up against the horse on his left, causing a domino effect almost to the rail. But, the California rules of racing allow for horses that don't break straight from the gate - if they straighten up within 4 to 5 strides of leaving the gate, the horse is normally viewed not to have interfered with the other runners. Bayern did straighten up; Moreno had rotten racing luck through the whole race; Shared Belief's jockey, Mike Smith, believed he could have won the race, if Bayern hadn't run into his right shoulder, shoving him left. The Track Stewards followed the written California Rules of Racing, and declared no interference. - But people will talk about this Classic for a long time. For Bob Baffert, Martin Garcia, and the owners, I wish that Bayern had jumped straight out of the gate - but he didn't, and that's that.
Yesterday morning, a juvenile red tail hawk came arrowing down into the back yard and missed one of the squirrels by inches. The squirrel ran up a tree, and the bird seemed stunned. It sat in the grass for a few minutes, then flew up to the fence and sat for about 30 minutes. One of our male squirrels ran up the fence and sat within 6 inches of the hawk, and the hawk just looked at him. I had to laugh out loud - the squirrel looked belligerent and the hawk looked abashed.
I made a nice sum betting on the Breeders Cup races, but the taxes in two states and the IRS ate more than half of my winnings. People are still talking, declaiming, discoursing, and arguing over the race inquiry in the Breeders Cup Classic. Bob Baffert, who trained the winner, and finally won the BC Classic, is upset because of the furor. He feels it diminishes the fact that his colt, Bayern, actually won the race - even though Bayern did not break straight from the gate, and was the cause of the stewards' and jockeys' inquiry. Bayern broke to the left, and didn't straighten out until he was 3 or 4 strides from the gate; in doing so, he brushed up against the horse on his left, causing a domino effect almost to the rail. But, the California rules of racing allow for horses that don't break straight from the gate - if they straighten up within 4 to 5 strides of leaving the gate, the horse is normally viewed not to have interfered with the other runners. Bayern did straighten up; Moreno had rotten racing luck through the whole race; Shared Belief's jockey, Mike Smith, believed he could have won the race, if Bayern hadn't run into his right shoulder, shoving him left. The Track Stewards followed the written California Rules of Racing, and declared no interference. - But people will talk about this Classic for a long time. For Bob Baffert, Martin Garcia, and the owners, I wish that Bayern had jumped straight out of the gate - but he didn't, and that's that.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Various Wildlife Photos
Eating algae from a turtle
Kingfisher surveys his domain
Monarch butterflies on Assateague Island
Fall path
Mother love - golden retrievers
Mountain lion in Boulder
Bison in Yellowstone National Park
A Yee-Haw! Day at the Breeders Cup
I have not seen any reports of lameness or nasty cuts from any of the conetenders in the nine Breeders Cup races yesterday. I like to bet long-shots, not favorites, and that paid off well (for me) yesterday. The collegiate football games that I had interest in ended in two wins and two losses - Mizzou and Florida won, South Carolina lost in overtime, and the CU Buffs, who were leading at halftime (here, at home) collapsed in the second half again. Bummer. Today I'm looking forward to the Broncos - Patriots game, and I hope that Tom Brady gets thoroughly whupped.
I am not a person to make big bets - I know what it's like not knowing how you're going to scrape money together for the next meal - so I occasionally mourn that I didn't make a bigger bet. That happened yesterday with the first Breeders Cup race - the Juvenile Filly, worth a $2 million purse, and run at the distance of 1 and 1/16 miles. Angela Renee, breaking from post 2, was the betting favorite in the race. Trainer D Wayne Lukas has always had a way with 2-year-old fillies, and when I saw that Take Charge Brandi had morning odds of 30 to 1, I just had to bet on her. I made 5 $2 bets to win in this race, and hit pay-dirt with the filly at -the longest odds - Take Charge Brandi won the race at odds of 62 to 1, so I received $125.40 for my bet. Top Decile was second, and paid $7.20, while Wonder Gal (another of my picks) was third, and paid $9.40. Too bad I didn't bet the exacta, either. The $2 exacta paid $1,557.20; and the $2 trifecta paid $22,618. My other choices did not fare as well - Puca ran sixth, By the Moon ran eighth, and Majestic Presence ran ninth. And this win was D Wayne Lukas' 20th Breeders Cup victory as a trainer.
