Balancing composure and emotion, National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame president John Hendrickson anchored this year’s induction ceremony both personally and professionally, looking forward to a renovated Hall of Fame in 2020 and back at the accomplishments of his wife Marylou Whitney, who died July 19 and was inducted as a member of the…
On May 7, Alfred Vanderbilt III was in Ireland, honoring the memory of his grandfather, a man he never knew, on the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania, in which Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt perished, saving the lives of his fellow passengers. Exactly three months later, he will attend a happier event in Saratoga…
If, like human parents, equine parents hope that their children will accomplish more than they did, then Ashado made her sire’s and dam’s dreams come true. Though both sides of her pedigree were successful racehorses, Ashado made more in her worst year on the track than the lifetime earnings of her parents combined. Continue reading…
Earlier this month, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame announced the 10 finalists for its 2014 class of inductees. From 84 candidates suggested by turf writers, Thoroughbred industry participants, and racing fans, the Hall of Fame’s nominating committee had selected four jockeys, four horses, and two trainers whose names would go to the…
Nearly every day, I evaluate quality. As a high school English teacher, I collect work from my students, I decide how good it is, and I grade it. The worthiness of the work is, unfortunately and too often, inextricably linked to the grade it receives. And a long time ago, I learned that it’s a…
First of all, thank you so much to everyone who wrote, commented, and wished me luck in my OTB TV appearance yesterday. I think that I made it through without making an utter fool of myself, and I definitely made it through without throwing up, so I figure that’s a success. Thanks, too, to Seth…
Having grown up in Saratoga, I’ve seen racing slogans come and go, and my favorite has always been “The August Place to Be,” introducing me as it did to “august” as an adjective, and to a new pronunciation of the word. When racing went to five weeks and began in July, this was changed to…
Brooklyn Backstretch 