This thread has got me thinking about that Meadowlands Pace. What a race! It was eating away at my brain even before they drew the eliminations, LOL. In the final, I knew I was betting against Jate. Period. If he won, he beat me and so be it, but I was betting against him and the fact that he was going to be the definitive favorite was great for me, LOL. I wasn't betting Run The Table. I just thought he was a length or two behind the best in the crop. Guess I was wrong in this race, LOL. I had known of Frugal Gourmet since before his first start and followed the colt from day one. But, the horse I wanted to bet, the horse that I thought was the toughest horse in the race.....had the rail.....Laag. I was not happy about that. But, he had Billy O. I remember my win bet was one of the five biggest bets I made all year.....and I just had this eerie feeling that if I was going to lose, Trevor was going to get me, LOL. As time went on, the eerie feeling turned into not if I lose, but I think Trevor is going to beat me. So I hedged. I liked Frugal Gourmet very much anyway and this was the kind of race that he could win.
In a somewhat uncommon occurrence, John Campbell got stuck, hung out, first over, looking to flush cover. That didn't happen. Trevor Ritchie, one of the smartest drivers to ever step food on any racetrack anywhere made the perfect move to take the lead, the move that I knew was going to beat me, LOL. Laag, who was way back, eventually gets second over behind Run The Table who was still first over, but far off the lead, even turning for home. When they finally straightened out, I knew there were only two horses who could catch Trevor. In hindsight, Run The Table raced far better than I expected off that trip. Not even two steps past the wire, Laag was by Frugal Gourmet. I lost my monster win bet on Laag. My saver was place, but my hedge was the exacta and it paid $49 and change. I can't help but wonder.....what if Billy O wheeled three wide.....LOL. Armchair driving, LOL.
