Saratoga 2006 - is here! And they're off ...

[Glimmerglass]

It may be hot but the Monkey does some work …

Yes The Green Monkey, not to be confused of course with Brass Monkey of Beastie Boy fame

The Green Monkey Breezes; Start Still Undetermined
by Blood-Horse Staff
Date Posted: 8/2/2006 1:00:20 PM

The Green Monkey, the record $16 million 2-year-old purchase, breezed five furlongs in 1:03 2/5 over Saratoga’s main track Wednesday morning. Retired Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. guided the Forestry colt in the workout, sixth-fastest of eight working the distance.

“He worked well. He’s getting closer,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Each work gets us closer.”

The Green Monkey went his first quarter-mile in :26 and finished on even terms with stablemate Wild Union. Pletcher is still undecided as to when the colt’s much anticipated debut might take place.

“He won’t run in the first condition book,” he said. “I haven’t seen the second condition book, but hopefully, by the end of the meet he will be ready to run.”

[Alibhai_s_Alibar]

All year, I daydream about the Saratoga meet and it’s finally here I’ll be back two more times this summer, I hope. I’ll keep an eye out for COTHers.

My Saratoga photos from this weekend:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockandracehorses/sets/219439

http://www.finalturngallery.com/Alibhai

[Glimmerglass]

Wow - Alibhai’s Alibar - some really fantastic photos you took! Thank you for sharing!

Ever take any steeplechase shots at the Breeders’ Cup Far Hills races there in Jersey?

[Linny]

@Alibhai's Alibar

All year, I daydream about the Saratoga meet and it’s finally here I’ll be back two more times this summer, I hope. I’ll keep an eye out for COTHers.

My Saratoga photos from this weekend:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockandracehorses/sets/219439

http://www.finalturngallery.com/Alibhai

Great pics. We met (unlnowingly) at AQU last year. When are you coming back?

[Alibhai_s_Alibar]

@Glimmerglass

Wow - Alibhai’s Alibar - some really fantastic photos you took! Thank you for sharing!

Ever take any steeplechase shots at the Breeders’ Cup Far Hills races there in Jersey?

Thanks so much! No, I have not gotten out there yet but I’m planning to see it one of these years.

Linny, I’ll be up with my husband the weekend of the 12th and then hopefully again for at least one day of Labor Day weekend.

I was so lucky this weekend. It was a lovely, chilly morning on Sunday and both racing days were pretty nice- quite a far cry from this oppressive weather that we have today in NY and NJ.

[Iride]

Alhibai - fabulous pix! May I ask what camera you use?

[Alibhai_s_Alibar]

@Iride

Alhibai - fabulous pix! May I ask what camera you use?

Thanks! My camera is a Nikon D70s.

[War_Admiral]

Heard a rumor (and saw it again on another thread here) that Saratoga is cancelling races owing to the heat. Can anyone confirm?

[Glimmerglass]

@War Admiral

Heard a rumor (and saw it again on another thread here) that Saratoga is cancelling races owing to the heat. Can anyone confirm?

A story like what I posted yesterday? (below)

@Glimmerglass

The heat is too much and NYRA calls off Saratoga Racing for Wed

NY Newsday 8-2-06 “Saratoga races canceled due to heat”

[War_Admiral]

Ah, thanks. Must have missed that thread or post. My apologies.

[NMK]

Just my luck

The ONE DAY --I mean only ONE DAY per year I get to go and they cancel the races. Which, is a good thing safety-wise, and I support it, but can you believe the luck? Does anyone know if they cancelled today too?

Ah, the SPA, so wonderful. I did spend some time in the Museum and so did LOTS of race fans. If only it were closer. Linny, good to chat with you–sorry for the cell drop. Congrats to Pete from Delaware for winning the Dogwood Dominion Award. Truly deserving for sure.

Nancy

[Linny]

Of course, NMK, they ran today.:rolleyes: Figures.

You need to stay an extra day next time, just in case.

[Glimmerglass]

Marylou Whitney: Will she make it to the track Saturday?

New York Times Aug 4, 2006 “Saratoga’s Grand Dame Must Forgo Big Night Out”

In fact, Whitney’s indomitable reputation has prompted a parlor game among the barroom as well as the benefit crowds: Will she, or will she not, make her first public appearance Saturday at the racetrack to present the trophy to the winning owner in the 79th running of the Whitney Handicap?

“Oh darling, I’d certainly love to, but I’m taking it day by day,” she said, acknowledging it has crossed her mind. “But in this heat I don’t want to faint. We’ll see how I feel on race day.”

I certainly hope she will make it

[Glimmerglass]

It was nice to see Marylou hand out the Whitney Trophy to the connections of I N V A S O R, which I simply cannot do justice in my enthusiastic pronunciation of as ESPN’s Kenny Mayne can

An interesting article from today’s Times Union. Does anyone else see some degree of irony in a restauraunt owned and run by a jockey? A person who stereotypically is depicted as deprived of food and good food at that

Albany Times Union 8-8-06 "Leon Goes from Horses to Fajitas

“We came here just in time to invest the money,” Leon said. “In less than six months the property value had doubled. Making $50,000 a year as a New York rider was very tough, and I can do 10 times better by running this place.”

But Leon wasn’t quite ready to leave racing. Once his business got off the ground, he found himself riding for fun – at Aqueduct last winter, at Finger Lakes three weeks ago, and at Saratoga on the first Saturday of the meet.

