Exciting news for the future...and a exciting horse "on track"

The importance of thoroughbred racing on television has been on the decline in recent years. In racing's "heyday" the sport was widely televised on the major networks. But, early on in this decade the sport has faded even with all the stations available on cable today. But through the MSG network in 2010, the races during Saratoga were televised and with this brought an renewed interest in a major network covering the sport of kings.

The past Saratoga meet, the VERSUS network (on cable and owned by NBC) partnered up with NBC in covering each of the Saturday stake races from the Spa. With the success of this past season, there is a new two year agreement between NYRA and NBC sports for racing at Saratoga through the 2013 season with the most added "live" coverage ever. It will include three hour long shows on NBC and five on VERSUS spanning seven weekends in total.

The "tentative" schedule released by NBC and what will be called; the NBC Sports Network next year (formally known as VERSUS) is the following for August dates; August 11th - 6pm to 7pm (NBC Sports Network) August 12th - 4pm to 6pm (NBC Sports Network) August 18th - 5pm to 6pm (NBC Sports Network) August 25th - 4pm to 6pm (NBC) and September 1st - 5pm to 6pm (NBC) earlier dates in the meet will be announced later.

Every so often, an exciting thoroughbred comes along. Usually, such a horse is one that has the spotlight like during the Triple Crown races, is an older handicap runner that has made a name for himself or like in recent years, a exciting filly or mare the captured the hearts of the sport (Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta). In this case, it's a filly that races on the "proper" surface and is well bred with a famous father and mother. This "gray" streak as NYRA race caller; Tom Durkin called her this past weekend, likes to win and in dramatic fashion.

Winter Memories, the daughter of El Prado and the dam of Memories of Silver has become one of the most exciting runners on the NYRA circuit. She has had an excellent record on grass the past two years and one of her highlights was a race this past summer at Saratoga . Coming into the Saratoga meet, this three year old runner had finished no worst than 2nd in her five lifetime starts. When she was entered in the grade II - Lake George Stakes on the grass going a mile and a sixteenth, she was the odds-on favorite. This filly likes to race from the back of pack and she did not disappoint with a furious late charge and drawing off late by over four lengths. It was an "eye opening" effort that visually was one of the best during the 2011 Saratoga meet.

Her next start a few weeks later at the Spa, wasn't as good. She got a "yielding" turf course and was caught behind horses and didn't show her usual late charge. So, going into her race this past Saturday there were question marks whether her form was tailing off. In the grade I - Garden City Stakes at Belmont , again she was the favorite and this time we saw the "real" Winter Memories. Rating in the back of the pack, she sat chilly almost to the eighth pole and then unleashed her charge from behind horses while tipping out wide in the stretch. She motored past her rivals and like a "gray streak" won in style. When a horse like this who makes that "monster move" like Winter Memories does and rallies from the clouds, it brings excitement to the sport. She's not a household name, but she should be. You gotta see her to believe it!

North.....to Woodbine!

This weekend we turn our racing attention, north of the border at Woodbine Race course just outside of Toronto and the three stakes they have carded for tomorrow on grass. These races will play a pivotal role for the upcoming Breeder's Cup Turf races at Churchill Downs on November 4th & 5th. The Woodbine turf course is one of the finest in North America . Today's races are for filly and mares going a mile an a eighth, a mile and a half for older horses and a mile on grass; the Woodbine Mile which is sponsored this year by Ricoh.



The first of the stake races is in the 5th; the grade II - Canadian Handicap for fillies and mares going a mile and an eighth. The winner of the Diana Handicap at Saratoga is my top pick from post #13; Zargora. She comes off that victory in fine form for trainer; Chad Brown and should have no problem negotiating the same distance she won at in her last start. Woodbine based trainer; Mark Frostad has three runners entered here and one is my second selection; #3 - Magic Broomstick. She has only one start this year and it was a eight and half length victory in allowance company going a mile on yielding turf. You may get a square price on her in this field of 14. Horses to use underneath and in your exotic plays are; #6 - Bay to Bay, #8 - Shared Account & #9 - Never Retreat.



Older colts go in the 8th race; the grade I - Northern Dancer Stakes at a mile and a half. This is a prep race for the Canadian International on October 16th. My top selection here is #4 - Wigmore Hall. This European import recently raced in the Arlington Million where he rallied for 4th going a mile and a quarter. Today he stretches out a quarter of a mile more and faces a little softer field here. For second, I'm going with the California invader; #2 - Bourbon Bay . This consistent runner has six victories in 12 starts the past two years and in the money four other times. Exotic and multi-race runners are; #6 - Seaside Retreat and #8 - Al Khali.



The feature race of the day is the 10th; the Ricoh Woodbine Mile going the classic distance on the grass. My top selection here is coming off a grade I win at Hollywood Park and has been pointing to this race. Courageous Cat #4 - trained by Bill Mott has only made two starts this year, but won both as the odds-on favorite. Today a victory puts him the "horse to beat" possibly for the Breeder's Cup Mile. For 2nd, I'm going with the "classic" turf miler from Europe , #9 - Side Glance. This consistent runner has finished no worst the 3rd in his last nine starts. Horses to use underneath my top two selections are; #5 - Right One, #10 - Kara's Orientation and #12 - Court Vision, last year's winner and goes out first time for new trainer; Dale Romans.

The 2011 SARATOGA MEET ....... in the books!

