Many years ago, or longer than that, the Red Mile in Lexington ran a meet where the program had no morning line. Chaos ensued for the majority of the public and a few of us made solid coin at the expense of flunking more than a couple of courses. Since that time we never look at the morning line.

With that printed we figured Westphalia and Dorivatum would vie for favoritism in the Juvy turf and cannot fathom making a case for any of the others winning. Westphalia had been superb in his six race career especially if you overlook his less than interested ride at 4-5 over a bog at the Curragh, and Donativum had just beaten a colt that won a Grade One earlier on the day with a last to first flourish. At 4-1 and 7-1 an exacta box was called for and while the race went according to form we felt we left something on the table when "Coronet" who had at least faced some good ones and City Style who beat us the last time we played a quad ran third and fourth! The exacta was bet down and the super paid $3000 which would have cost nothing given our infatuation with the top pair. We cashed minorly and stayed alive.

Sprint

Midnight Lute $7.40 ran to his works stopping the timer in one o seven and a half a heartbeat. Failure to single here was the error of the day; probably for many.

Turf

While we do not bash jocks it is a bit puzzling what Mr. Murtagh was doing with 8-5 favorite Soldier of Fortune. After an opening quarter in a normal :24 and change the rabbit laid down serious fractions with Murtagh all over him. A 22 and change second quarter was followed by a pair of 23 and change splits. Of course Gomez on the distance challenged Out of Control race rode him mercilessly and the favorite was cooked by the pole! No matter we were sitting pretty as pie on ten to one Eagle Mountain who we figured no more than a third of that and when the boy pulled the trigger it looked like we were home...briefly. Here comes Sir Michael ( Kalanisi, Pilsudski, Islington etc. ) with a colt that just won at a mile and a million sixteenths, getting big weight and a text book ride. The interior splits ( six panels in one o nine and change) and only one race in a year began to take their toll and we ended up second best. Conduit opened up a short enough price that we doubled a trio of deuces to our three in the last but he was a fortunate winner in his first try against older while stopping the clock in a sizzling 2:23 and change.

Classic

It was clear, early, that Curlin was not cruising along as he does on the dirt but he showed a ton of heart outmoving the "Colonel and assuming command while a bit wide. Alas when the second half of a race is as fast as the first half is you better have a serious turn of foot and the "Raven" has all of that and then some!! Raven's Pass ($29) got rider relief, Lasix and ran to that 130 timeform and his exceptional work over the Lingfield poly. We left this one on the table, made a little jingle but did not threaten the $2700 pick four inspite of having a decent handle on the sequence. Thanks for the comments and pm's. BBB