Sheets were unreal today at Hollywood and Calder

[covelj70]

Thanks TG.

I qualified for National Handicapping Contest in Vegas in the online qualifier thanks to 4 bombs that were reasonably straightforward on the sheet figs and patterns.

Thanks TG.

[Rick B.]

Jim,

Don\'t mean to put you on the spot, but would you share with us how you came up with Shirley She Can in the 8th at Calder using TG?

This one was a real head-scratcher for me -- too slow recently, only one decent number to run back to, negative Thoro-Pattern -- I thought this horse might run a 10 at best...which still left her a few lengths behind most of the rest of the field.

Add in a relatively unattractive price (9-1) -- unless I dislike the price on 6 or 7 horses in the race that are faster and have better patterns -- and we have The Horse That Always Busts Me Out That I Will Never Have. Doubly galling that it\'s at Calder. It\'s always Calder.

(That said, this winner was a whole lot easier to tolerate than the New Mexico-bred piece of shit that won the 1st at Hollywood, #7 Score For Fun. I defy any sane handicapper to explain the selection of this horse, other than \"he was long so I took a stab\".)

[covelj70]

Hey Rick,

On Shirley She Can, it was simply a function of me guessing (note I say guessing) that the horse had enough time to recover from the 7 at the Spa and I thought a return to the 7 would be right there.

I had a 3 year old gelding this year that had EXACTLY the same situation so that probably biased me toward this one a bit.  We bought the horse after the horse ran 7 and change on the turf to break his maiden at Churchill in late spring (can\'t remember exact date) and then the horse ran several in the 12 and change during the summer before only getting back to the 7 and change and winning this fall at Belmont.

When a big figure sets one back like that, it can take awhile before they come back to the good one but it usually pays when they do.

For whatever it\'s worth, that was my angle there.

I didn\'t have the one in the first at Hollywood, wouldn\'t have bet that one with JB\'s money

[Rick B.]

What you brought to the table in using this horse is called \"knowledge\", not bias. We both saw that the horse did have a good number to run back to; you knew what to do with that info.

Jim, nice hit, nice job on earning the seat, and thanks for the explanation. I learn something every day here.

Go get \'em in Vegas -- it\'s time for a TG\'er to take this contest down.

[covelj70]

Rick,

Thanks so much.  Incredibly kind of you to say.

I am really looking forward to the tournament and I couldn\'t agree more, its very much time for a TG\'er to bring home the crown.

[sighthound]

Congrats, well done!  Always respect your handicapping insights here, good luck!

[covelj70]

Thank you very very much Sight, really appreciate that.

[Lost Cause]

Congrats to you too Covel..Don\'t know you but you seem to be one of the coolest guys on this board.  Bring home the title.

[hotspringskid]

Congratulations. Maybe you and Citrus Kid can get a big payoff next year. I\'ll be pulling for you down in Arkansas.