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 Just one more sleep,
friends, until the two biggest race days of the year--the 24th
annual Breeders' Cup World Championships. Will you make history by beating the
$50,000 a local horseplayer made at last year's Breeders' Cup, spending
a mere $20 on a superfecta ticket at the Quest Inn? And how will our group pick-6 ticket
do, picked out at our Saturday morning strategy session you're all
invited to?
And
what drama will unfold on the track? Will last spring's Kentucky Derby
winner, Street Sense, put
away his chief rivals once again to win the $5 million Breeders' Cup
Classic, establishing himself as undisputed horse of the year? Will
17-year-old Joe Talamo of New
Orleans become the youngest-ever jockey to win
a Breeders' Cup race when he rides the unbeaten Nashoba's Key in the $2 million Filly
and Mare Turf on Saturday?
The first three $1 million Breeders' Cup races go tomorrow
afternoon at shortly after 3
p.m., the first time the 'Cup has expanded the fun to include
the day before the really big day.
You can even start a daily double on two of those races, matched
with two races on Saturday.
Then,
of course, the biggest day in racing goes Saturday,
starting with the distribution of 'Cup commemorative glasses to the
first 200 people arriving at the Downs, then featuring eight special
races worth $20 million in purse money--all accentuated by contests and
draws in the Race Book at the track and at OTB locations.
But
fun on Saturday won't end with the Classic
at 4:30
p.m. At 6:40 p.m., Yonkers Raceway opens a card that will
feature the third leg of the prestigious harness Triple Crown. Then, at 8 p.m. it's "boo" time in the Finish
Line. Throw on a dress, guys,
and throw on pair of coveralls, gals, blacken a few teeth and come down
to the Halloween Social where you can celebrate your Breeders' Cup wins
and pick up additional prize money for sporting the best costume!
Big day, big pools, big fun. Let's go. By the way: race programs for both
Friday and Saturday Breeders' Cup races are now available at the track
and at OTB locations.
WINNING AT MONMOUTH:
Can it be this easy?
Being your dutiful scribe, I picked up Monmouth's opening
day program yesterday with a view to using it to analyze upcoming 'Cup
races for you. Instead, the first
five races looked so easy, I played a pick-5
bet for $24 and, lo and behold, picked up $2,200, one-third of the
entire pool! In other words, the
horses ran the way the pace and speed figures in the program said they
would. Yes, I'm as shocked as you
are: how often does perfection
happen? And does this mean this
year's Breeders' Cup races will be more predictable than ever? And still offer huge rewards? One
thing is for sure: One's confidence
level really soars when this happens and it's something I'll elaborate
on at Saturday morning's strategizing session (9:30 a.m.) down in the Finish Line where you're
welcome to share in a group Ultra Pick-6 ticket with a $3-million
guarantee.
SATURDAY: Starts with free glasses,
ends with "boo!"
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Everett Shade: Juvie jive
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9
a.m. Doors open at the track. First 200 get a coupon to redeem for
a free Breeders' Cup glass when they leave.
9:30
a.m.
How to capitalize on the 'Cup: Strategy and
tips for the eight Breeders' Cup races down in the Finish Line banquet
hall. I'm hosting. Guest list includes Free Press analyst
George Williams who is reviewing the running styles,
race setup, race replays and trainer patterns looking for any little
edges he can find and Everett
Shade who will use his experience as the Downs race-clocker to tell
you what to look for in the two juvenile races. Share in a group ticket
on the $3-million guaranteed pick-6!
Complimentary coffee and rolls.
10:00
a.m. First race from Monmouth Park. We'll analyze and play this race as a
group in the Finish Line. Ticket
sellers will be close at hand.
11:00
a.m. Buffet opens in the Finish Line. Only $7.95.
11:30
a.m. First Breeders' Cup race. Enjoy the
races on giant screens in the Race Book or in the Finish Line.
All
afternoon: Between Breeders' Cup races. Valuable
contests and draws. More.
4:35
p.m. The eighth and final Breeders' Cup
race:
the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic--this year of epic proportions.
6:40
p.m. Beginning of Yonkers Raceway card,
featuring the third leg of the pacing Triple Crown, the $725,000
Messenger Stakes.
