First Post: Saturday, March 9, 2013

The best thing you’ll read all weekend…maybe…

Ah, it’s a little heavy for a Saturday, but it just has to be put out there. A fine meditation (in all senses) of how things are these days…

http://www.tricycle.com/web-exclusive/examined-life

Free ones: Rundown…

Golden Gate (deputizing for unplayable Aqueduct) 1, 4, 9
Gulf 3, 8, 9, 11
Santa Anita 6, 8, 9

Pay-side:

Tampa 4, 5, 7, 12
Turfway 3, 4, 10
Fair Grounds 10, 11
Hawthorne 2, 4, 6, 8, 9
Oaklawn 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10
Sam Houston 7, 10

Today’s Stakes Pageantry: Free today is SA 8, the China Doll.

OP 7 is pay-side.

That opens things up. Very chalky in FG 7, the N.O. Ladies. #6 Believe You Can deserves 1-5 on the morning line. Probably. Likewise #6 Delaunay in the ninth there.

Lrl 10 is much less predictable. Mild interest in #6 Mr Palmer and #1 Where’s Dominic.

Going against the morning-line fave a little in SA 7, the Grade II San Felipe. #3 Goldencents is a fine alternative, and so is #7 Salutos Amigos.

The 20-1 morning line seems out-of-whack for #6 Pure D Gold in Sun 10, the Mt. Cristo Rey. Save up with #5 Kiss My Hennessy and #1 Our Choice.

Back to the obvious for Tam 10, their Grade II eponymous Derby. Too much horsepower from #6 Verrazano.

Delta 5 is the Pelican: #5 Desert Ransom has upset designs.

Yesterday’s Activity: When you scan out the cards on any given day, you expect at least a race or two from each track to qualify on playability. Not so on Friday! Junk at Gulf, Santa Anita, Golden Gate.

It got so bad we had to summon the Samuel Houston Race Park & Wash to fill the slots on the free page. Things only worsened from there, culminating in the Crowning Glory that was Race 7, in which four horseys were listed, and only one of those managed to finish as high as fourth. That’s talent. Serious.

Minor consolation there came in Race 4 in the form of Gallery of Stors, $13.40.

Another day, another winner in the last race someplace. Or as we have been putting it lately, King of the NetCapper Bullies. This time, at Laurel, where First Bonkersmate Classic Wildcat, second-choice on the V6 Betting Line and well within the LifeLiner Speed column parameters in a contentious race, went off at 8-1 (same as his morning line) and held on for a $19.60 payoff. Runner-up and show-horse also had LifeLine accreditation; the $2 exacta was $57, the $2 trifecta was $213.60.

As well, another day, another longshot win via the debut. Thanks, Brahmberry, in the 10th at Fair Grounds. It was ripe for plucking by a firster, and the near 20-1 win mutuel was sweet, juicy, succulent. Admittedly, this is weak writing.

Extra for Experts: We tried to get the wonderfully named Nana Sissy Zander
home in the sixth at Fonner (Fonner!) because — let’s face it — a horse that goes through life being called that should win every race she’s in. Truly, she should get in contact with the J.M. Smucker Jam Co. Alas, ’Nana, 13-1, was not able to prevail, though she did acquit herself honorably, outrunning her long odds in a best-of-the-rest effort. Next time!

WMF Report:

Early
Aqueduct 6f
Fonner 6f
Hawthorne 6f
Los Alamitos 4½f
Laurel 6f
Turf Paradise 6f, 6½f

Nocturnal Submission:: Chas. Town, Race 7 (10:58 p.m. EST / 7:58 p.m. PST / one last hurrah for Standard Time), and #9 Explosive Whirl can run to that billing. …#4 Gyrate spins perhaps to a longshot win in Delta 7 (10:25 / 7:25). …If not, wait another 27 mins. or so for the eighth (10:52 / 7:52), in which #2 Market Ice and #1 Tribute’s Best One are not out of it. …The second at Mountain (7:25 / 4:25) has #8 Validated Blarney ready to strike eight days ahead of schedule. …

Thank you. Best wishes. Goodbye. Drive safely.