Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Frank Panucci — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:15:23 GMT

Great story Sean, I often think of all the racing photos I've taken and all the collectibles in boxes I've accumulated over the last 35 years and you just confirmed my inner fears of what is going to happen to all of them.

Over the past 35 years at Saratoga I have engaged in conversation with well over 100 trainers. Sidney Watters was one I will never forget. They don't get any better than Sidney Watters. That $40.00 dollars you spent on those binoculars , priceless my friend.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Shannon — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:31:55 GMT

Sean, You write even better than you rode as a champion jump jockey. Amazing.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

John Fisher — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:33:18 GMT

Sean : You've written so many wonderful articles about flat racing and steeplechasing,I had forgotten how captivating this tribute to Sidney was. You have a grace in your writing that is a remarkable gift. Sidney's nephew, Dickie Small, comes as close to this great man as anyone I know.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Ken C — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:23:45 GMT

Sidney Watters Jr., working with a small string of allowance runners and getting multiple victories out of four different horses, was the meeting's leading trainer with 12 winners. Quick Call and Crivitz each won three times for him, and this was when the meet at Saratoga was only 4 weeks long.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Paula — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:12:09 GMT

Your recounting of the sale brought a flood of wonderful memories of a friendship forged over 15 years of walking the fields...and talking.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Drew Mollica — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:17:27 GMT

The eclipse award people finally got something right!!!!

Wow what a wonderful and sad tribute to a wonderful man. Mr Watters played the game we all love when it really was a great game. Today I'm not so sure. As for Dickie Small what can you say but he wears his heart on his sleeve and he's as big a man as is the heart that ticks inside him.

Bravo Sean!!

Congratulations on a brilliant piece of work!

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Christine Clayton — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:22:56 GMT

Mr. Watters was like a father to me. I worked for him for over ten years at Belmont and Saratoga. I was there for Love Sign, Native Courier, and I galloped Quick Call for him for his entire career. There is no horsemen that I have met that could compare to him. He was the greatest!

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Jimcat — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:49:46 GMT

great story;brings back memories from Belmont Park.Sid Watters giving every one a chance.

Thinking of Majory and Chris Clayton that were riding for him and many others.We shall miss him.

He always looked forward to going back to his Farm.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

the vulture — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:12:56 GMT

i just read your eclipse winning final turn story on mr. watters and it left me wondering about some of the people i met while working for him in the clark barn during the 1987 saratoga meet. every summer id go up to work the meet. i happened to walk by the clark barn one morning and saw the assiatant trainer running out towards the track. i said " hey can you use a hotwalker? " he said" yeah, ill be right back, one of my riders just got dumped". quick call had gotten loose, which meant he was getting good. i started walking and horses but one of the grooms was messing up and got canned. i got to rub his horses and one was wendy walker she won twice in 5 days and got claimed. mr.watters tied for leading trainer that year with d.wayne both with 12 wins. i remember them shaking hands in the the paddock after the last race of the meet. i also remember the old metal feed tubs we had and getting bit by quick call and the volvo wagon with the md. plates. a great barn to work in for a trainer who may have well been the last his kind.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Emelle — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:17:34 GMT

My father first took me to Saratoga when I was 16(you could'nt get entrance until that age, back then). I remember Sid Watters, even now. Ambrose Clark used to ride by our home with a 6-in-hand occasionlly. His racing stable , and that of his brother Steve, wonderfully handled by Sid, were just "IT" way back then.

What a terrific trip back in memory time . I to, like many of your admirers Sean, appreciate you insight and humanity.

Thank you for a loving tribute to a man and his season. I'm still not so sure that all is forgotten

about the racing business and quality horseman.

Emelle

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

William T Moorefield — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:46:12 GMT

Sean, just caught your great article, Mr Watters was a great horsmen, even better person.All class! Keep up the great work. Wild Bill

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

luv the boy — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:54:03 GMT

Sean, wish I could have been at that auction. I have a bunch of horse memorabilia and wonder what will happen to it when I'm gone. none of my family share my love of the thoroughbred. great story. kinda depressing.

