Aside from one rainy Saturday afternoon in early June, Mike Repole had a quiet Belmont Park meet.
One of New York’s leading owners the last few years, the Queens native had just five winners at Belmont and his biggest moment came in a loss – when Stay Thirsty splashed his way to a runner-up finish in the Belmont Stakes.
But with a shift in scenery to Saratoga, it’s business as usual once again for Repole. Over the course of an unparalleled 40-day meet at the Spa, you can expect to see Repole’s horses in the entries and the winner’s circle on a more regular basis – including the charismatic colt who was the sport’s biggest superstar back in the days when we were dealing with record snowfalls.
Uncle Mo, remember him, continued to make progress on the comeback trail Friday morning at the Spa as he registered an easy three-furlong breeze in 38.40 seconds in his first published work since May 1.
Before the work, Repole said Uncle Mo was doing “great” in the aftermath of a liver ailment that kept him out of the Triple Crown and was on target to return in the seven-furlong King’s Bishop on Aug. 27, a.k.a. Travers Day.
“The King’s Bishop is a very realistic goal for Uncle Mo,” Repole said. “We’ll know more as he goes forward, but his bloodwork and weight have only improved since he arrived at Saratoga (in mid-July). His energy level is way up. It’s like we’re seeing the Uncle Mo we saw at two again.”
Last year’s champion 2-year-old, Uncle Mo’s career seemed in jeopardy when he finished third in the Wood Memorial for his first career loss and a liver ailment was later diagnosed as the cause for his sub-par effort. Yet now, even without a race since April 9, he cannot be ruled out of the race for champion 3-year-old honors. No other 3-year-old dominated the division during Uncle Mo’s absence and a season-ending win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic - with a couple of other wins along the way – could net Uncle Mo another Eclipse Award.
“If you put the top 10 3-year-olds in the same race and run it 10 times, you’d probably get 10 different winners,” Repole said. “The championship is going to come down to the horse who does best in the major upcoming 3-year-old races, and if a 3-year-old can win the Breeders’ Cup Classic there’s no way he’s not the champion.”
Aside from Uncle Mo, Repole is also hedging his Eclipse Award chances with Stay Thirsty, who is on course to start in the Jim Dandy and then the Travers in hopes of moving to the top of the muddled 3-year-old class.
“Stay Thirsty couldn’t be training better,” Repole said. “With his breeding he was meant to be a horse that would get better in the second half of his 3-year-old season or at four. So when he was second in the Hopeful (at Saratoga) last year I knew he was going to be a good one. He relishes more distance. He’s going to be tough to beat in the Jim Dandy and having two good efforts over the track should benefit him going into the Travers.”
As much as his top 3-year-olds are occupying a big chunk of Repole’s attention, the future will be on display Sunday when Repole and Pletcher will send out Overdriven , who will be a heavy favorite in the $150,000 Sanford for 2-year-olds.
Despite being steadied shortly after the break in his debut, the son of Tale of the Cat mounted a strong charge on the turn and won by slightly more than 3 lengths in lightning-quick time.
“Last year when Uncle Mo won his debut at Saratoga he got a Beyer speed figure of 102. Now Overdriven got a Beyer figure of 100 in his debut,” said the 42-year-old Repole, who made his fortune in business by selling the company he co-founded, Glaceau, the parent company for Vitaminwater, to Coca-Cola for a reported $4.1 billion. “To have two horses who get a 100 Beyer figure in their debuts is hard to believe. I feel very good about his chances (in the Sanford).”
Repole added he was pleased with the balance and overall quality of his 2-year-olds, and was quick to credit the work of his “team,” a group that includes bloodstock agent J.J. Crupi, racing manager Jim Martin and pedigree expert Eddie Rosen.
In addition to Overdriven, Repole has high hopes for a couple of other youngsters, primarily How Do I Win, who is slated to make his debut Saturday, and a Giant’s Causeway colt, who will be named Giant Surprise - pending approval by the Jockey Club - because he has been, well, the surprise of the bunch.
Together, his 2-year-olds figure to have a say in Repole’s defense of the owners’ title he won last year at Spa and which largely explains why he was so quiet at Belmont. For Repole, winning a title at Saratoga is akin to his Mets winning the World Series – though Repole wins crowns on a more regular basis than the Amazins. Yet it took a 2009 Saratoga that played out like a bouncer to Bill Buckner in 1986 – from the perspective a Red Sox fan – to properly focus his attention on the meet.
Repole was an abysmal, 0-for-36 at the Spa in 2009, which taught him to reduce the size of his stable while adding quality to it, and to rest his horses during the latter stages of the Belmont meet. The result was a championship in 2010 and a barn full of horses ready to ruin in 2011.
“It’s no secret that I want to win the owner’s title at Saratoga. There’s a reason we only won five races at Belmont. We have a game plan. To go from 0-for36 in 2009 to 13 wins in 2010, with the runner-up owner having 7 wins, shows it works,” Repole said. “Saratoga is the place you want to succeed. Even a Wednesday card is big up there. It’s so special. It’s the way the racing should be. When you’re up there all everyone talks about is racing.”
And, after being quiet for the last few weeks, it surely looks like old times with Repole and Uncle Mo being the talk of that town.
One of New York’s leading owners the last few years, the Queens native had just five winners at Belmont and his biggest moment came in a loss – when Stay Thirsty splashed his way to a runner-up finish in the Belmont Stakes.
But with a shift in scenery to Saratoga, it’s business as usual once again for Repole. Over the course of an unparalleled 40-day meet at the Spa, you can expect to see Repole’s horses in the entries and the winner’s circle on a more regular basis – including the charismatic colt who was the sport’s biggest superstar back in the days when we were dealing with record snowfalls.
Uncle Mo, remember him, continued to make progress on the comeback trail Friday morning at the Spa as he registered an easy three-furlong breeze in 38.40 seconds in his first published work since May 1.
Before the work, Repole said Uncle Mo was doing “great” in the aftermath of a liver ailment that kept him out of the Triple Crown and was on target to return in the seven-furlong King’s Bishop on Aug. 27, a.k.a. Travers Day.
“The King’s Bishop is a very realistic goal for Uncle Mo,” Repole said. “We’ll know more as he goes forward, but his bloodwork and weight have only improved since he arrived at Saratoga (in mid-July). His energy level is way up. It’s like we’re seeing the Uncle Mo we saw at two again.”
Last year’s champion 2-year-old, Uncle Mo’s career seemed in jeopardy when he finished third in the Wood Memorial for his first career loss and a liver ailment was later diagnosed as the cause for his sub-par effort. Yet now, even without a race since April 9, he cannot be ruled out of the race for champion 3-year-old honors. No other 3-year-old dominated the division during Uncle Mo’s absence and a season-ending win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic - with a couple of other wins along the way – could net Uncle Mo another Eclipse Award.
“If you put the top 10 3-year-olds in the same race and run it 10 times, you’d probably get 10 different winners,” Repole said. “The championship is going to come down to the horse who does best in the major upcoming 3-year-old races, and if a 3-year-old can win the Breeders’ Cup Classic there’s no way he’s not the champion.”
Aside from Uncle Mo, Repole is also hedging his Eclipse Award chances with Stay Thirsty, who is on course to start in the Jim Dandy and then the Travers in hopes of moving to the top of the muddled 3-year-old class.
“Stay Thirsty couldn’t be training better,” Repole said. “With his breeding he was meant to be a horse that would get better in the second half of his 3-year-old season or at four. So when he was second in the Hopeful (at Saratoga) last year I knew he was going to be a good one. He relishes more distance. He’s going to be tough to beat in the Jim Dandy and having two good efforts over the track should benefit him going into the Travers.”
As much as his top 3-year-olds are occupying a big chunk of Repole’s attention, the future will be on display Sunday when Repole and Pletcher will send out Overdriven , who will be a heavy favorite in the $150,000 Sanford for 2-year-olds.
Despite being steadied shortly after the break in his debut, the son of Tale of the Cat mounted a strong charge on the turn and won by slightly more than 3 lengths in lightning-quick time.
