Woooooo!!!
I’ve been a fan of Will Take Charge all spring and he finally won a big one! Loved his momma and love his red coat and big white face. Woohoo!
[QUOTE=Zevida;7138095]
Woooooo!!!
I’ve been a fan of Will Take Charge all spring and he finally won a big one! Loved his momma and love his red coat and big white face. Woohoo![/QUOTE]
Isn’t she also the dam of Take Charge Indy??
He ran a great race and it seems like those big ones take a while to mature. I hope he stays sound because I bet he’ll be a stellar 4yo.
I still love Orb. I love his running style, his grit, and his connections. I hope that he picks his form back up from before his time off. He seems so talented but things haven’t quite gone his way since the Derby.
For those of you who have noticed the pretty blonde SO of D. Wayne Lukas, she is Laurie Krause, long-time horsewoman/ AQHA judge and show event trainer from Colorado. She has a place near you, Dani0303. I have known her for 30 years and she is pure class. DWL is lucky.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;7137747]
Dear NBC affiliate in Washington, D.C. You bite.
Instead of travers coverage they have pre empted it with redskins football. Just great.[/QUOTE]
Oh, brother, GG… :no:
Got up there - and glad I went - the weather so beautiful decided it would be worth it - but not doing it the same way any longer. Winged it without a seat, and no owners card this year so had to flow with the mob - otherwise would have camped out in the backstretch. Club house was packed like a full elevator near the winner’s circle. Two gals had two small babies in a double stroller right in the middle of the pathway - can’t believe they let it in there fire/security wise. At least we could kind of move back and forth between the finish and the paddock, but it took half of the time between the races to get there and back. :lol:
Didn’t have Will Take Charge, but he did look really good in the paddock - my usual gauge for betting - from what I could see! Of course he’s so tall, he does stand out! 
Must get Smartphone to bet from the paddock rail!
But the most irritating part are all the guys with cigars, who at 6’4" are in front of the mob, bragging to their girlfriends that they know there’s at least one KD entrant in the Travers, can’t read a program, and loudly speculate about what’s going on. Usually there’s one in every location you push through. Yesterday they were everywhere!! :eek:
On the ground in Saratoga at The Travers is no longer a good place for horse people. I could ID a few of them shaking their heads. But, even in lovely weather, better to stay home from now on - unless there’s an Affirmed/Alydar type showdown, or other star that makes it a “must go” situation.
Or, I’m getting old!! :lol:
Now to go watch the playback. I have Dish, with NYC/LA channels, and it did get recorded. Will be able to ID where I was by the tall guy behind the winner’s circle holding the camera up - he was right in front of me! :lol:
[QUOTE=Plumcreek;7138261]
For those of you who have noticed the pretty blonde SO of D. Wayne Lukas, she is Laurie Krause, long-time horsewoman/ AQHA judge and show event trainer from Colorado. She has a place near you, Dani0303. I have known her for 30 years and she is pure class. DWL is lucky.[/QUOTE]
Wow I’ve never heard of her before! But I’m also new to the area and know nothing of AQHA.
I love getting up there for the Travers but I do feel your pain. It’s a necessary evil, I know, but I also find the crowd insufferable. Same thing at the Derby.
The last several years, I have much preferred going up for the Woodward. Better crowd for the claustrophobic & the horse folk, and usually just as good of a field.
CVPeg, I almost lost a foot because of one of those double strollers in the clubhouse.
Like you, I could not BELIEVE they allowed it in there!!! (not to mention, I can’t imagine the infants were loving the crowds/shouting/etc!)
[QUOTE=Larksmom;7137530]
DRF sez Baffert will move Martin Garcia to Game on Dude, and scratch Liaison. Aren’t there any more good jocks in So Cal to ride?
This has to be one of the best weeks in racing. Good stuff from coast to coast,[/QUOTE]
Not a jock shortage, they didn’t like his post position.
It has been quite the week! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9A27xyJJiU
[QUOTE=skydy;7139342]
It has been quite the week! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9A27xyJJiU[/QUOTE]
Yikes! Nice work by the gate crew!!
Thankfully in 2013 graded stakes races at Spa are either put up on youtube (user partymanners2, in particular posted the four big ones about 20-min after they were done) or on the NYRA site.
So luckily I was able to see the racing despite WRC-TV NBC in Washington, DC having little interest in adhering to NBC’s programing. Oddly they are owned by NBC/Universal (now Comcast) so you’d think they could air it on another channel. Nada. Oh well.
I’m not a big fan of wading into large congested crowds either. Been there many times on a Travers Day with sweaty fat men far too close, blowhard pretenders at the bar announcing how much they’ve wagered, the Don Juan types trying to impress the ladies but looking like they missed the turn to go to Del Mar, and so forth. Sometimes hearing the dumbest comments out of people can be amusing - such as guy who kept remarking to his girl while looking into the saddling paddock “what a stud, look how he’s hung” … even though it was a distaff race
Its all part of the racing experience I suppose and adds to the event/carnival atmosphere as absent any fans and you could just as well be at any old track.
