I have never been to a Breeders Cup live, but I have been fully involved with
betting every one of the 23 BCs that have been run. The first couple of
years I actually bet via simo at this years venue, Monmouth Park. In the early
days, tracks conducted their own wagering pools and if you were at a simo
location which handled many tracks you could \"shop\" for the best odds available
on the runner of your choice.
For some reason in 1990, a few of us ended up at Yonkers Raceway for the BC simo
from Belmont.
Some of the first great days in Living Room Downs, pre account wagering,
involved throwing down bets at OTB and returning to the comfort of home for a
day of BC sport.
Living Room Downs will be it for me again Saturday, and a recent check of the
galley shows that a trip to the liquor store is in order. I haven\'t decided
what to cook yet, but it will be something that goes well with rum and bourbon.
I will have the opportunity to attend 3 Breeders Cup Races on Friday though
owing to the split schedule. I will take advantage of this opportunity mainly
to see two runners who will be remembered as something special, barring injury--
Discreet Cat and La Traviata.
Discreet Cat needs no introduction.
La Traviata may turn out to be a one dimensional filly, but that one dimension
could be quite spectacular if her last workout before the FM Sprint is any
indication. LT worked over Keeneland\'s polytrack Monday in 45.3 BREEZING out of
the gate. West Coast horseplayers may be accustomed to seeing blazing works
such as this but on the East Coast there is really only one trainer who has
turned his charges loose like that, and he sometimes did it the morning of the
race.
Despite her speed, I do not anticipate La Traviata having an easy time of it,
with pace pressure coming from Shaggy Mane and a likely late challenge from
Maryfield, who loves a wet track.
Wagering strategy for Friday Pick 3 consisting of the 3 top notch though
ungraded BC races: LT, Maryfield and maybe Baroness Thatcher in the FM Sprint.
In the Juvie Turf, throwing out Prussian and spreading liberally with Nownownow,
Gio Ponti, Cherokee Triangle and the 3 Euros. The most interesting of the Euros
may be Domestic Fund in post 12. DF is by Sadlers Wells out of a Gulch mare,
gets blinx, Lasix and has never run over anything but a bog in Ireland.
Third leg, cant get cute, the Cat at a short price.
Fun with pedigrees: the two Biancone fillies in the FM Sprint,LT and BT, are
sired by BC Juvie winner Johannesburg and were produced by mares sired by BC
winners Unbridled and Gulch. Also along this line, Lady Joanne in Saturday\'s
Distaff sired by BC Sprint winner Orientate,and is also out of an Unbridled
mare.