I first became aware of Lost in the Fog on a dreary January afternoon at Aqueduct. There to watch the Sunshine Millions simulcast, I was with a friend who told me about this amazing sprinter, the talk of the West Coast, coming off wins at Golden Gate and Turf Paradise. We were a little skeptical,…
First run in 2004, the De La Rose has served up some excitement in its short life. An ungraded stakes for fillies and mares four and up on the turf, the De La Rose keeps alive the name of an accomplished filly about whom we don’t talk much these days. A daughter of Nijinsky, De…
A contrarian might find reasons to be disgruntled about Saturday at Saratoga: Bustin Stones scratched from the Vanderbilt; there was a little too much adolescent behavior in the backyard; yet again, there were periodic deluges that soaked anyone not under cover (and clearly we are not going to be permitted to go more than forty-eight…
A laudably cheerful race fan commented about opening day and my photos on yesterday’s post: Nice dry photos !! We went to the track (drip) and signed up for NYRA Nation.What the heck (drip) played a few races (drip) and all set for the late posttime tomorrow at 1:35p.m. (drip). Saw the Thorofans and decided…
The first Thoroughbred meet in Saratoga took place in August of 1863, on the site of the old trotting course, across Union Avenue from the current track. Known as Horse Haven, just south of the Oklahoma, portions of the old track still exist (pictured below), though parts of it have been paved over and it’s…
The annual Saratoga preview, held last night at the National Museum of Racing in the Hall of Fame, was standing room only, with racing fans turning out to hear the thoughts of trainer Nick Zito, jockey Alan Garcia, NYRA president and CEO Charles Hayward, and Glens Falls Post-Star writer/handicapper Kyle Brownell. Though the room had…
I’ve never been up in Saratoga for the Sunday open house, so I cruised over for an hour yesterday afternoon. The best thing that I can say about it is that, having now been once, I will no longer feel the compulsion to go away. Great for kids, and the Jump Start steeplechase/ fundraiser event…
Arrived at Belmont at 11:15; greeted by three fire engines (not, as it turned out, a harbinger for the Hook and Ladder first-time starter who finished fourth in the second race) and a mess of people hanging outside the clubhouse. We were nearly instantly cleared to enter the building; a transformer fire had knocked out…
A week or so ago a friend/reader wrote praising NYRA for its attention to women race fans; on the heels of the announcement of tomorrow’s Diva Day at Belmont, he had noticed the following in the Saratoga brochure on the NYRA website: WOMEN’S DAY Wednesday, August 13 The ladies will dominate the day as Saratoga…
Browsing Thursday’s entries, I was struck by the following: Champion sprinter Speightstown’s first crop of foals is hitting the race track, and in the fourth at Belmont we have the first of what I’m sure will be many Speightfully named horses. Fourteen two-year-old first-time starters are entered in this five and a half furlong dirt…
Brooklyn Backstretch 