1/1: Aqueduct (6th-9th)

[Kasept]

All I can do this New Year's Day is pull out all the clichés after yesterday's improbable closing act. I say it's 'the greatest unscripted drama in the sporting world' and 'you can't make it up' and so forth and Tuesday's year end Ozone Park Miracle confirmed it again. I was beyond delighted to construct a successful P6 negotiation that may not have been life-changing, but certainly was vocation-affirming.

In addition to feeling like the P4 and P6 hits made up for a handful of truly agonizing near-misses in 2013, the way the wagers scored via the elaborate multi-ticket approach (5 A's, 1 C) justified the extra work involved in the process. As I've explained on radio for years, the Steve Crist A-B-C-X structure and multi ticket approach is the best way to attack, but for too long I tried to keep it simple 'on paper' in the selections with the 'caveman' tickets.

It is labor intensive to post each Ticketmaker play pre and post SCR's and I always worried that there would be small mistakes along the way that botched things and wasted people's money. Indeed, even with the successes Tuesday, there was a small post-SCR hiccup where I somehow omitted 2nd choice Petrocelli from the plays in favor of 3rd choice Star of New York. Luckily Tycoon Cat left no doubt about the anchor leg outcome.

Anyway, I'm pleased at least one person played along on the $152 P6 ($11,602) and many more on the 14-1 return $65 P4 ($905) and appreciate all the kind notes of encouragement and well wishes. It's important to have hits like Tuesday's if you play regularly and seriously because it not only keeps the balance sheet reasonable, but confirms confidence in your own opinion. And to those giving up the game blaming unbeatable and 'overwhelming' ambient conditions, returns that keep determined players profitable, or at least in the hunt, are the best response to braying quitters. You need luck certainly, but like anything else in life, the harder you work, the luckier you'll get. (Ben Hogan paraphrased.)

Best wishes to all for a super 2014. Let's encourage each other and make it great..

AQUEDUCT


POST-SCRATCHES


6th: CLM/N2L, F&M-4+, 6f (P4, P3, DD)

Most Likely: #6 Color Me Kitten 3-1 8th
Best Value: #8 Blue Sixty Four 8-1 3rd
Next Best: #3 Blue Ballerina 5-2 4th
Exotics Use: #4 Julesco 4-1 2nd


7th: NY-OC/N2X, 4+, 1m-70y (P3, DD)

Giant Finish, away since Belmont, moved to the Sciacca barn this fall and has been working very well for return but may need tightener. Won ALW over strip 50 weeks ago but looks underlaid at 5-2..

Most Likely: #9 Go Get the Basil 2-1 3rd
Best Value: #4 Pure Attitude 5-1 WON ($10.60)
Next Best: #3 Giant Finish 5-2 6th
Exotics Use: #5 Street Lord 8-1 2nd


8th: 93rd Interborough, F&M-4+, 6f (DD)

SCR'D down to 5 and all need to be covered somehow on your plays..

Most Likely: #6 Lion D N A 6-1 WON ($7.90)
Best Value: #7 Miss Mischief 12-1 5th
Next Best: #5 Delightful Quality 2-1 4th


9th: NY-MSW, 4+, 5.5f

Deep, contentious group with Galluscio firster mixed in for added intrigue..

Most Likely: #7 Handy Stan 4-1 3rd
Best Value: #6 Shot to Win 10-1 5th
Next Best: #5 Wood On the Fire 12-1 11th
Exotics Use: #3 Horatio 5-2 2nd
Super Add: #8 Chasintheblues 8-1 7th


<$75 P4 Play:

All A Entries

1 $1.00 pick P4: 6,8 with 4,9 with 2,7 with 7 - $8.00

A's with One B

2 $0.50 pick P4: 3,4 with 4,9 with 2,7 with 7 - $4.00
3 $0.50 pick P4: 6,8 with 4,9 with 4 with 7 - $2.00
4 $0.50 pick P4: 6,8 with 4,9 with 2,7 with 3,5,6,8 - $16.00

A's with Two B's

5 $0.50 pick P4: 3,4 with 4,9 with 4 with 7 - $2.00
6 $0.50 pick P4: 3,4 with 4,9 with 2,7 with 3,5,6,8 - $16.00
7 $0.50 pick P4: 6,8 with 4,9 with 4 with 3,5,6,8 - $8.00

A's with One C

8 $0.50 pick P4: 7 with 4,9 with 2,7 with 7 - $2.00
9 $0.50 pick P4: 6,8 with 3,5 with 2,7 with 7 - $4.00
10 $0.50 pick P4: 6,8 with 4,9 with 5,6 with 7 - $4.00
11 $0.50 pick P4: 6,8 with 4,9 with 2,7 with 1,10 - $8.00

Total: $74.00


Good luck!
Steve