The old gal did on her 150th bring in the crowds: Per NYRA the largest since 2004 when Birdstone won:
On a beautiful, sunny afternoon, 47,597 fans - the biggest Travers crowd since 48,894 in 2004 - turned out to watch Will Take Charge nose out Moreno at the wire to capture the “Mid-Summer Derby” in a thrilling finish.
They wagered a record $9,672,249 on the card, an 11 percent increase over last year’s record $8,741,773.
All-sources handle on Saratoga’s Travers-day races was up 13 percent, year over year, to $41,363,760. Last year’s tally of $36,597,173 was eclipsed after yesterday’s 12th race.
Downstate wagering also posted significant increases, with $612,864 wagered at the Belmont Café, up 13 percent, year over year, and $695,266 wagered at Aqueduct Racetrack, an increase of 7 percent.
The pool for the Guaranteed $1 Million Pick 4 topped $2 million for the first time, with $2,016,700
Image - the photo finish for the 144th Travers Stakes
Video replay: $1 M Travers Stakes (7min) as sourced from TVG
I have to say that the Daily Racing Form’s Steve Crist certainly did look into the crystal ball before the Travers and nailed it. He predicted a win by Will Take Charge in the Travers on Thursday at 3pm:
It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Verrazano, Palace Malice, and Orb all exited this Travers with those races [Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeders’ Cup Classic] as their fall goals and with something more to prove ”" preferably because Will Take Charge upsets them all on Saturday.
Now that’s a ‘Big Bambino’ moment with pointing into the outfield just before cracking a home run if ever there was.
It appears that Will Take Charge and Moreno (1,2 by a head) are apt to appear in the Grade 2 $1M Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 21 at Parx. Will Take Charge get’s a $50k bonus - for having won the Travers - if he wins that race.
If you want to watch all the Saratoga races from Saturday - condensed in a series- here you go - about 35 min long.
Monday racing isn’t often overly thrilling but today was pronounced with trainer “The Chief” - H. Allen Jerkins - making his way to winner’s circle: Go Unbridled won the Saratoga Dew Stakes, again!
A standing O for Allen Jerkens as he enters the winner’s circle.
This gave Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens his first victory of the 2013 Saratoga Race Course meet.
“It takes a good horse,” said Jerkens, 84, who entered the winner’s circle to a round of applause. “They have to be doing good at the time. I know you say the jockey wins for you, but he really rode her good. She was just where she needed to be all the time. She had to be up there closer with the slower pace today. It was right. It was great.”
It was the 3,845th career victory for Jerkens, who began his training career in 1950. Jerkens won the Saratoga training title for three straight years from 1971-73 and tied for a fourth title in 1978. In 1973, he saddled Onion for a stunning upset of Secretariat in the Whitney Handicap at the Spa. Last year, he won the Grade 1 Prioress with Emma’s Encore in addition to his Saratoga Dew score with Go Unbridled.
“It means a lot more [to win] at Saratoga,” said Jerkens. “Every place you win and anytime you win a stake, it’s just great. I’ve always been that way [emotional in the winner’s circle]. You think of all the times when you didn’t do nothing, you know? Well, we’ve had our bad days [but] we’ve come around, and that’s what counts. This is the first one we’ve won here [this year], so we’re off the duck.”
Video replay: Race 9, Saratoga Dew Stakes
ETA: As noted by the DRF:
But arguably the most heartwarming outpouring from the fans during the 2013 Saratoga meet came late Monday afternoon when Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens walked into the winner’s circle after his Go Unbridled had successfully defended her title in the $100,000 Saratoga Dew Stakes.
One of the few articles citing the three breakdowns on turf: Aug. 25 there was a teleconference by the New York Racing Association Equine Safety Committee. - Note even a member lost a horse
Committee chair Anthony Bonomo Sr., whose homebred Heading to Toga was euthanized on the outer turf course earlier in August, said he spoke with P. J. Campo, NYRA’s vice president and director of racing, and Glen Kozak, vice president of facilities and racing surfaces, after the latest fatalities.
Kris Royale and Sarava’s Dancer broke down in separate incidents in the allowance/optional claiming race on the inner turf Aug. 24 and were euthanized.
Bonomo said that walking the course revealed nothing that would lead to the conclusion the surface was at fault in either horse’s injury.
More bad news unfortunately 
Exercise rider Raymond Bulgado in critical condition; his mount, Ricochet Court, euthanized due to a spill on the training track Monday.
Bulgado was working a horse, Ricochet Court, in company with another horse on the Oklahoma turf course when Bulgado’s horse broke down badly in his forelegs approaching the quarter pole.
“I love the kid. He’s getting the best care possible thanks to John [Hendrickson] and Marylou [Whitney] and the wonderful people at Albany Med,” Nick Zito said at his barn. “I have to respect the family’s privacy. His mom’s in Puerto Rico.”
Ricochet Court (not owned by Whitney) last race at Spa on 7/29 and finished 2nd with Rosie Napravnik up.
This tweet this morning from David Grening/DRF
According to co-worker of his, exercise rider Raymond Bulgado has fractured neck but no severe head trauma as a result of Monday spill.
