I will go out on a limb and say that today will mark an attendance and handle low for the meet: 3,328 people on-track, only $2,665,857 bet. I suppose the first race, with five two-year-olds and a 2/5 favorite, did handle no favors. Hopefully, it'll rise over the weekend. Anyway, here's how the card broke down:
Race 1 (Hissy Fit, Eddie Plesa-Angel Serpa, :53.0)
This will be, undoubtedly, the worst non-bet I will make all season, as I picked Hissy Fit in this very blog to win, but got scared by Breen's first-timer and didn't bet. Of course, Hissy Fit went out to the lead, never quit, and held off everybody, including heavily favored Gauche, to score. She paid $12.40. $12.40!!! Gah.
Race 2 (Constantine, Patrick Quick-Wilmer Garcia, 1:44.1)
Celebrity Warrior went out and set the early pace, but wound up going way, way faster than he needed to (:22.3, :47.4), and stopped going around the turn. Constantine, despite being wide the entire way, swooped the whole field in the three-path around the turn and scored. Summer Cove, whom I bad-mouthed here, was bet down to 7/5 and finished third.
Race 3 (Run Slado Run, Gerald Bennett-Samuel Camacho, 1:40.3)
Big Tomatoes tried to wire them by going out to a clear early lead, but stopped at the 3/4 pole, and the stage was set for a battle between Eight Cents and Run Slado Run. Eight Cents, who was even money because bettors never learn, finished second, while Run Slado Run--yet another pick that I didn't bet in real life--prevailed by half a length.
Race 4 (Chippette, Bernardo Sobrazo-Jose Ferrer, 1:04.2)
Chippette looked like the best on paper, and she was the best on the track. She was hustled for the lead two-wide, brushed off inside challenger Titadine, and drew off to a smashing seven-length score. La Chuchi was second, making up some mild ground in the stretch as the 3/2 second favorite.
Race 5 (Quiet Kitten, Marcus Vitali-Orlando Bocachica, 1:37.0)
Quiet Kitten rated wide the entire way around, made a three-wide move around the turn, and got up to score. Disappointing effort for Fiery Cat, who made a big move on the rail down the backstretch and looked like she was ready to roll on the turn, but just never did anything late, and finished fifth.
Race 6 (Callmewhachuwant, Charles Harvatt-Christian Santiago-Reyes, 1:11.4)
My pick, Notably Awesome, went off 7/2, which I thought was very notably awesome. She got a great trip, too, stalking the pace in the two path. She was asked on the turn, but wound up showing nothing.
Callmewhatchuwant, meanwhile, exploded up the rail around the far turn, drifted out in the stretch, and rendered that irrelevant with a four length score. Nice race by second-place So Frank, who rallied up the rail to secure second.
Race 7 (Pernicious, Louis Linder-Joe Bravo, 1:45.0)
George Cross and Delta Golf Alpha engaged themselves in the most anti-climatic duel of all time, both looking very disinterested in the lead while both racing in the general direction of the lead. Because of their lack of extertion, both of them were still in it late when Rickashea and Pernicious came calling. Rickashea flattened out in the stretch, but Pernicious kept on coming and got up late to just get there.
Race 8 (Keltic Fighter, Pablo Hizo-Abel Castellano, 1:05.0)
This race took about an hour and a half to get started, as Rocket Man Richie got loose and had to be scratched. It took way too long to get him captured, and then lead him back to the stable area. Then, all the jockeys had to get back on their mounts, and everyone had to be re-loaded into the gate. THEN, both Keepin it Zeal and Crafty Old Soul didn't want to go in. Just a mess overall.
Once all the dust settled and the race actually went off, Indian Fighter was bet down to a ludicrous 2/5. Both him and fellow dueler Keepin it Zeal held on well, but Keltic Fighter set a perfect trip off that battle, and galloped on past. His lifetime mark is now 2-71.Whoop de doo!
Race 9 (Indian Splendor, Jason Servis-Joe Bravo, :56.3)
Great race by Indian Splendor, who dueled through an opening quarter of :21.1, brushed off her rival, and drew off to win by 1 3/4 lengths. No excuse for Sweet Tooth Sweety, who had a front-row seat to that duel, yet had no response when asked.
Race 10 (Colonel Jordan, Jorge Navarro-Orlando Bocachica, 1:41.2)
Colonel Jordan was so much the best on paper, 6-5 was a bargain on him. He ran like much the best on the track itself, racing wide the whole way, yet still drawing off for an easy ten-length win. Fictionalcharacter made up ground to finish third. Anyone who actually bet that horse probably belongs in the nuthouse.
There you have it--Friday's card. Check back soon for a review of Saturday's action,
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