I struck out entirely in my bets on the Filly & Mare Turf. Dank, the defending champion, and betting favorite finished fourth. Dayatthespa, a chestnut New York bred 5-year-old mare, won the mile and a 1/4 race, and a $2 win ticket paid $13 back. Stephanie's Kitten ran second and paid $5.20, with Just the Judge in third, and paying $4.60. The $2 exacta paid $54.2-, and the $2 trifecta paid $365.60. My picks ran rather poorly - Secret Gesture finished fifth, Parranda sixth, Emollient was ninth, and Irish Mission was the last (11th) horse across the finish line.
The Filly & Mare Sprint had ten entries, and I bet on four to win. Zilch again, for me. Mike Smith rode Judy the Beauty, the betting favorite, to win his 21st Breeders Cup race. Judy the Beauty, a 5-year-old chestnut mare bred in Ontario, paid $8.20 on a $2 win ticket. Better Lucky placed second and paid $16.40, while Thank You Marylou was third and paid $13.80. The $2 exacta paid $136, and the trifecta paid $2,418.80. Stonetastic, one of my four betting choices finished fourth; Artemis Agrotera ran seventh, Sweet Reason ran eighth, and Irish-bred Living the Life was last under the wire, in tenth.
I was excited over the Turf Sprint - I wanted No Nay Never (even though he was the betting favorite) to win, and I was also very excited about Wes Welker's Undrafted, and the grandson of Sunday Silence, Silentio. Ageless, a 5-year-old mare, was an alternate entry after Free as a Bird refused to fly to California. Bobby's Kitten, who has never raced at a distance less than a mile, trailed the fourteen horse field until the top of the stretch. Then he switched into a gear that Secretariat must have loaned him - he literally flew to the lead, and won. The Ramsay family home-bred (named after Bobby Frankel) paid $16.40 on a $2 win ticket; Non Nay Never came in second under the ride of Frankie Dettori, and paid $6.60; Undrafted ran third and paid $7.60; Ageless, the alternate racer, ran fourth. The $2 exacta paid $108.20, and the $2 trifecta paid $1,294. My other three picks? Ambitious Brew was seventh, Marchman was thirteenth, and Silentio finished last.
The favorite betting interest in the Juvenile was Carpe Diem, who was purchased for $1.6 million at a recent sale. The second betting choice was Daredevil, who has the same trainer as Carpe Diem. Eleven colts started the race, worth $2 million, and at one and 1/16 mile. The race was won by one of my betting choices, Texas Red, whom I chose due to his pedigree only. Texas Red is a bay colt, bred in Kentucky, He is owned by a group of owners, including Keith Desormeaux, his trainer, and is ridden by Kent Desormeaux. Texas Red was purchased at a sale for $17,000. A $2 win bet on Texas Red paid $29.80; Carpe Diem finished second and paid $3.80, while Upstart finished third and paid $3.60. So I picked the first and third finishers, along with the D Wayne Lukas trained Mr. z, who was fifth, One Lucky Dane who ran sixth, and Private Prospect was tenth. The second betting choice, Daredevil finished last.
After looking at the horses in the saddling enclosure before the Turf race, I decided that I liked Main Sequence's demeanor much better than Big John B's, and I changed my bets. It was nice, because I got a nice total payout for this race. With my defection from Big John B to Main Sequence, the four horses I bet on ran first, second, third, and fourth... Main Sequence won the race, and paid $14.40; Flintshire ran second and paid $4.80; Twilight Eclipse was third and paid $6.40; and Telescope ran fourth. (Big John B finished in ninth place.) I had placed bets to win, place and on the exacta and trifecta. I placed $22 in bets. I received back $610.40, a win of $588.40. That, with the money from the Juvenile Filly race, made me very happy. The $2 excata paid $64.80, and the $2 trifecta paid $527.40.
