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FAIR GROUNDS NOTEBOOK FEBRUARY 5, 2010 by Frank Cotolo Another 40 races are in the books for 2010 at Fair Grounds, with resounding public success wagering on the main course. Only one day was interrupted by foul weather when on Friday the track had to be sealed from Race 4 to the end of the nine-race card. But it was the beginning of a week where favorites were identified at the highest rate of any recorded week in our notebooks this meet. The mostly fast surface produced 45-percent winners for the public. Involved in many of those finishes were close second choices. In other words, chalk ruled the week and choked a lot of bettors swinging for the fences. On the first day of the racing week, when six races coped with the sealed track, five on the program still went to public choices. By Saturday, all was "fast" again, as well as the public was smart, adding six choices to the week. There were four on Sunday and the week ended on Monday with three. On the surface Though the "best" horses were winning an impressive clip all week, 51 percent of the overall winners came from off the pace to get their victories. Not all of them showed up late from out of the clouds, but they were far enough back at one point of call to not be stalkers. Winners close to the pace won at a 30-percent race and wire-to-wire winners only grabbed 19 percent of the wins. Some might attribute the "sloppy" intervention early in the week to demoting speed as an important element ,but a lack of firm surprise winners is a better indication that the playing field was quite level. There were only three turf races during the week, all of Monday, and they showed no sign of bias. Trainers The top names dominated the four-day race week. Steve Asmussen continued his barrage of winners, adding another five to his ledger. Bret Calhoun came close with four winners and Tom Amoss had three. Doubling were Wesley Hawley, Edward Johnston and Michelle Lovell. We saw another winner from ex-jock Ray Sibille last week. HORSES TO WATCH Friday (1/29) 5TH -- STRIKE HAPPY (Service Strike) showed speed and led to the half at 21-1, which is a good sign for improving, especially holding well against a closer's track. 8TH -- HANDS ON (Friendly Lover) got into a duel to the three-eighths in the afternoon's early slop. Saturday (1/30) 1ST -- BAKUBAH (Cactus Ridge) won a heavy duel midway while on the outside, took the lead and wound up fourth at 12-1. 4TH -- WHEELING WINI (Johanesburg), a first-time starter for David Carroll, closed well with promising strides. 10TH -- LIL RICK'S GAL (Macabe) had a messy trip with altered paths. Sunday (1/31) 3RD -- INCALZANDO (Giant's Causeway) is a bet back from this win, taking it while wide to start getting command and drawing off against claimers. 7TH -- HEY MY BABY (Malibu Wesley) dueled with a 14-1 shot, put that one away, and had speed into the stretch at 18-1. Monday (2/1) 1ST -- JAVA HONEY (Deputy Diamond) shot from a slow start to the lead, won a duel near the drive to lead and was beaten late to hold second. 4TH -- CERTIFIEDNBONEFIED (Twilight Agenda) challenged three wide three times during the event, impressive mini-battles for a 32-1 shot.
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