FINAL FOUR Advance In DerbyWars' $25K Head-to-Head Championship

An amazing finish on Saturday as four of the eight games were decided in the last. Three of the leads were as small as $3.00, 60-cents and 30-cents, and one player led by $12.00.  But only one of those four leaders was able to hold off the late charges, as Spongeworthy, Fantini33 and Badkenny all of nailed the 3-1 winner of the last at Gulfstream that added $13.60 to their totals. 

 

(Click to See This Larger) 

 

- Spongeworthy (Jasen Mangrum) was down by $12.00 to Seasideoutcast (Paul McClelland) by a score of $33.20 - $21.20 going into the last, but was able to pull out the buzzer beater with Marbre Rose, the 3-1 second choice trained by Christophe Clement, who captured the 10th at Gulfstream and paid $13.60.  A bad beat for Seasideoutcast who led the entire day.  His pick in the last, Tokyo Time, the 6-1 third choice was off the board and he came up $1.60 short in the end.  

Mike_Y ($68.20) defeats Taytay ($28.30) with capper in second-to-last 

- TayTay (Jim T.) was the only player with two entries in the Sweet Sixteen, and prospects looked decent with just a couple races to go, before the situation changed completely.  Mike_Y (Mike Yarusso) was trailing Taytay (Jim T.) by $17.50 ($28.30 - $10.80), but laid down the hammer with a cap horse in the 10th at Tampa (#7, Crusader Kris) paying $50.00.  The bomb put Mike_Y up by $32.50, and he scored in the last with $7.20 to place (#1, Baffle Me) in the 10th at Gulfstream to finish up with $68.20, the high score for the day.  This eliminated the first of TayTay's two entries. 

Maguru ($41.60) over Brushbeforebrain ($31.00) on his way to Final Four

- Maguru (Mark McGuire) hit at $27 horse (#6, One Touch) in Tampa's 9th race as the key to pulling away from Brushbeforebrain (Mike Elsass) on Saturday.  Mike got within $10.60 going into the last two races but neither scored in the last two. 

- Glasgowmike (Mike Glasgow) scored in 5 of 10 races to best Blaster (Frank Polk) on Saturday.  Both players had an $18.20 winner (#3, Beantown Skipper) in the 6th at Gulfstream as their biggest score of the day. 

Fantini33 ($55.70) over Texaslonestar ($45.10) at the wire

- After both players placed with Valid ($4.20) in Gulfstream's 9th, Texaslonestar (Jorge Cruz-Aedo) took a slim $3.00 lead over Fantini33 (Ed Peters) into the last two races ($45.10 - $42.10).  Neither player was able to pick up the prices in the last at Tampa, but everything came down to the last race.  Texaslonestar went with the favorite (#4, Sassy Kitten) and a good potential block horse, but Fantini33 took the 3-1 second choice Marbre Rose, and scored $13.60 for the win at the wire.  A tough beat for Texaslonestar.  

Badkenny ($53.60) gets up in the last over Toga ($40.60) 

- This match was a nailbiter to the end, with Toga (Bob Knowles) leading by a razor thin 60-cents going into the last over Badkenny (Ken McMahan) by a score of $40.60 to $40.00.  Just like Texaslonestar, Toga blocked with the 5-2 favorite Sassy Kitten, but Badkenny was able to avoid the block and scored with Marbre Rose to earn $13.60 for the win!

Skezzer (Damian Verno) was able to put two mid-priced horses together and it was enough to defeat Swiener (Sarah Wiener) on his way to the Final Four. 

Wrongway ($35.20) blocks TayTay ($28.70) in the last for the win

Going into the last, this was the tightest match of the day with Wrongway (Ed Ramsey) holding on to just a 30-cent advantage over TayTay (Jim T.) by a score of $21.60 to $21.30.  But as three of the other leaders lost the lead in the last, Wrongway wasn't about to do that.  He correctly selected 3-1 Marbre Rose in the last at Gulfstream to block TayTay and win the match.  Interestingly, TayTay might have sensed that Wrongway was going to block with Marbre Rose or at least one of the two favorites - he went with #1 Baffle Me, the fourth choice at 6-1 and only came up a half-length short as Baffle Me got up for the place at the wire.  Perfectly played by both at the end, but still Taytay lost his second of two entries here.

 

Highest Win Score: $68.20 (Mike_Y)

Lowest Win Score: $25.50 (Skezzer)

Best Score in Defeat: $45.10 (Texaslonestar) 

 

The Elite Eight faced formful races on Sunday. 

Fantini33 ($69.60) had the highest-scoring win of the Elite Eight to defeat Badkenny ($37.10) and advance to the Final Four.

Maguru ($66.00) ran away from challenger Glasgowmike ($24.00) on Sunday with the second-highest scoring win.

 

Skezzer ($63.10) held off a determined Wrongway ($40.50) to make the Final Four with 7 scoring picks out of 11 races.

Finally, Spongeworthy ($43.50) scored with six out of ten races to defeat Mike_Y ($35.20) and get to the Final Four.

Highest Win Score: $69.60 (Fantini33)

Lowest Win Score: $43.50 (Spongeworthy)

Best Score in Defeat: $40.50 (Wrongway)