Sunday Evening Notes

In the first race at Suffolk Downs today, perpetual maiden Four Acres lost his 66th consecutive race, finishing 5th among 8 horses in a 6 furlong event. I am intrigued now about just who is currently the maiden record holder. Any information from folks out there would be greatly appreciated. I check my daily racing program for maiden races every time I go to the OTW, but if anyone knows any easier way to find this statistic, I would love to know. The closest maidens to Four Acres that I have found are: eleven-year-old Breeze the Weazel (58 losses) currently at Penn National, and six-year-old Linda’s Lass (43 losses) running at Indiana Downs

Stormello’s two-year-old full sister, Ever So Pretty, impressively won her debut in a $46K maiden special weight going 5 furlongs in the ninth race at Hollywood Park on Saturday. Under the urging of jockey Mike Smith, she made the lead early and withstood a late charge by Tasha’s Miracle to win by a neck, paying $8.40. Her time (58.55) was just a tick off the track record of 58.45 set 2-1/2 weeks ago by a two-year-old maiden claimer, Thoroughly. You can watch the race replay for free at www.calracing.com. Very impressive speed. No wonder Bill and Betty Currin have bred their dam Wilshewed back to Stormy Atlantic for a third time.

I was so very pleased to see Barclay Tagg’s Bit of Whimsy perform as she did, winning in a dead-heat with Rutherienne in the G3 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont on Saturday. I have had her in my Equibase Virtual Stable since her first race on April 1. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to the OTW yesterday to place a bet on her, especially since she won’t be a well-kept secret after this stakes debut performance.

Besides, I am taking a brief break from the OTW, after my disastrous Friday last. I didn’t have a single winning ticket, mostly because I got greedy, playing only trifectas instead of the sure-bets that I knew would come in. My most frustrating play was Race 4 at Belmont. I totally had Ghost Hour, Compromise and Holiday Trip figured out, but got overconfident and tried a $24 superfecta (boxed) that included Pure Revenge who looked good for a while, but ultimately Westward Go finished fourth. I’m such a cheapskate that I did buy a tri boxed ticket, but only played Ghost Hour on top of the other top plus Pure Revenge. Dammed if Ghost Hour finished third, but was placed second after getting bumped by Holiday Trip, thus allowing Compromise to win unimpeded. Thus, I screwed myself out of $653 (+ the cost of bets). Jay, one of the regular players at the OTW who I respect quite a bit, was so happy that he got the exacta…I couldn’t even crow about figuring out the tri since I hadn’t played it as I should. The rest of my day continued poorly, as I narrowly missed another $319 tri in Race 7 and a $745 tri in Race 8, all by playing too aggressively. It didn’t help my psyche either in that I sat next to one of those old guys whose bad vibes could extinguish the sun. He didn’t bet a single horse correctly. I know this because he not only analyzed every race aloud (wrongly), but provided running commentary about each race, horse and jockey (apparently John Velasquez, Edgar Prado and Cornelio Velasquez are “goddamn bums” who can’t win a race!). I left totally disheartened, knowing that I needed to take a break for a little while. Fortunately, my teenage niece is coming to stay with me this week, and she wouldn’t be caught dead at the OTW. But, I will be back in full force in time for the Belmont Stakes day card!