It’s time! A call is made to the post, “Riders, please come up.”
The cries of railway birds asking for your number as you make your way home.
Photo finish wins. Dead rails and dead heats.
Early morning thunder rumbled at the Oklahoma training track.
Hats, hats and more hats.
For chalk players, bridge jumpers and jumper racers.
The scratches on the gate make you want to sprint to the betting window. “Inquiry” flashes after you’ve counted your winnings.
That’s right, it’s Saratoga time!
The 40 Days of Saratoga Races kicks off on Thursday. Racing will run five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday, through Labor Day, Sept. 2.
The nation’s premier racetrack hosts 71 stakes races with total prize money exceeding $20 million.
Dates to remember: The Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20, Jim Dandy on July 27, Whitney on August 3, Alabama on August 17, Travers on August 24 and the Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 1.
Promotion Day: The tumblers will be available on July 19th, baseball jerseys on August 2nd, trucker hats on August 16th and Saratoga windbreakers on September 1st.
Horse: All of the Triple Crown winners have had a shot at the Traverse, including Derby winner Mystique Dan, Preakness winner She’s the Grey and my favorite, Dornoch, who won the Belmont Stakes in its inaugural run at Saratoga Race Course.
Sierra Leone and Mus are also open for entry.
Soaped Anna, perhaps better than any other horse, will likely race at both the CCAO and in Alabama in four weeks.
And heavyweight champion National Treasure, arguably the strongest horse on the planet, will be competing at Whitney Race Course.
trainer: Last year, Chad Brown and Linda Rice tied for the top of the rankings with 35 wins each.
Brown and Rice took first and second places at the Big A meet in Belmont.
Chris Clement and Rick Dutrow were a distant third and fourth, while Brad Cox, who called them “good riddance,” had the best winning percentage (seven wins in 15 starts, or 47 percent).
No, I haven’t forgotten Steve Asmussen.
I’m going to go with Todd Pletcher, who last won a title in 2020.
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. has won the title two years in a row and looks set to win it for the third time in a row.
But wait, brother.
His brothers, Jose Ortiz and Tyler Gaffalione, shared the top rider spot at Churchill Downs before moving to Saratoga.
Manny Franco, Flavian Prat and Joel Loacio will also each have their own wins.
Hall of Famer John “Johnny V” Velazquez chose his spot wisely and will have his picture taken in the winner’s circle.
Dylan Davis and his sister Katie will be a delight for the underdogs.
An upset at the top? How about Luis Saez?
The four-day Belmont Stakes horse racing festival held at Spa was a huge success.
Despite this, the tournament struggled last summer.
Wagering was 9 percent down from 2022 after heavy rain forced the cancellation of races and the deaths of 12 horses (including Maple Leaf Mel, who died tragically in front of a national television audience).
“The past year has been difficult and disappointing, but we are moving forward,” said NYRA CEO and Chairman David O’Rourke. “The industry is in the best position it has ever been in safety-wise, and we look forward to putting on a great, safe tournament.”
