Just wanted to drop a reminder to our IdaBet players that Zia Park will conduct their final week of live racing for 2017 this Saturday, Dec. 9 through Tuesday, Dec. 12. A huge thanks to everyone for making the 2017 Zia Park race season a success and thank you for choosing IdaBet!
There will be a mandatory payout of the Super Hi 5 pool on the final day of live racing, Tuesday, December 12. Current carryover stands at $3,851.
Mr. Opportunist, the longest shot in the field at 23-1, battled back after being passed in deep stretch to win the $47,580 feature on a windy Thursday at Los Alamitos.
Making his first start as a gelding and first since being claimed for $40,000 Sept. 17 by trainer Craig Dollase for owner Mark Mathiesen , the 4-year-old son of Tale of the Cat was never far off the pace, gained a slim lead at the head of the stretch, was overtaken on the inside the final sixteenth by 5-2 second choice Sheer Flattery, but found renewed energy to prevail by a head.
Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Mr. Opportunist, who had lost seven in a row since capturing the three-horse Desert Code Stakes May 7, 2016 when trained by John Sadler, completed the mile in 1:36.75 and paid $49, $12.60 and $7.
The victory was worth $27,000 for Mr. Opportunist, who is out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Far Out Freebie, and pushed his career bankroll to $131,190.
Sheer Flattery, who had a perfect trip stalking the pace, returned $3.60 and $2.60 while finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of 3-1 third choice Image of Joplin. The show price on Image of Joplin, who was seeking his third consecutive win, was $3.20.
Completing the order of finish were Donworth, the 3-2 favorite in his initial try as a gelding, Lucky J Lane, pacesetter Got Even and Friendly Outthedor.
Jockeys Drayden Van Dyke and Geovanni Franco both doubled Thursday.
Van Dyke’s wins aboard first time starter Heck Yeah in the sixth and 10-1 shot Thirteen Squared were in tandem with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert while Franco’s victories aboard Get Em Up Scout in the first and Devil’s Beauty in the fourth were for trainer Steve Miyadi.
Through five days of the Winter Meet, apprentice Evin Roman, who was the leading rider at the Summer Thoroughbred Festival in July and the Los Angeles County Fair meet in September, tops the standings with seven wins.
Baffert and Genaro Vallejo share the...
For our IdaBet players interested in Evangeline Downs racing next week:
Evangeline Downs has canceled the remainder of the Thursday December 14th race card due to inclement weather.
Racing will resume Friday December 15th.
Dec 8, 2017
Golden Gate Fields will offer an early first post-time of 12:15 p.m. on both Saturday, Dec. 9 and Sunday, Dec. 10 of Closing Weekend of the 2017 Fall Meet. The early first post will accommodate two very competitive 10-race cards that are sure to test horseplayers.
The weekend will begin with a challenging Pick Five sequence on Saturday that includes 43 total horses, separated into legs of 7/10/10/8/8. Additionally, the ever-popular Pick Five will include a player friendly 14% takeout rate.
Set in the most picturesque of landscapes that includes bay views and cool breezes, Golden Gate Fields’ Closing Sunday will excite fans and players alike with not only a 10-race card but also mandatory payouts in the Pick Five, Pick Six and Super High Five. The $50,000 Miss America Stakes, which boasts a 14-horse field, will serve as Sunday’s feature at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for fillies and mares, ages three and up.
THE STRONACH GROUP’S PREMIER BAY AREA RACETRACK WILL OFFER MANDATORY PAYOUTS ON CLOSING SUNDAY IN THE PICK FIVE, PICK SIX AND SUPER HIGH FIVE. THE VERY POPULAR .50 CENT PICK 5 WAGER, WHICH COVERS THE DAY’S FIRST FIVE RACES, WILL ALSO FEATURE A PLAYER-FRIENDLY 14% TAKOUT RATE
For more information regarding Closing Weekend, visit www.goldengatefields.com.
Thank you for your continued support of Golden Gate Fields and IdaBet!
Some insights into tonight’s racing program for our IdaBet players:
1ST RACE – (7) SAM’S ESCAPE is ending the season as formful a bottom claimer as anyone here. ‘Peeked’ again eying third consecutive and could be value.
3RD RACE – (3) ADONIS BAY responded to dip down claiming ladder with solid close in latest. In five places this time, so don’t expect quite the 21-1, though.
5TH RACE – (4) BRALEY HANOVER was four-eyeballed here any number of times, only to go to Philly and win. Taken again to see if that bravened him up.
6TH RACE – (2) IN THE HUDDLE returns from upstate at a reduced level. The one to his inside and half-dozen to his outside shouldn’t scare him in the least.
7TH RACE – (3) HIGHLAND TARTAN N didn’t disgrace himself in tries against high-priced claimers. That said, he won’t mind evacuating them for these.
10TH RACE – (1) BROWN BRINNY is another getting gazed at in a repeat fashion. Remains at workable level, seeing less than what she couldn’t hack in last.
12TH RACE – (5) ALL ABOUT MAD I showed up way too late in latest pair of distaff derby efforts. Chased her then, chasing her again drawing lesser in finale.
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$2 +/- (thru Tue., Dec. 5) – 319 wins [inc. 2 dead-heats] ($2,383.60)
from 1,453 ($2,906) selex (-$522.40, should have parental warning)
highest-priced winner – GYPSY LEATHER ($57.50)
lowest-priced winner – GREAT VINTAGE/FUNKNWAFFLES ($2.20 each)
BY FRANK DRUCKER,
Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
For our IdaBet players, here are the Thursday Picks for Monticello. Happy Wagering!
1ST RACE: 3-2-5-4
2ND RACE: 5-2-4-6
3RD RACE: 2-6-7-5
4TH RACE: 1-7-2-8
5TH RACE: 1-7-2-4
6TH RACE: 5-6-2-4
7TH RACE: 8-4-2-5
8TH RACE: 6-4-2-1
9TH RACE: 4-6-3-1
Data provided by Equibase