8:00
p.m. Halloween Social begins in the
Finish Line. $5 admission. Cash
and other prizes for best costume.
MY BOLD PREDICTIONS:
Six-horse dead heat
No amount of verbiage from this corner is likely to change
the way you approach your betting on
'Cup races but, for interest sake, here are a few conclusions
I've reached about some of the 'Cup races after several hours of study:
• The $2 million Distaff, the race for
older fillies and mares, is the trickiest race on the card
and has the makings of a six-horse dead heat for first. That's because almost
every horse in the 12-horse field likes to race about third
behind the leader. Watch
for traffic snarls.
Prediction: Ever-patient
jockey Garett Gomez will have the good
sense to relax behind the field with 10-1 Octave and pounce at just the
right time.
• The $5-million Classic will give you goosebumps.
It should be that exciting, with the titans of the
midway--Lawyer Ron, Street Sense, Curlin, Any Given Saturday
and Hard Spun--in
a fierce confrontation.
Prediction: This
Saturday, it will be Saturday.
• Everybody's key in the Juvenile race
for baby boys will be War Pass,
but if Salute the Sarge goes after him, watch for longshot Kodiak Kowboy
to sneak into the mix
•
Nashoba's Key
has never lost a race and has seven victories in a row, the last five
under 17-year-old jockey Joe Talamo but Breeders' Cup has
a way of cursing these kinds of horses. I know you'd love
to key her in the Filly and Mare Turf Stakes but I'm also
adding Wait A While and Honey Ryder in case something
goofy happens.
• Most likely winner on the day? Dylan
Thomas in the $3 million Turf, the fifth leg of the
Ultra Pick-6.
There you go--a few more things you might want to pay a
bit of attention to on The Big Day.
Read about workouts in the Daily Racing Form, too. This is probably the most essential
info at this point.
HOW TO SPOT LONGSHOTS:
Look at purse money
After last year's Breeders' Cup, I analyzed the
tough-to-pick winners from several races and also analyzed similar
winners from the previous year's Breeders' Cup races. That led to a unique discovery: horses that raced for the BIGGEST
PURSE MONEY in their previous race were great longshot plays. In other words, scan the past performances
of every horse and circle the purse money listed for their last stakes
race. Add that kind of horse to
your serial bets such as pick-3s and pick-4s and even pick-6s if you're
going deep.
SALUTING WINNERS: Congrats
to Bill Bartlett who scooped
everyone's chips at Friday night's regular poker game after almost-live
racing from Remington
Park. He received $100 in betting
vouchers. The best weekend show-parlayer was Manny
Medeiros who received $25 to bet at the windows. This is a good
time to remind all readers to PLAY A SHOW PARLAY ON BREEDERS' CUP DAY. It's not only fun and the least risky,
but you'll have a chance to capitalize on all the "dead
money" in play and turn $10 or so into hundreds.
ITALIAN MEATBALLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE, chicken
parmesan and jardiniere alfredo
lead the entrees at tonight's theme night all-you-can-eat buffet in the
Terrace Dining Room for $14.95.
Creative desserts and delicious salads add to the
temptation. 5 to 8 p.m. Menu. It's a good time to pick up your
Breeders' Cup racing programs for both Friday and Saturday. Next Thursday:
Japanese. Phone 885-3330
to reserve.
BREEDERS' CUP CA$H BONANZA: Is this your number?
Today's
$50 bonus winning number is 0832. To claim your prize click
here. Breeders'
Cup Bonanza cash giveaway numbers were distributed on the final three
days of live racing. A new
winning number is published every day on the Downs'
home page www.assiniboiadowns.com
The big draws for cash prizes of $500, $250 and $100 will be
made this Saturday. Also, 20
betting vouchers of $10 will be drawn for. Want to see who's been winning? Take a look at the list on the
bulletin board next to the Race Book in the Clubhouse.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Horseplayer
tourney on Saturday, Nov. 24, a weekend of really great racing because
it's Thanksgiving weekend in the U.S. Entry fee: $25. Look for entry forms on-track and at
OTB locations. Top prize: $500 and priceless bragging rights.
Okay,
sharks, let's go get 'em!
See you
Saturday at 9:30 a.m. to plot our strategy!
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