“Last year when Uncle Mo won his debut at Saratoga he got a Beyer speed figure of 102. Now Overdriven got a Beyer figure of 100 in his debut,” said the 42-year-old Repole, who made his fortune in business by selling the company he co-founded, Glaceau, the parent company for Vitaminwater, to Coca-Cola for a reported $4.1 billion. “To have two horses who get a 100 Beyer figure in their debuts is hard to believe. I feel very good about his chances (in the Sanford).”
Repole added he was pleased with the balance and overall quality of his 2-year-olds, and was quick to credit the work of his “team,” a group that includes bloodstock agent J.J. Crupi, racing manager Jim Martin and pedigree expert Eddie Rosen.
In addition to Overdriven, Repole has high hopes for a couple of other youngsters, primarily How Do I Win, who is slated to make his debut Saturday, and a Giant’s Causeway colt, who will be named Giant Surprise - pending approval by the Jockey Club - because he has been, well, the surprise of the bunch.
Together, his 2-year-olds figure to have a say in Repole’s defense of the owners’ title he won last year at Spa and which largely explains why he was so quiet at Belmont. For Repole, winning a title at Saratoga is akin to his Mets winning the World Series – though Repole wins crowns on a more regular basis than the Amazins. Yet it took a 2009 Saratoga that played out like a bouncer to Bill Buckner in 1986 – from the perspective a Red Sox fan – to properly focus his attention on the meet.
Repole was an abysmal, 0-for-36 at the Spa in 2009, which taught him to reduce the size of his stable while adding quality to it, and to rest his horses during the latter stages of the Belmont meet. The result was a championship in 2010 and a barn full of horses ready to ruin in 2011.
“It’s no secret that I want to win the owner’s title at Saratoga. There’s a reason we only won five races at Belmont. We have a game plan. To go from 0-for36 in 2009 to 13 wins in 2010, with the runner-up owner having 7 wins, shows it works,” Repole said. “Saratoga is the place you want to succeed. Even a Wednesday card is big up there. It’s so special. It’s the way the racing should be. When you’re up there all everyone talks about is racing.”
And, after being quiet for the last few weeks, it surely looks like old times with Repole and Uncle Mo being the talk of that town.
It's finally here.
Some 45 weeks after we last waved goodbye to Saratoga, racing's oasis in the Adirondacks re-opens on Friday afternoon.
Nirvana will be back in full bloom.
For Big Apple racing fans, the start of the Saratoga meet is the World Series and Super Bowl all rolled up into one spectacular 40-day bundle of racing.
It's a priceless trip back in time to a long-ago era when horse racing played a leading role in mainstream American life. Visit Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and you'll find a place where racing takes a backseat to no one. The entire town revolves around the sport and revels in it.
A couple of days at Saratoga, whether you chill out in a lawn chair in the backyard or dine in an owner's box at the finish line, is a soothing yet invigorating escape from the pressures and demands of everyday life.
And it's not that far away.
While Saratoga might exist in a mindset light years away from the hustle and bustle of urban life, it's only about a three-hour car drive from New York – which is probably quicker than it would take you on a Sunday night to drive from Jones Beach to Bay Ridge on the Southern State/Belt Parkway.
So if you've never visited the Spa, do yourself a favor and set aside a few days to spend in this upstate wonderland.
It can be expensive, but thankfully you have Mr. Frugal here who can serve as your tour guide, showing you how to enjoy Saratoga to the fullest on a small budget.
We'll start with where you should stay. Assuming that you didn't just hit Powerball, a room in Saratoga Springs might be a bit hefty for you – unless, of course, you're willing to do without luxuries like a roof over your head. A room at a major chain in town can cost about $300 a night, which will take a huge bite out of your bankroll for the track. And don't be fooled by the TV ads, I get a feeling some of those hotels have hernias laughing at the notion of William Shatner trying to negotiate a deal with them during August. Go lower? Yeah, right.
That bitter fact of financial life at the Spa used to prompt me and my BFFL, who is now the esteemed turf writer for USA Today, to share a roadside cabin in Broadalbin, N.Y., that made a dorm room look like the Trump Tower. But, hey, all we wanted was something a bit more comfortable than my Ford Comet and their rate of $7 a day, per person, left two college kids a decent chunk of cash to jump start the local economy.
As we both climbed the corporate ladder, and decided it would be nice to actually sleep on beds with springs in the mattresses, we found Lake George or Albany to be highly affordable alternatives that you should also consider.
Lake George, about a half-hour past Saratoga, is gorgeous at this time of year and has plenty of family activities. Albany, about a half-hour below Saratoga, has better deals if you're looking to cut corners. You might even get a better than expected deal now, in the wake of the Giants canceling their training camp at SUNY-Albany.
Dining is another key part of the experience. Depending on how well you did at the track, there's always McDonald's or a bucket of chicken from Col. Sanders at one end of the spectrum and a table at Lillian's at the other end.
In between, my own frugal taste buds have a few favorites of their own. Panza's, near Lake Saratoga on Route 9P, offers a stylish atmosphere and superb food at a reasonable price. On the same road, there's also Cliff's Country Inn, which offers great steaks and prime rib, though I still lament the long-ago closing of their raw bar.
If you're in the mood for Italian and have a big appetite, try Augie's in Ballston Spa or, if you're staying in Albany, Buca di Beppo. Their portions can challenge you and I speak from experience in that regard.
Someone looking for chicken – either barbecued or fried – should consider P J's on Route 9 for BBQ chicken and ribs or Hattie's on Phila Street for Southern and Louisiana cuisine.
Leon's, across the street from the track on Crescent Street, is a fine choice for Mexican food.
Another good spot not far from the track is Pennell's on Jefferson Street.
There's even some excellent places to quell your appetite at the track like the Shake Shack – yes, the same Shake Shack that kept you on line at Citi Field for the better part of two innings – Blue Smoke barbecue and a mini-Hattie's that offers a delicious fried chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries.
While I get an antacid or two, allow me to say that there's no shortage of night life, either. There's a paddock bar at the track where you can unwind and have a drink or two while waiting for the crowd to empty out. If the weather's fine, you can simply walk around downtown until you find a place that strikes the right chord with your eardrums. You might also try the Parting Glass or the Saratoga City Tavern. It's that simple.
There's also a harness track that offers night-time racing and simulcasting, and also houses a racino filled with slot machines, a buffet and a night club. You can also spend an afternoon learning about the history of the sport at the National Museum of Racing , or take in a horse sale at the Fasig-Tipton pavilion.
And if you want a break from racing, there's an amusement park - Great Escape - nearby, there are concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and old-timers like me can re-live their childhood by going to the Malta Drive-In (for those of you under 40, that's a place where you watch a movie on a huge screen from your car. It's still a pretty cool experience, even if you have an iPhone ).
There's plenty more that I'm leaving out, and, oh yeah, I guess I should also mention that you'll also find the best racing in the world taking place within a placid setting where time simply seems to stand still.
And it's just three hours away. My bags are packed. Are yours? They should be.
It all starts Friday.
And what are your thoughts on Saratoga? Any suggestions for travelers?
Some 45 weeks after we last waved goodbye to Saratoga, racing's oasis in the Adirondacks re-opens on Friday afternoon.
Nirvana will be back in full bloom.
For Big Apple racing fans, the start of the Saratoga meet is the World Series and Super Bowl all rolled up into one spectacular 40-day bundle of racing.
It's a priceless trip back in time to a long-ago era when horse racing played a leading role in mainstream American life. Visit Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and you'll find a place where racing takes a backseat to no one. The entire town revolves around the sport and revels in it.
A couple of days at Saratoga, whether you chill out in a lawn chair in the backyard or dine in an owner's box at the finish line, is a soothing yet invigorating escape from the pressures and demands of everyday life.
And it's not that far away.
While Saratoga might exist in a mindset light years away from the hustle and bustle of urban life, it's only about a three-hour car drive from New York – which is probably quicker than it would take you on a Sunday night to drive from Jones Beach to Bay Ridge on the Southern State/Belt Parkway.
So if you've never visited the Spa, do yourself a favor and set aside a few days to spend in this upstate wonderland.