My bets were rotten in the Sprint, which is unusual, as I have always picked the Sprint winner for the last 25 years - but not this time. The long shot Work All Week, a 5-year-old chestnut gelding bred in Illinois (a first for the Breeders Cup), won the Sprint and paid $40.20. Secret Circle was second and paid $6.40; Private Zone was third, paying $5.80, and Bourbon Courage was fourth. The $2 exacta paid $245.40, and the $2 trifecta paid $2,129.40. My choices were Bourbon Courage (fourth), Palace in sixth, Bakken in eighth,Indianapolis in tenth, and the beautiful filly Wind Fire was thirteenth. Rich Tapestry, the betting favorite, finished last.
The Mile was wide open, with Wise Dan out of the running, recovering from a broken leg. I liked the looks of Tourist, and having Rosie Napravnik as the jockey was also so plus; but I was most interested in Karakontie, a Japan-bred grandson of Sunday Silence, who had raced only in France, and in Anodin, the 4-year-old full brother of three-time Breeders Cup Mile winner Goldikova. I'm glad I bet with my heart... Karakontie won the Mile and a $2 win ticket paid $62; Anodin ran second and paid $12.60. Trade Storm was in third place and paid $12.80, with Summer Front in fourth. The $2 exacta paid $663.40; the $2 trifecta paid $10,021.40. I had five picks in the Mile - and they finished in first, second, fourth, Veda was twelfth, and Tourist was thirteenth.
In the $5 million Classic, I again wanted to avoid betting favorites. Shared Belief, under Mike Smith, had not been beaten in a race; California Chrome had a lot to prove and is a favorite son at Santa Anita; and Tonalist, while a very good horse, just didn't interest me. I thought long and hard about Bayern - this hard-knocking bay colt either had excellent racing luck and won, or awful racing luck and lost. I figured he was too "iffy" to bet. I felt that Moreno would be a great choice, but he was in the 4 post position, and I was afraid he'd get in trouble early... Only one of my bet's made it on the board. The winner was the hard-knocking (literally) Bayern, who had to wait for a steward's and jockey's inquiry, about the race. Bayern was leaning to the left and heading to the left when he came out of the starting gate - one could see jockey Martin Garcia leaning far to the right shoulder of the colt and he had an open plow rein to the right, as well. Bayern ran into Shared Belief, who ran into V. E. Day, who squeezed Moreno, in a chain reaction. Moreno was then caught by Shared Belief coming in a little too quickly, and had to slow almost to a stop. Poor Moreno finished last, and with multiple good reasons - not excuses. Bayern won the race and paid $14.20; Toast of New York (one of my picks) was second, and paid $18; California Chrome was third and paid $5.40; while the slammed Shared Belief ran fourth. The $2 exacta paid $249.80, and the trifecta paid $2,087.20. As for my other picks, Candy Boy was sixth, and then (with my head bowed) Prayer for Relief was twelfth, Majestic Harbor was thirteenth, and poor Moreno was the trailer.
I am extremely happy that there were no life-threatening injuries to any of the horses or jockeys. They give their all for our enjoyment. Here's hoping that Vicar in Trouble will have a trouble-free recovery from his break during the Dirt Mile race. And you've finished hearing about thoroughbred horse racing from me until April, when I'll start writing about the Kentucky Derby. And, after yesterday's races, we know the favorite for next year's race is Texas Red.
I am not a person to make big bets - I know what it's like not knowing how you're going to scrape money together for the next meal - so I occasionally mourn that I didn't make a bigger bet. That happened yesterday with the first Breeders Cup race - the Juvenile Filly, worth a $2 million purse, and run at the distance of 1 and 1/16 miles. Angela Renee, breaking from post 2, was the betting favorite in the race. Trainer D Wayne Lukas has always had a way with 2-year-old fillies, and when I saw that Take Charge Brandi had morning odds of 30 to 1, I just had to bet on her. I made 5 $2 bets to win in this race, and hit pay-dirt with the filly at -the longest odds - Take Charge Brandi won the race at odds of 62 to 1, so I received $125.40 for my bet. Top Decile was second, and paid $7.20, while Wonder Gal (another of my picks) was third, and paid $9.40. Too bad I didn't bet the exacta, either. The $2 exacta paid $1,557.20; and the $2 trifecta paid $22,618. My other choices did not fare as well - Puca ran sixth, By the Moon ran eighth, and Majestic Presence ran ninth. And this win was D Wayne Lukas' 20th Breeders Cup victory as a trainer.
