Win Some, Lose Some

Not a bad start—I went one for four in the DRF’s “Winter of Our Discontent” contest yesterday, down only $1.60. It didn't start out very promising when, in a snow squall at Woodbine, my third pick Patena ($10.50 win) prevailed by a nose over the filly Hooh Why ($6.20 place) in the Display Stakes, with my first choice Red Leader ($3.90 show) a game closing third. I have a bad habit in these contests of picking the winners, but not as my primary choice, which is usually a more risky longshot. It was snowing at Turfway as well, where my only winning pick of the day,Kiss With a Twist ($6.80 win) overcame a horrible start to convincingly take the My Charmer over Cryptoquip ($14.80 place) and Lauren’s Tizzy ($6.60 show).

My first choice Racketeer scratched from the G3 Native Diver, and my second (thus replacement) pick Spring House spun his wheels, as Slew’s Tizzy ($16.40 win) pulled the huge upset over Past the Point ($3.40 place) and Ball Four ($2.60 show), setting a new Cushion track record (1:46.78) for the 9f. I had not liked Slew’s Tizzy the night before, but considering the day Joel Rosario was having, I threw him in my trifecta bet with Ball Four and...Spring House. Urgh!

With poor Tyler Baze out after suffering broken ribs on Friday, Alex Solis got the mount on my third choice High Heels Sneakers in the G1 Hollywood Turf Cup—which took away any chance for her, in my opinion. Taking advantage of an inside trip, my second pick Champs Elysees ($5.60 win) nipped Obrigado ($14.40 place) with red-hot Joel Rosario up, while Church Service ($3.40 show) beat my number one selection Black Mamba out for third, as the mare was horribly placed wide around the final turn by Mike Smith. Just for kicks, Joel Rosario won the final race on the card, his fifth of the day, to go along with his two second-place finishers.

One, and only one, handicapper picked all four winners in the contest, but only after their first and second choices in the My Charmer scratched—lucky dog!

All wasn't lost yesterday, though, as I hit a nice $2 WP bet on Academy Star in the 9th at Woodbine ($22.80 win, $10.60 place), and a $2 W bet on Get Stormy ($7.80 win) in the 7th at Aqueduct. My other winning score this weekend was on Friday at Delta Downs, where I had $2 W on Four Gifts ($16.60 win) in the G3 Delta Princess. So, my Twinspires account is just about balanced now with wins and losses, enough to keep me playing another day.