8.0fur D 3+yrN Alw 43000n1x Purse= 43000

I was going to go overboard here, but caught myself and limiting my selections to three, although chancy.

ex & tri box....1-10-13

#1 Able Bellamy, if he's the real deal, will be tough to overhaul. You don't see Stoklosa sending out horses with this kind of potential - hope he doesn't blow the opportunity. The owner has been very loyal to this trainer for a long period.

#10 Artie Luvsto Party is chancy; an anamoly, in that he is truly bred for grass, but any success has come on dirt. Returns from a layoff, but Bush/Castro have been a good team of late and the trainer is also enjoying recent success.

#13 Here Comes Vinny might sitting on an explosive outing. I honestly don't comprehend the 20-1 ML, though it seems that the MLs for a few others in this field are out of whack. Anyway, curious about the stretchout, though that might be a vote of confidence from little known trainer George Topey. Maragh replaces Channing Hill and the rider has been going well since returning home. This is my bomb today - whether or not I'm correct is left to be seen, but I like to take chances. Just got a feeling about this one.

Otherwise, I can make an argument for others in this 11-horse field, and spread accordingly, but keeping my head on today.

The bets were miraculously sent in already: NYRA Rewards has hiccup'd all day and, although costing me a wager in Race 1 earlier [identical to yesterday], I would have lost by not covering Wishful Tomcat, so I feel I'm ahead.

I wish I had the PPs for the last, covered a lot of numbers in the last because of a lack of info.

I'd love to see the Rocketman finish off his P3 with 1/10/13 as dear friend but I have to dickie diddle with what grabs me. Only COALTOWN LEGEND snags the cold DD for me.

I wish I had more money and I'll explain ARTIE after the race is over.

ExBx: 1/10

Ex: 1/5-8

Ex: 10/1-5-7-8

That herd of Slow Breds was strung out longer than the Bataan Death March.

Anyway, when I was a regular at Potter's Pub for pints and ponies, Artie would be there.

Artie is an Army vet from Vietnam and as old veterans we became fast friends. That movie crap about branches of the service brawling each other is mostly Hollywood.

Artie was always at Potter's early in order to get away from his wife. He was retired but explained that he was still Army infantry in his heart and that his wife kept looking more and more like a VC as they both aged. Artie has a great sense of humor. He never hurt her or could hurt anybody at Potter's Pub. If you needed "horse money" you could always tap Artie and he'd slide you money and buy you a drink as well.

One time we catch ARTIE THE ONE MAN PARTY huge in New York to bring in a Pick race.

Jeez, I gotta go back to Potter's Pub again to spend a day with the races. I miss my friends there and the OTB but the convenience of staying home and sipping beer that doesn't cost $4 a pint is the better deal.

I never borrowed a dime from Artie (the only guy that slapped $$$ upon me at Potter's on a bad day was SOTB) but as a fellow Army infantry veteran my son had money flowing back and forth with Artie like they were playing with a yo-yo instead of cash.

Everybody I ever knew named Arthur was a good guy.

you tell a great story.....you have a real gift for it. Stories like this one are so much more enjoyable (as well as a reflection of who I think you are) than those political rants.