We’re approaching the halfway point of the meet, and we couldn’t have asked for more: terrific weather, huge increases in handle, and memorable racing, topped by a Whitney for the ages. Lots more where that came from (in the case of the weather, we can hope), along with fundraisers, education seminars, a photography class, book…
It might be summer vacation, but horses don’t take the summer off and neither do their grooms, riders, and hot walkers—and neither does Anna House. In June we (I am a member of the BCCA board) celebrated the graduation of the class of 2015, who accepted their diplomas from Belmont Child Care Association board president…
She is one of the faces of New York racing, on-screen every racing day, in the paddock pre-race offering analysis of horses’ appearance, in the winner’s circle post-race interviewing happy connections. But the woman so closely identified with the tracks on the NYRA circuit is a product of generations of mid-Atlantic racing, and she didn’t…
Possibly the busiest week of the meet, with multiple fund-raising, education, and historical opportunities abounding as we head to the sales next week. Highlights including an Allen Jerkens tribute evening on Thursday, the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Friday, and this weekend’s terrific slate of racing, including a Whitney for the ages, its 10…
On Saturday morning during training hours, Jackson N Leonard broke down during a breeze on the main track. Vanned off and later euthanized, he was one of three fatalities at Saratoga that day, two during training, one during racing, the first ones of this year’s racing meeting. New York Racing Association staff, the horse’s trainer…
On the first really hot day of the summer, Arch Kingsley had wrapped up morning training and chores a little before noon at his barn near the old Sanford complex, across Nelson Avenue from Clare Court. After a few months stabled at the main track before the meet opened, Kingsley and his 19 horses moved…
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, American Pharoah, the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, will race for the first time since winning the Belmont Stakes on June 8. If Pharoah wins, he’l be the seventh Triple Crown winner to win his first race after capturing thoroughbred racing’s biggest prize. Among the horses that won that…
About 10 minutes before American Pharoah arrived at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ on Wednesday afternoon, the track announced that the purse for Sunday’s William Hill Haskell Invitational would be increased from $1 million to $1.75 million. While it’s not unusual for purse incentives to be added to big races to attract top horses, those…
In the weeks leading up to the opening of this year’s Saratoga meeting, the New York Racing Association endured diatribes from all directions as the changes to this year’s season were gradually rolled out. Payment for picnic tables and the Carousel came in for particular criticism, along with new policies for paying admission prices and…
The first “week” of Saratoga Race Course ends today, but even on dark days, there’s plenty to do in Saratoga. Highlights this week include a focus on taking care of disabled jockeys; the return of WMHT’s terrific documentary on the history of Saratoga Race Course; and one of the few graded stakes races that will…
Brooklyn Backstretch 