The 37th time was the charm, for the charmingly named Who Stole My Sock in the Maryland Million Starter Handicap. Much like his apparent namesake, Who Stole My Sock was nowhere to be found for most of the one-mile race, racing well towards the back under jockey Yomar Ortiz. But running about eight-wide around the…
I went to Aqueduct for the first time on January 29, 2005. That was the first year that I followed horse racing year-round, and after nearly seven years in Brooklyn, I had yet to visit the only extant track in New York City. I was drawn to the Big A that freezing day not by…
When Rodney Jenkins’ Phlash Phelps got headed in the stretch of the Maryland Million Turf by veteran Roadhog, the trainer said to himself, having watched his horse get discouraged in previous races, “Let’s see what he’s made of.” The four-year-old gelding had sat comfortably behind pace-setting longshot Jo Way Java before sprinting to the lead…
Saturday’s Maryland Million Turf boasts no shortage of experience among the 11 horses entered; Bullheaded Boy is the lone 3-year-old in the field, and a quartet of 8-year-olds will attempt to put the other relative youngsters to shame and grab the winner’s share of the $125,000 purse. But even if one of those veterans—Roadhog, Havelock,…
The first time Roadhog ran in the Maryland Million Turf, in 2011, said his trainer Lizzie Merryman, nobody really expected him to win. And he didn’t, finishing seventh, though as the narrow second choice, he had obviously garnered the support of a large segment of the wagering public. But on Saturday, when Roadhog goes to…
Brooklyn Backstretch 