Dr. Zing (5) zips home to win 7th at ASD on Friday night.
by George
Friday night started slow at ASD, but it certainly picked up speed starting in the fourth race with a combination of longshots, huge Superfecta payoffs and a Pick-4 carryover of $6,149. As a result, the Pick-4 pool on Saturday night could swell to $15,000 or more!
First the slow stuff.
Class dropper Hamluk ($5.40) romped in the first race on the class drop with Alexis Batista aboard for trainer Marvin Buffalo. My Natalie ($2.90) had to wait for room in late turn and early stretch in the second race before rallying up the rail with Renaldo Cumberbatch to win for Tanya Lindsay. And Sabrehawk ($5.40) outdueled favourite Metallic Mist to take the third race for leading rider/trainer combo Paul Nolan and Ardell Sayler.
Also of note, longshot Galloping Gulch responded willingly in the stretch in the third race to finish second at 21-1 for new trainer Tom Gardipy Jr. and jockey Renaldo Cumberbatch, topping a solid $2 Exactor of $61.80. That should have been a hint of good things to come.
Media Contact ($13.90) took advantage of a clean trip to upset in the fourth race, the first leg of the Pick-4, again for the leading rider/trainer combo of Nolan and Sayler. Desert Lightning rallied to finish second after being forced to steady at the top of the stretch without room. Favourite Touch the Sun's speed was compromised when Adolfo Morales sent Baloch Or hard for the lead at 7-1. The latter set a fast pace before giving way to the winner passing the eighth pole, but ran tough to the wire, only losing the place late. Touch the Sun could do no better than fourth after pressing Baloch Or to the stretch and the latter was claimed by trainer Murray Duncan of GG Stable.
Now for the real longshots.
J R's Request ($48.70) lit up the tote board for owner-trainer Vern Bigham in the fifth race with Hilario Estrella up for his second win of the season, and there was only $5 in live Pick-4 tickets going into the sixth race. The $2 Exactor in the fifth race paid $1,173.70, the $2 Triactor paid $4,120, and nobody had the Superfecta. As a result, the $2 Superfecta combination of 6-1-8-All paid $2,673.90!
Reba ($19.80) knocked all remaining Pick-4 tickets out in the sixth race with a pace-pressing win under Chris Husbands for trainer Shelley Brown, and set up a massive $2 Superfecta of $12,092! More importantly for those who were out of the Pick-4 after the first two legs, Reba's win created the Pick-4 carryover of $6,149.
Dr. Zing ($11.50) lived up to his name with a smashing rally in the seventh and final race under Jalon Samuel, finishing with some zip of his own to catch long and lonely leader Deputy's Bid late. First time starter Primarily Wise also rallied late to complete a fine debut under Alexis Batista and snatch second money for trainer Tanya Lindsay. It was the first win of the year for trainer Guy Kling. Congrats Guy!
And thanks for yet another monster $2 Superfecta payoff of $5,106!
Next Post Time for Live Racing: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 26, 2014
