Coast-to-coast

Three winners on top in nine races (Calder, $4.40; Fair Grounds, $3.00; Hollywood, $22.40). The highlight of course was the nice win by 10-1 Pellegrino in the Hollywood Turf Cup. That, along with the other two winners, gave us a solid 66% ROI with winners on-top. Overall for the C2C fall season since the end of the Saratoga meet, we've looked at 142 races. We've selected 48 winners on top -- that's a hit-rate of about 34%. A $2 win wager on each top pick would have cost $284.00 and would have returned $279.00. We have a couple more weeks before the end of the year to chase that $5 gap. Stay tuned.

Otherwise, things broke mostly in our favor on the afternoon. Top pick Colita disappointed at Aqueduct. That one sat in perfect, ground-saving position all the way 'round, looked ready to pounce at the top of the lane and then went a little flat, only to seem to resurge late -- but again went a little flat. Probably even more disappointing is that once Colita made that late fade we were rooting against him as he held off our fourth pick for the show spot. We had the top four finishers and thus grabbed the tri box -- but it would have been much better if 25-1 Kissin Saint edged 5-2 Colita for the show.

A little bit of a mixed bag in Florida. In the My Charmer we wound up with a nice boxed exacta and tri so we weren't too sad -- but our top pick 3-1 Snowdrops rallied late and got us excited before settling for the place spot.

Scratches left us without too much in the Three Ring but we thought we might pick up a 'move-up' winner when Smuggler looked the part at the top of the lane, only to be out-gamed late.

In the What A Pleasure we scored with the winner but our other two (after a scratch) were nowhere.

And we closed out Calder's Grand Slam card with a reverse exacta in the Tropical Turf, but we still felt a little sting at the finish. Turning for home our fourth pick Keep Cool had what looked like a comfortable lead -- and at 23-1. It wasn't a done deal that he would hold on for the win -- but he certainly looked good for a piece of the pie, which would have juiced up our tri play. But it wasn't to be as he faded very late to finish sixth -- and to rub salt in the wound, our third choice, 5-1 Mogador was rolling late but just missed the show spot.

At Fair Grounds we got what is probably some 'pay-back' for a close loss somewhere as our top pick Midway Road looked like a layover on paper but had to come again in the shadow of the wire to eek out the 'W'.

The big winner of the day, 10-1 Pellegrino at Hollywood, provided its own disappointment as we could not get any of our others in underneath. Instead Frankel got us with two of his running second and third. After his big showing in the Turf Fest last week we ignored him here at our own peril.

And finally, at Delta Downs, we had a reverse exacta in the Princess, and we liked the top two enough that we had upped our usual exacta play.

And we capped things off with a decent little tri box in the Delta Jackpot.

As noted, a good day that could have been a little bit better with a couple of breaks -- but still, all-in-all quite satisfactory.

WAGERED: $372.00
COLLECTED: $471.15

Classic Endeavor 5-2
Evening Attire 2-1
Colita 5-2

Wager: $5 WP on Colita.
Ran 3rd.
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 2-3.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Collected $15.40 on the ex box $30.80/$2.
...$1 tri box top four.
Collected $33.00 on the tri box ($66.00/$2).

Colita...Don't think Classic Endeavor will have it as easy today as he had it last time -- and that will bode well for this guy.
Evening Attire...Was knocking heads with some of the best this season. Should find this spot a bit easier.
Classic Endeavor...Improved nicely since moving to Dutrow barn. Won G3 here last time in front-running fashion but is likely to have some company early here.
Kissin Saint.

Something Ventured 6-1
Snowdrops 3-1
Changing World 8-5

Wager: $5 WP on Snowdrops.
Collected $10.00 on the WP (xxx, 4.00).
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 2-7.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Collected $30.40 on the ex box ($60.80/$2).
...$1 tri box top four.
Collected $98.80 on the tri box ($197.60/$2).

Snowdrops...Lightly raced Clement filly ran best when able to string two together earlier this season. Now makes second start off most recent break.
Right This Way...Find this half of Tag's 'hidden entry' interesting.
Changing World...Will be tough if able to repeat last -- but wire job looks a tad flukey, but clearly will be heard from in here.
Something Ventured.

