Just say NO!

One of the benefits of blogging about racing is the fact that I have to write things down. In turn, the notes I make help me analyze my strengths and, importantly, my weaknesses in the game.

Without doubt, wagering is a major weakness. Because of my devotion to the Monster Move, I am wise enough to make straight wagers. Imagine not cashing $22 place, $14 show.

But, in pursuit of the BIG SCORE, I am still making far too many exotic wagers. It's a basic rule of the system to box a mover with the favorite in exactas. Fine! Until, I have more distinct indicators isolating weaker and stronger movers, I am reducing the wheels, boxes and pick-whatevers.

Truth be told, in most of those wilder exotics I really don't have a strong opinion about the horses I am tying to my selections. Unknowingly, I have made wagering itself almost as important as the selection process. Where is it written that a player is supposed to have an opinion about every race on a card? No opinion is not a sin.

NO (no opinion) has just become a significant character to be added to my DRF markup.

Desormeaux wins 4 at Belmont

I only became a fan of jockey Kent Desormeaux once he hooked up with hall of fame trainer Bill Mott. Not that I had anything against the rider; merely no particular opinion. Overtime, I have learned to appreciate him as one of the best in the business.
He proved it, yesterday, at Belmont Park winning four of the 13-race Belmont Stakes card. Only Convocation in the 3rd was odds on.

Noticeably, Desormeaux displayed his skill against New York's best riders in the fourth on turf at 1 1/16 by lulling them all to sleep aboard Pennington (a move horse) walking through fractions of :26, :51 and 1:15.4 to win at a $23 mutuel.

And, of course, he guided 12-1 Summer Bird to victory in the featured Belmont Stakes. Helluva day, Mr. Desormeaux. Congrats!

Once a mover....

It's accepted that humans are creatures of habit. Does the same thng translate to the horses they train? Realistically, the move is a human creaion. It is designed to work a horse into shape, assure it is ready for the winner's circle photo–at a price well above it's chances.

Eldaafer is such a horse. I have caught trainer Diane Alvarado's move tactics on this horse at nearly 8-1 in April. She pulled it again at Belmont, yesterday, at a much better price. This time, El paid $36.2, 12.8, 5.4 and capped off a $233 daily double.

Even though I was having a less than spectacular day, to that point, I wheeled Eldaafer to every horse in the previous race. Just so happens that it connected to another mover Despite the Odds, $17.2 . So I had the double twice.

"Pete and Repeat were in a boat. Pete fell out. Who was left?"

If something works, don't fix it!