Road to Kentucky Contest Week 2 Recap

caveman

“Yesterday is a place I don’t spend any time.” – Glenn Frey (1948-2016)

Tampa Bay Downs was the featured track for week two of the Road to Kentucky contest.  Weather in the northeast was a major factor last weekend, causing cancellations at several of the tracks located in that part of the country.  Fortunately, Tampa Bay Downs was not affected, although two of the three turf races scheduled were moved to the main track.  There were no Kentucky Derby prep races at Tampa last week, so no double point races on the contest slate.

The maximum score last week was 3,030 points.  The contest was likely won by whoever correctly selected Enough is Enough in Race 10.  Enough is Enough made a sustained closing run from the outside to win going away at 27-1.  He generated 994 contest points, which is about 1/3 of the total points available.  This was one of the races that had been switched from the turf to the main track, and Enough is Enough was making his second career start after debuting at Laurel in a 5-furlong dirt sprint five months earlier.  His running line indicated that he was checked in his debut, but he ran last around the track in that one without showing much.  Selecting a second time starter maturing off a layoff from age 2 to 3, and getting a great price is one type of logic that might have landed players on this horse.  Expect the winning score for the week to be in the 1,500 – 1,800 point range, and congratulations if you selected Enough is Enough in the contest!

Glenn Frey’s quote mentioned above is appropriate if you are having the same lack of success in the contest that I am so far.  A 160-point score following a 210-point score is dunce cap material.  Set two rocks in front of me and I might be able to pick them up and pound them together.  It’s a coin flip.  But horse racing is an elusive game, and yesterday’s has-beens can be tomorrow’s heroes.  If you are currently O-for-2 like I am, leave it behind and focus on next week’s contest at Gulfstream Park (with bonus racing at Aqueduct!).

As always, good luck and hope to see you at Canterbury Park!

The Oracle