First Post: Sunday, August 17, 2014

Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians were a decidedly not a mainstream band, but that didn’t stop them from putting out this accessible rocker, one of the top indie-radio songs of summer 1991.

Free ones: Rundown…

Saratoga Race Course 5, 7, 8
Gulf 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club 6, 7

Pay-side:

Arlington 2, 6
BelTerra 4
Ellis Park 1, 7
Golden Gate 5, 9
Louisiana 2, 3, 6, 7, 8
Monmouth 9
Woodbine 6, 7, 10

Today’s Stakes Pageantry: A lot of horseys lined up for Woodbine 9, but the chalk seems too strong now: #8 Ami’s Holiday. Oh, well.

Likewise #3 Seeking the Light in Emerald 8.

However, there’s a wild-open Quintuple Stumper (!!!!!) on tap in Thistle 7. The Luckless Five are #2 Rookie Gladden, #11 Diavoletto, #6 Quasi Folle, #13 Doctoriat, #10 Plain Ol’ Willard.

Yesterday’s Activity: We would be remiss if we did not mention that the first Bonkers Box of the day at Saratoga Race Course finished one-two — bottom and second from the bottom, that is. Hoo-boy.

As always, Welcome to The Home of The Runner-Up Finish, this time nearly led by First Bonkersmate Woodfield Springs and Second Bonkersmate Sportscaster, second-place and third-place in the last race at Saratoga, 11-1 and 24-1, respectively. Unfortunately, the winner was not that good on the LifeLiner, so all chances for the saver exotics were unavailable. Pity.

Just a regrettable day in soggy South Florida. Better off playing Three-Card Monte over pressed Cuban sandwiches in Coral Gables with the Rastafariansz. Or something like that.

Another nearly was in Del Mar 9, courtesy of sole-touted Salsita.

Salsita, fourth-best on your V6 Betting Line at Fair Odds of 6-1 in a contentious race, was 12-1 on your morning line and 17-1 in real life. Salsita rallied hard to be beaten 1¼ lengths, confirming her complete LifeLiner array of 63-75-99.

The race winner was your 4.20-1 third-choice in the wagering, a gate-to-wire job who also ran to her complete LifeLiner array: 99-99-84. The saver exacta paid $187-even, for $2. The show-horse also was LifeLiner Speed Column-sanctioned, and the trifecta returned $654, for $2.

Over at Arlington, Race 3 went to sole-touted Sir Applesolutely, the longest shot in the eight-horse field.

Sir Applesolutely, winner by 1¾ was dead-last on your conventional V6 Betting Line but sill worth considering based on a barely qualifying 81 in the Life Liner Speed Column. Sir Applesolutely was 12-1 on the morning line, 17½-1 on the toteboard and a $37-even payoff straight.

The 4½-1 runner-up was also OK on LifeLiner, and the exacta paid $192.80.

In Race 7 at Delpark, it took plastering the race with five touted horseys, but they pulled down the exacta, anyway. A wild-open maiden race for two-year-olds rife with first-timers and second-out restarts, crazy. Even though it turned out 14-1 over 9½-1 in a 11-horse scramble, the exacta returned a modest $208.80. Yes, complaining about $200-plus gimmicks. What’s this world coming to now?

Another miserly score: lone-touted Emmajestic prevailed in Ellis Park 6, paying $5.80. Mark ’em up!

Another close call, this time at Monmouth, the Shore’s Greatest Stretch, so-called, and Race 9, in which Bonkersmate Tell Tale Friend ran second, beaten just half a length.

Tell Tale Friend, third from bottom on your conventional V6 Betting Line, nevertheless scored the minimum acceptable LifeLiner Speed Column score of 80. Tell Tale Friend, 15-1 on your morning line and 20¢ shy of 39-1 in the actual wagering, unfortunately was not beaten by another LifeLiner Speed Column qualifier. Boo! Boo, hiss!

A winner over at Woodbine: single-touted Didyoujustsaythat, $9.80, in Race 7. The exact same win-payoff to lone-touted Oro Vero in the ninth there. Blowin’ it up at Rexdale-Etobicoke Int’l.

Closing out the touting evening chronologically was Remington Park 7, won by First Bonkersmate Passion Talk, rallying winner by a dirty, desperate head at $28.80. Complete LifeLiner array: 64-60-85.

Lots of loose touting out there for your Saturday. Loose. Anyway, al always, hope you had ’em — the winners, at least.

WMF Report:

Early
Arapahoe 6f
Columbus 6f
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club 6f
Ellis Park 6f
Keystone 6f
Saratoga Race Course 6f
Thistle 6f, 1m

Rally
Gulf 1 1/16m (T)
Monmouth 1 1/16m (T)

Nocturnal Submission: Sifting through the wreckage…

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