Pressed, Gave (A)way.

The finals of the World Cup. International Day at Woodbine. Liverpool v Manchester United. Kentucky Derby. Super Bowl. Certain sporting events fill me with such anticipation, I can barely sleep the night before. Like a kid on Christmas Eve, I go to bed with a smile on my face and bound out of bed at dawn, ready to experience the moment.

The Breeders' Cup is an entirely different animal. With the events listed above, at some point, there is an opportunity to sit back and enjoy the day. With Breeders' Cup, it's simply not possible for me to relax. Despite spending weeks reading up on the entrants, and at least two full evenings handicapping each of the races - there comes a point, usually about 10 minutes to first post, where I get a buzzing in my brain, a tingling in the spine and the sudden urge to watch, handicap, wager and enjoy all at once. A complete circuit overload that transforms my normally calm demeanour into a twitchy mess.

This past Saturday's event was no different. With the horses walking onto the track for the Marathon, my plan to wager only exactors and win bets went out the window as my friends Ted, Randy and Chris talked up their multi-race exotics. Without hesitating, I was out of my chair and off to the machine to wager a daily double and a pick three. Needless to say, Muhannak (IRE) surprised me with an easy win at 12-1 and I ripped up three tickets just 2:28.24 into the day.

Disappointment was momentary as potential redemption loomed just thirty minutes away in the Turf Sprint. Desert Code surprised all around me in front of the wall of televisions on Woodbine's third floor, balking his usual front running approach to loop the entire field with a thrilling 10th to first run from the top of the stretch to win at odds of 37-1. I was too impressed with Richard Migliore's ride to be at all bothered by my own performance. As I finished a late lunch, I only slightly grimaced when the favoured Well Armed bottomed out in the Near Dirt Mile.

Experienced handicappers will not allow momentary setbacks to ruin an entire card. From a combination of caution and necessity, my budget forced me back on my proposed track of wagering only win and exactor. The stunning filly Goldikova (IRE) woman-handled the boys and turf specialist Cornelio Velasquez got up for place, to put a smile on my face, with Kip Deville for a $13.60 exactor.

For a brief moment, I was re-assured when suddenly the buzzing started and the prospect of a Woodbine inspired Pick 3 seemed like a good idea. Surely, the Kinghaven Farms bred Square Eddie would notch a victory in the Juvenile. Why choose between Grand Adventure and Skipadate in the Juvenile Turf, I'll use them both. In the Sprint - let's take Fatal Bullet and just in case I'll throw in the favourite Street Boss. For my wallet's sake, I should have taken the bullet as Midshipman, Donativum and Midnight Lute shook my confidence to the core.

Not to give you the wrong impression. Wagering is a secondary experience for me in terms of enjoying a day at the track. I was filled with immense pride in the Sprint when Eurico Rosa Da Silva turned for home on Fatal Bullet. "Come on Rico", the Woodbine crowd roared as Fatal Bullet sped to the wire only to be caught in the final strides by the repeating champ Midnight Lute. It's these little moments that make magic from a minute of momentum and eight seconds of stretch run. Fatal Bullet finished second, but it was our second, and we were damn proud of it.

Conduit (IRE) won the Turf going away and I felt remorse for ignoring my Irish roots and wagering on an American bred. Sadly, this foreshadowed the Classic won by Raven's Pass as I confidently threw out the European invaders along with my tickets to end a day of wagering that could best be described as, "pressed, gave (a)way."

A handicapper is much like a closer in baseball. To be successful, the pitcher has to focus, keep firing and above all else - have short term memory. Some nights you'll be looking over your shoulder as the ball soars high over fence (especially if you're Jason Isringhausen), but the good closer will shake it off and get right back out there the next night. It was with a closer's spirit late Saturday night that a bullet workout caught my eye at Mountaineer. Surely at 7-1, this horse is flying under the radar. By post time, Flying Incognito was soaring home at 4-1, with two 9-1 longshots in tow for a $434 triactor. Game saved.

After a day of racing worth tens of millions of dollars, a $5K claiming race gave me a shot of confidence and reminded me that anyone can have a bad day - even on a day as good as the Breeders' Cup.