HANDICAPPING HEROES -- The I'll Have Another Gang hits big !

WE features handicappers Archie Karel and Scott Harris on our weekly radio show HANDICAPPING HEROES but the "I'll Have Another" gang...a loosely associated group of 3-4 other Churchill regulars often combines with me, Arch and Scott to do wagers at Churchill. Yesterday, the boys came through in fine fashion...taking down the Gulfstream Pick 6 and its mandatory payout.

Involved in the triumph were Charlie, Spanky and yours truly...Paulie. We convened about a half-hour before the start of the Pick 6...which was race 5. Our handicapping in place, we were disappointed to find out that two of our "single" picks...in races 6 and 10 had been scratched. So, it was back to the drawing board for those two races. 

Anytime you construct a ticket like a Pick 6...or even a Pick 4 or 3...there is a little "give and take" on the selections before the final ticket is bet. Our first attempt at building the ticket ended up in a selection roster that would have cost us a little over $80 each. Feeling that was a bit too high...we went into the elimination process, race by race, to pare that total down a bit. Finally, with just a few minutes before post, we had reduced the ticket to where we were at a total wager amount of $38 each and I headed to the window to bet it. 

Below is a picture of what we were working off of. Yeah, first class all the way for this bunch...

With napkin in hand, I took the $115 dollars to the teller and got the bet down. When I returned to the table, Spanky looked at me and wryly commented...

"This may be one of the most moronic things we've done lately." I chuckled and repeated our creed:

"Morons R Us." 

The fifth race got underway and we had four horses in the leg, We got a break when the odds-on favor got caught in the stretch and the #1 horse, CALLING ME HOME zipped by to win. A nice price, at 5-1. We were one race in. The sixth race was a scramble for us, since the one we all figured would win...CARIBOU CAT, had scratched. Still, we had three horses in the sprint...and #2 PIONEER PETE came home for us at 6-1. We were 1/3 of the way there...and had two pretty good prices in each of our wins. 

In the seventh race, we had a hard paring the selections down and ended up with four horses. We almost tossed Charlie's selection, the #4 horse HEARTBREAKER GIRL out...but decided to take a chance with her on the "drop" and it was a wise choice...she held on in the stretch and won at 6-1 odds. Going to the eighth race, we were a bit nervous thaat we have left the betting favorite out of our three horse selection...but a strong ride by Lionel Reyes on 3-1 ANA'S PRIDE magically got us to the winner's circle again. 

Two races to go and we were getting a bit nervous. We only had two horses in each of the final two races...but felt very confident that either the odds-on favorite in the ninth FLASH JAK or second choice Jill's Comprise could get it done. What a nail-biter! TWINKLING TIME jumped out to the early lead and looked unbeatable as they set down for the stretch. But the #2...FLASH JAK...took after him, caught him with a few yards to go and won by a long neck. 

We were 5-5 and the final race loomed. Once again, by post time, we had the two favorites when they broke from the gate. Both #6 DREAMING OF EVA and #10 FIRST SALUTE laid off the pace in the early fractions of the five furlong race. It looked like Dreaming of Eva was poised to make a big move in the stretch but got checked sharply and fell back. We looked desperately for the #10 FIRST SALUTE and Jesus Rios had him coming on the outside. He charged to the lead and held on for the win! 

We had just hit the Pick 6 and were going nuts in Churchill's GOLD ROOM. 

A couple of exciting minutes went by before we saw the payout.  We had guessed maybe $1500, possibly $2000. When the board flashed $3234.24 we were stunned. 

Goes to show that even a group of blind squirrels can find a nut at times and our "moronic effort" had pocketed each of us a little over $1000. 

Good times...


paulie
xxxxx