$750,000 West Virginia Derby (G2) at Mountaineer: The weekend got off to a profitable start (and thankfully stayed that way) as TAPITURE won a desperate photo, returning $140 on our straight $50 win wager. $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch (G1) at Del Mar: The winning continued at the House Bing built when IOTPA dominated this field, keying a $1 trifecta payout of $37.80 as well as getting back an additional $77 on our recommended $10 exacta play. $1,006,125 Hambletonian at The Meadowlands: Amazing how hindsight allows perfect 20/20 vision, isn’t it? Which just amplifies the frustration as a handicapper when you get so close in your analysis but execute the wrong wagering strategy, as I did here in the annual premier harness race. Go ahead, take a minute & re-read what I wrote. Sick. $1,500,000 Whitney Handicap (G1) at Saratoga: I’ve often written about how one race does not make a career (usually excusing a bad running line), but the opposite is often true after a spectacular performance (see the Met Mile running line for PALACE MALICE), so there’s little comfort in knowing that I drank the Kool-Aid believing he was the best handicap horse in North America. Foolish me.