What are we fretting about these days? Rain. A lot of it. Every day. On turf or off? Who’s scratched? How am I supposed to bet this race? My feet are wet again. We’re grumbling about too many turf sprints and not enough older horses. We’re bemoaning the lack of horses who can capture our…
Photo credit to Jessica Chapel at Railbird A year later and a few inches taller, the 6th grade Texas Titans, an A.A.U. basketball team who brought a 75-5 record to Saratoga, made it 76 – 5, beating the jockeys 49 – 32 in a game that for three quarters was much closer than the score…
Indian Blessing (part of her, anyway) and John Velazquez, before she demolishes the field in the Test. Any Limit and happy Cornelio Velasquez, following their underdog win in the Honorable Miss. If you’re keeping track, that’s two Allen Jerkens winners as the longest price in the field. Evening Attire, working out on Sunday morning. At…
A laudably cheerful race fan commented about opening day and my photos on yesterday’s post: Nice dry photos !! We went to the track (drip) and signed up for NYRA Nation.What the heck (drip) played a few races (drip) and all set for the late posttime tomorrow at 1:35p.m. (drip). Saw the Thorofans and decided…
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…
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…
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…
The gates were open, offering a clear and tempting view inside… For some reason, I love the sight of these picnic tables stacked, waiting patiently to be distributed around the yard. Anonymous, lowly wooden tables for ten and a half months of the year, come July 23rd, they are among the most prized real estate…
I don’t really care about the Triple Crown. Except for every once in a while, when some horse I really like makes it through his two-year-old season and manages to stay sound and competitive until early May, I don’t really care who wins the Kentucky Derby. I care less about who wins the Preakness, though…
Brooklyn Backstretch 