I struck out entirely in my bets on the Filly & Mare Turf. Dank, the defending champion, and betting favorite finished fourth. Dayatthespa, a chestnut New York bred 5-year-old mare, won the mile and a 1/4 race, and a $2 win ticket paid $13 back. Stephanie's Kitten ran second and paid $5.20, with Just the Judge in third, and paying $4.60. The $2 exacta paid $54.2-, and the $2 trifecta paid $365.60. My picks ran rather poorly - Secret Gesture finished fifth, Parranda sixth, Emollient was ninth, and Irish Mission was the last (11th) horse across the finish line.
The Filly & Mare Sprint had ten entries, and I bet on four to win. Zilch again, for me. Mike Smith rode Judy the Beauty, the betting favorite, to win his 21st Breeders Cup race. Judy the Beauty, a 5-year-old chestnut mare bred in Ontario, paid $8.20 on a $2 win ticket. Better Lucky placed second and paid $16.40, while Thank You Marylou was third and paid $13.80. The $2 exacta paid $136, and the trifecta paid $2,418.80. Stonetastic, one of my four betting choices finished fourth; Artemis Agrotera ran seventh, Sweet Reason ran eighth, and Irish-bred Living the Life was last under the wire, in tenth.
I was excited over the Turf Sprint - I wanted No Nay Never (even though he was the betting favorite) to win, and I was also very excited about Wes Welker's Undrafted, and the grandson of Sunday Silence, Silentio. Ageless, a 5-year-old mare, was an alternate entry after Free as a Bird refused to fly to California. Bobby's Kitten, who has never raced at a distance less than a mile, trailed the fourteen horse field until the top of the stretch. Then he switched into a gear that Secretariat must have loaned him - he literally flew to the lead, and won. The Ramsay family home-bred (named after Bobby Frankel) paid $16.40 on a $2 win ticket; Non Nay Never came in second under the ride of Frankie Dettori, and paid $6.60; Undrafted ran third and paid $7.60; Ageless, the alternate racer, ran fourth. The $2 exacta paid $108.20, and the $2 trifecta paid $1,294. My other three picks? Ambitious Brew was seventh, Marchman was thirteenth, and Silentio finished last.
The favorite betting interest in the Juvenile was Carpe Diem, who was purchased for $1.6 million at a recent sale. The second betting choice was Daredevil, who has the same trainer as Carpe Diem. Eleven colts started the race, worth $2 million, and at one and 1/16 mile. The race was won by one of my betting choices, Texas Red, whom I chose due to his pedigree only. Texas Red is a bay colt, bred in Kentucky, He is owned by a group of owners, including Keith Desormeaux, his trainer, and is ridden by Kent Desormeaux. Texas Red was purchased at a sale for $17,000. A $2 win bet on Texas Red paid $29.80; Carpe Diem finished second and paid $3.80, while Upstart finished third and paid $3.60. So I picked the first and third finishers, along with the D Wayne Lukas trained Mr. z, who was fifth, One Lucky Dane who ran sixth, and Private Prospect was tenth. The second betting choice, Daredevil finished last.
After looking at the horses in the saddling enclosure before the Turf race, I decided that I liked Main Sequence's demeanor much better than Big John B's, and I changed my bets. It was nice, because I got a nice total payout for this race. With my defection from Big John B to Main Sequence, the four horses I bet on ran first, second, third, and fourth... Main Sequence won the race, and paid $14.40; Flintshire ran second and paid $4.80; Twilight Eclipse was third and paid $6.40; and Telescope ran fourth. (Big John B finished in ninth place.) I had placed bets to win, place and on the exacta and trifecta. I placed $22 in bets. I received back $610.40, a win of $588.40. That, with the money from the Juvenile Filly race, made me very happy. The $2 excata paid $64.80, and the $2 trifecta paid $527.40.
