A Tough Beat

First, just a quick look back at yesterday's races before we jump into today's busy afternoon with ten graded stakes at four different tracks, including four at Aqueduct for Cigar Mile Day.

SUMMER SOIREE did what was expected in the G1 Matriarch at Hollywood Park, getting a jump on the field and using her quick early speed to try to wire the field. However, one of the horses I used underneath, STAR BILLING, slipped through on the inside and battled my top choice through the entire stretch, getting up in the final strides. It was the only race all day that I did not reverse my exacta play and it cost me. The $1 exacta with the $23.80 horse on top paid $71.60, costing me over $350 for not playing the $5 backup exacta wheel.

In the end, I went 0-for-5 and saw my bankroll dip to $215. That's not the kind of scenario I was hoping for, especially kicking the day off with a potential pk4 play at Aqueduct.

In other races, MORE THAN LOVE won the Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park, paying $4 to win. My choice, KATIE'S TEN, appeared to not take to the turf as expected and finished 6th of seven. LOVELY LIL led every step of the way and took the Go For Wand Stakes at Aqueduct as the longest shot in the field, returning $33.80 to win and $101.50 in the exacta with the favorite, ALL DUE RESPECT. At Golden Gate, OUR NAUTIQUE took the All American Stakes over the always-a-bridesmaid-never-a-bride BOLD CHIEFTIAN in a logical 1-2 finish. I tried to get too cute with this one, using the longest shot in the field over the 1-2-3 finishers in an exacta play, but my horse finished next to last. The $1 exacta in the 6-horse field paid a nice $18.70.

WISE DAN won the G1 Clark Handicap, which didn't do anything to clear up the muddied Horse of the Year race. WISE DAN made his move around the far turn and won easily with unusable MISSION IMPAZIBLE second and the disappointing-at-Churchill-Downs FLAT OUT third. WISE DAN returned $11.00 to his faithful backers. I had this one on top in my trifecta, but threw out the place horse and tried to take the trifecta without the favorite hitting the board. It paid $375.60.

So, a close but no cigar day yesterday leaving me with work to do in order for me to build my bankroll back up. I'll return later with thoughts on today's graded stakes (and maybe even a n1x allowance race for NY breds as the final leg in today's $250k guaranteed pick 4 at Aqueduct).