The Oaklawn Picks yesterday were not bad, except for the shocker in Race 9 -- The Temperance Hill Stakes. Not too many (myself included) came up with 47-1 longshot CARLOS L in their selections, unless you maybe hit the "ALL" button for that race. But, win he did and destroyed the Pick4 suggestion here in the opening leg. Wire-to-wire for this improbable runner in the difficult 1-1/2 mile affair.
On the day, let's take a look, I gave you 23 horses to consider, when you look at the Late Pick 4 and Races 5 and 7 .Out of those, I had five winners, four seconds and three thirds. A 53% "in the money" number. In the 18 "payable" spots available, I filled 12 of them for 66%. The numbers aren't that bad, and I had a coiple off Pick 3's in my pocks -- but the elusive prrizr, the Pick 4 got away from me.
RACE 5 --FLAGSTAFF SHEDARESTHEDEVIL got the win here. I had her, plus LETRUSKA in second. I did also like Endvoulate, but that one is still running, I guess...
RACE 7 -- I was huge on TAX, but that one got scratched. I did have SILVER STATE, who won, though, and NIGHT OPS, who managed third.
RACE 9 -- This was where the bomb exploded, with 47-1 CARLOS L getting the win. The one I really loved, TENFOLD, showed nothing in the stretch and staggered home for third. Still, a head-scratcher.
RACE 10 -- CZ ROCKET won a furious stretch duel over WHITMORE, and these two were my top two picks. FLAGSTAFF got up for third, and I had him selected also.
RACE 11 -- CONCERT TOUR looked quite impressive in the REBEL STAKES win and I had him. It'll be interesting how he does against other Derby hopefuls, CADDO RIVER, KEEPMEINMIND and GOT HER NUMBER failed to hit the board and you have to wonder if they'll still stay on the Derby trail. Bob Baffert has a serious runner in CONCERT TOUR. Along with LIFE IS GOOD, Baffert has two serious Derby contenders.
RACE 12 -- TRUCULENT prevailed in the final race at Oaklawn and he was one of my picks, GENERAL TREV DREW IN FROM THE "ALSO ELIGIBLE" LIST, and he got up for second. SOLOMONIE completed my win, place and show sweep of the final race.
It just goes to show that, sometimes, the unexpected, unexplained and unpredictable can happen in horse racing, and that's why it's called "gambling" The Late Pick 4 was worth $1534.00 for a .50 cent wager, and I still can't see having it, unless I had pushed the "all" button in Race 9. A journeyman jockey, horse that had done little in his five-year-old career and going further than he'd ever been...
Sometimes, you just gotta shake your head, shrug your shoulders and move on. We'll give it a go next week. I probably spent more time handicapping the ninth race than any on the card yesterday at Oaklawn. I came up with five runners I thought were legit. I managed a third place.
And so it goes...
paulie
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