It can be expensive, but thankfully you have Mr. Frugal here who can serve as your tour guide, showing you how to enjoy Saratoga to the fullest on a small budget.
We'll start with where you should stay. Assuming that you didn't just hit Powerball, a room in Saratoga Springs might be a bit hefty for you – unless, of course, you're willing to do without luxuries like a roof over your head. A room at a major chain in town can cost about $300 a night, which will take a huge bite out of your bankroll for the track. And don't be fooled by the TV ads, I get a feeling some of those hotels have hernias laughing at the notion of William Shatner trying to negotiate a deal with them during August. Go lower? Yeah, right.
That bitter fact of financial life at the Spa used to prompt me and my BFFL, who is now the esteemed turf writer for USA Today, to share a roadside cabin in Broadalbin, N.Y., that made a dorm room look like the Trump Tower. But, hey, all we wanted was something a bit more comfortable than my Ford Comet and their rate of $7 a day, per person, left two college kids a decent chunk of cash to jump start the local economy.
As we both climbed the corporate ladder, and decided it would be nice to actually sleep on beds with springs in the mattresses, we found Lake George or Albany to be highly affordable alternatives that you should also consider.
Lake George, about a half-hour past Saratoga, is gorgeous at this time of year and has plenty of family activities. Albany, about a half-hour below Saratoga, has better deals if you're looking to cut corners. You might even get a better than expected deal now, in the wake of the Giants canceling their training camp at SUNY-Albany.
Dining is another key part of the experience. Depending on how well you did at the track, there's always McDonald's or a bucket of chicken from Col. Sanders at one end of the spectrum and a table at Lillian's at the other end.
In between, my own frugal taste buds have a few favorites of their own. Panza's, near Lake Saratoga on Route 9P, offers a stylish atmosphere and superb food at a reasonable price. On the same road, there's also Cliff's Country Inn, which offers great steaks and prime rib, though I still lament the long-ago closing of their raw bar.
If you're in the mood for Italian and have a big appetite, try Augie's in Ballston Spa or, if you're staying in Albany, Buca di Beppo. Their portions can challenge you and I speak from experience in that regard.
Someone looking for chicken – either barbecued or fried – should consider P J's on Route 9 for BBQ chicken and ribs or Hattie's on Phila Street for Southern and Louisiana cuisine.
Leon's, across the street from the track on Crescent Street, is a fine choice for Mexican food.
Another good spot not far from the track is Pennell's on Jefferson Street.
There's even some excellent places to quell your appetite at the track like the Shake Shack – yes, the same Shake Shack that kept you on line at Citi Field for the better part of two innings – Blue Smoke barbecue and a mini-Hattie's that offers a delicious fried chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries.
While I get an antacid or two, allow me to say that there's no shortage of night life, either. There's a paddock bar at the track where you can unwind and have a drink or two while waiting for the crowd to empty out. If the weather's fine, you can simply walk around downtown until you find a place that strikes the right chord with your eardrums. You might also try the Parting Glass or the Saratoga City Tavern. It's that simple.
There's also a harness track that offers night-time racing and simulcasting, and also houses a racino filled with slot machines, a buffet and a night club. You can also spend an afternoon learning about the history of the sport at the National Museum of Racing , or take in a horse sale at the Fasig-Tipton pavilion.
And if you want a break from racing, there's an amusement park - Great Escape - nearby, there are concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and old-timers like me can re-live their childhood by going to the Malta Drive-In (for those of you under 40, that's a place where you watch a movie on a huge screen from your car. It's still a pretty cool experience, even if you have an iPhone ).
There's plenty more that I'm leaving out, and, oh yeah, I guess I should also mention that you'll also find the best racing in the world taking place within a placid setting where time simply seems to stand still.
And it's just three hours away. My bags are packed. Are yours? They should be.
It all starts Friday.
And what are your thoughts on Saratoga? Any suggestions for travelers?
NYRA/Adam CoglianeseSextant gave trainer Linda Rice her 1,000th career victory and the Belmont training title.It’s not surprising to hear that Linda Rice is a Yankees fan.
Though she didn’t realize it at the time, the 37-year-old trainer clearly channeled her inner Jeter in achieving a memorable milestone.
A weekend after Jeter recorded his 3,000th hit in storybook fashion, Rice registered her 1,000th victory this past Sunday in a fashion that seemed pulled from the pages of a Hollywood script -- or an upcoming Yankeeography.
Not only did her 1,000th win make her the first woman in the 106-year history of Belmont Park to win a training title, it came with her back to the wall -- through a win by her very last starter of the meet that broke a tie with Todd Pletcher.
And, the horse, Sextant, was owned by her father, longtime horseman Clyde D. Rice.
A father who also owned Rice’s first winner.
And, the horse who figured to be the main competition on the front end for Sextant -- Gentle Ride -- was previously trained by Rice and just so happened to be the horse that sealed the 2009 Saratoga trainers title for her, making her the first women to ever win a training title in New York.
Apparently “El Capitan” is not the only sports personality in the Big Apple with a flair for the dramatic.
“It was such an emotional moment to win my 1,000th race with everything else tied into it,” Rice said. “It was a struggle to do it, but after sharing this year’s spring title at Aqueduct, I have a title at all three NYRA tracks and people won’t just think about the Saratoga title and consider me a one-hit wonder.”
Rice’s pursuit of the trainers title was the most interesting part of Belmont’s closing weekend, helping to keep at least some attention on the events taking place in Elmont, N.Y., instead of the impending opening of the 40-day season at Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Rice came into Friday one win behind Pletcher, trailing 24-23, but the odds seemed heavily stacked in Rice’s favor as she had 15 horses entered in 13 races over the final three days while Pletcher had just four in three races.
Yet fate can work in mysterious ways as after running five horses on Friday’s card, she came away with two seconds and found herself staring at an even larger 25-23 deficit after Pletcher picked up a win.
On Saturday, Rice’s first five starters all lost, including a frustrating runner-up finish by Fight for VLT’s at 3-5 odds in the third race. Meanwhile, Pletcher’s final starter of the meet finished second in the seventh race.
“That loss by Fight for VLT’s really bothered me. I owned the horse and we dropped from allowance company to a $10,000 claimer. He had some problems and I didn’t think he could stay in allowance company much longer, so I didn’t mind putting him in a claimer, knowing someone would take him. As it turned out seven people put in a claim for him and there was a shake to get him. But when I lost him and he got beat that was upsetting. I thought I lost a horse and now I was going to blow the title too.”
That left Rice needing two wins out of her final five starters to draw even with Pletcher. She got one of them when Jess Not Jesse captured Saturday’s 10th and final race for her 24th triumph of the meet and 999th of her career.
That shifted the chase to Sunday, when Rice had four starters in three races. When her first three runners generated nothing better than a fourth-place finish, it all came down to the ninth race. Sextant was a 9-5 favorite, but figured to receive a strong challenge on the front end from Gentle Ride, who in 2009 accounted for Rice’s 20th win at Saratoga and gave her a one-win triumph over Pletcher in the trainers standings.
When Gentle Ride broke slowly, Sextant quickly grabbed a clear lead and never relinquished it, winning by 1 ¾ lengths.
“Yes, I guess I couldn’t have scripted it any better,” Rice said. “On Saturday I knew my 1,000th win would give me a share of the title, but to do it with my dad’s horse was something special. I had trained that horse for someone else who wanted to sell her as a 3-year-old, so my dad bought her. We brought her down to his farm in Florida and he took great care of her. We only get about three or four starts a year out of her, but she makes the most of them.”
Rice will get little time to savor her accomplishment. Saratoga opens on Friday, and Rice admits that after focusing so much attention on Belmont, she might start off slowly at the Spa.
“We were aggressive at Belmont and we might feel that for the first week or two at Saratoga,” Rice said.
“A lot of horsemen like to save their horses and win at Saratoga because a lot of people are there and it’s a premier meet, but the entries can get light in the final weeks of the Belmont meet. There are good opportunities there. We had an outstanding meet at Belmont and hopefully it will eventually carry over to Saratoga.”
