By Ivan Bigg for George (on holidays)
Jennifer Reid - A rider posessed
The big news Wednesday night, besides the pick-4 carryover, was the resurgence of jockey Jennifer Reid. Third in the standings, she rode like a rider possessed, lighting up the board with two longshot wins and one longshot place horse.
She brought in Jump Lucky in race 1 ($29.90), finished second in race 4 with Wise Defender ($12.70) and capped off the night with Antivenom in race 8 ($21.30). The Downs' leading jockey, Paul Nolan, also lit up the board with Divine Wisdom in race 7 ($18.50).
That gate to wire victory in race 7 produced a pick-4 payoff of $1,127 for $2. A carryover of $5,800 from last Saturday resulted in a pool that ulimately grew to $27,200.
BUZZING: Everyone was buzzing, though, about action slated for this weekend: Balooga Bull returns to race Friday, his first since a dismal fourth place finish in the Wheat City Stakes on July 6. He underwent tests while he was away to find out if he had any deep-seated health issues (none was discovered) so he was back working out, producing a quick :59 for 5f last week. He's entered in an allowance race in which he will face three horses who beat him in the Wheat City: Ran the Man, Pleasant Closing and Gotatigerbythetail. Everyone's wondering if he'll flash the talent that made him almost unbeatable in his first two years of racing, in which he was named Horse of the Year both years.
Saturday night's card will be special, too, giving fans their only opportunity of this meet to see the fastest horses in the world, quarter horses, in two races--the first and the last races on the card.
Don't blink.
