First Post: Saturday, August 6, 2016

Pas de deux

Last night, members of the American Ballet Theatre came out to join Maestro Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Philharmonic for an evening of Tchaikovsky.

Of course there was the romantic sweep of the strings, the low-brass stomping and pealing like a heavy bell. The maestro is so above it all, a supernova of talent and celebrity, he doesn’t need to descend and engage the audience. No remarks from the conductor’s podium, much less from the stage. A true A-lister. The baton speaks for him; his mouth would only detract from the mystical magic of the music. Dudamel: the anti-politician!

Free ones: Rundown…

Saratoga Race Course 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9
Gulfstream Park Proper 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Pending

Pay-side (Weekend/Weekday): Today…

Arlington 7, 8
Belterra 3, 6
Delpark 1, 3, 5, 7
Ellis Park 2, 5, 6, 8, 10
Louisiana 2, 3, 7
Laurel 2, 5, 6, 9
Monmouth 1, 6, 8
Suffolk 1, 3, 5, 7
Woodbine 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10

Today’s Stakes Pageantry: Gulf 2, 4, 9, 11, Saratoga 7, 9 on the free page. Pay-side has Louisiana 2, 3, 7, Woodbine 8.

Live fourth-choice on your morning line in Ellis Park 7: #4 Sobrino.

Singling-out #2 Rach’slastscarf in Louisiana 1. In Race 4 there, bypassing the top two morning-line choices and going instead with #4 Couche Couche, #10 Ice Gentleman.

All systems go for the ultra-obvious #4 Frosted in Saratoga 10.

Sidestepping the top two morning-line choices in Suffolk 8, going instead with #9 Tania, #1 Tropical Joy.

Big day in W. Va. today. Big. Chas. Town 7 has the fave-longshot pairing of #4 Bullets Fever, #3 King of Anything. Longhosts galore in Mountain 3: #4 In Mid Heir, #6 Flattering Bea, #1 Raise Your L Up. Similarly, Race 6 has #8 Jasizzle, #2 Rockinn On Bye, #3 Outbacker. #3 Belomor is not out of the finale.

#7 Springers Point can do it in PennNat 4.

Yesterday’s Activity:

Track (Win Mutuels $20+/Gettable)

Albuquerque (1/0) — 13-year-old arrested for alleged drunk-driving.

Arlington (1/0) — Visiting Cubs trounce Oaktown, 7-2; Jorge Soler had a 3-run HR.

Arapahoe (2/0) — Visiting Rockies lose to Miami, 5-3; Mark Reynolds went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the loss.

Assiniboia (0/0) — Residents lament rising lake water at Manitou Beach, Sask.

Belterra (0/0) — Reds edged at Pgh., 3-2; Brandon Phillips had 2 hits and an RBI for Cincy.

Canterbury (0/0) — Twins triple-up on host Tampa Bay, 6-2; Eddie Rosario had a pinch-hit 2-run HR for Minnesota.

Columbus (0/0) — Gunfire stops intruder during break-in in La Vista.

Chas. Town (0/0) — Berkeley Co. sewer district increases rates by 36pc.

Del Mar (1/0) — Padres edged by visitor Philalala, 5-4; Alexei Ramirez had a pinch-hit solo HR for San Diego.

Ellis Park (0/0) — FEMA officials in Owensboro

Emerald (0/0) — Host Mariners beat Anaheim, 6-4; Mike Zunino had a 3-run HR for Seattle.

Evangeline (0/0) — Clarinetist Pete Fountain dead at 86; R.I.P.

Gulf (0/0) — See Arapahoe commentary.

Grande Prairie (0/0) — Witness on Grande Prairie flash-flooding: ‘Cars floating, people trying to swim’

Hazel (0/0) — Host Tigers edge Nueva Jork Jankees, 4-3; Victor Martinez had a 2-run HR in the win.

Hastings (3/1) — Race 5 was contentious, and Omega Victory had a field-best 81 on your LifeLiner Spread Column analysis; he went gate-to-wire to win by 5 at $25.70. Good work.

Indiana (1/0) — Gen Con taking over downtown Indpls.

Louisiana (2/0) — Clarinetist Pete Fountain dead at 86; again, R.I.P.

Laurel (2/0) — Orioles beat host White Sox, 7-5; Pedro Alvarez hit two solo HRs for Balto.

Marquis (1/0) — Prince Albert lifts some emergency water restrictions.

Monmouth (1/1) — Publicly touted North Ocean had your field-best 96 on your LifeLiner Spread Column analysis in a contentious Race 2; he went gate-to-wire to win by 3¾ at $20.80. Good work.

Northlands (0/0) — Red Deer police investigating dozens of counterfeit-currency cases.

PennNat (1/0) — See Del Mar commentary.

Prairie (0/0) — Crews perform early-morning water rescue on Des Moines R.

Ruidoso (0/0) — Recent rains have not helped drought situation.

Saratoga (2/1) — Publicly touted Three for Me was a Dual Qualifier (97, 84) in a contentious finale; he rallied like the champion he should have been, winning by 1½ at $21.60. Good work.

Santa Rosa (1/1) — Dual Qualifier Weyand (87, 87) needed High-Octane Chancers to recognize his talent in a noncontentious Race 3; he went virtually gate-to-wire to win by a clean nose at $27-even. Good work.

Woodbine (3/1) — Publicly touted Heuston was a Dual Qualifier (81, 87) in a contentious Race 5; he had to rally, though, but he was good enough, winning by a clean nose at $40.10. Good work.

WMF Report:

Early
Del Mar 5½f, 6f
Ellis Park 6f
Finger 5½f
Gulf 6f
Monmouth 6f
Northlands 6f
Keystone 6f
Prairie 5½f
Thistle 6f, 1m

Rally
Arlington 1m (T)
Gulf 7½f

Nocturnal Submission: Sifting through the wreckage…

Thank you. Best wishes. Goodbye. Dance safely.