Cool As Ever

[Fairmount1]

Once again Roger came through with an unbelievable Del Mar experience last weekend.  In two words, GET THERE!

I met Roger\'s friend Billy just minutes before we walked in Del Mar right as Trevor Denman exclaimed \"AND AWAY THEY GOOOO!\"   Despite my strong handicapping, I grinded out only a small profit on Fri. evening as we watched Race 5 and onward from The Pamplemousse Grille across the street.  The place has the best food I\'ve ever had bar none and it is likely the Only place able to persuade me to leave Del Mar about halfway through a racing card.  Roger showed up after the races to The Pamplemousse party.  He pulled out some magic once again as his buddies introduced me to P-Dub\'s hero, Mike Smith.  I asked about the ear plugs in Abel Tasman\'s ears at Saratoga recently and his Very Wide Rides but I doubt he heard me as he didn\'t reply while the camera flashed.  I talked to Bob and Jill briefly inside the restaurant also.  Jill was curious what happened to my orange shoes from the previous summer seemingly disappointed in my royal blues of 2017.  

On Saturday and Sunday, I saw some of the very best cash handicappers in action as an observer of the 7k cash tourney.  I recall 9-1, 10-1, 3-1, and 7-2 key horses/win plays on the two days of the tourney that I zeroed in on that won and I still left financially down on a gambling note but only about $250-$300 on the weekend.  I didn\'t connect any of my brilliance successfully to noteworthy exotic scores,  and I wasted some dollars Sunday trying to manufacture a score late.  Regardless, the camaraderie and sheer enjoyment of studying and handicapping the races at an atmosphere like Del Mar is as exciting for me as ever especially with Roger and Billy those three days!

No worries about the financial loss though as I still managed to roam the beaches, La Jolla Cove, Torrey Pines State Park, and the Del Mar infield to see all of the negative TG fillies and mares running around in the area during my time out West.  I\'m amazed out there.  I even found our waitress from last year\'s seats in the stretch area and told her my friends from last year [but definitely not me (yeah right!)] thought she wass just spectacular and wishing her well!  She definitely had not bounced from the year before and was still in the negative 0 to negative 1 territory holding what I would call a very tight pattern with a solid read for the future!

When racing ended Sunday, I lingered around the facility as I didn\'t want it to all end just like last year!  The only upside I thought when I walked out was that the Breeders Cup will be there in about three months.  As I was making my final exit from this year\'s Del Mar summer meet trip,  I ran into Roger\'s friend Paul who took my picture with Mike Smith on Friday night and last year had Baffert autograph a photo I had taken with him about a decade ago.  He told me he just hit the p6 with partners and the Super High Five on his own!  It couldn\'t have happened to a better guy albeit an Arizona Wildcats fan!

The pressure is on the Backyard crew for Travers weekend but I know they are up to pairing their backyard show that was every bit as solid as Arrogate\'s negative 4 3/4 Travers\' performance!!