On top of that Jose Lezcano, from a spill Sunday, has broken bone in left wrist, per agent Jason Beides. Will have surgery to insert screw. Will be out 4 weeks. Not unlike Joel Rosario there is now a scramble for his mounts: In light of Lezcano’s injury, some updated rider assignments. Javier on Ron the Greek in Woodward. Leparoux on Turallure in Bernard Baruch
Sam the bugler - plead guilty this morning to a lesser charge and per NYRA “He is our bugler and we fully anticipate that he will continue in that capacity”.
The conditions of the plea bargain call for the Long Island man to enroll in a alcohol treatment program and lose his driver’s license for the next six months.
Grossman, who has no prior criminal history, must attend a 3-hour long victim impact panel discussion, where people talk about the horrors of drunken driving on them or family members.
From Monday’s public forum with NYRA and improvements to the Saratoga track: (excerpts)
Friday is the only day this year when the track will have a later post time ”" 2:30 p.m. ”" to accommodate late-arriving downstate fans for the holiday weekend.
However, Kay hinted that such efforts might be expanded in 2014.
“It might be something to look at,” he said.
But local restaurant owners have complained, in the past, saying that a later post time cuts into their business by reducing the number of dinner seatings.
::> One fan said there are too many races each day, causing “bettor fatigue.”
While that might be true for some on-track fans, wagering on NYRA races is strong throughout the country, particularly in places such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles, which is three hours behind Saratoga, said Patrick Mahony, senior vice president for pari-mutuel operations.
::> Whitney Viewing Stand ”" A fan wanted to know if the new Whitney Viewing Stand at the Oklahoma Training Track would be open after the meet. Since opening, people have only been using it on weekends, Kay said.
“These things are not free,” he said.
Keeping the stand open requires security guards to keep fans out of the barn area. If the stand is kept open, it will probably be on weekends, he said.
::> Infield viewing ”" Another fan asked if the Saratoga’s infield could be open to fans on Travers Day. Kozak said that unlike Churchill Downs, Saratoga doesn’t have a tunnel for people to reach the infield. Also fans would have to cross two turf courses to get there.
“We’re not set up for it for that one day,” he said.
Another frivolous suit … Food truck sues NYRA over being rejected for name
Snooks and Loguidice insist they intended the truck’s name to be a tribute to the hardworking Italian-Americans of previous generations who toiled as day laborers. A recent online poll they conducted found clear majority support for retaining the name. Their critics, however, see “dago” as an unreconstructed ethnic slur.
The suit seeks monetary damages for lost business at the two sites ”" estimated by court documents at $300,000 at Saratoga and $42,900 for the time it would have spent at the Capitol ”" as well as punitive damages and attorney’s fees, plus an injunction preventing government officials from taking similar action against the Wandering Dago in the future.
If anyone thinks the name is a one-off see their menu of items, including the Mic and Polack sandwiches.
Who knew this year’s Travers Stakes runner (up by a nose) was fighting an oral abscess:
Trainer Eric Guillot said the mouth abscess that nearly forced him to scratch Moreno from last Saturday’s Travers finally popped open on Tuesday morning, which should allow him to send his 3-year-old star back to the track by the end of the week.
Guillot said he is still feeling the disappointment of having suffered such a narrow loss in a race as prestigious as the Travers.
“If we’d have finished fourth, beaten seven lengths, I probably wouldn’t have felt as bad as I do having gotten so close and just missed like that,” he said. “All of us were crying back at the barn after the race. I’m not in this business for the money, I’m here to win races like the Travers, and it’s heart-breaking to come that close because you never know when you’ll get an opportunity like that again.”
Aw I was gunning for Moreno. Great horse and very nice owner. I too was sad that he lost by a nose.
Leading owner for the meet breaks the most wins in a meet (with 19) and is still loaded with horses! Wed 8-28-2013 “Granny Mc’s Kitten gives Ramseys meet record for wins with P. G. Johnson victory”
[Mr/Mrs Ken Ramsey] established a single-meet record for wins by an owner with 19 when Granny Mc’s Kitten won Wednesday’s $100,000 P. G. Johnson Stakes.
“I don’t want to brag or anything, but I think if you execute and do it, it’s considered not boasting about it,” Ken Ramsey said. “We won it in 2008 and ‘09 and [Mike] Repole won it in ’10, ’11 and ’12, so I thought it was our turn again. I found out the record was 18, so I geared up and brought enough horses and claimed enough horses I thought I could make it to 20. So it’s 19 down and 1 to go.”
Ramsey will have to wait for win number 20, as his stable finished second in the ninth race with Sneaky Kitten and second in the 10th race with Present Course.
Having won owner titles at Gulfstream, Keeneland, and Churchill Downs, Ramsey said he is setting his sights on Kentucky Downs.
Who fights with a shovel vs. pitchfork? Some of the strange bits that seems to transpire on the backstretch.
Saratoga Springs Police Lt. John Catone said the two men, who work for the same horse trainer, got into a fight in one of the stables. Benitez allegedly had a pitchfork nearby while Sanchez-Aguilar grabbed a nearby flat shovel. The two dueled with the implements, according to Catone, during which time Benitez made contact with his pitchfork.
