Is it just me, or do the skies have an unerring tendency to open up just before a big stakes race? The first raindrops on Saturday fell with about 15 minutes to post before the Beldame. It rained off and on through the late afternoon, actually ceasing for a bit at times, but just as…
My favorite day of the year. What used to be known as Breeders’ Cup preview day now has five Grade I races that always have major implications on both the Breeders’ Cup and the championship picture. If you’re anywhere near Belmont, it’s well worth making the trip over, not only to see some world-class racing…
In 2009, Rachel Alexandra became at least the fourth three-year-old filly to beat older males when she won the Woodward at Saratoga, an accomplishment that in the minds of many cemented her claim to Horse of the Year honors. That victory provided the opportunity to recall Twilight Tear and Busher, three-year-old fillies who also beat older…
Out of town guests; a family event; a bout of food poisoning; and a domestic disaster have all conspired since late last week to keep me away from the races and away from the keyboard, despite any number of interesting events in the racing world. Those who read the articles that I wrote for the…
Race 7: $22,000 claimer for 3&up at 6 furlongs on the inner turf (N2L). 1. Khan Of Khans: Toss that run in the slop in June and his form isn’t bad at all. The only problem is that this will be his first try against winners and he had to defeat cheap claimers to get…
Some people require more than one monument to do justice to the lives they led, and John Hettinger may be one of them. Hettinger himself was a monument in New York racing. He raced and bred horses in New York; he owned Akindale Farm in Pawling, New York; and according to his 2008 obituary in…
Beautiful Belmont Park lived up to its name on Saturday—absolutely gorgeous late summer weather here, and while the sun-deprived apron and seats were chilly, the backyard and paddock areas were bathed in sunshine and plenty warm enough. We added layers to watch the races, and shed them to go to the paddock. Race 4 was…
Race 7: $23,000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf (N2L). 1. Live On The Edge: Seems like the logical next step for a runner that just broke his maiden over claimers at the Spa. Faces a much tougher group today, but several in here have shown they aren’t…
On opening weekend of Saratoga, I engaged in a Backstretch family tradition during morning workouts: breakfast with the nephews. Not the buffet breakfast on the ground floor of the clubhouse, but bagels and coffee upstairs in the boxes. Part of the tradition is a wander out to the clubhouse entrance, where a circle of jockeys…
As first reported to me by a West Point Thoroughbreds owner and then reported by David Grening in the Daily Racing Form, Kiaran McLaughlin will no longer be training for that ownership partnership, so that he is able to concentrate on the increased number of number of horses in his care owned by Darley and…
Brooklyn Backstretch 