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The word on the street I alluded to yesterday was absolutely correct; immediately after the news of Arturo Gatti’s tragic demise wise guys were fingering his somewhat eccentric wife…it truly was a tremendous renewal of the Prince of Wales Sunday at the Fort. Gallant, abandoned by Pat Husbands, his regular rider, and forlorn without the presence of his trainer, out gutted the determined Milwaukee Brew in a gruelling stretch drive. Many, many observers were left surprised when his number went up as it appeared to the naked eye that the filly had crossed the line first. A bob, a wiggle, and the history books were rewritten by an overlooked colt stepping up off his maiden score. A race that had almost seemed forgotten in the Canadian calendar proved to be a richly rewarding experience…just cannot understand the logic of bringing journeyman Stewart Elliot up to Canada to ride Milwaukee Brew. Elliot is a journeyman and his sloppiness on the first turn yesterday allowed Gallant to get first jump on his mount. Elliot did not appear to be cognizant of the dawdling nature of the early pace. He wrenched Milwaukee Brew in a stranglehold instead of letting the filly run free on the lead. It was a tactical error and, hey, if you want a bad ride, plenty of locals would have been happy to oblige at a cheaper price than that awarded to Elliot…after a Saturday of wagering where I could do no wrong, Sunday was a debacle. I knew it was going to be interesting when my first play fell coming out of the gate! Later selections bolted on the turn or, in the case of the Stakes, were nosed out in the most improbable of circumstances. Here’s why I’m still happy and flush; money management skills. I risked only a fraction of my Saturday loot. I’ve learned, after years of stupidity, to develop strict guidelines for wagering purposes. My base units did not increase after our run on Saturday, though in years past that would have been my norm. With fixed unit investing I was able to walk away from a horrendous Sunday only mildly inconvenienced. Success at gambling can only be achieved with an enlightened approach to money management…my breakthrough occurred years back at Limerick racetrack in Ireland. I went to the track with about 60 Euros, a paltry amount, planning to hit an ATM. Problem was there was no functioning ATM at the track. Now, I was with family and young ‘uns, so there was no way I was going to play the sleazy guy and ask for a loan. Instead I budgeted about 8 Euros a race and got on with it. And had the single worst day handicapping of my life. I misread virtually every situation, engineered foolish exactor combos, bet horses as they declined off peaks etc etc. I’m always in a dismal mood after an experience like that, but this day had a bizarre silver lining. I had only lost 60 bucks! It took this particular moron that experience before the Andrew Beyer, Steve Haskin et al, preaching about the necessity of advanced money management skills really sunk in. I’ve never looked back. I have a set plan for each type of wager, a maximum, a low level “fun” wager and, yes, special occasions where I’ll view an exceptional amount wagered as part of the entertainment experience. This past weekend was the culmination of many years of distilled wisdom. After a brutal Sunday I still had a smile, a bounce in my step, and a wallet full of cash…just finished the Two Gentlemen of Verona. It’s my summer project to work through the writings of the Bard. The Tempest was first on the docket and I enjoyed it immensely. Two Gentlemen is also a fantastic read but the ending is jarring and questionable. Valentine, in order to repair his friendship with Proteus, offers him his love, the fair Silvia. Weird. Everyone kind of moves on then, with a round of forgiveness, even though many of the characters have been guilty of abominable behaviour. It’s understandable that this is viewed as one of Shakespeare’s lesser works, though the first four acts are rollicking good fun. Best line? “Shunned the fire for fear of burning”…