While her pursuit of the Belmont crown might cost her a second Saratoga title, it would be unwise to write off Rice’s chances just yet. As shown by what happened Sunday, when Rice hit a milestone home run of her own with her final Jeterian swing, she certainly knows how to add some drama to the final days of a meet.
Jockey battle goes down to the wire
The race for the leading rider honors at Belmont was also filled with melodrama.
Ramon Dominguez held a seemingly safe six-win lead over Javier Castellano after Friday’s races, but Castellano surged to within one win of Dominguez heading into Sunday’s final race of the meet.
Castellano grabbed the lead at the sixteenth pole with Ms Diller in Sunday’s 10th race finale, but Dominguez rallied Aprilmayjune in the final 100 yards to win by 1 ¾ lengths and thwart Castellano’s bid for a share of the crown.
Dominguez wound up with 71 wins to Castellano’s 69. After that came Cornelio Velasquez with 50.
The battle for leading owner honors ended on a sentimental -- and fitting -- note, with Flying Zee Stable taking the title with 16 wins, including three on the final two days of the meet. Flying Zee was owned by Carl Lizza, who passed away suddenly on July 8.
And what are your thoughts on the end of the Belmont meet and Linda Rice’s accomplishment? Is your bankroll ready for Saratoga?
BELMONT PARK - RACE 3
PICK: #3 Resoundingly (7-2) (turf or dirt) (4 stars)
Our Eyes: 6/16/11 Bel - Stalked moderate pace, shuffled a bit, came out 3-wide stretch, rallied, could not match strides with winner, clearly second best. UPDATE: 7/7/11 Bel - Spied speed, loomed boldly turn, gamely to the wire, tough loss. Back quick for this, cuts back to dash for Rice.
Joe's Playbook: 1 unit Win & 3x Place #3.
Our Eyes: 6/16/11 Bel - Stalked moderate pace, shuffled a bit, came out 3-wide stretch, rallied, could not match strides with winner, clearly second best. UPDATE: 7/7/11 Bel - Spied speed, loomed boldly turn, gamely to the wire, tough loss. Back quick for this, cuts back to dash for Rice.
Joe's Playbook: 1 unit Win & 3x Place #3.
BELMONT PARK - RACE 2
PICK: #1 All Class (4-1) (3 stars)
Our Eyes: 6/26 Rail close behind Lone F, idled far turn, tipped out, dead aim, poised to go by, swerved badly, lost all chance.
Brian's Playbook: Win and 2x place and EX Box with #2.
Our Eyes: 6/26 Rail close behind Lone F, idled far turn, tipped out, dead aim, poised to go by, swerved badly, lost all chance.
Brian's Playbook: Win and 2x place and EX Box with #2.
Phil Serpe will be busy this week preparing Flying Zee Stable’s Street Game to run in Saturday’s $600,000 Virginia Derby, but it will not be an easy task for the 52-year-old trainer.
It’s neither Street Game’s physical condition that’s an issue, nor the level of competition the 3-year-old homebred colt will face in the Grade 2 stakes at Colonial Downs.
Rather, Serpe will travel to the race with a heavy heart after he -- and New York racing in general -- lost a longtime benefactor and friend when Carl Lizza passed away in his sleep early Friday morning.
Lizza raced and bred horses in New York for 35 years under the banner of Flying Zee Stable, and his unexpected death at 73 came at a time when he was the New York Racing Association’s leading owner with 31 wins in 2011 and topped the current spring/summer Belmont meet with 13 victories.
“It’s an emotional and difficult times for all of us,” Serpe said. “But if we can win the Virginia Derby for Carl, it will be one of the greatest moments of my life.”
Lizza had 24 horses stabled with Serpe, a small part of the Rockaway, N.J., resident’s racing and breeding stock that numbered in the neighborhood of 350. He had another 30 horses with Carlos Martin and also had a few with six other trainers. In Serpe’s eyes, the generosity and opportunities Lizza afforded horsemen was just part of the wide-spread impact he had on a countless number of lives both as an owner of Thoroughbreds and numerous construction businesses as the head of Landmark Builders.
“Carl was a fair and generous man, and it wasn’t just to me,” Serpe said. “Just think of all the horses he owned and all of the lives affected by them. He also owned 24 different companies. Over the years he had a positive impact on so many people’s lives by giving them a chance to succeed.”
Early in his career as an owner, Lizza enjoyed phenomenal success in 1981 as he raced Wayward Lass, that year’s champion 3-year-old filly, and the multiple-stakes winning 3-year-old colt Noble Nashua, winner of that year’s Dwyer, Marlboro Cup and Swaps. He was New York’s leading owner in 2004 and 2005 and ranked among the top 10 from 2006-10.
He also entered the breeding business in a big way in 1989 when he and partner Joseph Bartone bought Highcliff Farm in Delanson, N.Y. Five stallions stand there, including Congaree and Cosmonaut At the time of his death, Lizza was considered the largest single-owner of New York state-breds, one of whom is Street Game. A son of Street Cry out of Lizza’s multiple-stakes winning mare Thunder Achiever, Street Game captured the Hill Prince by 7 ¼ lengths last month in his stakes debut on an emotional day for Serpe as well as Lizza, who battled diabetes for decades and lost a leg to the disease a few years ago.
“Carl was at Belmont for the Hill Prince but he wasn’t able to come down to the winner’s circle, so before the race I was so confident that I told him I’d bring him back the trophy. It was such a great thrill to win that race with that horse for him,” Serpe said.
“It always means more when it’s a homebred. You raced the mare. You bred her. You saw the foal grow and now he’s a stakes winner. It’s such a proud moment.”
Serpe said Lizza’s wife, Viane, loves the sport and will continue to operate the stable. That was welcomed news for Serpe, who is looking forward to a successful Saratoga meet with his Flying Zee horses. He has 14 2-year-olds for Flying Zee, a group led by The Prize Fighter, who was second to Mike Repole’s Zow on July 1 at Belmont, and two juveniles slated to make their debuts at the Spa: Cybertron, a colt, and Pure Gossip, a filly out of Pure Prize.
Before that, though, there’s the not-so-small matter of the Virginia Derby, which can advance Street Game’s status as one of the sport’s best 3-year-old grass runners.
“Street Game’s doing great. We worked him (Monday) and he went five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 and shaded 23 seconds in his final quarter,” Serpe said. “It’s going to be an emotional day, knowing Carl won’t be there. But that just makes me want to win it more than ever for him. He was the kind of guy you wanted to do good things for. You always wanted to win for him.”
Both in life and, sadly, death as well.
It’s neither Street Game’s physical condition that’s an issue, nor the level of competition the 3-year-old homebred colt will face in the Grade 2 stakes at Colonial Downs.
Rather, Serpe will travel to the race with a heavy heart after he -- and New York racing in general -- lost a longtime benefactor and friend when Carl Lizza passed away in his sleep early Friday morning.
Lizza raced and bred horses in New York for 35 years under the banner of Flying Zee Stable, and his unexpected death at 73 came at a time when he was the New York Racing Association’s leading owner with 31 wins in 2011 and topped the current spring/summer Belmont meet with 13 victories.
“It’s an emotional and difficult times for all of us,” Serpe said. “But if we can win the Virginia Derby for Carl, it will be one of the greatest moments of my life.”
Lizza had 24 horses stabled with Serpe, a small part of the Rockaway, N.J., resident’s racing and breeding stock that numbered in the neighborhood of 350. He had another 30 horses with Carlos Martin and also had a few with six other trainers. In Serpe’s eyes, the generosity and opportunities Lizza afforded horsemen was just part of the wide-spread impact he had on a countless number of lives both as an owner of Thoroughbreds and numerous construction businesses as the head of Landmark Builders.
“Carl was a fair and generous man, and it wasn’t just to me,” Serpe said. “Just think of all the horses he owned and all of the lives affected by them. He also owned 24 different companies. Over the years he had a positive impact on so many people’s lives by giving them a chance to succeed.”