The 2011 Saratoga race meet is in the books and for a second straight year it was very successful one on all fronts. It was another 40 day meet (39 really because of Hurricane Irene) and with the extra days added, the handle and attendance was not hurt. Also, the quality of racing was much better than at the Belmont summer meet or Monmouth Park this summer. Mostly full fields (especially on grass and in the claiming races) was the rule of thumb. This year there was a plethora of two year old races, since there seems to be a limited amount carded at Belmont Park and the juveniles get started later every year. With the closing of New York City OTB, on track attendance has increased at Belmont Park this year. With the meet moving to Saratoga for six weeks, those numbers continued to go up with simulcast wagering at Belmont Park . The New York Racing Association and their leaders can be very proud once again for the product they put "on track" during the "Summer Place to Be" at the Spa.

We saw some exciting horses racing the last 39 days also at Saratoga . Older handicap runners, top turf horses and those young two year old horses were all a part of an exciting stakes schedule that PJ Campo put together for the race meet. The gritty, sometimes wacky It's Tricky showed she would win at any cost in the Coaching Club American Oaks, a few week's later; Royal Delta would turn the tables on her with a late explosive winning move in the Alabama Stakes. But, maybe the "best" three year old filly could have been; Turbulent Descent, who bounced back to her winning ways in the Test Stakes for sprinting fillies. On the three year old boys side, there was just one word to say my friends; Stay Thirsty. He captured BOTH the Jim Dandy Stakes and Travers Stakes and most likely locked up three year old championship honors. Don't forget either; Caleb's Posse, who also had a three year old sprinter double with victories in the Amsterdam Stakes & King's Bishop Stakes.

The older filly and mares had an surprising star in the front-running; Ask the Moon, who also captured both major stake races (the Ruffian Handicap & Personal Ensign) for the Distaff division. Turf runners like; Winchester , Winter Memories, Emerald Beech were the stars on the "proper surface" winning key turf stakes at the Spa this season. For the older handicap runners saw two horses have a "renaissance" turn in their careers. Both Tiznow and Jackson Bend both came back to the races with great wins and now possible contenders for Breeder's Cup race championships. The "babies" are always in the spotlight and this year is no different. We saw exciting "future" stars like; Overdriven, My Miss Aurelia, Union Rags, Grace Hall and Currency Swap show their wares in winning stakes at Saratoga this meet. But, it was a filly that captured the hearts of Saratoga racing season and SHE is the best horse in training at the moment. Havre de Grace took on the "boys" in the Woodward Stakes and just like Rachel Alexandra did two year's ago, she beat them!

It was also another good year for myself with my Saratoga daily selections for the RECORDER. We broke the hundred win barrier for a second straight year with 101 winners and a $700 ROI for those winners picked. Plus, on the radio-side; we had 10 winners from my "Horse to Beat" play of the day for WCSS 1490am each week day. But, most of all personally for me; it was a "winning" season nearly from start to finish with my "personal" bankroll. I was only down $3.00 at any point for the 39 day meet and showed a profit at the end. When you can say that you; finished "in the black" during a race meet, you've really accomplished something!

The TRAVERS aftermath and how REAL life changes everything

This past week was one of mixed emotions to say the least for me and many others. It was nearly 10 years ago, when I wrote about the events of September 11th, 2001 and how they affected me and the thoroughbred world. This past week, it hit near home with the onslaught of Hurricane Irene and it's effects on our surrounding area. It was especially telling that it happened during Saratoga 's biggest weekend of the meet; the Travers. It was one of "highs" and then "lows" and it all happened in a 48 hour period.

NYRA had a great Travers day card with full fields and great horses entered. We saw some very impressive efforts and crowned a three year old champion named; Stay Thirsty. The weather for the day was fabulous and the crowd came out to see the best three year old horses in training race for the prize. In the end, the "underdog" horse; Stay Thirsty was the winner and everybody got the effort they wanted. The 2011 Travers lived up to expectations and everybody was happy. But, things would change in less than 24 hours for many in our area and that short lived excitement came to an abrupt end.

NYRA President and CEO, Charlie Haywood along with other officials decided to cancel the Sunday race card because of the impending storm. It was a good choice, because during the night, Irene's wrath made the capital region it's target with wind and lots of rain. This hurricane was everything the meteorologists had predicted. While the wind and rain wasn't too bad where I live on the "Sand Flats" just outside Fonda, to east and south the conditions were quite dangerous. It was only the beginning though of a nightmare week for the people of Montgomery County and beyond.

My internet cut out around noon on Sunday, just after I completed Monday's Saratoga selections. With the internet not working, I stopped at my place of employment to fax my selections to the RECORDER. Just before I left my department, I got everything off my office floor JUST in case there was a threat of flooding like in 2006. That summer flood destroyed everything in it's path on Park Street in Fonda, including most items in my office (mail room). That year, quick thinking got me to remove one of the most important things in the job I do. That was the mail processing machine. This time around though, I wasn't so lucky!

I gave a look at the machine and thought; this couldn't happen again. How wrong was I. Early Monday, I drove down Hickory Hill Road and when I reached the peak that overlooked Fonda, I saw the worst. The banks of the Mohawk River had overflowed again and when I reached the stoplight by Stewarts, it was deja vu all over again! The water surrounded the county public works building and all of Park Street for a second time in just over five years. It was something I thought I would never see again, but I was wrong. The next three days gave some of the people from Fonda and to the east a nightmare that will live forever in their minds. Flooding all along the Mohawk, destroying everything in it's path and a traffic tie-up never seen before on nearly every road for miles. When this happened five years ago, everybody pulled together and we got back on our feet again and survived. I'm sure the same will happen again, but it's really tough when it happens again so soon! In thoroughbred racing we have "up's and down's" and in life the same is true. This hurdle we will clear and the good life will return.