Toga Party V: Let's Get Ready to Rumble

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Mr. Blutarsky, 0.0

If you've been around this blog (or you just stumbled upon it by googling "toga party") you know there are several constants: (1) the annual Derby spreadsheet; (2) the annual Saratoga meeting Toga Party contest, (3) the Derby Degrees of Separation post and lastly (4) the annual Kreskin post around year end.


We had 19 entrants in last year's contest won by none other than The Space Gal, who penned a guest post for her winning prize. She took Toga IV with six wins, which also was the lucky number for Toga Parties II and III. Last year's final standings and correct answers can be found here. Please, everyone, don't let her win again, for my sake.

So here are the Space rules:

Rules: I've broken it down to 5 meet questions, 5 race or raceday specific questions and 5 winners of major stake races for this year's Saratoga meeting. 1 point per correct answer. Stakes race winner selections are not due until midnight on the Friday before the race. I will have the spreadsheet up and running on the right side bar before opening day. Remember there's no Price is Right rules in effect (you can go over - it's closest to the correct number), except for item 8, which has to be right on the number. Either email me: budmanbflo [at] hotmail.com your selections for question 1-10 items only and the tiebreaker or leave them in the comment section by next Thursday at midnight (opening day eve) with your email address (if I don't already have it). I will email the group on Thursday before the stakes races to remind you of the race selections (items 11-15).

New Rules: If you nail any of the items on the number (other than item 8) you get Double Points (items 2,4, 5,6,7,9,10). And for the last graded race (the Hopeful) we'll give you 2 points for the winner, which can keep some folks in the game going into the final weekend (h/t to Green But Game for that suggestion).

So here goes (open to all, we don't discriminate here in the Space Lab):

Meet questions

1) Leading Trainer (this one's a gimme)
2) # of Wins - Leading Trainer
3) Leading Jockey (wins)
4) # of Wins - Leading Jockey
5) Total turf races for entire meet

Race/Raceday questions

6) Opening day attendance
7) Travers day attendance
8) Wins by #8 horse on 8/8/2011 (It's a Wednesday)
9) $2 Trifecta payout on the Travers
10) $2 Exacta payout on the Woodward

Stakes Race Winners - Do not send these to me now (due via email the Friday midnight B4 the race)

11) Jim Dandy winner
12) Whitney winner
13) Alabama winner
14) Travers winner
15) Hopeful winner (double points)

Tie-breaker (changed this up a little this year)

XX) Top Jockey's earnings total at end of meet (i.e. $3,500,000)?

Grand Prize: 2 Tickets to Bills game in December or in Toronto (just kidding)
Real Grand Prize: Choice of Handicapping or Racing Book currently in print (not kidding) or Guest Post on the EquiSpace blog.

Defending Champs:
Toga I: Foolish Pleasure (2008) Runnerup: Green But Game
Toga II: EquiSpace (2009); Runnerup: Saratoga Spa (*)
Toga III: Tony Bada Bing (2010); Runnerup(s): SpaceBro, Floppydog
Toga IV: Space Gal (2011); Runnerup: EquiSpace, Saratoga Spa

(*) Your host deferred victory to runnerup SS who won tie-breaker over Triple Dead Heat and Green But Game.