Ask Karen Mort about her life with horses, and she might demur, saying that she’s not really involved in the equine industry. Don’t let her get away with that, though: for decades, her life has been enriched by horses, and it takes only a few sentences for her to reveal her deep love for the…
Two of the most influential and talented Black horsemen in the history of Thoroughbred racing will be represented at this Friday’s induction for the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame class of 2024. Jockey Abe Hawkins will be inducted, and the importance of jockey/trainer Ed Brown will also be invoked by two men representing…
Every August, the best yearlings bred in New York State are offered at the Fasig-Tipton sale on East Avenue in Saratoga. In 2019, the average price for a yearling at the sale was $87,000, with the sale topper going for $775,000. In 2021, the top seller brought $495,000, the average rising to $91,000. At Saratoga…
Breeding Thoroughbreds might be the ultimate reality show, and Michael Slezak would know. Slezak made his name writing about American Idol, amassing more than 30,000 followers on X while writing for Entertainment Weekly and TVLine. He’s appeared on National Public Radio and various network morning shows, and in 2010, he wrote a guest essay for…
Long before Matthew DeSantis started working at the New York Racing Association and NYRA Bets as a content producer for their new YouTube channel, he was no stranger to analyzing complex, sometimes contradictory information. While studying political science in college with the goal of becoming a lawyer like his father, he took a class that…
On Wednesday afternoon, I saw a video on Twitter that spanned the newly renovated ground floor of the clubhouse at Saratoga Race Course, and my jaw dropped. I may have actually winced. I felt a little sick. I had seen photos of the new Jim Dandy Bar, relocated and expanded, and they didn’t elicit much…
Brooklyn Backstretch 