My bets were rotten in the Sprint, which is unusual, as I have always picked the Sprint winner for the last 25 years - but not this time. The long shot Work All Week, a 5-year-old chestnut gelding bred in Illinois (a first for the Breeders Cup), won the Sprint and paid $40.20. Secret Circle was second and paid $6.40; Private Zone was third, paying $5.80, and Bourbon Courage was fourth. The $2 exacta paid $245.40, and the $2 trifecta paid $2,129.40. My choices were Bourbon Courage (fourth), Palace in sixth, Bakken in eighth,Indianapolis in tenth, and the beautiful filly Wind Fire was thirteenth. Rich Tapestry, the betting favorite, finished last.
The Mile was wide open, with Wise Dan out of the running, recovering from a broken leg. I liked the looks of Tourist, and having Rosie Napravnik as the jockey was also so plus; but I was most interested in Karakontie, a Japan-bred grandson of Sunday Silence, who had raced only in France, and in Anodin, the 4-year-old full brother of three-time Breeders Cup Mile winner Goldikova. I'm glad I bet with my heart... Karakontie won the Mile and a $2 win ticket paid $62; Anodin ran second and paid $12.60. Trade Storm was in third place and paid $12.80, with Summer Front in fourth. The $2 exacta paid $663.40; the $2 trifecta paid $10,021.40. I had five picks in the Mile - and they finished in first, second, fourth, Veda was twelfth, and Tourist was thirteenth.
In the $5 million Classic, I again wanted to avoid betting favorites. Shared Belief, under Mike Smith, had not been beaten in a race; California Chrome had a lot to prove and is a favorite son at Santa Anita; and Tonalist, while a very good horse, just didn't interest me. I thought long and hard about Bayern - this hard-knocking bay colt either had excellent racing luck and won, or awful racing luck and lost. I figured he was too "iffy" to bet. I felt that Moreno would be a great choice, but he was in the 4 post position, and I was afraid he'd get in trouble early... Only one of my bet's made it on the board. The winner was the hard-knocking (literally) Bayern, who had to wait for a steward's and jockey's inquiry, about the race. Bayern was leaning to the left and heading to the left when he came out of the starting gate - one could see jockey Martin Garcia leaning far to the right shoulder of the colt and he had an open plow rein to the right, as well. Bayern ran into Shared Belief, who ran into V. E. Day, who squeezed Moreno, in a chain reaction. Moreno was then caught by Shared Belief coming in a little too quickly, and had to slow almost to a stop. Poor Moreno finished last, and with multiple good reasons - not excuses. Bayern won the race and paid $14.20; Toast of New York (one of my picks) was second, and paid $18; California Chrome was third and paid $5.40; while the slammed Shared Belief ran fourth. The $2 exacta paid $249.80, and the trifecta paid $2,087.20. As for my other picks, Candy Boy was sixth, and then (with my head bowed) Prayer for Relief was twelfth, Majestic Harbor was thirteenth, and poor Moreno was the trailer.
I am extremely happy that there were no life-threatening injuries to any of the horses or jockeys. They give their all for our enjoyment. Here's hoping that Vicar in Trouble will have a trouble-free recovery from his break during the Dirt Mile race. And you've finished hearing about thoroughbred horse racing from me until April, when I'll start writing about the Kentucky Derby. And, after yesterday's races, we know the favorite for next year's race is Texas Red.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Scenes in Romania
The Carpathian Mountains
The Bucegi Mountains
Brashov, Romania
Shooting star over lake
Cathedral of Saint Maria Radna
Pestera, Romania
The old wooden church at Barsana, Romania
Friday's Breeders Cup Results
First and foremost, my prayers and thoughts are being sent to racing analyst Bob Neumeier and his family. According to the Boston Globe, the venerable handicapper suffered a stroke on 29 October and is in the hospital. Neumy, I always loved to hear you and Mike Battaglia trading wit and opinions during the Breeders Cup coverage, as well as the Triple Crown coverage. I hope you're back on the job and joking on camera again - very soon! Consider yourself embraced.
