On a absolutely beautiful day the pressure was on TGAB to break his string of not picking a winner on Jim Dandy day. According to Jimbo it\'s been 3 or 4 years of futility.
Jimbo did disappoint a bit on the abuse scale and he was not up to a new top but all in good fun Alan did take his share. It was an interesting card with some opportunities although we did ask Richie to come up with a new word. One that expresses phobia that reflects the fear of cashing a parimutuel ticket ! He\'s working on it and were probably all in trouble when he gets back to his computer?
A lively discussion and debate on the card with some good opinions tossed around by the group. Most of us got started in the first with The McGaughey/Solis turf connection at a nice price. Some fell as the Pletcher show started in the second with a scary looking debut by Giant Surprise. A Giants Causeway from an AP Indy mare with that kind of speed bares watching !!! Alan did claim a winner as he selected the place horse and the $ 28.40 exacta. Jimbo was heard muttering something about a chalk eating weasel.Michael D. gets the tough beat of the day award just falling short on Windswept in the 3rd costing him a healthy pick 3 on a bit more than a $ 2.00 ticket!!!
The fourth race was a lesson in betting futility with a solid selection by TGAB of Keyaly by Alan at 35/1, With a Cape was a must use getting weight and with a pair of 10\'s. Ambassador Bridge was mentioned as well and some positive comments by Maggie Woffendale in the paddock made that one a must use. The question was what to do with Sebago Bay ? Was he crippled and being given away or just an ouchie whose owners wanted to win at the Spa and didn\'t care if they lost him ?
Linda Rice took the horse in the claim box and TGAB did not use him on top, OUCH !!! He was not a happy camper as he should have crushed the tri and super.
He was tossed by more than one of us.
In the sixth the tote board could not be ignored as the Pletcher firster was crushed beyond belief. I got very lucky in a race I didn\'t pay much attention to as I wasn\'t sure if it would stay on the turf or not the night before and early morning when I do my work. The group all had positive input on the Assmussen, Scat Daddy horse so I used the Pletcher horse over the 3,5,10 and caught an amazing tri of $ 318.00 when I was expecting $ 120.00.
Most thought the best betting was in the late pick 4 and was reflected in the size and amounts of the horizontal plays. The eighth was a wide open affair with basically the whole filed running the some race. I took a stab with Sassy Dreams to break out and that did not happen, all used the speedy Japanese Garden from the rail and the 6 and 8 were must uses as well. Jimbo in his fear of the yet unnamed phobia decided to go all in the race and talked me into a saver ticket covering the race as well. The Diana was a tough race but with the scratch of Romacaca that left Unbridled Humor as the lone speed from the rail. Alan posted Zagora and put out at both the seminar and on the analysis the exacta and triple
COLD !!! A $ 50.00 exacta and $ 331.00 tri restored his reputation to respectable race track degenerate. I must point out that a mystery handicapper who happens to own this site influenced most of the pick 4 tickets and denominations with his opinion on the race that was passed on to the group ???
The Jim Dandy had Jimbo singling Dominus, I used the 2,3,7 and Stay Thirsty was talked about but to my knowledge not used by any in the group. I\'ll say it plain and simple and will probably piss some people off but oh well ? This entire crop of 3 year old colts is nothing but garbage. Far and away the worst triple crown year I\'ve ever seen in 38 years of betting horses.
The finale held no allures of grandeur as the Rudy horse was a stick out, the Finger Lakes speed ball would go as far as he could, the 4 was completive and the 7 would be running late. The exacta paid $ 44.00 the tri $ 163.00 most got out or made a small profit. Although Jimbo was spotted wandering through town muttering to himself Alan is off the hot seat and I have an unnamed phobia of cashing tickets !!!!
A great fun day, some healthy banter, mild abuse all in good fun with a bunch of degenerates who are trying to beat the toughest game in town.
I\'m also putting in a plug for Steve Byk\'s Carolina BBQ the new chicken sandwich is awesome and as always his hospitality is appreciated.
Good luck,
Frank D.
Nice synopsis, Frank, sounds like fun. I hope many of you are there the 13th and 14th and hope I will be admitted to such an elite group. I know I qualify as a degenerate, and as you know I am pretty good at giving and taking abuse! Not so good at picking winners!
Frank D,
Jimbo have his Race Shapes close to him?
Mike
Mike,
He did but mentioned something about a speed handicapping friend who was losing it !!!! Just kidding Mike, he told me you guy\'s are friends.
I think he got back a portion on the last race but I left right after and didn\'t see him.
Good luck and the venerable drbillym looks like he\'s coming up the same time that you were planning ?
Living room downs today on an abysmal Saratoga card but lot\'s of opportunity at the Jersey shore.
Frank D.
Great story Frank, sounds like a good time.
Had a great time at the seminar both days discussing the cards...cashed a few tickets...unfortunately I guess we over stayed our time limit... 5 min... after the last race was discussed...TGJB maybe a new location would be best..not the most welcoming location now...
I have to say that TGAB ended a mini-futility streak of seminars on Jim Dandy weekend. Giving out a 35-1 key that finished 2nd on Saturday, along with several Monmouth winners on Sunday and a couple good Saratoga opinions.
It was good to see Frank D., RichieB, Michael D, TGAB and others this weekend. A good couple days of handicapoing.
Good recap Frank D. on Saturday\'s card. I never saw you after the last race, but I finally got over that phobia of cashing tickets with the Super and Tri a number of times Saturday in the finale to get to \"even\" and then pushed well through into the black with a hard punch of Romacaca to Coil in the double leading into the Haskell. Broke my own 3 year losing streak on trips to the Spa.
Looking forward to at least one more trip this summer!
Jim
Jimbo,
Glad to see all turned the tables for the weekend. Hope to see you on get away weekend ? Kudos to TGAB for taking the heat and having a great weekend.
I caught the same Monmouth double as you yesterday, as well as the Haskell exacta with the first and last exacta\'s at the Spa. Ironic that the scratch of Romacaca in the Diana precipitated a larger losing pick 4 play on Saturday but she comes back to pay $13.20 and key a $ 58.00 double on Sunday ? I\'m interested in your take on Coil\'s Cali numbers and how they aligned in that field ? My God you can\'t discount Baffert at all when he ships east !!! Really wishing TGAB was on the full tilt roll with JJ in the Haskell ??? I had a very healthy triple if he gets third.
Good luck,
Frank D.
Frank D.,
I would love to give you my take on Coil\'s California numbers, but I don\'t want to get TGJB screaming and yelling on the board at me......
Let\'s just say, that as we discussed on Saturday, I thought he was much faster than he appeared on paper.....
What to do with him next is the question, if he goes to the Travers.
Looks that way ?
No one to fear that\'s for sure !
A 106 Beyer for Stay Thirsty in the Jim Dandy ?