Vic Zast Saratoga Diary : Saratoga Zast Diary

Dream Day Afternoon

Blood-Horse Staff — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:23:00 GMT

Gov. David Paterson of New York is ordinarily a pretty good public speaker. But standing in front of the television cameras following Colonel John’s slimmest of Travers victories, Paterson talked too much and said little, and, in fact, got his geography wrong.

New York is only the capital of Thoroughbred racing in August, and only on days like Saturday when the sport shines as brightly as the gold on the Man ‘O War cup, does the State deserve praise such as this. The owners of WinStar Farm will return to Kentucky shortly, and with them, goes unmatchable glory. Tomorrow, NYRA officials will still be looking to New York for bankruptcy relief, a new racing bill, solutions to problems with OTB and the choice of a group to operate the Aqueduct racino.

None of these issues, however, was on anyone’s mind Saturday. There was too much sensory stimulation from other sources to confuse the situation with politics. Travers Day was without this year’s box office 3-year-old, but it had 12 other worthy actors in the $1 million feature, and 12 races overall that every track’s general manager would die for.

As for the 139th Travers, just as everyone in the crowd of 40,723 delirious fans, shocked by the splendor and excitement of a dream day afternoon, was prepared to accept Mambo in Seattle as the do-over for Grasshopper, Garrett Gomez, here on sabbatical from Del Mar, managed to lower the bay son of Tiznow’s nostril an inch in front of him, providing the most lasting surprise of all.

Favorites were beat in each of the last six races on the card, in addition to four of the first six races. The string of extraordinary payoffs began when Alan Garcia, successful in finding the winner’s circle with five of his mounts, rode 30-1 Missinglisalewis to victory. In recent days, there have been several superfectas to flirt with the $100,000.00 mark, and this one, the 14-8-2-5, hit for $89,625.00.

Then Channing Hill took Slambino past Blazing Dynamo in the seventh, and that’s when “lights out” became more than an expression. The tote board went dark for long pauses while the unfathomable calculations were being made.

Hill began Slambino’s frantic dash down the homestretch at the quarter pole, persisted down the middle of the track, and swerved toward the rail and to the left of the leader with 100 yards to go. When 30-1 Key Event came in third, it set up an astonishing superfecta, perhaps the biggest in history. The 14-13-8-3, combination paid $1,523,188.00.

In comparison, the 2-9 exacta in the Travers paid only $86.50. But anyone who witnessed the race should have paid $86.50 to the track for the privilege of being there.

Light and Water Shows

rmitchell — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:03:00 GMT

Sgt. Jeff Cohen, a retired New York City police officer who recently began a second career as a postal delivery employee, is able to come to Saratoga Race Course only once or twice a week. Often, he brings his young son Artie along, and Artie, an admirably polite red-haired lad, spends the day eating popcorn and ice cream while his father bets.

Like many New York horseplayers, the elder Cohen began teaching himself the basics at old Roosevelt Raceway, the harness track on Long Island. Roosevelt Raceway today is a condominium development that Michael Dubb, the successful businessman in horse owner partnership with Sandy Goldfarb, built. It was Dubb’s construction company that provided the labor to build Anna House, too. Anna House is the child care facility of the Belmont Child Care Association at Belmont Park.

Before the racing begins, Cohen partakes in the ritual of drinking the sparkling mineral waters from Big Red Spring. Once fortified by the magical elixir, he pours dollars through the windows, betting mostly on the live card, although also on Monmouth. It must be because Cohen’s an authority on water that he likes the idea of having a Las Vegas-styled light and water show in the infield. Or, maybe he’s just into fun.

It would be fun if the fountain was turned into a spectacle like the dancing waters in front of the Bellagio. If the track held the show after the eighth race, it would create an interest in people to stay a little longer. Choreographed shooting waters, colored lights, “New York, New York” sung by Frank Sinatra – wow, the attraction would put Hialeah’s flight of the flamingos to shame.

