Saturday was quiet at Aqueduct. Though warm, it was moist everywhere; even when it wasn’t raining, it was hard not feel sodden. And I was inside for most of the time; the jockeys, grooms, and horses must have felt like it was time to develop webbed feet. Two races offered the sort of finish that…
It’s not surprising that as the holidays and end of year get closer, various charities are reminding us about donations. So if you’re looking for a way to help this holiday season, and get that 2008 tax deduction, I offer the following for your consideration: As I wrote recently, the Belmont Child Care Association is…
Reminders of New York City’s Dutch roots are ubiquitous: in the orange and blue colors of the Mets, which come, via the New York State flag, from the orange and blue of the Dutch flag; in the names of places like Brooklyn (Breuckelen), the Bronx (named for Jonas Bronck, who settled in the area in…
A few random racing and other sports-related items this morning: Caught an ad on television last night for an on-line fundraiser for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a charity that raises money to fight childhood cancer. In 2000, four year old cancer patient Alexandra Scott decided that she wanted to have a lemonade sale to raise money…
We walk into his room and he has his back to us; he’s sitting in a chair, reading the paper, the sun streaming in the window in front of him. His eyes are on the newspaper, but right next to it lies the Aqueduct condition book. “Good morning, Chief.” He pushes his chair back and…
If you all did on Sunday was box Cornelio Velasquez/Jose Lezcano in exactas and play them in daily doubles, you’d have cashed $514 worth of winning tickets, for an investment of under $50. These two jockeys combined for six wins and three seconds, and while I doubt that they figured significantly into anyone’s betting strategy,…
Sunday at Aqueduct features six races in the New York Stallion Series, for horses whose sires are standing in New York State. Three races for the girls, three for the boys; two on the turf; two for two-year-olds; and some personal favorites are making an appearance, some of whom we last saw on New York…
The first week of Aqueduct has been anything but dull: yesterday’s card handed us the fourth carryover, this one a double, as no one hit the Pick 6 on Sunday, either. These juicy carryovers are due in no small part to the noise that a couple of female apprentices are making. Last Wednesday, the newly…
Another series of random bits… To Rich and to last week’s anonymous commenter who posted about the Belmont Child Care Association holiday party—the folks at the BCCA would love to get in touch with you. If you’re interested in talking with them, please e-mail me at the e-mail address to the right and I’ll put…
Some random notes this morning from around the virtual and actual racing world. If you’re not reading Maryjean Wall’s Celebrating the Horse, you’re missing out on a terrific independent perspective on racing. Formerly at the Lexington Courier-Journal Herald-Leader, Maryjean now writes about racing events, people, and horses that strike her fancy. Check her out fascinating,…
Brooklyn Backstretch 