Even though the Breeders Cup did not sponsor the Marathon race, the city of Las Vegas put up a guaranteed purse of $200,000 for the horses that like to run all day. I was very happy to see the 1 and 3/4 dirt race on the program at Santa Anita today - again, my only complaint is that it was not sponsored by the Breeders Cup this year. A field of nine, including Argentina-bred Big Casanova, the alternate entry for the BC Classic tomorrow, left the gate in good order. The horses ran at a good, steady clip, but Cary Street was trailing by 12 lengths (or more) through most of the race. Irish Surf, the betting favorite, stayed close to the leaders and paced them. with 5/8 mile to go, Cary Street started to roll - he charged past the rest of the horses and won easily, going away, by almost 10 lengths, and under a hand ride. Irish Surf finished second, and Patrioticandproud got up for third. Sky Kingdom came up for fourth, and Big Casanova, who had led for a bit, faded to fifth place. It was a beautifully run race! Cary Street, a 5-year-old bay gelding by Smarty Jones, paid $7.80 on a $2 win ticket...
For the actual Breeders Cups races, my picks were so-so.... Faithful Creek was added to the entries in the Juvenile Turf after the scratch of Aktabanay, so a full field of 14 colts were on the grass course. I had chosen Aktabantay as one of my picks, and with his scratch, I switched to Luck of the Kitten - which turned out to be very nice for me. Hootenanny, under the ride of Frankie Dettori, won the race; so that $2 got me $14. Luck of the Kitten came in second, which got me $9.20. Daddy D T placed third, and paid $11. I bet $2 on an exacta with Hootenanny first and Luck of the Kitten second - that won me $100. My other picks did not fair as well - Wet Sail finished last; Imperia was tenth; and the roan colt Danny Boy was in eighth place. I came out ahead with $113.20 (betting$10).
In the Dirt Mile, Goldencents, the betting favorite for the mile race at 3 to 5, and defending champion, made history by repeating his win. He's the first horse to win the Dirt Mile Breeders Cup twice. He is also being rewarded for his efforts by being retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm. Tapiture finished a strong second, and Pants on Fire was in third. My four picks in this race finished in second, third, fourth (Bronzo), and last - Vicar's In Trouble. Vicar's In Trouble was lame at the end of the race, and was vanned back to his barn. He suffered a condylar fracture in his left fore during the race, and will have a vacation before returning to the races. I placed $2 bets in this race - Goldencents paid $3.40; Tapiture paid $3.80; and Pants on Fire paid $4. The exacta paid $14.20; and the trifecta paid $71. I spent $8, and received back $7.80 - so a loss of 20 cents.
The Juvenile Filly Turf was also a wide open race - fourteen contenders arrived on the track, but one of my betting choices, Lady Zuzu, was scratched by the veterinarian before entering the starting gate. I lost $6 on this race. The winner was Lady Eli, with Sunset Glow in second, Osaila in third, and Prize Exhibit coming in fourth. On a $2 bet, Lady Eli paid $6.80, Sunset Glow paid $5.20, and Osaila paid $3.60. Money bet on Lady Zuzu was returned. The exacta paid $35, and the trifecta paid $65.90. I had chosen four fillies - the three who ran finished in third, fourth and fifth places. But I had only placed bets "to win" in this race.
After the Breeders Cup Distaff, winning jockey Rosie Napravnik surprised everyone (except her husband, horse trainer Joe Sharp) by announcing her retirement from racing after this year's Breeders Cup. The reason is a happy one - she and Joe are expecting their first child. Congratulations, Rosie and Joe! But, back to the horses... I figured that Untapable, Rosie's mount, would be the betting favorite for the race, and she was. I placed 4 $2 bets to wins and lost another $8. Untapable was unstoppable in the Distaff, with Don't Tell Sophia in second, and Iotapa in third.For $2 bets, Untapable paid $5.20, Don't Tell Sophia paid $4.60, and Iotapa paid $4. The exacta paid $27, and the $2 trifecta paid $150.40. The four horses I bet on finished in the last four positions in a field of eleven - so my choices in the Distaff were rotten.
