Episode 8 -
February 21
Previously on AMERICAN
DREAM DERBY, the six were whittled
down to three in a trio of Guts Matches. Levar won the
first match in a photo finish against Tara W, Sara
blew away Deanna by three lengths and Eric held on to
the lead with a half-length win over last-place Dean.
Then a FOURTH Guts Match was announced between the
three final Owners and Eric won $15,000 more and
solidified his spot as the first picker in the Dream
Derby itself!
And we're LIVE from Santa Anita Park in beautiful
(albeit rainy) Southern California. And were are with
the ones making the first three picks: Eric Childers
from Springfield, MO, LeVar Thomas from Da Bronx and
Sara Slavin from West Milford, NJ. We start with host
Steve Santagati asking them questions about the
Mansion Alliance and the various "activities" that
occurred there. Eric's drunken "confessional", for
one... and the "love/hate triangle" between the three
for another... and Sara saying they have nothing left
to prove for a third. But, as you can see, things
worked out in the end.
OK, let's knock off the exposition and get to the
picks. We know the picks have been in for a while now,
so let's just show what the three leaders have picked
for their head horse in this one-mile race:
Eric
|
Crafty Value
|
LeVar
|
Big Wagner
|
Sara
|
Nigel No Mates
|
Eric thinks Crafty
Value is the best for the distance. LeVar thought so,
too, but since his pick was taken, he'll be "content"
with Big Wagner. Sara, going on instinct, takes Nigel
No Mates.
And what does trainer Alex Hassinger have to say about
those picks? Well, they're all good... though Nigel
may not do as well as he does in the morning (it's
just passed 4pm PT at the time). A leading handicapper
likewise says that they are good picks... though the
"sloppy" track might effect that.
Well, hey, what are these nine shnooks who have come
to join us? Why, it's the nine people who backed the
wrong horse in the Guts Matches and were scratched!
Dean, Tara C, David, Aaron, Tara W, Deanna, Jewel,
Chris and Susan have returned to relive THEIR fave
moments of the show and kill time before post time.
But... five of these guys are NOT out of the game yet.
That's because GSN.com voters have picked who THEY
want to see have a shot at the quarter-mil and the
horses. And the results?
Deanna was the runaway winner with 38% of the vote,
Dean got 25%, Susan (the one who didn't want anyone
but a horse lover to win the horses) got 12% and Chris
got 9%. And, by a margin of a mere 28 votes, the fifth
member is David!
OK, what are THEIR choices out of whoever is left?:
Deanna
|
Avenue of Knowledge
|
Dean
|
Shoot Yeah
|
Susan
|
Sharp As A Fox
|
Chris
|
Regal Cruiser
|
David
|
R Champ
|
These eight horses
will but put into the follow post positions with these
post-time odds:
SANTA ANITA - RACE 9 - AMERICAN DREAM DERBY
|
1
|
AvenueofKnowldge (Deanna)
|
6-1
|
2
|
R Champ (David)
|
8-1
|
3
|
Big Wagner (LeVar)
|
9-2
|
4
|
Crafty Value (Eric)
|
2-1
|
5
|
Nigel No Mates (Sara)
|
2-1
|
6
|
Regal Cruiser (Chris)
|
15-1
|
7
|
Sharp As a Fox
(Susan)
|
30-1
|
8
|
Shoot Yeah (Dean)
|
10-1
|
But...let's
first enjoy LeAnn Rimes lip-synching the theme song
for the show "You Take Me Home". OK, that's enough.
It's the call to the post! The eight horses walk
towards the starting gate at the start-finish line.
The race will be one lap around the track, eight full
furlongs on the sloppy track (good for horses called "mudders"
who run well in the slop). The eight owner-wannabes
are ready to cheer them on from the clubhouse. The
horse who crosses the finish line first will earn
his/her picker $250,000 and the Dream Derby
stable of thoroughbreds
to race, breed, feed and/or sent out to be made into
glue.
The horses are approaching the starting gate...it is
NOW Post Time!
They're in the gate...
*DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!*
ANNNNNNNND THERE OFF for first running of the American
Dream Derby! And it's Avenueofknowledge taking a quick
lead, R Champ in second but very close, Big Wagner and
Crafty Value keeping it tight. Into the backstretch
it's R Champ in the lead by a nose over
Avenueofknowledge, Crafty Value and Big Wagner in
third with Nigel No Mates in fifth by a length. Regal
Cruiser is starting to pick up speed but he's still in
the back with Sharp As a Fox and Shoot Yeah.
At the half, R Champ is starting to lag behind as
Avenueofknowledge widens his lead, Big Wagner starting
to catch up in third, followed by Nigel No Mates
and... HERE COMES REGAL CRUISER from the back. Into
the far turn, Avenueofknowledge is
lengthening his lead, Big Wagner is trying to keep
up... but HERE COMES REGAL CRUISER on the outside,
passing Big Wagner into second... Shoot Yeah is back
in fourth, followed by Crafty Value, R Champ,
Nigel No Mates and Sharp As a Fox.
And DOWN DA STRETCH THEY COME! Avenueofknowledge is
holding off Regal Cruiser, who is trying desperately
to catch up. Big Wagner holds of Shoot Yeah as R Champ
fades further and further back. Regal Cruiser is
not... gonna... catch 'em as
Avenueofknowledge hits
the finish liiiiine...
...and it's
#1 AvenueofKnowldge
by a massive
four lengths for Deanna Pellegrin, who wins $250,000
and the eight horses in this race! Place goes to !
#6
Regal Cruiser
and, in a tight one,
#3 Big
Wagner holds off Shoot Yeah for
show!
SANTA ANITA - RACE 9 - AMERICAN DREAM DERBY
RESULTS & PAYOFFS
|
1
|
#1 AvenueofKnowldge (Deanna)
|
|
8.60
|
6.00
|
2
|
#6 Regal Cruiser (Chris)
|
|
14.40
|
7.60
|
3
|
#3 Big Wagner (LeVar)
|
|
|
4.80
|
4
|
#8
Shoot Yeah (Dean)
|
|
5
|
#5 Nigel No Mates (Sara)
|
|
6
|
#4 Crafty Value (Eric)
|
|
7
|
#7 Sharp As a Fox
(Susan)
|
|
8
|
#2 R
Champ (David)
|
|
Exacta (first two horses in order) - $220.60
Quinella (first two horses in ANY order) -
$135.60
Trifecta (first three horses in order) -
$1272.60
Superfecta (first four horses in order) -
$8185.60
|
But the
big winner, of course, is Deanna!
Despite choking ONCE in her picks, she excels here and
chooses the right horse on the right track at the
right time. And everyone is there
to reap the rewards,
including the horse and jockey and REAL trainer.
Deanna is joined by her personal friends and says that
she will use all the quarter-million to care for these
horses and make them winners... so Susan can stop her
whining.
Well, to say this was an... interesting series would
be an understatement. Not sure if it'll be back... but
it was fun while it lasted! |