1/15: Honoring Heritage (GP 7-10, P4)

[Kasept]

The Martin Luther King Day Holiday gives pause for us to recall the exploits of racing's legendary Afro-American riders and trainers. From "Simon" the slave jock of the early 1800's, to Oliver Lewis (won first Derby), Abe Hawkins, Issac Murphy (44% wins), Willie Simms and Jimmy Winkfield, black pilots were the model for all aspirants of the turf world. Black trainers succeeded in early Derby runs as well, with Ed Brown, James Williams, Raliegh Colston, Billy Bird, Alex Perry and Dud Allen forever etched in Kentucky annals as rose run winning conditioners.

The gambling blackout of the 00's at the turn of the 20th century squeezed the Afro-American rider and trainer from the games' highest level. Work for their white counterparts became scarce everywhere with Kentucky and Maryland the only states in the country that continued racing. The scenario scattered men like Simms, Winkfield and Allen across the Atlantic where their careers continued from England to Russia. "Wink's" success particularly remains the stuff of legend with Joe Drape's recent "Black Maestro" chronicalling the rider-trainer's three decade adventure as one of Europe's premier big race winners.

The legacy of the Afro-American in racing is one that is highly undertold, having only recently found new purchase as part of the sport's rich past. While New York champions Winkfield today with a stakes race, and an assortment of similar honors dot the racing calander, his story and that of his contemporaries remains sorely unappreciated.

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Unusual day at Santa Anita in search of P6 riches Sunday.. Though my own ticket was done immediately, winners of the sextet were offered somewhere in each event with 2 on-top, 2 as the A play and 2 as the B offering. As is always the case when dragnetting every photo subject in a series, Pick 3's were the order of the afternoon. Tying all tabs together ($224) in the 4 available P3's brought back a mutuel flood of $1,334.20. In the meantime, the P6 carryover pool was claimed by five winners who each brought home a whopping $147,000.

Carryover of $40K+ at Aqueduct, but the card at Gulfgstream is more appealling...


SELECTIONS -- Gulfstream, 1/17 (R7-10/P4)

Superfectas in all races..

7th: CLM, F&M-4+, 1m (DD, P3, P4)

1. #7 Wicklow Vamp 5-2: Walder deadly operator, especially with Johnny V.. WON
2. #8 SCR (Sub #3 Bohemian Rain: 8-1)
A. #2 Casablanca Babe 6-1: "Of all the P4's in all the world, she walks into mine".. 2nd
B. #1 Childress 4-1: Prado back on Dutrow 9yo that loves GP, trip..

$1 Exacta (7-2) $25.00


8th: MSW, 3yo-F, 8.5f-T (DD, P3)

1. #7 BLOCK 5-2: Ignore off turf disaster and Mott Dynaformer imposing.. 3rd
2. #8 Double Dinghy Day 4-1: Forestry filly from Frank working well of break.. WON
A. #6 Danish Wildcat 8-1: Matz-Cowan Danehill bay has 6 weeks at Palm Meadows..
B. #11 Classic Strike 6-1: Gomez miss has been chasing next out winners..

LONGSHOT NOTE: #12 Winsome Ways 10-1: Mott firster with Castro has impossible debut assignment, but may be a gal to keep an eye on for next time with experience and better draw..

$1 Double (7/8) $33.50


9th: OC/N3X, 4+, 9f (DD)

1. #5 DRY MARTINI 2-1: Benson grey third in Hooper to 'Salt', Rehoboth.. 2nd
2. #2 Welcome Again 6-1: Troubled Adena runner back with Bobby a fit if right.. WON
A. #8 Gold Native 8-1: Last out Tortora winner at lower level offers value
B. #9 Little Cliff 5-2: Zito ne'er do well boosted confidence at Calder..

LONGSHOT/EXOTICS ADD: #3 Itsawonderfulife 20-1: Collins 6yo has back figs and nice ITM record at Hallandale..

$1 Exacta (2-5) $9.70
$1 Double (8/2) $28.10
$1 P3 (7/8/2) $99.20


10th: CLM, F&M-4+, 8.5f-T

1. #5 BRIDAL PATH 5-2: Mott-Prado 6yo owned by PA wrestling legend.. WON
2. #3 Exclusive Hopper 3-1: Walder again, and 7yo still getting it done.. 2nd
A. #6 Indyan Lisa 10-1: Dwoskin a 20% operator and LDK bay may get bold..
B. #2 Extra Bases 5-1: Clever Casse drops in 5yo bay first for tag..

$1 Exacta (5-3) $7.50
$1 Double (2/5) $8.80
$1 P3 (8/2/5) $102.40
$1 P4 (7/8/2/5) $308.70


<$50 P4 Play:

7: 1-2-3-7
8: 6-7-8
9: 3-5
10: 3-5

4x3x2x2 = $48


Good luck!
Steve

[SentToStud]

Steve,
Who's the PA wrestling legend/owner of Bridal Path?