Visitors and spinners (the give-away stadium cushion was a bummer) enjoyed another light and water show, courtesy of Mother Nature. Before Charitable Man, a good-looking first-time-starter by Lemon Drop Kid, won the second race, the sky was blue at the head of the stretch, grey at the eighth pole and black and blue at the wire. Fill-in race-caller John Imbriale informed the public that the weather wouldn’t be pleasant, as the crackling thunder and bolts of lightning emphasized his creditability.

In the co-featured Yaddo Handicap, contested by a field of five New York-breds, Factual Contender had a ten-length lead after six furlongs in 1:14.89 on the yielding turf course before exhaustion set in. Last year’s 23-1 Yaddo winner, Latitude Forty, this year bet down to 4-1, caught him. Lightning strikes twice in some parts, now doesn’t it?

In the co-featured West Point Handicap, Classic Pack’s attempt to duplicate Latitude Forty’s feat, proved fruitless. At 13-1, the 2007 West Point winner finished second to Banrock.

Dr. Pleasure won a prep for the Woodward.

Late Start Good for Some, Bad for Others

Blood-Horse Staff — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 10:59:00 GMT

By Vic Zast

Finally, the breakfast brigade had a morning on which it could enjoy bacon and eggs railside. The day was crisp in the manner required for those photos on postcards of horses emerging from the mist, their nostrils flaring with steam like locomotives. But the rain had stopped, and everyone let out with a sigh.

On a dawn such as this, with the sky a spooky shade of violet, the light turns bright quickly, casting all that it strikes with the brilliance of summer. Saratoga was back to its beautiful self. Old friends ran into each other unexpectedly. They reserved catty remarks such as “She looks good for her age, doesn’t she?” for later.

What looks good for the first time in many seasons is the racetrack, its prettiness unobserved on the first two days of racing because of the priority of finding shelter. A new coat of paint on the façade of the grandstand, some new awnings to replace those that had turned pink and white, and generally improved housekeeping have worked in harmony to the property’s advantage.

A maitre d’ named Manny, one of several with the same moniker, ushered a mish-mash of guests to the Porch. Some were dressed in “Saratoga Trunk” finery; some in tee-shirts and shorts. All were there to honor the tradition of watching the horses train.

Unlike other days, there was a long spell between breakfast and the first post, this being one of two “Twilight Racing Days” scheduled for the meet. Lefty and Patti McClellan from Plano, Texas, used the time to eat lunch at the Circus Café. “We wouldn’t have considered being downtown for lunch if the first race was at 1:05,” Lefty McClellan said. “But the late start allows us to do more in a day than we could with the normal start time. We’ll be at the Parting Glass tonight.”

Rob Sullivan of Boston, Massachusetts and Jason Bronfeldt of Princeton, New Jersey were concluding a two-day visit. “The late start isn’t good for us, seeing that we’re leaving tonight,” Sullivan said. “But I can see how it would be popular with people in Albany or for people arriving for the weekend who want to catch a race before settling in.”

Sullivan and Bronfeldt left Saratoga much richer than they arrived. “We went all in on Desert Party yesterday, and then gave a little back when the one beat our six by a nose in the sixth,” explained Sullivan. In the day’s closest finish, Real Estate followed by Aquino and Visible Truth were heads apart.

In the Lake George Stakes (gr. 2), won by My Princess Jess, highly-regarded Mousse Au Chocolat, here from France, must have thought that the late start meant breaking slowly from the gate, not the post time.

Out with the Up-and-Overs

cdawahare — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:09:00 GMT

By Vic Zast

Inclement weather is wreaking havoc with Saratoga. Yesterday, two men in tights from the New York City Ballet called off their trophy presentation to the winners of the third race because the rain would have ruined their costumes. Tonight, the trainers opted out of their softball game against the Saratoga Springs police force because the field was too waterlogged to play. Horseplayers are hating it.

Even the information booth outside of the main entrance is an island surrounded by a 15 foot moat. You have to shout your questions to the guy manning it from a distance or get your shins soaked. Capital OTB must be reaping a real bonanza. Who wants to sit in the mud with the rain falling down?

