It was the winter of 1986, and I was in a major lull in my potential writing career. I was actually just becoming enthusiastic about racing again after a brief hiatus in 1982, '83 and '84, during which my wife Joan and I had moved to New Jersey and become fanatic birdwatchers....
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We should remember the Arrogate who raised goose bumps on our arms and left us numb from the experience of watching him run. And we should ignore the phantom who floundered at Del Mar, as we would any mirage....
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This was the extent of my racing foundation, and it all started with Swaps and Nashua and two guys talking about them on a bus. After all, how could you not love the name Swaps?...
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There is no need for an alarm clock when you're in Saratoga, especially when you're staying with your close friends Avi and Rhoda Freedberg, whose home on Fifth Avenue backs right onto the Oklahoma training track. It is just starting to get light out, and the sounds of horses hooves outside your window are all the stimuli you need to hop out of bed, throw on some clothes, go out to the back porch and...
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Once again, this is about longshots and value. I don't have enough money to bet favorites and pick 6's and superfectas, so I've got to take a few stabs....
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But let's start by being more logical. The Classic is simple: Arrogate or Gun Runner? That is where everyone will be focusing their attention. In the two previous showdowns between these two antagonists, Arrogate proved to be the fastest gun alive....
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As always I am focusing on longshots and value and who might sneak into the exotics at a big price. So let's cut right to chase....
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