Queen of Diamonds

Blood-Horse Staff — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:00:00 GMT

Few in the crowd of several hundred people watching the end of the NYRA Jockeys vs. Philadelphia Orchestra softball game Monday evening noticed the shiny black Mercedes Benz S-Class sedan roll up to the Saratoga East Side Rec Center stadium and park within feet of the backstop. The score was tied 11-11 after seven innings of regulation play, and had been since the fifth. It was an ideal starry night. The mosquitoes were buzzing and the game’s MVP Channing Hill was being intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs in the first frame of extra inning play. The Jockeys won 12-11 in the ninth.

Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson emerged from that Mercedes. The Saratoga socialite wore a white gauze blouse, her hair was pulled back and her face – that beautiful face with its perfect complexion – smiled a smile that was gracious and genuine. “Here’s a diamond, and there’s a bigger diamond,” joked Hendrickson, bending gently with his hand gesturing first at Marylou’s throat where a strand of DeBeers’ best was displayed and then to her ring finger where a rock the size of home plate rested before pointing to the ball field.

Whitney and Hendrickson are in full command of Saratoga’s social agenda. They attended the ball game to lend a show of support for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, an organization for which funds were being generated. Whitney is the Honorary Chair of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, too, where the Philadelphia Orchestra is in summer residence for one more fortnight. After the game, the orchestra’s team members dutifully (and sincerely) formed a line to thank Whitney and Hendrickson for coming.

Admiration for Whitney’s and Hendrickson’s generosity will rain in the next several days. Tonight they will serve as the Honorary Chairpersons for the Saratoga Hospital’s 29th annual benefit and auction. On Saturday, following the gr. 1 Whitney Handicap at the racecourse, they will honor Ann-Margaret with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Silver Anniversary Gala of the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame, an institution that Whitney founded. In addition, the Fasig-Tipton Company has reserved two front row seats for them at the Yearling Sales on Monday and Tuesday.

Speaking of Fasig-Tipton, the Kentucky-based, Dubai-owned sales agency seems to have made out well on its most recent investments in Saratoga. With its troubles behind and its war with the State cooled for awhile, NYRA is enjoying a reputational rebirth. The calm has helped the current race meet to get off to a positive start, with attendance up slightly and handle considerably. Should the good weather hold steady, this weekend’s Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing should be noteworthy.

Today, Saratoga Racecourse celebrates Mid-Summer St. Patrick’s Day. Appropriately, the $75,000 John Morrissey Stakes for NY-Breds headlines the card. In the meantime, fingers are crossed that rocker Tommy Love will front Blue Hand Luke at Siro’s tonight. If Love doesn’t, head to SPAC to see cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Vic Zast is the author of “The History and Art of 25 Travers.” He’s attended the races at Saratoga for 48 straight seasons.

Earlier Than Usual

muckraker — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:24:00 GMT

NYRA stacked the top half of Monday's card with two overnight stakes and a maiden special weights sprint for promising 2-year-olds. This is the way racetracks play it in Europe. They don't wait until the end to give fans something to cheer about. Still, in this case, the move-up in the schedule of quality was done to accommodate the early post time of the yearling sales.

The gavel at Fasig-Tipton fell shortly after 6 p.m., as Hip No. 1 went unsold, Hip No. 2 was withdrawn and Hip No. 3 - a bay colt by Smart Strike - was sold for $300,000. Buyers from Europe and the Middle East, by the way, were here and there on the new grounds and active It was a packed crowd, a humid night and, as usual, a magical experience.

Sheikh Mohammed, the world's greatest Thoroughbred customer, took a place outside of the pavilion to do his bidding. He wore a white long-sleeved tee-shirt with a pocket on which the word "Godolphin" was embroidered. He sported light denim jeans and black and grey high-tech sneakers. A gold chain circled his neck. He wore glasses, but no ball cap.

Inside, Marylou Whitney assumed a new place in the second last row instead of her customary upfront seat. With faithful beau John Hendrickson in a dark suit, white shirt and tie beside her, Whitney wore a white and pastel gauzy print dress. The Queen of Saratoga had her hair back and up in a bun and looked beautiful. Like the Sheikh, nonetheless, her presence was concealed from the masses.

Progeny of Bernardini, the 2006 Travers winner, were the rage. Seven walked the selling stage, five were purchased and these five averaged $550,000. The sales topper was by Medaglia d'Oro. It was a lovely filly from Cat Dancer that John Ferguson, bloodstock agent for Godolphin, got for $1.5 million. No horse quite as expensive as these triumphed on the racetrack earlier.

Perhaps the most accomplished horse to run, for example, was utterly disappointing. After the third race, called the Albert the Great Stakes, trainer Nick Zito told jockey Alan Garcia in no uncertain terms that Da' Tara couldn't have won from the back of the pack as he rode him. The 2008 Belmont Stakes conqueror of Big Brown lunged in the air at the start, rushed up four -wide on the turn, was taken to the rear on the backstretch and then eased on the homestretch. On the other hand, stablemate Cool Coal Man caught the break right, stayed close to the pace and rallied effortlessly.

Things went less easily for Queen of Hearts in the fifth, the Signature Stallions Stakes. Zaskar led by as much as eight lengths in the 1 1/2 mile turf race but wasn't done by any means at a mile and a half minus a nostril.

Vic Zast Saratoga Diary : fasig-tipton, marylou whitney

Queen of Diamonds

Earlier Than Usual