Two feature races at two different tracks are my best bets today.  At Monmouth, in the featured 9th race (The Eatontown), I’m trying to beat Social Queen, who may want firm turf, a faster pace and more distance to win.  I like Ariege (#3) to lay close to a soft pace and prevail.  Using Chestoria (#1) also on top in exactas and doubles.

At Churchill, the 9th race feature is a wide open Optional 100,000 turf race.  I like Yate’s Black Cat (#8) to upset at a price.  It’s his second race off a layoff, his preferred distance and he meets easier company today.  I’ll also use Wise River (#2) who can stay close to the pace and never fails to fire.

Here are both cards and good luck!

Monmouth:

Race 1: 2 (Best Bet)

Race 2: 7 and 2

Race 3: 4 and 5

Race 4: 9 and 2

Race 5: 3 and 6

Race 6: 2 and 7

Race 7: 2 (Best Bet) and 6

Race 8: 5 and 2

Race 9: 3 (Best Bet) and 1

Race 10: 8 and 5

Churchill:

Race 1: 1A and 3

Race 2: 2 and 1

Race 3: 1 and 9

Race 4: 2 and 7

Race 5: 7 and 9

Race 6: 7 ( Best Bet)

Race 7: 2 and 6

Race 8: 3 and 2

Race 9: 8 (Best Bet) and 2

Race 10: 5 and 10

It was an 11-1 bailout not even the government could provide!  It came from Summer Bird, a lightly raced 3 year old colt, from a low profile trainer, and a big name jockey seeking redemption from the Big Brown fiasco that made this handicapper a winner after a day of futility, bad trips and close calls.  Don’t you love horse racing!

It all started going wrong when a drying out dirt track turned into a speed horse’s nirvana and ruined my handicapping “mojo.”  You had to be close to the pace on dirt to have a chance and I could only manage one winner in 6 dirt races (Convocation – Race 3, $4.20).  Even in Race 6, The True North, my top choice, Benny The Bull, was compromised when Sixthirteen blew the start and let Fabulous Strike alone on the lead for a quarter mile before rushing up to engage the frontrunner.  Even though it was a fast half mile, it may have been faster had he broke with the field and maybe Benny The Bull closes and gets there in the end.  Ugh!

The turf races were better, though still frustrating.  My top choice in the 4th, Expansion, had a brutal trip and ran second when he was much the best.  In the 5th, So It Goes, my top choice at 12-1, also ran second after weaving through traffic in the stretch to just miss while the winner had a clear run on the outside.  In the 7th race, The Just A Game, My Princess Jess was 3-wide the entire time and could only close for third to the runaway winner.  Finally, In the 10th race, The Manhattan, the old war horse, Better Talk Now, ran 3rd at 22-1, beaten only 2.5 lengths for all the money.  Oh what could have been!

Then, when all hope was lost, and all my family, friends and fellow horse players were ready to give up on me, the right “Bird” won and delivered the ultimate bailout!  A terrible handicapping day turned just two winners out of 11 races into a positive ROI of $8.

Please come back and visit the site.  I’m good and I want to prove it on a regular basis.  Thanks again for all your support!