I have a new favorite out-of-town track. I really liked Tampa Bay Downs when I was there a year ago, and I still think it’s terrific, but Fair Grounds is Tampa Bay Downs with good food and history, so it’s got the edge. It may be the cleanest race track I’ve ever been to—the place…
Last August, Jessica Chapel of Railbird and I were invited by Seth Merrow of Equidaily to appear on his show on Capital OTB to discuss how the Internet is affecting the relationship between racing and its fans. Among the questions he asked: “Do you consider yourself a journalist?” The answer, of course, is no. Journalists…
Back in Brooklyn, after an excellent nine-day road trip, and how good of NYRA to be running the Ruthless on my re-entry day, the Ruthless, named after the excellent nineteenth century filly who won both the Travers and the Belmont in 1867. Ruthless was by Eclipse out of Barbarity, and she and her four full…
Early in the morning, the empty paddock, being readied for the day… Larry Jones working out one of his horses (check out that sweatshirt!) in the morning… …and saddling one in the afternoon… As seen on NYC OTB channel 71, John Dooley and Jessica Pacheco on the morning handicapping show… And Jessica in the paddock,…
Happy 2009! I walked home from New Year’s Eve dinner in relatively balmy temperatures in the fifties, wearing just a light jacket, and turned on the television to watch the brave? foolish? insane? revelers back home in New York shivering in single-digit temperatures. Much as I love home, I can’t say that I was sorry…
A few random thoughts from New Orleans: While in Lexington, I stopped at Keeneland, open for the winter for simulcasting, to watch the Gravesend on Saturday. It’s quite a busy place in the winter; in addition to simulcasting, at least two major life events were taking place: Congratulations to all of those involved, and especially…
I’m glad that even the folks who work at Old Friends admit that they’ve got favorites among their dozens of retirees; in a recent message announcing the death of Ruhlmann, Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen wrote: I really like all of our retirees but each one of us at Old Friends develop special…
I’ve rarely met a highway I didn’t like, and thus, with Christmas festivities behind me (we had a terrific holiday in the Backstretch household, including Christmas Eve dinner two tables away from Eli Manning, perhaps my best ever celeb sighting), I hit the road on Boxing Day to head south and west. After a brief…
The Gravesend Bay racetrack, under the supervision of Phil and Mike Dwyer’s Brooklyn Jockey Club, operated in Brooklyn from 1885 – 1910, its race dates alternating with those of the Sheepshead Bay track. The rise of anti-gambling legislation in New York led to its closure, and even though gambling became legal again in 1913, Gravesend…
…from Brooklyn Backstretch. “Racing this Christmas Greeting to you!” by Karin Vollkommer
