On Saturday morning on the backstretch at Saratoga Race Course, July 24, Maddie Rowland held the shank as trainer Elizabeth Merryman bathed her filly Caravel. The gray/roan filly extended her neck straight up, turned her head in profile, and posed. “She knows when the camera is out,” said Rowland. “It’s like she’s saying, ‘I’m beautiful,…
He should have been a contender. Of course, maybe he still will be. Right up until the starting gate opened for the Sanford Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course on July 17, Maryland Brando looked like he was in with a chance. Though making only his second start, he had won his debut impressively at…
It’s fair to say that in the grand scheme of racing, not many people knew of Dinosaur Ben. The Ontario-bred began his career at Woodbine, winless in his first three starts, finishing second shortly before the end of Woodbine’s 2020 season, and Ralph Santella was paying attention. “There are always horses for sale at the…
Opening Day Eve, an unofficial holiday observed by those for whom Christmas comes in July when Saratoga Race Course opens, lacked its usual excitement and anticipation last year. The pandemic was only four months old, masks were still required everywhere, travel was forbidden, and large gatherings of people, even outdoors, were a non-starter under state…
When Flavien Prat thanked “the pony girl” moments after winning the Preakness with Rombauer, he highlighted both the importance and the anonymity of the people whose very visible yet barely noticed work is an essential element of racetrack safety. On the principle that nervous Thoroughbreds, herd animals that they are, will relax more easily with a…
A minor brouhaha emerged on Twitter earlier this week when word began to spread that Laurel Park’s General George Stakes (G3) had been re-christened the General’s Stakes, with some observers claiming that the Maryland Jockey Club was trying to erase George Washington, the race’s namesake according to the MJC media guide, which also claims that Washington…
Didn’t we just do this? Like…a few months ago? A huge thanks to everyone who participated in last year’s elongated (interminable?), unconventional charity league. I’m grateful to all of you who stuck it out through revised schedules and added races and a prep season that seemed like it might never end. When we launched this…
We end this crazy Triple Crown season with Brian’s final race preview of the year. Despite an unpredictable schedule and way more races to handicap, Brian continued his masterful, detailed analysis, as he has for a decade. My deep and heartfelt thanks for all of his work, and I hope that he helped you cash…
Several years ago while researching a story, I called a handful of trainers and asked if they had any clients who were Black. The story was about the history of African-American people in horse racing and I wanted to get their thoughts for it. These trainers had big stables: dozens, if not hundreds, of horses.…
Churchill Downs: The GI, $3 million Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles by Brian Nadeau Brian handicaps at Capital OTB and Horseplayer Now, and he’ll offer analysis and selections of Derby points races, hoping to make us all a little money as we head to the Preakness. Follow him on Twitter here. #1 Finnick the Fierce…