Nola

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Rob Whiteley — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:19:57 GMT

It takes a Renaissance man to recognize and sufficiently value another. You are a special person and a special writer, Sean. This is a sentient and beautifully written piece that would make Sid smile. It's as it should be that your eyes will be looking through the same lenses. Thanks for appreciating the past and the present. You are the future.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

dick jackson — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:39:56 GMT

GREAT STORY, I live in Tennessee,my youngest son owns a real estate & auction company.I go to many auctions with him and see how relatives dispose of all the various items their loved ones spent years collecting.At the age of 78, i can only hope that when the time comes that they auction off my life-time collection of things that mean so much to me,they have a chance to read this wonderful article by SEAN CLANCY.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

J. Panagot — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:24:46 GMT

Classic Clancy. That was awesome.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Phil — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:24:32 GMT

Your piece is a real work of art and class. Thanx for adding to my day.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Lucky Lloyd — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:22:13 GMT

Fantastic Story! You took us back to when Horse Racing was indeed a "sport." And some of those wonderfull people who established the "Sport." Times have changed, not for the good,sadly. I have often thought of what we lose when the oldtimers pass. It all goes with them, and then the cycle begins anew. I shed a tear reading your Great Story! So very true! Many Thanks.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Vita — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:15:09 GMT

I never got to meet Sid Watters, but I did get to know Margaret very well. I was having some tough times and she let me stay in her master bedroom with it's own bath. She slept in a smaller room, leaving the master for guests. She let me stay free of charge for 6 months and started to cry when I supplied all the wine for a grand birthday party she had for Sid. She had rented the Middleburg town hall for the night. The party was a grand affair and everyone attended.

Margaret and I first met when I was driving past her barn and I stopped to let her cross the road leading a horse. I rolled down the window and told her "horses always go first". She asked me my name and who I worked for (Paula Parsons/Centennial Farms). I had her respect that day. She'd already had mine. Her love and respect for Sid was amazing, but after talking to her, I understood why. They both were fantastic horsemen. I learned so much.

Horsemen, something we need to bring back.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

paddy neilson — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:13:11 GMT

wonderful article

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Monica — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:36:48 GMT

This really moved me. I worked for a time earlier in the year for an estate auction house, and so many times I had an overwhelming feeling of sadness when going through the belongings of those that passed on and whose estates were being purged by their sons, daughters, wives, and so on. I kept thinking, is this what are our lives become distilled to in the end, just junk without meaning to those we leave behind, something burdensome to be cleared away to the highest bidder? That was quite an eye-opener to me.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Bruce Cerone — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:48:48 GMT

Sean, Wow flashback to 1975 when I was flying through my parents restaurant in Saratoga. My first job (age 12) was to make sure nobody dehydrated on my watch. There he was, a stately tall gentleman who was clocking me. After a little while he stopped me and said "this is for you kid" I wish I saved that quarter like he told me to. Sid and I became friends from then on. I do have my reminders of Sid, a saddle cloth of Quick Call's from The Tom Fool and a win photo from The Tanthem Handicap in 1990, both proudly displayed at my restaurant.

The Clark barn, Quick Call, Wild Turkey rocks-splash of water (if my memory doesn't fail me) and S. Watters, Jr's classy way he carried himself are fond memories that were stirred up from reading your article, which was GREAT by the way.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Ric Waldman — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:41:21 GMT

Thank you, Sean, for bringing back warm memories that I have of Sid. We often had dinner while I lived in New York in the 70's. Sid was watchful of the foods that he ate, so we often ate at a fish restaurant not far from the Belmont Park--this was in the 70's, well before many watched what they ate. In his own way, Sid was somewhat of a renaissance man. Had I been aware of the memorabilia auction, I would have made you work harder for the field glasses--I have fond memories of walking 'across the road' from the Clark barn at Saratoga with Sid (he always let me park there), when he would saddle a runner. My vision of Sid is with him dressed in a suit, trench coat and slinging those binoculars. Not only did Sid's death make us recollect an ending era in horseracing, it allows me to flashback on an important era in the life of an impressionable young man who was so fortunate to have the friendship of such an important figure in the history of horseracing who was so willing to share it and forever seek information on aspects of the industry about which he knew less. We often spoke after I moved to Kentucky and he to Monkton, but I sadly let too much time go by before I last called him.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

TYRONE (Ireland) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:07:20 GMT

Great portrayal Sean. We need to be reminded constantly of what great men in this game are made of and why they were great, they did great things! We should all strive to be, and do, like them, hard as that is. See you again next time you are in Ireland. Happy New Year.

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

Maggie — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:09:59 GMT

Sean, if I live to be 200, I'll never be able to write like this. But you inspire me to keep trying.....

re: Life's Work - by Sean Clancy

sass merryman — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:38:22 GMT

Sidney was my uncle- I could not go to see his life "sold by the pound"- too gut wrenching- he was so near and dear- just wanted to tell you what Sidney said about his "life's work"- he told me he had never worked a day in his life- because " work is doing what you have to do "and he said "I was always doing what I loved to do". He truly loved the horses he trained, racing, and all the people connected. No doubt there will never be one just like my gentleman uncle- one gift unmentioned- he had one of the greatest senses of humor ever!-