Maiden King

Nevada horseplayers continued to bet into Churchill Downs and Magna Entertainment track pari-mutuel pools Wednesday as TrackNet extended its current contract with casinos until Jan. 25. 

TrackNet, which is a joint venture between Churchill Downs and Magna Entertainment, is locked in a struggle with casinos over new pari-mutuel contract terms. The track operators want higher fees and would like to change the way casino betting handle is reported, according to a story on Bloodhorse.com.

TrackNet threatened to suspend pari-mutuel betting to some 80 casinos Wednesday because the previous contract expired and little progress was being made on the new one. Casino managers were prepared to book bets at Santa Anita, Gulfstream, Golden Gate and Fairgrounds.

Casino representatives met with TrackNet leaders Wednesday and will continue to negotiate over the next couple of weeks, said Patty Jones, the executive director of the Nevada Pari-Mutuel Association.

“Both sides came away with a better understanding of the other sides position,” Jones told Bloodhorse.com.

In here, #10 Kaffeinator was way over bet to 8-to-5, as he was showing the four highest Beyer Speed Figures in the race and money magnet Garrett Gomez was aboard. Because Kaffeinator was pounded, I shopped elsewhere. 

Six of nine horses were coming off recent long layoffs, and I saw this race as wide open. So there was no way I was betting second-place finisher #2 Pacific Halo at 7-to-2 or #3 Voodoo’s Run at 4-to-1.  I ended up playing small wagers on extreme long shots: I took $150 on #6 Mr. Rancho Vista at 19-to-1, and $100 on both #1 Sailboat Sam at 15-to-1 and #4 Unusual Justin at 18-to-1.

Of course, you could say those three were dead on the board and had no shot at all, but I think the strategy was sound as I was close to betting the eventual winner #7 Mossad if he blinked to 6-to1. But unfortunately he remained at 5-to-1.

To watch a replay of this race, go to www.calracing.com 

Maiden Claiming $32,000, 6 furlongs, 4 yo’s and up

Possible overlays                             Morning line

#1 Sailboat Sam                                       10/1
#2 Pacific Halo                                         6/1
#3 Voodoo’s Run                                       9/2
#4 Unusual Justin                                      6/1
#6 Mr. Rancho Vista                                 10/1
#7 Mossad                                                5/1
#10 Kaffeinator                                         7/2

This race is a bit tricky because six out of nine of the horses running are coming off of recent layoffs of four months or more.

Jockey Garrett Gomez rides #10 Kaffeinator, who is coming directly off a three-month freshening. Kaffeinator topped the 77 median Beyer Speed Figure needed to win this race four straight times. On June 18, Kaffeinator ran an 80 Beyer, then a 78  on July 24, an 80 on Aug. 25, and 79 his last time out Oct. 3. 

So, he’s been running well at higher claiming levels, but unfortunately a dominant horse showed up whenever he ran. Others here like #2 Pacific Halo, #3 Voodoo’s Run and #4 Unusual Justin ran Beyers in the low 70’s, but could easily improve to an 80.

Finally, #1 Sailboat Sam flashed good speed on Feb. 23, #6 Mr. Rancho Vista gets jockey Rafael Bejarano off a 15-month layoff and second-timer #7 Mossad drops down and shows lightning quick workouts for his comeback race.

One note about Mr. Rancho Vista is that his former trainer Patrick Gallagher doesn’t push his horses first or second time. So, today the horse is running off a long layoff in its third start with two dark running lines. The horse is now trained by Jerry Hollendorfer who may be hiding the horses ability with slow workouts. One clue that Mr. Rancho Vista might run well is that Bejarano is jumping off Voodoo’s Run.

In any event, I can see almost anything happening in this race, so I’ll make an odds line and play the tote board.

I will bet $200 on #10 Kaffeinator at 5/2 or better and $100 on both #7 Mossad at 6/1 or more and Mr. Rancho Vista at 7/1 or better.

But If Kaffeinator goes of at 2/1 or lower then I’ll put $150 on both #7 Mossad at 6/1 and Mr. Rancho Vista at 7/1; $100 on both #3 Voodoo’s Run and #4 Unusual Justin at 7/1 or better; and $100 on #1 Sailboat Sam and #2 Pacific Halo at 10/1 or more.

Although he’s been alive and well for 98 years, Hennessy — the cognac, not the sire — almost killed Eddie Logan on Saturday.

