tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69389196275824886582009-11-21T07:53:35.665-05:00Reports and reflections on (mostly) NY racingTeresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03118955760148482020noreply@blogger.comBlogger702125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938919627582488658.post-8491112136271676912009-11-20T09:00:00.002-05:002009-11-20T09:00:03.123-05:00

Tomorrow at Aqueduct the Discovery Handicap, named for Alfred G. Vanderbilt’s magnificent colt, will be run for the 66th time. A look at its past winners shows two horses whose victories came a generation apart but to whom American racing fans formed a profound attachment that may have reached its pinnacle on October 15, 1983.Kelso won the Discovery in 1960, Forego in 1973. Kelso set a track

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I never met Bobby Frankel. Never said a word to him, though as he came and went from the racing office at Saratoga, from which he often watched his horses race, it was always sort of temping to say, “Hi, Bobby,” as if we were old friends. He was ubiquitous, and so familiar that it seemed like, really, don’t we know each other?But we didn’t. His gruffness was legendary, documented recently by

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The Christmas carols were blasting jovially from speakers throughout the Woodbury Commons outlets on Saturday; beyond the annoyance of the inundation when Thanksgiving was still ten days away, I felt a frisson of guilt with every reference to the joy of giving, as I was shopping pretty much exclusively for myself.Sometimes, though, an early start on the holidays is a necessity: the Anna House

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Hockey season is about a month old now, and there’s been nary a syllable written in this space about the Rangers. I’ve gone to fewer games than usual, and after a torrid beginning, the Rangers have settled comfortably into their usual mediocrity.Sean Avery won again the other day—not the one who wears the blue sweater, but the one who goes out in the morning in the white, yellow, and red saddle

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Named for a major historical figure and won by Man o’War, Riva Ridge, Fit to Fight, and Seattle Slew, the Stuyvesant has suffered an awful lot of indignity, deemed to have been unnecessary in so many of the years since its inception.First run at Jamaica, the Stuyvesant was originally a race for three-year-olds, and its first winner was Fernrock, owned by August Belmont. Belmont took it again in

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In response to the commenter who inquired about which writing award Claire Novak had won: In 2008, she won an award from the Louisville chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The award, for sports writing in the magazine division, was for an article entitled “The Ecstacy (sic) and Agony of Edgar Prado,” published in Louisville Magazine in April of 2007.So that satisfies the

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On the Belmont backstretch on Monday morning, a blissful unawareness of the calendar might have led one to think that it was spring.Trainers, exercise riders, spectators—all gradually shed layers as the sun rose higher. “It’s HOT!” was overheard more than once. A lone horse trained on the turf course.But instead of the blue sky setting off fledgling green leaves, the colors of the trees along the

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A brief look at how the dirt horses did over the weekend.Given the number of variables at play, it would be folly to try to draw definitive conclusions from these results; race records of individual horses on the various surfaces, including the different types of synthetics, would also need to be taken into consideration, and of course, a number of horses who have run primarily on synthetics also

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The Backstretch method did better than it could have hoped yesterday, cashing on the exacta and winner in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Let’s see how it works today. Juvenile Turf: Kera’s Kitten is out in favor of Becky’s Kitten (poor Kera—she travelled all the way from Kentucky to see her namesake race! Check out Grening’s story in the DRF). Dean’s Kitten is here, too, along with Pounced. The

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Game over, Breeders’ Cup Day 1. I left school at the earliest possible moment and managed to get home in time to see all of the filly/mare races, to place wagers, and to end up in the black for about $60. For a $2 bettor like me, that’s a profit about which to be happy. And how lucky am I, unlike so many others, to have a job that in this instance, permitted me to see the races yesterday?