An interesting aside for the many legions of ‘rescue’ folks who frequent these boards:

(at the) Equine Advocates Annual Awards Dinner & Charity Auction Aug. 3 … Staci and Arthur Hancock, who bought 1982 Kentucky Derby winner Gato Del Sol from a farm in Germany where he had been at stud, were honored for their work promoting the welfare of horses.
Times Union 8/8 “Disco raises horse rescue funds”

Gato actually returned back to the US in 1999, was pensioned immediately and lives in Kentucky at Stone Farm, Paris.

[Glimmerglass]

Wahoo! Funny Cide might race at the Spa

What timing - if he does race - as I’ll be there for the Woodward

FANTASTIC!

Funny Cide possible for Woodward
Thoroughbred Times Aug 9, 2006

After registering his first graded stakes win in 21 months in the Dominion Day Stakes (Can-G3) on July 1 at Woodbine, Funny Cide might move back into Grade 1 company in the Woodward Stakes (G1) on September 2 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Barclay Tagg would prefer to start the six-year-old Distorted Humor gelding in a lighter spot, but he has not found a suitable one for the 2003 champion three-year-old male and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner.

“It depends on who goes in there and who doesn’t,” Tagg said on Tuesday. “We’ve got that on the radar screen. I’d rather have him in an easier race than that, but there just isn’t much around for him. There were a couple of races this summer, but we just opted not to go to them because of the hot weather.”

Tagg has long maintained that hot weather can be particularly bothersome for Funny Cide, who has a history of respiratory problems.

Funny Cide has not raced in a Grade 1 since he finished sixth in the 2005 Suburban Handicap (G1). His last Grade 1 win came in the 2004 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1). He won the 1 1/4-mile Dominion Day by 1 1/2 lengths for his second win in seven starts this year.

“He’s not a great hot weather horse,” Tagg said. “Even up there although he won and it wasn’t the hottest day in the world, it was around 85 or 86 degrees. He didn’t run one of his better numbers or anything like that. He’s doing well. He had a nice gallop this morning and a nice breeze a couple days ago. We’re just trying to wait out the summer and keep him fresh and happy.”

Grade 1 winners Commentator, Flower Alley, and Silver Wagon are also candidates for the 1 1/8-mile Woodward, along with Whitney Handicap (G1) runner-up Sun King.

Funny Cide’s last workout I have a notice for was:

Date: August 6, 2006
Track: SARATOGA
Distance: Five Furlongs
Time: 1.00:62 Breezing
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: Dirt
Rank: 4/22

[Glimmerglass]

HIRAPOUR WINS!

The “old man” does it at age 10 in his (almost) swan song at Saratoga, and first official race start of the year since injury last fall, he’ll retire at the end of this year. In the mean time - Hirapour wins the A.P. Smithwick Memorial Stakes, Thursday at Saratoga ($79,500)

WIN > Hirapour (IRE) w/McCarron up (lugging 158 lbs)
PLACE > Good Night Shirt (carrying 150 lbs)
SHOW > Mauritania (carrying 146 lbs)

Congratulations!

The only Grade I stakes jump race at Saratoga will be the $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup on Aug. 31 with Hirapour as the early favorite.

Bred by His Highness the Aga Kahn in Ireland, by Kahyasi and out of Himaya, Hirapour was used as a work horse, urging the better horses along in training. But his heart wasn’t in it. Picked up then by an English trainer, Hirapour was groomed for the jumps, and in short time won five races before coming up for sale …

His record after today: 39 starts: 16-7-4 (of which jumping is 20 starts 11-5-3)

Prior today’s race: Capital News 9 (Albany) - video link - of steeplechasing at Spa

[SteeleRdr]

Great to hear Glimmer!!! I’ve always admired Hirapour!!

If I had only put him in my fantasy stable this year instead of McDynamo…

Hirapour will retire after the season, so they are trying to go for the Eclipse with their fall campaign, I’m rooting for him!

[Linny]

I spoke with Fout and McCarron this am and they were quite confident. Hirapour only just arrived in Saratoga after having had his final blowout for Fout last Friday. I think he shipped in yesterday. He look stunning in the paddock as well as on the track.

[Glimmerglass]

More on Hirapour

PHOTO: AP Photo/NYRA, Adam Coglianese: Hirapour left, Good Night Shirt on right

TB Times 8-10-06 “Hirapour returns from ankle injury with Smithwick triumph”

Most horses do not return from surgery to remove a bone chip and a long layoff to take on other prominent horses in their division, especially at age ten. Hirapour, however—the 2004 Eclipse Award winner as champion steeplechase horse—was sent off as the even money favorite in the field of eight, and rewarded those who backed him as he tracked the leaders from midpack and launched an outside bid on the turn for home, covering 2 1/16 miles in 3:42.46 over a firm turf course.

– snip –

[Paul] Fout now plans a final run through the Turf Writers, Breeders’ Cup, and Colonial Cup in what will be the Hirapour’s last chance to add a second Eclipse Award to his resume.

“We’re going to retire him after this year no matter what, and we’re chasing the Eclipse Award,” Fout said. “He’s ten years old, and the horse doesn’t owe anything to anybody.”

[Madeline]

@Glimmerglass

PHOTO: AP Photo/NYRA, Adam Coglianese: Hirapour left, Good Night Shirt on right

TB Times 8-10-06 “Hirapour returns from ankle injury with Smithwick triumph”

Rare, but not unheard of. McDynamo came back from a broken hock to win another Eclipse award.