With all the attention paid to the Triple Crown and other graded races all around the country, the interesting scenarios at smaller tracks, featuring the lesser lights, mostly go unnoticed. But not for the bettors who frequent TVG daily.

    One of those races was the second at Finger Lakes on Monday. It was a $20,000 maiden claimer with several first-timers, including Poppy's Salsa, a 3-year-old son of Get Away Farm's Two Step Salsa. The colt had four workouts listed, three at three furlongs and one at four, and none were anything special. Nothing to make anyone sit up and take notice. Poppy was 6-1 in the morning line.

    Most bettors aren't paying attention to the TV when a race ends and the morning line pops up for the next race at that track. After all, there's usually 20 to 25 minutes before the next post time and plenty of time to check out the odds. On this occasion, TVG analyst Rich Perloff did notice the first flash, and casually mentioned that Poppy's Salsa was 3/5. Handicappers who do pay attention to the first flash - like me - then watched to see what transpired thereafter.

    In Poppy's Salsa's case, his odds began to slowly drift up until the field was about to enter the gate, and he was 5-1. If there was anything special somebody knew about this colt, they had made their play early.

    When the gate opened, Poppy bolted to the lead with Gerald Almodovar, and continued in front until the turn when he was joined by King of Night, a 5/2 proposition owned and bred by Live Oak Plantation. The pair went head-and-head down the lane, and at one point King of Night forged ahead by a neck. But Poppy wasn't finished - he battled back gamely and they crossed the line so close together the announcer couldn't separate them. And, a final look at the board showed Poppy was now 15-1. Incredible.

    The judges took an eternity studying the photos and finally, and rightfully, decided it was a heater. So Two Step Salsa had another winner (No. 27 this year), as did Charlotte Weber's Live Oak. Poppy's Salsa paid $13.40, $13.20 and $7.80, and the early bird bettor (or bettors) had the last laugh. (Along with anybody else who paid attention to that telling first flash). 

    THIS ONE'S CORFU - Bridlewood Farm's Corfu became the fourth Florida freshman sire to have a winner when I'm Corfu broke his maiden at Presque Isle Downs on Tuesday in his fourth start. The gelding bred by Donna Burnham had finished second in his previous start and was sent off as the 1/2 favorite as part of an entry with stablemate Chateau, both owned and trained by Wayne Rice. 

    Ronnie Allen Jr. shot I'm Corfu to the lead in the five-furlong maiden special and the gelding never looked back, scoring by 2 3/4 lengths and stopping the clock in :58.19. Chateau came on for second, 4 1/4 lengths clear of the third-place finisher, so Rice picked up two checks. He had purchased I'm Corfu for a bargain $3,500 at the OBS January sale and the gelding has now earned $24,282. 

    There are 13 Florida first-year sires and Corfu joined Currency Swap, Prospective and Treasure Beach in the one-win column.  

comments powered by Disqus