First Post: Friday, February 22, 2013

Good afternoon!

Free ones: Rundown…

Sunland (deputizing for unplayable Aqueduct) 6, 7
Gulf 3, 6, 9
Santa Anita 9

Pay-side:

Tampa 4, 6
Laurel 9
Hawthorne 5, 9
Oaklawn 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
Turfway 5, 8, 10
Sam Houston 2, 5, 8, 9, 10

Today’s Stakes Pageantry:

Yesterday’s Activity: Runner-up in the finale at Aqueduct. That would be Fantastic Eyes, 10½-1 on the tote and 15-1 on your morning line. Not really close to the winner, though the winner, who was not really liked from this corner.

Also settling for second-best was 12-1 Pam’s Luc in OP 4. The winner was your even-money post-time and morning-line (2½-1) fave and also top of both V6 Betting Line and LifeLiner. Only $36-and-change for the $2 insaver exfecta.

Now for some winners. The closer at Gulf found Wicked Tune come home in front at nearly 7-1, $15.80 up top, bet way down from the 10-1 morning line chance and a vaunted and so-called Triple Threat (top Betting Line, top LifeLiner, top Pace Graph), so Wicked Tune’s status as fourth-choice in the actual wagering was a pleasant surprise.

Another finale, another longshot score on the grass in Florida. Be Wise Get Even won straight in the curtain-ringer-downer (!) at $24-even, just under her 12-1 morning line. She was only seventh in the Betting Line reckoning but best in LifeLiner in an open affair. Indeed, 60-1 and 38-1 completed the trizactor! (No, liked neither.)

A King of The Netcap-type day as the last race at Laurel produced 7½-1 Hard Rock Delite. The $77 exacta leaving out the 9-10 fave was all LifeLiner in a contentious race, and the tri-super with that odds-on in third was 63-1.

In spite of the Fair Grounds coming back with reasonably normal conditions, it was 0-for-4 races, and 0-for-6 touts. Thanks, New Orleans. We thought you were our friend, cher.

WMF Report:

Early
Fair Grounds 6f
Gulf 6f
Hawthorne 6f
Los Alamitos 4½f
Laurel 6f
Sunland 6f
Tampa 6f
Turfway 1m (!) (WMF 300) (!)
Turf Paradise 6f

Rally
Gulf 1 1/16m (T)
Tampa 1m40y

Nocturnal Submission: A late-night surprise in store for Race 6 at Delta (8:58 p.m. EST / 5:58 p.m. PST): #10 Do the Conga, #6 Knockya Lights Out. …One better in the eighth there (9:52 / 6:52) via #8 Arctic Comet, #3 Storm Tamer, #1 Savon. …

Thank you. Best wishes. Goodbye. Bye-bye.