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…
In response to requests from Jessica and Winston: An audience member asked about the possibility of Trackus coming to New York. Trackus, also known as dancing Chiclets (OK, maybe only by me), allows viewers to see the order of horses throughout a race by displaying saddlecloth-colored squares at the bottom of the televised (on- and…
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…
Published in Friday’s New York Daily News: Season passes for the upcoming Saratoga meeting, which starts on Wednesday, areon sale at Belmont through Sunday, closing day. The passes are available at theCustomer Service Center and cost $35 for the grandstand and $75 for theclubhouse. A friend and I make an annual pilgrimage to Belmont on…
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…
Over the last two days, I’ve received two requests from the Fresh Air Fund to publicize its program and let folks know that the Fund is still seeking to place 200 children with host families for a summer sojourn outside of New York City. Specifically, the Fund is looking for families who want to extend…
My DRF watch list informed me yesterday that Evening Attire has been entered in the $250K Greenwood Cup at Philadelphia Park. Run at a mile and a half, the Greenwood is part of the “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup series, so the victor earns an automatic bid to the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Dirt Marathon…
Brooklyn Backstretch 