That first race on Sunday at Aqueduct was slated to be a good one: an allowance optional claiming affair, horses trained by, among others, Rick Violette, Kiaran McLaughlin, and Bruce Levine, running for a $50,000 tag and a $44,000 purse. Of all the Sunday first races at Aqueduct in 2010, this one was arguably the…
Travel, technology, and logistics have delayed the renovation of the site, along with reactions to East Coast racing news over the last few days. Lovely as Florida is, it seems that I picked a lousy week to be away from New York, given the racing news emanating from my home state. On Sunday, NYRA horsemen…
It takes exactly 13 hours to drive from Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina to Gulfstream Park. In case you were wondering. It’s 3:00 on Friday afternoon and I rejoice at my luck. Spring break has begun; I am in my car; and I’m going to beat rush hour traffic. I am disappointed that the new date…
Before we get to Brian’s preview of the Florida Derby, a few notes: –Don’t forget to take advantage of this week’s supplemental draft in the Road to the Roses game; you’ve got until 11:59 tonight to add three horses to your stable. You’ve also got the chance to identify horses in your stable as power…
It was nearly 70 degrees in New York yesterday; warmer temperatures and delayed darkness have many of us thinking spring. And for New York racing fans, there is no surer sign of spring than the return at Aqueduct to the main track. Racing on the inner track generally begins in early December, after the big…
Looks like we’ve had some new stables join the Brooklyn Backstretch charity league—welcome! And congrats to all who earned points in last week’s races. Full league standings are below. Our Road to the Roses SNAFU has been resolved, and it appears that much of the problem was not, in fact, an RttR technical problem. So—apologies…
Saturday, March 13 (all times approximate) 1:30 Depart greater New York area with summer roommate for whirlwind (nearly literally) Saratoga trip in search of perfect summer rental. Encounter driving rain and vehicle-shaking winds as we wend our way up the Taconic Parkway. 3:00 Confirm with parents dinner plans, synchronized to permit maximize race watching. 5:30…
Tampa Bay Downs: The Grade III, $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby at 1 1/16 miles 1. Uptowncharlybrown: Wasn’t a fan of him heading into the local Sam Davis, but left impressed after he really leveled off and found his best stride late in that prep. And don’t forget, that was just his first two-turn start, so…
Before I turn this over to Brian, a couple of quick Road to the Roses reminders: Don’t forget to activate your power horses before tomorrow’s races, and Monday starts the first supplemental draft, when you can add three horses to your stable. Good luck! –Teresa Things really begin to heat up at Oaklawn Park with…
Have you heard? Predictably, inevitably, here in New York, yet another agreement to get VLT’s installed at Aqueduct has been scuttled, this time by the “unlicensability” of AEG, the most recent choice by the most recent governor of the Empire State. If you’re keeping score, this is the third VTL operator to be named, each…
Brooklyn Backstretch 