Even the most cursory of looks at racing newspapers, websites, and magazines yields a plethora of handicapping strategies. Beyer guys, Sheets disciples, avowed trip handicappers—everyone’s got an angle, out there for the taking. I attended and bet on races for years before I became cognizant of my own handicapping strategies. Armed with past performances, I…
In the Aqueduct post yesterday, I meant to include this terrific article by Mike Jarboe from March 2001. Writing in the Times Union, Jarboe evinces an infectious affection for the homely (in both senses of the word) track. Saratogians and other Capital District residents: looking for a way to celebrate Hallowe’en and contribute to a…
I think it’s awfully nice when school holidays coincide with Keeneland racing; it’s even better when it happens in October, when part of the journey involves wending through the West Virginia and Maryland mountains as fall foliage explodes in color. So at the end of yet another Backstretch road trip (24 hours in the car,…
Saturday, November 24th, 2007, was a pretty good day for trainer Bill Mott. He swept the two-year-old stakes that day at Aqueduct when Court Vision overcame an inquiry to win the Grade II Remsen; a race earlier, his Mushka had rallied from last to win the Grade II Demoiselle. Yesterday, one might have wondered whether…
Labor Day is Backstretch family day at Saratoga; members of the extended clan head to the track, armed with coolers and sandwiches and cans of beer, to spend closing day at the races, unencumbered by any obligations other than those of betting, eating, drinking, and enjoying. The day starts at 7:00 a.m., when the table…
The laws of physics are getting in my way today. As this posts, I am at Monmouth for the day, to catch some workouts and spend the day at the races, but there’s much at Belmont that I’ll be keeping my eye on. In the first race, That’srightofficer (Do you know how happy it makes…
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…
A few notes on Brooklyn Backstretch favorites on this chilly upstate morning… Thorn Song, referred to here as a “treat whore” in August, wired the field in the Shadwell Turf Mile on Saturday at Keeneland. His racing at this level has been disappointing for some time and he clearly didn’t much like Saratoga, but he…
Saturday was one of those days that make me feel slightly sad for all the people who don’t know what fun horseracing can be—my father, brother, and I sat in the simulcast area of the harness track for three and a half or so hours, bet a little, drank a little, talked a lot…won a…
