Coast-to-coast

That said, overall we were a little disappointed. Only one winner on the day (Calder, $4.00) -- and that was in six races (we lost one that was moved off the turf). Going in we felt fairly confident about all of our top choices so the end results we a let down. We always try to give the jocks the benefit of the doubt -- but certainly we were less than thrilled with some of the rides Saturday. At Aqueduct we were dismayed to see Taittinger Rose sitting back off of a dawdling pace. Our comments noted that she was up-close last time under similar pace circumstances and we hoped she could revert to her preferred stalking style -- but when the clock was ticking as slowly as it was this weekend she probably needed to revert to the up-close style she used to just miss in her previous start.

Film Maker was our only winner and she received an superb ride from Edgar Prado -- but our cold exacta just missed when ours ran third, just failing to get past the eventual place horse after hooking up with that one and looking good late. Can't really fault the jock but if he could have just squeezed another ounce out of her...

Likewise Revved Up looked to be a winner in the lane but just could not get by the winner in the run to the wire.

And in the Hollywood Futurity our top pick, AP Warrior, probably needed to get in the game a little sooner. The eventual 1-2 finishers made their moves going into the far turn and simply were not going to be caught. We'll be watching to see how these progress out of this race and we'll still have an inkling to follow AP Warrior next time.

Oh well, that's just the way it works out sometimes.

WAGERED: $300.00
COLLECTED: $253.40

Our Head-to-Head feature pits Coast-to-Coast's Seth Merrow against DRF's Weekend Warrior, Mike Watchmaker. Whenever the two columns make selections in the same race we'll tally the results for each.

12/17/2005

Wow. Three weeks ago, on 12/3, Coast-to-coast's Seth Merrow lead in all categories. But we've been stiffed over the past two weeks while DRF's Weekend Warrior, Mike Watchmaker grabbed three winners during that period. There are two Saturday's left on the racing calendar -- but one is Christmas Eve, and the other New Year's Eve, so we don't know when and if Weekend Warrior will step up to the plate again and give us a last chance to make amends in 2005. Currently we have to tip our cap to the Warrior for the solid gains over the last two sessions.

Like our overall week, as we mentioned above, there was disappointment with this week's Best Bets. Dazzling Dr Cevin never got in the hunt. Gingivere had some trouble on the backstretch and also wound up never giving us a run for our money. Sell to Survive was not only last early in the ten horse field, but he'd lost contact with the rest. He ran on well to get up late for fourth -- but it would have been almost impossible to overcome the work the jock left him to do late. Big Courage loomed a winner at the top of the lane, but the eventual winner was a first-time starter with just too much. Ours faltered and just got nipped for the place (and the 4-5 odds were inexplacably low in eleven-horse field). Intractibie was absolutely game down the stretch -- but might not have seen the winner sneak through along the rail. It might not have made a difference though. And we mentioned our disappointment with AP Warrior above.

Sometimes after the fact you can go back and review and find fault with your picks and/or see something you missed in the winner. But sometimes, like this week, the picks seemed solid even on review -- the cards just didn't fall our way...

Calder, Race 10, Dazzling Dr Cevin... 6th at 9-2.
Tampa, Race 5, Gingivere... 4th At 9-5.
Tampa, Race 11, Sell to Survive... 4th at 4-1.
FG @ La Downs, Race 1, Big Courage... 3rd at 4-5 (xxx, xxx, 2.20).
FG @ La Downs, Race 7, Intractabie... 2nd at 7-2 (xxx, 5.20, 3.20).
FG @ La Downs, Race 9, May Gator... Off the turf.
Hollywood, Race 8, AP Warrior... 4th at 2-1.

India Halo 7-1
Bohemian Lady 4-5
Taittinger Rose 4-1

Wager: $5 WP on Taittinger Rose.
Ran 3rd.
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 2-3.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Collected $20.80 on the ex box ($41.60/$2).
...$1 tri box top four.
Collected $73.00 on the ($146.00/$2).

Taittinger Rose...Being up on the pace in a paceless race last time is not her style. She should be able to stalk today and make a late run.
Bohemian Lady...Has plenty of speed on a track where that rules -- and often these longer races can set up for front-runners.
Strategy...Beat top pick last time. Like the top pick she was up on the pace in that race and might prefer sitting a little today.
India Halo.

