Taking a week off from the history but thought I would do a short post on a memorable Saturday at Monmouth Park. I have been to Monmouth a few times and have to say it definitely ranks as one of my favorite tracks.

History is palpable at Monmouth — from the subtle things like the signage around the track to the overt homages to the past found in the flags under the grandstand. While few tracks match Saratoga for the presence of the past, Monmouth certainly has its own unique historical flavor. If you have never been, it is worth a trip.

The highlight of Saturday, of course, was Presious Passion running them all off their feet in the United Nations. While the track record time might be in question, you can’t question the company Presious Passion joined as a dual winner of the prestigious turf race. Round Table, Manila, Mongo, and recent turf champ English Channel are among the runners who have won the UN twice. Presious Passion has proven – since winning last year’s UN – that he is one of the most determined and entertaining racehorses in the country. Looking forward to see how he progresses on his way to the Breeders Cup — something tells me we might see a rabbit (or two) in his next race.

Presious Passion and Elvis Trujillo into the winner’s circle

If you missed the race, be sure to check out the replay over at Thoroughbred Times

To top off an already great day, Mrs. Colin’s Ghost and I had one of our best days ever at the betting windows, cashing some big tickets on the nose of Presious Passion. I had handicapped to play pick three’s (my bet of choice) on the last five races, but forgot that Monmouth doesn’t offer pick threes on the first leg of the pick four. So I decided to play the pick four using Presious Passion as a free square in the UN. I handed my picks to Mrs. Colin’s Ghost and told her to add who she liked before we put the bet in. She made one addition: Coal Play in the Salvator Mile.

We hit the pick four on a $36 ticket (I loved Exploit’s Kid in Race 8). We each had a winning pick three ticket in our pockets too. We play relatively modest bankrolls so a day like Saturday will not soon be forgotten.

Image: The brains behind the Wagering Division of Colin’s Ghost Inc. handicapping at Saratoga, 2008. Further proof that women at the track are more than decoration.

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Back to the history next week.

THANKS FOR READING AND GOOD LUCK!