Obviously, some people do. A crowd of more than 10,000 people believed that the rain clouds would pass and by the third race they did. But the third race was the second and the second was the first - that's the kind of day it was. Nevertheless, almost $2 million was bet at the track. It would have been more had there not been only nine races to wager on.

NYRA cards a steeplechase race as the first race each Thursday. This Thursday, there was no "up-and-over" for anyone. The rain-soaked sod, although safe for the horses and jockeys, required relief from the beating it would take from the animal's sinking hooves.

"We're 30 feet off the rail, so we'd cause no damage to the regular course, and yes, it's very unusual to get called off," said William Gallo, director of racing for the National Steeplechase Association. "But we understand that NYRA must protect its turf courses. We're delighted to have the race rescheduled for next Wednesday," he said.

Rescheduling is what several horses that were entered but not raced on Thursday must do. In particular, it was a big disappointment to have three horses in the seven horse field for the 94^th Sanford Stakes (gr. 2) scratch. The $150,000 race for two-year-olds lost Notonthesamepage, its pre-race favorite. Desert Party, a $2.1 million yearling purchase by Darley, won. Desert Party has now triumphed on two tracks - one synthetic, one sloppy. Next, the Hopeful?

By the way, Notonthesamepage is trained by Wesley Ward and was going to be ridden by Elvis Trujillo. This duo appeared headed for a banner day with winners in the second (really the first) and fourth (really the third) races, and a close second in the sixth (really the fifth). They then finished last in the eighth (make that seventh) and second last in the tenth (make that ninth).

Prepping for the Travers, Visionaire, closing inside the leaders under Allan Garcia, won a sprint. Kent Desormeaux had three losing mounts. In the twilight of Friday, the Big Brown man should lift his 4,999 career win total to 5000.

Green is the Color of Money

cdawahare — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:49:00 GMT

By Vic Zast

Red and white are the colors of Saratoga Race Course, but green is the color of money.

That’s why this 140-year-old racetrack, recently strapped to the brink of bankruptcy along with the other New York Racing Association tracks, will be opening today with a new, air-conditioned luxury box on the finish line and a “Restaurant Row” located opposite the Nathan’s hot dog stand near the path that the jockeys take to the silks room. It will be more tempting than ever for the lean, hungry athletes to stop walking.

Five local fine-dining establishments have set up an outpost where fans can buy a tasty meal for under $7. In keeping with the green theme, all implements and tableware will be eco-friendly.

“The service is recyclable, bio-degradable or compostable,” said Hillary Van Alstyne, a self-described “go-to gal” at Hattie’s popular chicken emporium. Meanwhile, fry cook Nicole Hamilton had the quote that got down to the nitty-gritty. “Downtown you can’t get Hattie’s until dinner. So if you have a fixin’ for chicken, now you have it,” she said.

NYRA must have gotten lucky by drawing the one guy from Saratoga’s Historical Preservation Society with poor taste, or if not, then the linoleum salesman. “Restaurant Row” isn’t what Martha Stewart would consider picturesque. It has a corrugated metal roof atop a wooden shack that’s supposed to look like a barn at Horse Haven. The worst part of the design is the slabs of plastic sidewalls decorated with faux brick, make-believe subway tiles and Lincoln logs.

On the other hand, the finish line luxury box, which is a 360-degree glass enclosed rectangle, makes the most of unusable space and, without room for the decorators to tinker much, is fine and dandy. What’s green here is the $15,000 tab for a table for four that high rollers will pay for the season. Users will have to watch the races on television, but they’ll have a perfect view of the unsaddling area. At the same time, passersby, snoops and curiosity-seekers will have a perfect view of the users.

Because this is a racetrack, Saratoga will open with the usual grumbling. Some people, even those who sit in the grandstand, are already complaining that NYRA took 38 clubhouse boxes away from locals and others who don’t have the “skin in the game” that some horse owners have.

The weather forecaster is calling for rain, thus creating a possibility that five races scheduled for the turf will be moved to the dirt for the opener. State-breds will race four times out of the ten times the starter flips the switch on the starting gate. Ocean Colors, wearing a red number one saddle cloth, not a green one, is favored in the $100,000 Schuylerville (gr. 1).