Trip Report: Sacramento 8/29

[Triple Threat]

Saturday, I took a break from my studies to go to some LIVE racing at Cal Expo. I had never been to Cal Expo, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

I have to take the Downtown Berkeley BART to Concord BART to meet Vince P, who is giving me a ride to the track from Concord. Uneventful trip, just handicapped some races on the train, arrived a few minutes early.

Met Vince P for the first time, and he couldn't be a nicer guy. Absolutely first class all the way! It's about an hour and 20 minute ride and we talk about most stuff, from RA v. Zenyatta to the Dodgers.

Meet and AC at a joint called California Cafe about 2 blocks from the track, and we park in a Kaiser parking lot. Get to the track right when gates open, and I see Cal Expo for the first time.

I have to say, the satellite wagering area is MUCH nicer than the grandstand. Bunch of wagering machines nearby and TVs all over the place, and glass windows you can see through to see the LIVE racing. The perfect spot.

At around Noon, Vince and I decide to check out some of the fair and get some lunch. Vince had a corn dog and I had a carne asada burrito, which ran about $9. Might as well of had the $14 cheeseburger. Vince brought some frozen water and frozen punch to the track, too, and it was rock hard. Not even the Sacramento heat (it was 103 degrees) could melt the ice. Because it was so hot, we stayed inside for most of the day, only going outside to watch the LIVE race.

I decided to bet the first race, the race. In this race, I saw something I had never seen before. A triple disqualification. I had the dime super pegged, but got DQ'd out of it. This wouldn't be the first time I was DQ'd because I bet on Vineyard Haven in the King's Bishop, thinking I had a 5/1 winner, but it was a pretty obvious DQ.

In the 4th LIVE race, Vince has the exacta with an 15/1 and an 11/1, returning $180 for $1. We thought he had it twice, but he only had the $1 ticket. Turns out he lost the ticket somewhere in the Cal Expo grandstand, and they couldn't stop it. Strange that they can stop vouchers, but not "winning tickets." He had the tracking number, too.

Soon after the Travers, has to leave early, I guess she had a KEMS game. JB would be proud of her

AC keeps getting 2 of 3's on tri's, 3 of 4 on super's, and 2 of 3 on pick three's. Close but no cigar for him, and I was just getting killed.

However, I get on a roll by the end of the day, tagging the winners of the last two Del Mar races and the dimer in the last as well as the last two at Sacramento to end up ahead, so I leave the track happy.

Afterwards, Vince, AC, and I decide to go to In N Out, and his GPS says it's 4 miles away. We drive around for about 10 miles and we realize that these directions are either faulty or it's the wrong location, so we were lost. Was getting late, so we dropped AC off at his van, he missed out on a true American feast.

On our way home, we stop at the In N Out by UC Davis and I have to say, that is the greatest hamburger joint ever. Whoever doesn't think so is lying. And you can't beat the price! Vince treated me to it, and I thank him for it.

The drive to Concord BART was uneventful for the most part other than our Dodgers talk. Dropped me off at Concord BART, and was on my way back to Berkeley.

All in all, even though there wasn't much success betting, it was a great day with Vince, AC, and . Especially meeting Vince for the first time, he is great. Look forward to doing this again with you all, and will post another trip report for the Pacific Classic next week.

Mike

[Theiman]

Nice report TT.

But getting in a car with a guy who doesnt know when you can make a legal U turn is playing with fire.

[Lurker]

TTT,
nice report, thanks for sharing, you got to meet some of the best the forum has to offer imho.

BUT, how come there have been so many reports over the years that go like this.....Met Vince for the first time, nice guy yada yada yada, and then we got lost trying to find the InNout.

Like Iman said.....think twice before getting in that car!

As for the $180 ticket, did he check under his hat and in his boot like where most jocks hide their tickets?

p.s. Congratulations on your admission to CAL, quite an accomplishment just getting there, enjoy!

[Vince P]

Great track - besides The Curragh and Saratoga, Sacramento is probably the best track this side of Ferndale. I love that joint. Great satellite system, perfect seating areas, great food, TVs all over the joint and I actually like hot weather - of course it helped that brought like a case of frozen drinks for us to combat heat strokes.