Film Maker 1-1
Kate Winslet 23-1
Noble Stella 4-1

Wager: $5 WP on Film Maker.
Collected $17.00 on the WP (4.00, 2.80).
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 1-3.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Ran 1-3-5-11.
...$1 tri box top four.
Ran 1-3-5-11.

Film Maker...Only one win this season -- and that was back in May -- but can't ignore the class of the competition she's been facing. Ran third in BC F/M Turf last time.
Noble Stella...Always a little hinky about these Canadian invaders -- but if she can bring some of the north-of-the-border form into this she'll be tough.
Moscow Burning...Lightly raced but finally gets to string two together this season. The one to catch.
Spotlight.

Mister Fotis 7-2
Storm Surge 5-1
Silver Wagon 4-5

Wager: $5 WP on Silver Wagon.
Ran 3rd.
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 3-6.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Ran 1-3-4-6.
...$1 tri box top four.
Ran 1-3-4-6.

Silver Wagon...Like top pick in prior race he only has one win on the resume this year but might have slight class edge here.
Kennel Up...Goes out for The Chief and is cutting back from a couple of one-turn routes at Belmont. Won convincingly only try this trip.
Mister Fotis...Seems to run well for Chavez and last seems to indicate he's in good form now.
Taint So.

Andromeda's Hero/entry 3-5
Seek Gold/entry 3-5
Whos Crying Now 5-1
Supervisor 9-1

Wager: $5 WP on Dazzling Dr Cevin.
Ran 6th at 9-2.
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 4-6.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Collected $6.10 on the ex box ($12.20/$2).
...$1 tri box top four.
Collected $20.60 on the tri box ($41.60/$2).

Dazzling Dr Cevin...Too far back early last time and jock lost whip but still ran third and gave a good account of himself in stakes try against older. Might move up with meet's top jock jumping onboard.
Supervisor...Good closing effort put him second in stake last time -- ahead of top pick. Going well since late summer break.
Zito entry...Andromeda's Hero has yet to live up to early promise but has been facing some good ones and is 1-1 on the course. Seek Gold, inconsistent but capable on best.
Whos Crying Now.

Meteor Storm 3-1
Revved Up 2-1
Scooter Roach 52-1

Wager: $5 WP on Revved Up.
Collected $7.50 on the WP (xxx, 3.00).
...$2 exacta box top two.
Collected $29.20 on the ex box ($29.20/$2).
...$1 exacta box top four.
Collected $14.60 on the ex box.
...$1 tri box top four.
Ran 1-2-6-11.

Revved Up...Proven at the trip and won a stake nicely over this track last time.
Meteor Storm...No wins this year but has been knocking heads with the best and mostly holding his own.
Rousing Victory...Distance specialist will be rolling late and Prado in the saddle is a plus.
Demeteor.

Culinary 9-5
Glitteration 15-1
Go Girlfriend Go 41-1
Moved off turf to main track.

May Gator...Has yet to get the job done in the win-column this year but last two seem to indicate she's rounding into good form right now.
Voz De Colegiala...Won this track and trip in a nice alw last time.
Tisket a Tasket...Another who seems to be hitting her best stride lately.
Journey Fever.
Culinary.

Wager: $5 WP on May Gator.
...$2 exacta box top two.
...$1 exacta box top four, sub next if scratch.
...$1 tri box top four, sub next if scratch.

Brother Derek 7-2
Your Tent Or Mine 9-5
Bob And John 9-2
AP Warrior ran 4th and completed the $224.20/$2 super.

Wager: $5 WP on AP Warrior.
Ran 4th at 2-1.
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 3-4.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Collected $14.20 on the ex box ($28.40/$2).
...$1 tri box top four.
Collected $50.40 on the tri box ($100.80/$2).

AP Warrior...Promising debut then was perhaps in a little deep when tossed straight into a G2 -- which was won by the eventual BC Juvie champ. Just missed in next -- another G2. A picked up some nice experience last time winning a NW1. Looks set for a good try in here.
Bob And John...DQd last time but clearly the best so has that solid two-turn stakes experience in his holster.
Your Tent Or Mine...Clearly the one to beat off of the monster win in G3 Prevue -- but this is his first try around two-turns. We'll see...
Brother Derek.

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