Early in his career as an owner, Lizza enjoyed phenomenal success in 1981 as he raced Wayward Lass, that year’s champion 3-year-old filly, and the multiple-stakes winning 3-year-old colt Noble Nashua, winner of that year’s Dwyer, Marlboro Cup and Swaps. He was New York’s leading owner in 2004 and 2005 and ranked among the top 10 from 2006-10.
He also entered the breeding business in a big way in 1989 when he and partner Joseph Bartone bought Highcliff Farm in Delanson, N.Y. Five stallions stand there, including Congaree and Cosmonaut At the time of his death, Lizza was considered the largest single-owner of New York state-breds, one of whom is Street Game. A son of Street Cry out of Lizza’s multiple-stakes winning mare Thunder Achiever, Street Game captured the Hill Prince by 7 ¼ lengths last month in his stakes debut on an emotional day for Serpe as well as Lizza, who battled diabetes for decades and lost a leg to the disease a few years ago.
“Carl was at Belmont for the Hill Prince but he wasn’t able to come down to the winner’s circle, so before the race I was so confident that I told him I’d bring him back the trophy. It was such a great thrill to win that race with that horse for him,” Serpe said.
“It always means more when it’s a homebred. You raced the mare. You bred her. You saw the foal grow and now he’s a stakes winner. It’s such a proud moment.”
Serpe said Lizza’s wife, Viane, loves the sport and will continue to operate the stable. That was welcomed news for Serpe, who is looking forward to a successful Saratoga meet with his Flying Zee horses. He has 14 2-year-olds for Flying Zee, a group led by The Prize Fighter, who was second to Mike Repole’s Zow on July 1 at Belmont, and two juveniles slated to make their debuts at the Spa: Cybertron, a colt, and Pure Gossip, a filly out of Pure Prize.
Before that, though, there’s the not-so-small matter of the Virginia Derby, which can advance Street Game’s status as one of the sport’s best 3-year-old grass runners.
“Street Game’s doing great. We worked him (Monday) and he went five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 and shaded 23 seconds in his final quarter,” Serpe said. “It’s going to be an emotional day, knowing Carl won’t be there. But that just makes me want to win it more than ever for him. He was the kind of guy you wanted to do good things for. You always wanted to win for him.”
Both in life and, sadly, death as well.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association will conduct an internal investigation to find out where a communication breakdown occurred that resulted in the mishandling of Friday’s pick six at Belmont Park and led to an erroneous pick-six carryover into Saturday’s card.
The last two legs of Friday’s pick six involved races that were moved from the turf to the dirt after an inch of rain fell during the day. Though the announcement that those two races were being moved from turf to the dirt was made before pick-six wagering had closed, the mutuel department apparently didn’t receive that information until after pick six wagering had closed.
That prompted the mutuel department to mistakenly enact a New York state rule that mandates if two or more races in the pick-six sequence are transferred from the turf to the dirt after wagering has closed, they are declared “all win” races, meaning all horses used are considered winners. Further, the rule states that when two or more races change surfaces after wagering has closed, 75 percent of the pool is carried over into the next live day’s program while 25 percent of the pool is paid out as consolation payoffs. In Friday’s case, that resulted in a $7.70 payout while $34,680 was carried over into Saturday’s program.
Had the rule not been enacted, there almost assuredly would have been one or more winning tickets in the pick six. The last two legs of the pick six were scratched down to fields of three and four, respectively, and favorites had won the first four legs of the sequence.
“Either there was a failure to notify somebody, or somebody was notified and forgot they were notified, or the notification got lost in the shuffle,” said Hal Handel, NYRA’s executive vice-president and COO. “That’s what we need to find out first – were the right people notified, who made an error – and then we can try to fix the system.”
Handel said that Ken Cook, NYRA’s vice-president/security, will head up the investigation.
Patrick Mahony, senior vice-president of parimutuel operations, was on vacation Friday.
The last two legs of Friday’s pick six involved races that were moved from the turf to the dirt after an inch of rain fell during the day. Though the announcement that those two races were being moved from turf to the dirt was made before pick-six wagering had closed, the mutuel department apparently didn’t receive that information until after pick six wagering had closed.
That prompted the mutuel department to mistakenly enact a New York state rule that mandates if two or more races in the pick-six sequence are transferred from the turf to the dirt after wagering has closed, they are declared “all win” races, meaning all horses used are considered winners. Further, the rule states that when two or more races change surfaces after wagering has closed, 75 percent of the pool is carried over into the next live day’s program while 25 percent of the pool is paid out as consolation payoffs. In Friday’s case, that resulted in a $7.70 payout while $34,680 was carried over into Saturday’s program.
Had the rule not been enacted, there almost assuredly would have been one or more winning tickets in the pick six. The last two legs of the pick six were scratched down to fields of three and four, respectively, and favorites had won the first four legs of the sequence.
“Either there was a failure to notify somebody, or somebody was notified and forgot they were notified, or the notification got lost in the shuffle,” said Hal Handel, NYRA’s executive vice-president and COO. “That’s what we need to find out first – were the right people notified, who made an error – and then we can try to fix the system.”
Handel said that Ken Cook, NYRA’s vice-president/security, will head up the investigation.
Patrick Mahony, senior vice-president of parimutuel operations, was on vacation Friday.
BELMONT PARK - RACE 6
PICK: #5 An Absolute Ten (6-1) (turf or dirt) (4 stars)
Our Eyes: 5/6 With run while in traffic on far turn, bottled up, lost a few lengths, tipped out, even run without being asked; useful debut for Mott. UPDATE: 6/19 Waited pocket far turn, no room, gave up 1st run, would have been 2nd easy.
Brian's Playbook: Win and 3x place.
Our Eyes: 5/6 With run while in traffic on far turn, bottled up, lost a few lengths, tipped out, even run without being asked; useful debut for Mott. UPDATE: 6/19 Waited pocket far turn, no room, gave up 1st run, would have been 2nd easy.
Brian's Playbook: Win and 3x place.
BELMONT PARK - RACE 5
PICK: #8 Monument Hill (10-1) (turf or dirt) (3 stars)
Our Eyes: 5/30/11 Bel - Stalked pace, loomed boldly turn, took over top of the stretch, kept on, held firm.
Joe's Playbook: 1 unit gimmick partial wheel 3-8 with all.
Our Eyes: 5/30/11 Bel - Stalked pace, loomed boldly turn, took over top of the stretch, kept on, held firm.
Joe's Playbook: 1 unit gimmick partial wheel 3-8 with all.
It’s down to three.
The Fourth of July 4th weekend has passed at Belmont Park -- with some rather subdued fireworks on the racetrack -- and Saratoga is just three weekends away.
Going forward, this weekend brings us Saturday’s $600,000 Man o’War on the turf -- the final Grade 1 stakes of the meet -- followed by the grassy $100,000 Jaipur on July 16. And that’s it. Heading into Thursday’s program, there are just nine cards and two stakes standing between now and the festive July 22 opening of the Spa.
But before we get too caught up in the timeless charm of Saratoga, let’s call a quick timeout to review this past weekend’s holiday slate of stakes, which generated several surprises but did little to give us a bright, new star for the Saratoga meet.
The $300,000 Suburban had the best chance for fireworks, but it fizzled with a puny field of six horses that featured Met Mile runner-up Rodman as the even-money favorite. Rodman showed a mile is the limit for him as he wound up third in the nine-furlong Suburban, and the 6 ½-length victory by Flat Out at 13-1 odds proved the overall strength of the race was suspect at best.
Form held up much better in the $150,000 Dwyer for 3-year-olds as second-choice Dominus notched a front-running 1 ¾-length victory over the favored Adios Charlie in Saturday’s co-feature.
Dominus, who was second previously in the Derby Trial, will return in either the $500,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 30 or the $1 million Haskell at Monmouth on July 31 and should be a stout pace factor wherever he turns up.
Cool Blue Red Hot closed well to finish third and could be an interesting possibility for the $1 million Travers, which will be contested at a mile and a quarter on Aug. 27.
Sunday generated the biggest surprise of the weekend when Hilda’s Passion fizzled like a wet firecracker in the $150,000 Bed o’Roses Handicap. Sent off as a 2-5 favorite, she chased the early pace then folded in the stretch and faded to sixth in the field of seven.
