This is not a great time to be a turf horse in New York. In the Daily Racing Form, Dave Grening notes that there hasn’t been a turf race at Belmont since June 17th, and I’m sure that Steve Grodsky, owner of Miss Saul, would be happy to verify that. Miss Saul is a four…
For better or worse (and it appears mostly better), New York racing has been in the news a lot over the last week or so. In no particular order: –Charles Hayward appeared in Saratoga last week to discuss various elements of the upcoming racing season. In what will be welcome news to many, there will…
I’ve stopped keeping track of the number of racing fans I know who were first brought to the track by their fathers. Count me among them. I know for sure that by the time that I was six and my brother was four, my parents were taking us to the races; it might have been…
Let’s take a look at Belmont’s guaranteed $350,000 Pk4 on Saturday. I’ll give some analysis on each race and then throw out a ticket at the end (with a maximum of $48). Please note that horses are listed with their betting number. –Brian Nadeau Race 7. $17,000 claimer (claiming price $7,500). 3-year-olds and up at…
……our regularly scheduled program to bring you this unabashed plea. We were recently discovered in someone’s back yard in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. We have two siblings who are still there, with our mom, but we were smart enough to realize that letting ourselves get caught could be a pretty good deal. On Wednesday, we were…
Earlier this week, Steve Zorn of The Business of Racing suggested that I write about horses who have been named after hockey players. “Excellent idea!” I thought. He referred to Alex Kovalev and Zubov (two of the first four Russians to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup. Who can name the other two…
“I’d rather have this than a Rangers’ win.” So said Rick Schosberg following Giant Moon’s win in the Grade III Excelsior on April 4th at Aqueduct. And shortly after Giant Moon finished last in his turf début at Belmont and the Rangers had blown a 3-1 series lead over the Washington Capitals to lose in…
As I headed to Florida in March, I filled a bag with books, many more, I knew, that I would actually read. (One of the benefits of driving everywhere is that there are no luggage fees or limits. I can overpack to my heart’s content.) Racing books and beach books and literary books—and I’ve been…
Graduation was Thursday night; Commentator and Naughty New Yorker were running; Ernie was playing; and it was the 2009 kick-off of twilight racing—who needed more reasons to head out to Belmont on Friday afternoon? The racing highlight of the day came early, in the five-horse Kashatreya Stakes, placed third on the card. Commentor was making…
The Ogden Phipps Handicap – Grade I — $300,000 – 1 1/16 miles – Fillies and mares –by Brian NadeauFormerly known as the Hempstead Handicap, the Phipps has for years been one of the most important stops on the calendar for the best females in training. Run at a one-turn 1 1/16-mile distance, it often…
Brooklyn Backstretch 