The 98-year-old iconic Santa Anita shoeshiner, and namesake for the Eddie Logan Stakes, has been at Santa Anita every opening day since the place began running on Christmas 1934.

But last Saturday, Logan drank some Hennessy cognac while on blood pressure medication and needed to be rushed to Arcadia Methodist Hospital where he was treated for a seizure.

At about 4 p.m. Saturday, Logan was sitting outside the window of Cece Connor, the paymaster of purses, “when I noticed him gasping. I called our first aid department, then 911.”

Santa Anita gift shop manager Christine Crocker said the apparent seizure was caused by Logan drinking his beloved Hennessy while blood pressure medication was in his system.

  “Although he knows better, Eddie has done this in the past and has said many times, ‘I’m going to go sometime, so it might as well be by doing something I like,” Crocker told CalRacing Stable Notes’ Ed Golden.

Logan spent Saturday night in intensive care, according to Crocker, but his family said he would be back to shining shoes at Santa Anita on Wednesday.

In 2006, the Hill Rise Stakes for two-year-olds was renamed the Eddie Logan Stakes. The well-loved shoe shine man typically greets customers and horseplayers strolling by his stand with “have a lucky day.”

I guess Saturday was Eddie Logan’s lucky day.        

Maiden claiming $25,000, 7 furlongs, 4-yo’s and up

Possible overlays                          Morning line

#2 Sleep Tight                                       3/1
#10 Sunny Peace                                 7/2
#11 Tiz Salsa                                           5/1

The Mike Mitchell-trained #2 Sleep Tight broke slowly on Dec. 13 and was quickly seven lengths behind, however she rallied to be second. Mitchell has been excellent over the years with second timers and this one has a big shot. 

Jockey Alex Solis took #10 Sunny Peace to the lead in her first race on the synthetic Dec. 10. For the first part of 2008, Sunny Peace was showing speed in grass route races over in England. She’s dropping in class and running her shortest lifetime distance. If this horse sits off the pace a bit and comes with a run it can win, especially if #2 Sleep Tight doesn’t fire her best shot. 

On the outside, Rafael Bejarano rides #11 Tiz Salsa who is running her second race after a seven-month vacation. I only like her if she’s bet down.

Therefore, I will bet $300 on #2 Sleep Tight at odds of 2/1 and up. But if Sleep Tight is bet too low then I’ll put $200 to win on #11 Tiz Salsa only if she is less than 4/1.  

If those two horses don’t fall into their odds ranges, then I want $150 to win on #10 Sunny Peace at 2/1 or better.

Maiden Special Weight, 5-1/2 furlongs, 3-yo colts

Possible overlays                            Morning line

#1 Pauper’s Prize                               12/1
#2 Street Car                                        4/1
#4 Ego                                                  20/1
#7 Snapshot                                          5/2
#8 Wall Street Wonder                       5/1
#9 Gotmymojoworkin                       8/1

Both of the Bob Baffert trained colts — #2 Street Car and #8 Wall Street Wonder — have several quick workouts showing in the Daily Racing Form. But I believe Corey Naktani on Wall Street Wonder will be quicker out of the gate. For one thing, he’s a Florida-bred and those debuters have performed better in So. Cal than those from Kentucky or California over the last few years. Other betable firsters, at the right price, include #9 Gotmymojoworkin and #1 Pauper’s Prize.

Martin Wygod owns #7 Snapshot who was laid off for five months after showing speed in his Aug. 2 Del Mar debut. Wygod and Sise have won many races together with second-time starters.

At 7/2 or more, I’ll bet $300 to win on #8 Wall Street Wonder, and $200 on both #9 Gotmymojoworkin, and #2 Street Car.

This race began with 99/1- shot Far Turn bursting from the rail post to the lead. He battled with #4 Goodlookindude, at 48-to-1, down the backstretch and around the turn, but in the stretch 3-to-5 favorite #8 Motorboat took the lead briefly nearing the wire. But then Motorboat got nailed on the outside by a late charge from #7 Weevescent.

Many of the contenders that I was watching in this race got scratched, such as #3 Mort Robbins, #13 Sailboat Sam and #14 All About Larry. I ended up with a small wager on #11 Stray Cat, a second-time starter who was in good position turning for home, but had no late kick. 

To watch a replay of this race, go to www.calracing.com