Leona's Knight 18-1
Smuggler 1-2
Southern Serenity 34-1
Aclassysassylassy and Joyous Song scratched.

Wager: $5 WP on Aclassysassylassy.
Scratched.
...$2 exacta box top two.
Scratched.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Ran 2-4.
...$1 tri box top four.
Scratched.

Aclassysassylassy...Hard to fault the 2YO season -- and is already a stakes winner around two turns.
Smuggler...Royally-bred filly from Phipps/McGaughey will have to bump up those Beyers here -- but has license to do it off of two wins.
Quick Queen...Seems to be on the improve and makes turf-to-dirt move. Will be rolling late.
Joyous Song.

Better Than Bonds 6-5
GPs Black Knight 18-1
Cherokee Chase 24-1
Lismore scratched.

Wager: $5 WP on Better Than Bonds.
Collected $22.00 on the WP (4.40, 4.40).
...$2 exacta box top two.
Scratched.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Ran 1-5-6.
...$1 tri box top four.
Ran 1-5-6.

Better Than Bonds...A near-miss in Cowdin two back and then third behind the very promising Rockport Harborand Defer last time.
Lismore...Had a very brief break and then came back with a much improved performance.
D'court's Speed...Seems to be improving with each start.
Safely Run.

Host 8-5
Silver Tree 8-5
Demeteor 48-1

Wager: $5 WP on Silver Tree.
Collected $7.00 on the WP (xxx, 2.80).
...$2 exacta box top two.
Collected $13.00 on the ex box ($13.00/$2).
...$1 exacta box top four.
Collected $6.50 on the ex box.
...$1 tri box top four.
Ran 1-2-4-6.

Silver Tree...Only three lengths back in BC Mile. This group is easier than he's faced in most starts this season.
Host...Seemed primed for good run in third start off of break.
Mogador...Hasn't missed an exacta finish in seven starts this year.
Keep Cool.

Midway Road 1-2
Pie N Burger 8-1
Kodema 15-1
Intelligent Male scratched.

Wager: $5 WP on Midway Road.
Collected $14.00 on the WP (3.00, 2.60).
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 1-5.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Collected $9.50 on the ex box ($19.00/$2).
...$2 tri key Midway Road over next three.
Ran 1/2-5-6.
...$1 tri box top four.
Ran 1-2-5-6.

Midway Road...Graded stakes winner probably just better than the bunch in this $60K affair.
99Fantasticat...Overmatched in latest but fits here.
Spanish Empire...Set up well for third start off of layoff.
Intelligent Male/Pie N Burger entry.

Pelligrino 10-1
Megahertz 9-2
License To Run 10-1

Wager: $5 WP on Pellegrino.
Collected $81.00 on the WP ($22.40, 10.00).
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 1-6.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Ran 1-6-8-9.
...$1 tri box top four.
Ran 1-6-8-9.

Pellegrino...Likes the track and the trip and last should set him up for a good try here.
Better Talk Now...Clearly the one to beat if able to repeat BC Turf victory.
Habaneros...4-3-1-0 this season and improving in each start.
Puerto Banus.

Punch Appeal 1-1
Summer Raven 1-1
Snipper Lou 19-1

Wager: $5 WP on Summer Raven.
Collected $5.25 on the WP (xxx, 2.10).
...$5 exacta box top two.
Collected $17.00 on the ex box ($6.80/$2).
...$2 tri key Summer Raven over next three.
Ran 2/1-4-5.

Summer Raven...Pletcher filly moved forward nicely to win G3 last time.
Punch Appeal...Has finished behind Sense of Style and Runway Model. Won tough stake at Churchill last time.
Joyous Song...Seems to have improved off the break.
My Three Sisters.

Texcess 7-5
Closing Argument 6-1
Anthony J 9-1

Wager: $5 WP on Cherokee Path.
Ran 5th at 7-2.
...$2 exacta box top two.
Ran 1-5.
...$1 exacta box top four.
Collected $17.00 on the ex box ($34.00/$2).
...$1 tri box top four.
Collected $91.30 on the tri box ($182.60/$2).

Cherokee Path...Improved nicely in second start off layoff. Should take to the stretchout.
Texcess...Impressive in brief SoCal career. Already a stakes winner around two turns.
Closing Argument...Battle-tested and likely to give a good account of himself here.
Anthony J.

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