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Race 2: The Grade II, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at 1-mile.POUNCED drew well and enters off a second to the accomplished Siyouni in a classy European Group I on the Arc undercard; tepid choice in a race that could go to just about anyone. KERA’S KITTEN has progressed nicely in both career starts and will test firm ground for the first time; complete unknown will be a big, big price,

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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 checked earnings, conditions, breeding,

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According to Claire Novak, Mike Smith is the sexiest jockey riding in the Breeders’ Cup.How do we know this? Because at ESPN.com, Novak, encouraged by Horseplayerpro.com's Joe Kristufek and with input from other racing media (both male and female), posted her list of 10 sexiest jockeys riding in this weekend’s races at Santa Anita.Included on the list are nine men and one woman, Rosemary

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OK, it’s Breeders’ Cup, so let’s have a little fun while expanding the bankroll just a little bit. After all, if you can’t do it these two days then you never can. I’ll give selections (gulp) and notes for each race and then put together a few exotic tickets as well. Good luck, everyone, and enjoy the races!Race 3: The $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon for 3&up at 1 ¾ miles.You’ve got to think the

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The issues of drugs in racing was back in the news recently, as the New York Racing Association banned Jeff Mullins and his horses from its tracks for six months, following Mullins’s attempt in the detention barn at Aqueduct to administer a substance to Gato Go Win last April.Concern about the use of drugs in racing is widely documented, as is frustration with lack of uniform policies, long

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So here it is, a little more than 72 hours out from post time for the Breeders’ Cup, and I haven’t written a thing about it. It would be silly of me to pore through past performances and hazard handicapping guesses.I can’t write about what’s going on on the backstretch or in the morning, because I’m not there.Besides, the blogosphere and Twitterverse (God, I hate both of those words) and the

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Two sentimental winners took Saturday’s stakes races at Aqueduct, perhaps the most unsentimental of race tracks.The grade III Bold Ruler was run as the fourth race; in a field of five, Jack Bruner's Sing Baby Sing was the favorite; Allen Jerkens's Le Grand Cru was the longest shot at 7 – 1, a fact that surprised the Chief. “I was surprised at his odds,” he said after the race. “I didn’t think he’

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from the NYRA gate crew, as they prepare to load for the Turnback the Alarm.

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Race 7: $43,000 Maiden-special-weight for 2yo’s at 6 furlongsTough race to get a gauge on so check the board; on paper ODYSSEUS has the look of a live newcomer for a solid debut barn; helps that Maragh has done little wrong of late. ROYAL STOCKS had little chance in his Spa debut after breaking last from the 2-hole; figures much sharper today and for an owner that has already had considerable

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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 good cause? Check out the Hallowe’en party at the Grey Gelding

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So it’s off we are to much-maligned Aqueduct today. Post time changes to 12:30 from 1:00, and when the horses leave the gate today, I’ll be in a paper conference with a student, and the earlier post time means that it’s less likely that I’ll be able to catch the last race when I get home from school.But fashionable though it is to mock the beat-up old track in Queens, the last track within the

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When, in yesterday’s New York Post, Ed Fountaine wrote, “Wednesday kicks off a six-month stretch at South Ozone Park Correctional Facility, otherwise known as the Big A,” he was only the most recent New York turf writer to comment disparagingly on Aqueduct.Most of the historical reports of racing that I’ve read are effusive to the point of straining credulity, panegyrics to the bucolic parks of

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The final Saturday of racing at Belmont came to an end with both bangs and whimpers. The whimpers were weather-related, and after the uncountable number of grey, damp days at Belmont, going back to last year’s fall meet, those who grumbled about yet another soggy day at Big Sandy might be forgiven for their grumpiness.The dismal weather significantly marred the spirit of the day; I didn't make it

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New York Showcase Day at Belmont Park is as big a racing day for me as the Gold Cup, as the Travers, as the Wood. When the stakes schedule comes out, I mark my calendar: Showcase Day is a non-negotiable day at the races.As usual, NYRA’s got a slate of activities planned: handicappers can join Dave Litfin and Mike Watchmaker from the Daily Racing Form for a handicapping seminar from 11:15 – 11:45

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With New York-bred Showcase Day on tap for Saturday we’ll bypass the Pick4 handicapping and instead give a brief preview of the card, which came up, as always, balanced and competitive on a great day that helps support New York-bred racing.Race 1: LIVING FOR THIS just missed at this level in his last and a repeat of that run would be plenty good enough against this weak cast; moisture in the

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