[Kasept]

Steve, Who's the PA wrestling legend/owner of Bridal Path?
Mike Caruso..

Undefeated in high school, went on to unbelievable Lehigh career..

His National Wrestling Hall of Fame bio:

The beacon of Lehigh University's proud wrestling tradition, Mike Caruso set high standards for both athletic and professional achievement. He brought awesome credentials to the Lehigh campus, a spotless prep record of 81 victories, three state titles and an outstanding wrestler trophy, all at a small Catholic prep school in Newark, New Jersey.

At Lehigh, he won three NCAA championships and three Eastern Intercollegiate crowns at 123 pounds in 1965-66-67, and was the only wrestler to sweep both events three times. His college record was 57-1, and after a loss to Bob Steenlage of Army as a sophomore, he won 50 in a row. He was co-captain for the first East-West all-star dual in 1967.

His three epic struggles with Bob Fehrs of Michigan in the national finals were highlights of the 1960s. Each was close, high-scoring and a memorable victory for Caruso. During his career, long lines at ticket windows and noisy, packed houses in Grace Hall were regular occurrences.

Caruso received both prep and collegiate awards for academic achievement and leadership. In 1967, he was the EIWA's outstanding wrestler and its top scholar-athlete. He was voted New Jersey's top collegiate athlete and received the Boisey Reiter Leadership Cup from Lehigh.

After a year as an assistant coach at Virginia and two as freshman coach at Lehigh, in 1971 he founded Michael J. Caruso & Associates, a corporate insurance and benefits management firm in the Lehigh Valley. A leader in community and alumni activities for three decades, he has received numerous post-graduate citations and awards.

He remained close to St. Benedict's Prep in Newark. Although the school had become primarily a composite of inner-city minorities, Caruso served on its Board of Trustees, established a wrestling scholarship in his father's name, and sponsored youngsters to summer camps.

As an athlete of rare achievement, and as a successful businessman who remembers his roots, Michael Joseph Caruso is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

[pilotgya]

Nice job Steve, winners included in all 4 top selections. Cheap P4 ticket available to anyone who wanted it.

[blackthroatedwind]

Steve, you obviously just wrote down the wrong numbers for your Pick-4 play, and should have had a winning tickets. The 9th winner was your second choice and the " 3 " who you wrote down was not included anywhere in your selcections ( and rightfully so ).

I credit you with a win.....and a great opinion.

[golfer]

Andy, very good segment on ATRAB tonight (you too, Steve). I thought the rail at Gulfstream on Saturday was quite juiced, or maybe it was just Sciametta/Pletcher... I realized after the 7th or so that I was playing outside posted closers, and running 2nd to the re-breaking rail speed types. It takes me a while to notice these trends.

[blackthroatedwind]

Thanks.

You know the rail is good when Todd has either the clear speed or draws the rail.

[Sightseek]

Thanks.

You know the rail is good when Todd has either the clear speed or draws the rail.

Where there any horses you found particularly interesting over the weekend Derby hopeful-wise?

[blackthroatedwind]

Where there any horses you found particularly interesting over the weekend Derby hopeful-wise?


Ohio or Illinois?

[Sightseek]

Ohio or Illinois?

Is that your way of saying no?

[blackthroatedwind]

Is that your way of saying no?

Not to be dismissive, but I don't even think about that stuff, and the only way I will even get involved in betting the Derby is if some horse gets a couple of impossible trips leading into the Derby. Why would I play that race any different that any other race I choose to bet? Chances are I won't even bet it.

To me there are two horses at the top of the heap.....NoBiz and Street Sense. I will be extremely surprised if Tiz Wonderful makes it to the race and I am certainly not interested in any flashes in the pan. Those two horses have been FAR more impressive than anyone else I have seen.

But, it's pretty early.

[Sightseek]

Not to be dismissive, but I don't even think about that stuff, and the only way I will even get involved in betting the Derby is if some horse gets a couple of impossible trips leading into the Derby. Why would I play that race any different that any other race I choose to bet? Chances are I won't even bet it.

To me there are two horses at the top of the heap.....NoBiz and Street Sense. I will be extremely surprised if Tiz Wonderful makes it to the race and I am certainly not interested in any flashes in the pan. Those two horses have been FAR more impressive than anyone else I have seen.

But, it's pretty early.

You're not the dismissive sort, even when frank, you still answer any question asked of you (thanks!).

So lets forget talking about who will wear the roses, but speak of quality...you don't think Street Sense benefited deeply from the track conditions on Breeder's Cup day?

[blackthroatedwind]

So lets forget talking about who will wear the roses, but speak of quality...you don't think Street Sense benefited deeply from the track conditions on Breeder's Cup day?


Sure, he got a great trip, but he was still pretty scary. Even if you say the trip moved him up five lengths then his race was very strong. When you couple that with his prior race at Keeneland you have a pair of extremely stron efforts. His Keeneland trip was easily as bad as his BC trip was good. However, he obviously still has to run well this year.