Creator Gives Player "Amazing Ride" to Belmont Day Contest Double

Jim T. (Taytay) doesn't consider himself the sharpest tool in the shed.

Many players on DerbyWars, including myself, beg to differ.

Jim T. has been one of the most successful players on DerbyWars and he lived up to that top billing last Saturday by taking down the $25,000 Saturday Game and $50,000 Belmont Day Game. In less than an hour, he collected more than $25,000 in prizes by posting two tournament victories.

Though Jim T., a past winner of the $100K, has had bigger cash scores on DerbyWars, the anxiety he experienced while leading in two major tournaments down the stretch last Saturday was unmatched.

"It was an amazing ride, and I am grateful for the opportunity that DerbyWars offers to all of us," Jim T. said. "I developed some self- inflicted anxiety derived from the competition, but I was able to channel that nervous energy positively."

Jim T. was quick to compare his two biggest days on DerbyWars.

He recalled playing the majority of his $100K score "out of pocket," likely indicating that he was multi-tasking.

"I didn't even know I won until I got the congratulatory email from Mark (Midland)," Jim T. said.

Belmont Day was much different.

"I was glued to my recliner during most of Belmont's card," Jim T. explained.
Despite all of the nerves, Jim T. had a plan heading into the day which was built around his top pick of the day in eventual Belmont Stakes longshot-winner Creator.

"I loved Creator and played him with most of my tickets on the first Saturday in May. There was nothing from that performance that made me change my mind going into The Belmont. The addition of Irad (Ortiz Jr.), Bobby Flay and Gettysburg only added to my liking," Jim T. said. "Getting 16-1 with those positive changes was salivating to me. But then again, I expected a win in the Derby and got crushed."

Creator prevailed over Destin by the slimmest of margins springing Jim T. ahead in both contests. It was the second cap-horse of the day for Jim T. who won with Pure Sensation in the Jaipur earlier in the card.

"The firm ground, superb trainer (not the soundest animal) and being proven at the level was key in my mind," Jim T. pointed out.

Jim T. believes that his handicapping rationale is somewhat unconventional as he considers a variety of different factors when arriving at his selections. He typically puts a lot of weight on his consideration of figures and past performances like most players, but also utilizes many other current event information from a variety of horse racing media sources.

As far as tournaments go, Jim T. plays multiple entries in many of the contests he competes in.

"If I am lucky enough to score early on, I play that ticket as my No. 1 ticket and make the other(s) my not so conservative tix," Jim T. said.

He still admits that all of the strategy in the world can't prepare a player for the closing moments of a tournament.

"I have lost plenty of tournaments in the waning moments so there was a fair degree of anxiety," said Jim T., who was in block mode as he was in the driver's seat for the final races on Belmont Day.

Beyond collecting a lumpsome of cash last week, the most accomplished feeling that Jim T. receives from winning a major tournament is prevailing over "absolutely phenomenal" competition on DerbyWars.

"Those names that consistently appear on the top of the contest leaderboards are there for a reason," Jim T. said. "These guys and gals are tremendous handicappers. I am very humbled, lucky and fortunate to be able to compete at their level every so often."

Jim. T. is definitely considered among that top flight.

--- By Dustin Haluska