Meanwhile, as bridge jumpers ran into a huge budget deficit due to the favorite’s flop, the order of finish was 15-1 Tamarind Hall, followed by 23-1 Kid Kate and 26-1 Spa City Princess.
The mutuel payoffs on the Jeremiah Englehart-trained Tamarind Hall were $33.80 to win and $13.80 to place, but that was nothing compared to the show prices. With $268,788 out of the $290,567 in the show pool plunked down on Hilda’s Passion, Tamarind Hall returned $53 to show. Kid Kate paid slightly more to show at $53.50 and Spa City Princess checked in at $64.50.
Guess it just goes to “show” that there are truly no sure things in life other than death, taxes and Lindsay Lohan doing something dumb.
Sunday’s card also featured a pair of 2-year-old stakes -- the Futurity for colts and Matron for fillies -- but the two races drew only 12 horses, with just one of them having run before in New York. That lone horse was Hook It Up, who finished last in a field of six in the Matron.
Colonial shipper Millionreasonswhy wound up winning the Matron at 6-1 odds and Jack’s in the Deck, from Delaware Park, scored at 14-1 in the Futurity.
Judging by the lackluster turnout for both $150,000 stakes, don’t be surprised when they are returned to the fall on the 2012 stakes schedule.
The upsets continued on Monday when Her Smile, who was third in the Acorn, cooked up a 7-1 victory for celebrity chef Bobby Flay in the Prioress, the lone Grade 1 stakes of the elongated holiday weekend.
Doing the math, Her Smile’s victory and Alienation’s third-place finish at 8-5 in the Prioress capped a 0-for-6 stakes stinker for the wagering choices.
And to think they call Saratoga “The Graveyard of Favorites.”
The star power that was missing this past weekend will return this weekend with Gio Ponti taking aim at a third-straight win in the Man o’War. A two-time Eclipse Award turf champion, Gio Ponti is coming off a third-place finish in the Manhattan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day.
The possible starters also include Mission Approved, who won the Manhattan, European shippers Cape Blanco and Sanagas, Al Khali, Boisterous, Bearpath and Nownownow.
If you’re in the mood to gamble, Saratoga’s handicapping tournament has been expanded to a 150-player field with a $75,000 payday for the winner. The top 10 finishers plus daily leaders cash in the Aug. 10-11 contest, with the top three finishers also earning spots in the Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship in January.
The buy-in is $1,000.
It looks like Long Island’s Mike Repole may have found his heir apparent for Uncle Mo.
Trainer Todd Pletcher unveiled another eye-catching Repole-owned runner on Friday when Overdriven registered a 3 ½-length victory in his career debut. The 2-year-old son of Tale of the Cat crossed the finish line in a rapid 56.42 seconds.
He’ll likely resurface at Saratoga, either training up to the Hopeful on Sept. 5 or prepping in a stakes like the Sanford on July 24.
And speaking of Uncle Mo, reports in the Daily Racing Form indicate he’s expected to rejoin Pletcher’s barn at Saratoga next week. If the liver woes that kept him out of the Triple Crown are finally behind him, the plan would be to run him in the King’s Bishop on Travers Day and one other stakes before the season-ending Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 5.
Given the muddled nature of the 3-year-old division and a season-ending injury to Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, three more wins might be all it takes for Uncle Mo to claim a championship that seemed far-fetched in May.
And what are your thoughts on the holiday racing at Belmont? Are you ready for Saratoga?
The Fourth of July 4th weekend has passed at Belmont Park -- with some rather subdued fireworks on the racetrack -- and Saratoga is just three weekends away.
Going forward, this weekend brings us Saturday’s $600,000 Man o’War on the turf -- the final Grade 1 stakes of the meet -- followed by the grassy $100,000 Jaipur on July 16. And that’s it. Heading into Thursday’s program, there are just nine cards and two stakes standing between now and the festive July 22 opening of the Spa.
But before we get too caught up in the timeless charm of Saratoga, let’s call a quick timeout to review this past weekend’s holiday slate of stakes, which generated several surprises but did little to give us a bright, new star for the Saratoga meet.
The $300,000 Suburban had the best chance for fireworks, but it fizzled with a puny field of six horses that featured Met Mile runner-up Rodman as the even-money favorite. Rodman showed a mile is the limit for him as he wound up third in the nine-furlong Suburban, and the 6 ½-length victory by Flat Out at 13-1 odds proved the overall strength of the race was suspect at best.
Form held up much better in the $150,000 Dwyer for 3-year-olds as second-choice Dominus notched a front-running 1 ¾-length victory over the favored Adios Charlie in Saturday’s co-feature.
Dominus, who was second previously in the Derby Trial, will return in either the $500,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 30 or the $1 million Haskell at Monmouth on July 31 and should be a stout pace factor wherever he turns up.
Cool Blue Red Hot closed well to finish third and could be an interesting possibility for the $1 million Travers, which will be contested at a mile and a quarter on Aug. 27.
Sunday generated the biggest surprise of the weekend when Hilda’s Passion fizzled like a wet firecracker in the $150,000 Bed o’Roses Handicap. Sent off as a 2-5 favorite, she chased the early pace then folded in the stretch and faded to sixth in the field of seven.
Meanwhile, as bridge jumpers ran into a huge budget deficit due to the favorite’s flop, the order of finish was 15-1 Tamarind Hall, followed by 23-1 Kid Kate and 26-1 Spa City Princess.
The mutuel payoffs on the Jeremiah Englehart-trained Tamarind Hall were $33.80 to win and $13.80 to place, but that was nothing compared to the show prices. With $268,788 out of the $290,567 in the show pool plunked down on Hilda’s Passion, Tamarind Hall returned $53 to show. Kid Kate paid slightly more to show at $53.50 and Spa City Princess checked in at $64.50.
Guess it just goes to “show” that there are truly no sure things in life other than death, taxes and Lindsay Lohan doing something dumb.
Sunday’s card also featured a pair of 2-year-old stakes -- the Futurity for colts and Matron for fillies -- but the two races drew only 12 horses, with just one of them having run before in New York. That lone horse was Hook It Up, who finished last in a field of six in the Matron.
Colonial shipper Millionreasonswhy wound up winning the Matron at 6-1 odds and Jack’s in the Deck, from Delaware Park, scored at 14-1 in the Futurity.
Judging by the lackluster turnout for both $150,000 stakes, don’t be surprised when they are returned to the fall on the 2012 stakes schedule.
The upsets continued on Monday when Her Smile, who was third in the Acorn, cooked up a 7-1 victory for celebrity chef Bobby Flay in the Prioress, the lone Grade 1 stakes of the elongated holiday weekend.
Doing the math, Her Smile’s victory and Alienation’s third-place finish at 8-5 in the Prioress capped a 0-for-6 stakes stinker for the wagering choices.
And to think they call Saratoga “The Graveyard of Favorites.”
Looking for a hat trick
The star power that was missing this past weekend will return this weekend with Gio Ponti taking aim at a third-straight win in the Man o’War. A two-time Eclipse Award turf champion, Gio Ponti is coming off a third-place finish in the Manhattan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day.
The possible starters also include Mission Approved, who won the Manhattan, European shippers Cape Blanco and Sanagas, Al Khali, Boisterous, Bearpath and Nownownow.
Handicapping tournament Aug. 10-11
If you’re in the mood to gamble, Saratoga’s handicapping tournament has been expanded to a 150-player field with a $75,000 payday for the winner. The top 10 finishers plus daily leaders cash in the Aug. 10-11 contest, with the top three finishers also earning spots in the Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship in January.
The buy-in is $1,000.
One ‘Mo’ time for Repole?
It looks like Long Island’s Mike Repole may have found his heir apparent for Uncle Mo.
Trainer Todd Pletcher unveiled another eye-catching Repole-owned runner on Friday when Overdriven registered a 3 ½-length victory in his career debut. The 2-year-old son of Tale of the Cat crossed the finish line in a rapid 56.42 seconds.