And the company was the best. TT is the wisest 17 year old handicapper/horse degenerate in history. Dude knows more about horses than I do about sex. And get this, he's a big time DODGER fan - I had no idea. Talk about perfection! I'm guessing once he graduates from Cal with that BM degree, he attends the Racetrack Symposium in AZ and will teach the racing commission a thing or two about how horse racing should really be run.

Add AC & Kim to the track line-up, and company simply doesn't get any better unless Alyssa Milano is with you. And by the way, Kim, thanks for tip on Stepping Out “” at Del Mar, right before you left. Yes I played it for you, but lost the ticket - just kidding, I have your winnings. I bet to win (instead of combination ticket) because he got bet down from 4-1 to 2-1.

As for the "getting lost to In 'N Out even with a GPS," situation, I have a pending law suit with the Garmin company as we speak. That was a loving disaster if there ever was one. Sorry again AC.

Here's the scoop on the lost $181.77 winning exacta ticket.

I played it twice and after the race I put both tickets into my front pocket (or so I thought) to cash them in. When I got to our table, one figuratively disappeared - probably fell out when I moved it to my shirt pocket and the shovel guy there is right on top of things, so I’m guessing it ended up in a garbage can.

So I go to the info window. As you may know by now, I've lost several vouchers before BUT they always track me/refund me with minutes. No problem I thought.

The dude goes,

"Vince, what’s up - whatju lose now?"

I go,

"Me winning ticket. It's a dup of this one here, and paid $181.77. Here's the window number, tracking number and the ticket looks just like this one. Run your report on me and we'll call it even."

He goes,

"Vince, sorry man, I can't do it - I can only refund you vouchers. Lost winning tickets are kept by the state and paid off to stewards,” or some motherlessloving bulllove like that he said.

So I'm out $181.77.

Question: Is that really true. Lost tickets can't be redistributed to legal owner?

Vince P

[LuckyDuck]

TTT, sounds like you had a lot of fun, how could you not with the company you're keeping.

With the temps at 103, I hope you left the woolen suit at home

[Rosethorn2]

It truly was a fun day.....combined with AC meeting my the night before, it was a blast. Unfortunately, family obligations kept me from staying all day, but it was still good to kick it with me homies for a few hours......Vince, I'll bet that win money on something soon....just hold it for me....

[Vince P]

For TT:

http://www.drf.com/news/article/106856.html

Superfecta payoffs made on losing tickets

By Chuck Dybdal

Saturday was a day stewards Dennis Nevin, Will Meyers, and Grant Baker would like to forget.

In the first race at the California State Fair, there were three separate disqualifications in a 400-yard mule race.

The original winner (No. 6, Jet Fuel) was disqualified from first and placed second. The original third-place finisher (No. 5, Candyman) was disqualified and placed last. The original fourth-place finisher (No. 2, Image of Tomahawk) was disqualified and placed fifth.

As a result, the original runner-up (No. 7, Ima Top Jet) became the winner. The original fifth-place runner (No. 4, Valor) wound up third. The original sixth-place runner (No. 3, Baby Sister) wound up fourth. The original last-place runner (No. 1, Loretta Jones) wound up sixth.

Sound confusing? It was.

So confusing that when the race was declared official, the order of finish was posted as 7-6-4-2 when, in reality, it should have been 7-6-4-3.

Superfecta tickets worth $4,557 were cashed with the wrong order before the incorrect combination was spotted and superfecta payoffs halted. After an announcement to fans explaining the mistake, the pool was reopened and $8,996.52 was correctly paid out to 474 (10-cent) tickets worth $18.98 with the correct placings.

Track officials have no way of knowing how many correct tickets were discarded after the first "official" posting. And you can guess how many of the erroneous payoffs were returned.

In their preliminary report on the mixup, the stewards signed a statement reading, "The stewards would like to apologize to the [California Horse Racing] Board for any embarrassment this may cause, to management for any inconvenience this may have generated, and mostly to the fans who were affected."

Saturday's card also included double trifecta and superfecta payoffs after Drastic Tactics and Precious Star dead-heated for third in the 10th race.

