Cruel and Unusual Punishment

by Ralph the Cat

Cancelling the race cards on Saturday and Sunday made it hard for the Mountaineer cult to accept, but watching the chalk wire the field in 10 of the 18 races held on Monday and Tuesday sent them into a dark and lonesome corner. The wire-to-wire winners paid from $2.40 to $8.80 and crippled the long-shot players. If the lead horse at the 3/8th pole didn't bringing home the bacon Monday and Tuesday nights, it seemed the horse tucked right behind the lead horse did.

Leave it to Super Trainer Louis Roberto Jr.'s runner to defy odds and come from a close stalking position to win at $11.40 in Tuesdays 5th and the hard hitting Oswald Pereira to close on a 4/1 shot in the 8th Tuesday night. Players found it hard to believe that getting a price included the name Louis Roberto. The biggest price of the week was bug boy Arizona Millers ride in the 5th Monday night bringing Broad Sweep to the wire in front at 18-1 and scoring his 7th win of the meet.

Parker showed why he is the best at the Mountain scoring 2 wins on the frozen track on Monday and 5 wins in the slop on Tuesday. Oswald Pereira put the triple together Tuesday after scoring one win on Monday. With just a few weeks left of racing, Parker stamped his ticket to another jockey title by cushioning his lead by nearly 30 wins.

The highlight of the week was Scooter Davis's claim in the 9th Monday night. The Super Trainer claimed Miss Diamondlegs who looked leg weary while trailing the field to a last place finish.