He’ll likely resurface at Saratoga, either training up to the Hopeful on Sept. 5 or prepping in a stakes like the Sanford on July 24.
And speaking of Uncle Mo, reports in the Daily Racing Form indicate he’s expected to rejoin Pletcher’s barn at Saratoga next week. If the liver woes that kept him out of the Triple Crown are finally behind him, the plan would be to run him in the King’s Bishop on Travers Day and one other stakes before the season-ending Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 5.
Given the muddled nature of the 3-year-old division and a season-ending injury to Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, three more wins might be all it takes for Uncle Mo to claim a championship that seemed far-fetched in May.
And what are your thoughts on the holiday racing at Belmont? Are you ready for Saratoga?
BELMONT PARK - RACE 6
PICK: #1 La Reine Lionne (2-1) (turf or dirt) (4 stars)
Our Eyes: 3/18/11 GP - Perfect press, honest pace, disposed of foe, kicked away, lots left. UPDATE: 4/28/11 Kee - Tough post, immediate pressing position, took over top of the stretch, much the best. UPDATE #2: 5/30/11 Mth - Tugging, in tight, never found a free path, steadied along stretch, probably best.
Joe's Playbook: 2 unit Win & 3x Place #6; potential single in multi-race wagers.
Our Eyes: 3/18/11 GP - Perfect press, honest pace, disposed of foe, kicked away, lots left. UPDATE: 4/28/11 Kee - Tough post, immediate pressing position, took over top of the stretch, much the best. UPDATE #2: 5/30/11 Mth - Tugging, in tight, never found a free path, steadied along stretch, probably best.
Joe's Playbook: 2 unit Win & 3x Place #6; potential single in multi-race wagers.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has vetoed a move by the state Racing Commission to provide $15 million in state subsidies for horse racing purses.
The Republican governor's veto message issued July 1 says the commission's action contradicted his goal of making the industry financially self-sufficient.
The lease of Monmouth by a private operator -- Morris Bailey is part owner of Resorts Casino in Atlantic City as well as a Thoroughbred owner and breeder -- was ordered by Christie earlier this year.
The commission voted at its June 29 meeting to allocate $7.5 million for Thoroughbred purses at Monmouth Park and Atlantic City Race Course and $7.5 million for harness racing purses at the Meadowlands and Freehold Raceway.
Since 2004, the Atlantic City casino industry provided money to subsidize horse racing purses in exchange for the racing industry not seeking video lottery terminals at the tracks.
Christie ended the purse supplements last year. He also has moved to lease the state-operated Monmouth Park and Meadowlands to private operators.
The Republican governor's veto message issued July 1 says the commission's action contradicted his goal of making the industry financially self-sufficient.
The lease of Monmouth by a private operator -- Morris Bailey is part owner of Resorts Casino in Atlantic City as well as a Thoroughbred owner and breeder -- was ordered by Christie earlier this year.
The commission voted at its June 29 meeting to allocate $7.5 million for Thoroughbred purses at Monmouth Park and Atlantic City Race Course and $7.5 million for harness racing purses at the Meadowlands and Freehold Raceway.
Since 2004, the Atlantic City casino industry provided money to subsidize horse racing purses in exchange for the racing industry not seeking video lottery terminals at the tracks.
Christie ended the purse supplements last year. He also has moved to lease the state-operated Monmouth Park and Meadowlands to private operators.
BELMONT PARK - RACE 5
PICK: #1 Philly Ace (3-1) (turf only) (4 stars)
Our Eyes: 5/25 Well back, drafted up inside entering far turn, loaded, waited, in tight, split 1/8th-pole, exploded, tons the best.
Brian's Playbook: Win and 3x place and use in the EX and early Pk4 with #5.
Our Eyes: 5/25 Well back, drafted up inside entering far turn, loaded, waited, in tight, split 1/8th-pole, exploded, tons the best.
Brian's Playbook: Win and 3x place and use in the EX and early Pk4 with #5.
The New York Racing Association announced Thursday that Hal Handel, chief operating officer, will resign his position and leave the company at the end of the Saratoga race meet in September.
“I have been managing racetracks continually for more than 25 years, and the time has come to do some different things,” Handel said in a statement. “This decision was made before the Kentucky Derby, and the timing was agreeable to NYRA.”
The racing association did not name a replacement.
Handel, 63, joined NYRA in September 2007, filling the role vacated by Bill Nader. He has also held important management jobs at Philadelphia Park, Monmouth Park, and the Meadowlands. He served as chairman of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau, president of Thoroughbred Racing Associations, and trustee of the American Horse Council. Handel was a deputy attorney general in New Jersey and also a member of the New Jersey Racing Commission.
“I have known Hal for nearly 25 years, and he is one of the best racing executives in the country,” said Charles Hayward, NYRA’s president and chief executive officer. “In his four years with NYRA, he has made significant contributions in many areas, including the facilities, horsemen’s relations, simulcasting, marketing, and customer service. His presence at NYRA will be missed, and we wish him the best of luck in all future endeavors.”
“I have been managing racetracks continually for more than 25 years, and the time has come to do some different things,” Handel said in a statement. “This decision was made before the Kentucky Derby, and the timing was agreeable to NYRA.”
The racing association did not name a replacement.
Handel, 63, joined NYRA in September 2007, filling the role vacated by Bill Nader. He has also held important management jobs at Philadelphia Park, Monmouth Park, and the Meadowlands. He served as chairman of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau, president of Thoroughbred Racing Associations, and trustee of the American Horse Council. Handel was a deputy attorney general in New Jersey and also a member of the New Jersey Racing Commission.
“I have known Hal for nearly 25 years, and he is one of the best racing executives in the country,” said Charles Hayward, NYRA’s president and chief executive officer. “In his four years with NYRA, he has made significant contributions in many areas, including the facilities, horsemen’s relations, simulcasting, marketing, and customer service. His presence at NYRA will be missed, and we wish him the best of luck in all future endeavors.”
Once the Fourth of July weekend comes and goes, there will still be three weeks of racing left in the Belmont Park meet.
But for all intents and purposes, after Monday’s July 4th card, the focus of attention will be diverted to the north and the nirvana best known as Saratoga.
Yes, the Spa opens in less than a month -- on July 22, to be exact -- and as captivating as that might sound, at least there’s a big holiday weekend of racing on the horizon at Belmont to keep attention riveted on Elmont rather than Saratoga Springs for a brief while longer.
Six graded stakes will be contested from Saturday through Monday, with Sunday getting the biggest bundle, a trio of Grade 2 and 3 contests.
The biggest intrigue at the moment involves the richest race, the $300,000 Suburban Handicap on Saturday. Back in May, Tizway was the star of the Memorial Day weekend, as he captured the Metropolitan Handicap by 2 ¾ lengths in dazzling fashion, and he might make a return appearance in the Suburban. Trainer Jams Bond’s original plan was to train Tizway up to the Whitney at Saratoga -- there’s that word again -- which was the same plan trainer Todd Pletcher followed with Quality Road a year ago. But according to New York Racing Association stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes, Tizway is doing so well right now that Bond is mulling a start in the Grade 2 Suburban.
If Bond decides to enter, Tizway will be a heavy favorite over a field of likely starters that includes Met Mile runner-up Rodman, Stormy’s Majesty, Hymn Book, Colizeo, Communicator and Icabad Crane.
One name missing from that mix is the phantom-like I Want Revenge. The 5-year-old, who made a name for himself in the 2009 Wood and Gotham, turned in a sharp effort when second to Hymn Book in the Three Coins Up. But Byrnes said the oft-injured son of Stephen Got Even is back on the farm and probably will not be seen in the entries again until late summer or the fall.
Also on tap for Saturday is the $150,000 Dwyer Stakes, which will put 3-year-olds back in the spotlight. Adios Charlie, who skipped the Triple Crown but was second in the Peter Pan, is the standout among a group that figures to include Cool Blue Red Hot, Dominus, Harlan’s Hello, Malibu Glow and Tech Fall.