Heat takes a toll on Frumious

To say the track was playing fast Saturday was an understatement.

The 3-year-old Frumious, making his first start of the year in the California State Fair Sprint, went the opening quarter in 21.15 seconds and opening half in 42.76 before fading.

Trainer Jeff Bonde did not blame the fractions for Frumious's fifth-place finish.

"It was too hot for him," said Bonde, referring to the 104-degree temperature, not the torrid half-mile. "People say he went too fast, but there were horses running 44 flat earlier."

Pistoia, a $3,200 claimer, had a 44.03 half, as did Light of a Star, who ran for an $8,000 tag. The only race that didn't have a sub-45-second split was a 2-year-old maiden race. (Every race Sunday had a sub-45 split, and two runners broke 44 seconds.)

Frumious suffered from heat prostration following the race but seemed fine Sunday morning.

Dance With Gable pays dividends

The Sprint went to Dance With Gable, who had been claimed for $40,000 at Del Mar by trainer Mike Machowsky in his previous start. He earned $46,000 for his new owners.

Machowsky said he nominated the 5-year-old Dance With Gable to the Cal Cup Starter Sprint after the claim. And, he wisely nominated him to the Cal Cup Sprint as well. He said, though, that he might consider a sprint at Fairplex before Cal Cup Day because Dance With Gable "might like dirt better" than Santa Anita's synthetic surface.

Machowsky said he liked Dance With Gable's form that included 2 wins and 3 seconds in his first 5 starts of the year before running third the day he was claimed. Dance With Gable, who now has 7 wins in 17 starts, has won on dirt, synthetic surfaces, and grass.

Machowsky said he also trained Dance With Gable's half-brother Gaddingabout, who won six races and $177,445 for him.

Dance With Gable's 2 1/4-length victory over Bamaha Breeze in 1:08.25 was accomplished with ease even though he had to check twice when trying to move inside Frumious on the turn and then when he was boxed in by Tribesman briefly when he tried to swing outside the leader.

Tribesman, the defending State Fair Sprint and Cal Cup Sprint champ, was fourth as the 3-5 favorite.

Trainer Roger Hansen said simply, "He just got outrun," and added that Tribesman cooled out well and seemed fine Sunday.

No wagering on super mules

Director of racing Dave Elliott, who allowed only win and place wagering on the California State Fair Sprint because of the presence of Tribesman, said he will seek approval from the CHRB for mules Bar JF Hot Ticket and Bar JF Red Ticket to run for purse money only in their expected races this weekend.

"I believe the CHRB has authority to do that," Elliott said.

More than $300,000 was bet to show on the two mules on Aug. 23 at Ferndale, causing massive minus show pools.

Elliott said that eliminating the two from the betting pools might actually lead to an increase in wagering since the rest of the mules are pretty competitive with one another.

* Despite the fast times seen at the meet, Elliott said, the track has proven safe. "No horses have been carted off," he said.

The first-week live handle on local races has been up, although Sunday's all-sources totals were down compared with 2008 when fans could also wager on Del Mar's Pacific Classic, which has been pushed back a week this year.

[JDinSD77]

Sounded like a whole lotta fun. To add to the DQ discussion regarding the first race, that was a travesty. How do you make that many mistakes over a mule race. And don't get me wrong, I love the mules. but the stewards must still have been half asleep from their partying ways at the fair the night before. On a side note for Sacramento, the wife and I made a pilgrimage there a couple years ago. Like we do for any track across the country we visit, including some tiny ones like Walla-Walla in Washington state, we asked where we could by some mementos from the track(you know, like at a gift shop). Lady there looked at us like we were crazy, said they didn't sell anything, but we could take the program home with us. So are racing mantle remains Sac-mementoless.

[Lurker]

As for the "getting lost to In 'N Out even with a GPS," situation, I have a pending law suit with the Garmin company as we speak. That was a loving disaster if there ever was one. Sorry again AC.

http://www.spinner.com/2009/08/25/bob-d ... ps-system/

[DegenerationX]

Was this one of the In and Outs that you own Vince?