Dates of The Trip: November 1-2
Location: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Saturday:
Saturday at the Breeders Cup is upon us. Compared to the day before, today is hard waking up. I’m not sure if it’s my body adjusting to the West Coast time zone or recovering from a thoroughly enjoyable first day. I awaken to the sound of my alarm at 7:00 AM and roll into the shower. As my head falls under the water, I wake up and remember why I am here, Saturday at the Breeders Cup. Yesterday was one of my favorite memories in racing, and I can’t wait to see what the main course holds for me today.
Today racing is starting early, with gates opening at 9:00 AM and the first post at 10:00 AM. I lucked out with my hotel, residing one mile from Del Mar. I left my hotel at about 8:50 AM to make it to the gates right as they opened. As soon as I arrive, the feelings of yesterday's experience race back to me. And if yesterday's energy can be beaten, it will be beaten today.
In my best suit, I walk through the gates and up the stairs to my seat. As I walk, I wonder how, in just one short day, the space feels so familiar. I am the first from our section to arrive, but slowly the other patrons trickle in. Even though we were all strangers the day before, their “good mornings" and “welcomes” were much warmer than before. A friendship surely grew in the section.
Saturday begins similarly to Friday, with the majority of the section swapping picks for the early undercard races. Admittedly, I am a bit less vocal today after a poor previous day of suggestions. One name that keeps getting thrown around in the group is Sierra Leone. This horse will race in the Breeders Cup Classic, the biggest race of the day, and right in the middle of the card. I circle it on my card, as I’m not one to miss a group celebration.
Truthfully, in that race, I am leaning heavily towards Fierceness, a speed horse that better suits the surface. The Breeders Cup races commence with energy in race four. In race four, the action is competitive. From the gate to the finish line, you can feel the stadium hold a collective breath. Race four was unlike anything I have seen in racing.
With the product on the track nothing short of incredible, my handicapping is far from great, continuing my poor streak. I have now finished all the races without cashing a ticket.
Race six comes, and it is one I have circled on my card. Thorpedo Anna is the horse to beat in race six, coming in with heavily favored odds. Since there is little money to be made gambling on this race, I decided to just watch this one as a fan. This was a truly hard task for any Degen. As predicted, Thorpedo Anna crushed her competition in this race. She could have won by any amount she wanted, marking a truly dominant performance on this world-class stage.
We were two calls away from race eight, the Breeders Cup Classic. Fierceness is the early favorite, but I am enthralled by the biggest story of the race, the City of Troy. An old man in my section is very vocal about Sierra Leone and a potential late move. The race goes off, the tension is palpable, and tens of thousands watch in anticipation. The City of Troy is never in the race, and Fierceness loses any potential at the top with no late kick. Then comes Sierra Leone, moving late and strong to take the lead. Our section celebrates our first real win together in the biggest race of the weekend. Collectively, we cash our $100 winning tickets.
The following races pass, and we slip back into our typical form of missing every bet. On the bright side, the drinks continue to flow, and the show is great even with lackluster profits. The day begins to wind to a close. After two days, I am down $1500 on gambling but have collected double-digit souvenir cocktail cups. I walk back to the hotel and think back on what has been the greatest two days of horse racing I have ever seen. What a trip!
Fun Scorecard: A
Gambling Score Card: C+