Sunday’s card features an appearance by Hilda’s Passion in the $150,000 Bed o’Roses for fillies and mares at seven furlongs. Hilda’s Passion was an easy winner of the Vagrancy Handicap in her last start and rates as one of the nation’s best distaff sprinters off an earlier second in the Humana Distaff and wins in the Inside Information and Hurricane Bertie.
A pair of 2-year-old stakes are also slated for Sunday, though it’s anyone guess as to what we’ll see in them. Even though NYRA tried to spark more interest in 2-year-old racing by moving a pair of famed Grade 2 $150,000 stakes, the Futurity for colts and Matron for fillies, from the fall to the July 4th weekend, horsemen still have their sights set squarely on Saratoga – there’s that word once again.
Two-year-old races at Belmont have been about as infrequent as bright, warm, sunny afternoons this summer with a total of six two-year-old races -- four for colts, two for fillies -- through Sunday at Belmont and Aqueduct. The end result is that the Futurity had just two confirmed starters as of last weekend and Byrnes said the six-furlong race was in jeopardy of being canceled. While the prospect of being an easy spot to earn Grade 2 black type for breeding purposes might bring out several last-minute entrants and save the race, the plan to jump-start 2-year-old racing has hardly gone according to plan. Instead of serving as a stage for some bright and precocious juveniles, the Futurity looms a far cry from the race that in past years was won by Triple Crown winners Affirmed, Secretariat and Citation as well as the legendary Man o’War.
The Matron had at least five probables, but the only one who has raced at Belmont is the New York State-bred Hook It Up.
Monday’s fireworks include the most interesting race of the weekend and the lone Grade 1 stakes, the $250,000 Prioress. Three-year-old filly sprinters are anything but household names, but what promises to make the Prioress entertaining is that it brings together a group of fleet fillies who will be tested for class in the six-furlong stakes.
Quantum Miss, Roman Treasure, Bold Affair and Our Year, head the Eastern-based probables, who may be joined by a pair of Californians, trainer Bob Baffert’s Alienation and Orientatious from Mike Puype’s barn.
Apprentice jockey Ryan Curatolo was fortunate when he came out of a fall relatively unscathed two Sundays ago. He wasn’t as lucky this past Friday. The native of France fractured his clavicle when he fell from his mount in Friday’s fourth race. The 19-year-old rider, who was fifth in the rider standings with 28 wins, is expected to be sidelined for six weeks, which would have him ready for at least the latter half of the Saratoga - there’s that word once more -- meet.
The Mother Goose was the featured attraction this past weekend, with the rapidly improving Buster’s Ready pulling away to a 4 ¼-length triumph over Joyful Victory, the 4-5 favorite. Buster Ready, who was second previously in the Black-Eyed Susan, is being pointed for the Coaching Club American Oaks, which will be contested on July 23 at -- do I really have to type it?
But for all intents and purposes, after Monday’s July 4th card, the focus of attention will be diverted to the north and the nirvana best known as Saratoga.
Yes, the Spa opens in less than a month -- on July 22, to be exact -- and as captivating as that might sound, at least there’s a big holiday weekend of racing on the horizon at Belmont to keep attention riveted on Elmont rather than Saratoga Springs for a brief while longer.
Six graded stakes will be contested from Saturday through Monday, with Sunday getting the biggest bundle, a trio of Grade 2 and 3 contests.
The biggest intrigue at the moment involves the richest race, the $300,000 Suburban Handicap on Saturday. Back in May, Tizway was the star of the Memorial Day weekend, as he captured the Metropolitan Handicap by 2 ¾ lengths in dazzling fashion, and he might make a return appearance in the Suburban. Trainer Jams Bond’s original plan was to train Tizway up to the Whitney at Saratoga -- there’s that word again -- which was the same plan trainer Todd Pletcher followed with Quality Road a year ago. But according to New York Racing Association stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes, Tizway is doing so well right now that Bond is mulling a start in the Grade 2 Suburban.
If Bond decides to enter, Tizway will be a heavy favorite over a field of likely starters that includes Met Mile runner-up Rodman, Stormy’s Majesty, Hymn Book, Colizeo, Communicator and Icabad Crane.
One name missing from that mix is the phantom-like I Want Revenge. The 5-year-old, who made a name for himself in the 2009 Wood and Gotham, turned in a sharp effort when second to Hymn Book in the Three Coins Up. But Byrnes said the oft-injured son of Stephen Got Even is back on the farm and probably will not be seen in the entries again until late summer or the fall.
Also on tap for Saturday is the $150,000 Dwyer Stakes, which will put 3-year-olds back in the spotlight. Adios Charlie, who skipped the Triple Crown but was second in the Peter Pan, is the standout among a group that figures to include Cool Blue Red Hot, Dominus, Harlan’s Hello, Malibu Glow and Tech Fall.
Sunday’s card features an appearance by Hilda’s Passion in the $150,000 Bed o’Roses for fillies and mares at seven furlongs. Hilda’s Passion was an easy winner of the Vagrancy Handicap in her last start and rates as one of the nation’s best distaff sprinters off an earlier second in the Humana Distaff and wins in the Inside Information and Hurricane Bertie.
A pair of 2-year-old stakes are also slated for Sunday, though it’s anyone guess as to what we’ll see in them. Even though NYRA tried to spark more interest in 2-year-old racing by moving a pair of famed Grade 2 $150,000 stakes, the Futurity for colts and Matron for fillies, from the fall to the July 4th weekend, horsemen still have their sights set squarely on Saratoga – there’s that word once again.
Two-year-old races at Belmont have been about as infrequent as bright, warm, sunny afternoons this summer with a total of six two-year-old races -- four for colts, two for fillies -- through Sunday at Belmont and Aqueduct. The end result is that the Futurity had just two confirmed starters as of last weekend and Byrnes said the six-furlong race was in jeopardy of being canceled. While the prospect of being an easy spot to earn Grade 2 black type for breeding purposes might bring out several last-minute entrants and save the race, the plan to jump-start 2-year-old racing has hardly gone according to plan. Instead of serving as a stage for some bright and precocious juveniles, the Futurity looms a far cry from the race that in past years was won by Triple Crown winners Affirmed, Secretariat and Citation as well as the legendary Man o’War.
The Matron had at least five probables, but the only one who has raced at Belmont is the New York State-bred Hook It Up.
Monday’s fireworks include the most interesting race of the weekend and the lone Grade 1 stakes, the $250,000 Prioress. Three-year-old filly sprinters are anything but household names, but what promises to make the Prioress entertaining is that it brings together a group of fleet fillies who will be tested for class in the six-furlong stakes.
Quantum Miss, Roman Treasure, Bold Affair and Our Year, head the Eastern-based probables, who may be joined by a pair of Californians, trainer Bob Baffert’s Alienation and Orientatious from Mike Puype’s barn.
Curatolo out 6 weeks
Apprentice jockey Ryan Curatolo was fortunate when he came out of a fall relatively unscathed two Sundays ago. He wasn’t as lucky this past Friday. The native of France fractured his clavicle when he fell from his mount in Friday’s fourth race. The 19-year-old rider, who was fifth in the rider standings with 28 wins, is expected to be sidelined for six weeks, which would have him ready for at least the latter half of the Saratoga - there’s that word once more -- meet.
The Mother Goose was the featured attraction this past weekend, with the rapidly improving Buster’s Ready pulling away to a 4 ¼-length triumph over Joyful Victory, the 4-5 favorite. Buster Ready, who was second previously in the Black-Eyed Susan, is being pointed for the Coaching Club American Oaks, which will be contested on July 23 at -- do I really have to type it?
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Bob Ehalt
Bob Ehalt, who grew up a few furlongs from Belmont Park, has followed horse racing as either a fan, turf writer or owner since 1971. He has won three national Associated Press Sports Editors awards for his coverage of the sport and was the recipient of the 2009 Breeders' Cup media award for outstanding social media.
Paul Moran
Paul Moran is a two-time winner of the Media Eclipse Award, and has received various honors from the National Association of Newspaper Editors, Society of Silurians, Long Island Press Club and Long Island Veterinary Medical Association. He also has been given the Red Smith Award for his coverage of the Kentucky Derby.