Even though the Breeders Cup did not sponsor the Marathon race, the city of Las Vegas put up a guaranteed purse of $200,000 for the horses that like to run all day. I was very happy to see the 1 and 3/4 dirt race on the program at Santa Anita today - again, my only complaint is that it was not sponsored by the Breeders Cup this year. A field of nine, including Argentina-bred Big Casanova, the alternate entry for the BC Classic tomorrow, left the gate in good order. The horses ran at a good, steady clip, but Cary Street was trailing by 12 lengths (or more) through most of the race. Irish Surf, the betting favorite, stayed close to the leaders and paced them. with 5/8 mile to go, Cary Street started to roll - he charged past the rest of the horses and won easily, going away, by almost 10 lengths, and under a hand ride. Irish Surf finished second, and Patrioticandproud got up for third. Sky Kingdom came up for fourth, and Big Casanova, who had led for a bit, faded to fifth place. It was a beautifully run race! Cary Street, a 5-year-old bay gelding by Smarty Jones, paid $7.80 on a $2 win ticket...
For the actual Breeders Cups races, my picks were so-so.... Faithful Creek was added to the entries in the Juvenile Turf after the scratch of Aktabanay, so a full field of 14 colts were on the grass course. I had chosen Aktabantay as one of my picks, and with his scratch, I switched to Luck of the Kitten - which turned out to be very nice for me. Hootenanny, under the ride of Frankie Dettori, won the race; so that $2 got me $14. Luck of the Kitten came in second, which got me $9.20. Daddy D T placed third, and paid $11. I bet $2 on an exacta with Hootenanny first and Luck of the Kitten second - that won me $100. My other picks did not fair as well - Wet Sail finished last; Imperia was tenth; and the roan colt Danny Boy was in eighth place. I came out ahead with $113.20 (betting$10).
In the Dirt Mile, Goldencents, the betting favorite for the mile race at 3 to 5, and defending champion, made history by repeating his win. He's the first horse to win the Dirt Mile Breeders Cup twice. He is also being rewarded for his efforts by being retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm. Tapiture finished a strong second, and Pants on Fire was in third. My four picks in this race finished in second, third, fourth (Bronzo), and last - Vicar's In Trouble. Vicar's In Trouble was lame at the end of the race, and was vanned back to his barn. He suffered a condylar fracture in his left fore during the race, and will have a vacation before returning to the races. I placed $2 bets in this race - Goldencents paid $3.40; Tapiture paid $3.80; and Pants on Fire paid $4. The exacta paid $14.20; and the trifecta paid $71. I spent $8, and received back $7.80 - so a loss of 20 cents.
The Juvenile Filly Turf was also a wide open race - fourteen contenders arrived on the track, but one of my betting choices, Lady Zuzu, was scratched by the veterinarian before entering the starting gate. I lost $6 on this race. The winner was Lady Eli, with Sunset Glow in second, Osaila in third, and Prize Exhibit coming in fourth. On a $2 bet, Lady Eli paid $6.80, Sunset Glow paid $5.20, and Osaila paid $3.60. Money bet on Lady Zuzu was returned. The exacta paid $35, and the trifecta paid $65.90. I had chosen four fillies - the three who ran finished in third, fourth and fifth places. But I had only placed bets "to win" in this race.
After the Breeders Cup Distaff, winning jockey Rosie Napravnik surprised everyone (except her husband, horse trainer Joe Sharp) by announcing her retirement from racing after this year's Breeders Cup. The reason is a happy one - she and Joe are expecting their first child. Congratulations, Rosie and Joe! But, back to the horses... I figured that Untapable, Rosie's mount, would be the betting favorite for the race, and she was. I placed 4 $2 bets to wins and lost another $8. Untapable was unstoppable in the Distaff, with Don't Tell Sophia in second, and Iotapa in third.For $2 bets, Untapable paid $5.20, Don't Tell Sophia paid $4.60, and Iotapa paid $4. The exacta paid $27, and the $2 trifecta paid $150.40. The four horses I bet on finished in the last four positions in a field of eleven - so my choices in the Distaff were rotten.
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