Well here we go with the 1st race.  Just to re-explain how we’re doing this – El Presidente has generously deposited $200 into my TVG account to bet with for this afternoon’s 10 race card at Belmont, so I’m literally playing with house money.  Couldn’t be in a better spot as a gambler.  Lose, so what.  Win, take the money to the Belmont tomorrow and bet it all on Casino Drive who I think will beat Big Brown.  (Update: Casino Drive now hurt.) The problem is the $200 could very easily be gone by the 3rd race and this whole promotion could be over in a hurry.    Also, stay tuned for my “Shoe-In of the Day” which comes in the 2nd race. 

Okay, 1st race is a $15,000 claiming race going 1 mile around the main track.  We’re going to start out with a price here in the 6 – Hot Like the Sand at 13-1.  He finished 2nd against the same competition level going 7F back on May 14th at Belmont but he broke slow from the 1 hole and ended up being 5 wide.  Hopefully he gets off to a good start and is a much better position to win today with jockey Luca Panici aboard.  Basically I’m trying to beat the favorite, the 1 – One Starry Nite, who’s the classiest horse in the race but making only his 3rd start in almost 2 years and I don’t really like him at 8-5 although we will include him in the exacta with the 5 - Icy Heart.

Race 1 bet:  $3 WPS on the 6.  $2 Exacta Box: 1-5-6.  Total bets: $21.   Post time: 1:00 pm.

Good Luck! Play along by putting some cash into TVG....