JC / Railbird

‘Cide, Champ, Chicken

Funny Cide at Saratoga
– Watching the works at Saratoga is the best way to start each day up here. Get a coffee, sit in the grandstand, watch the horses run by and try to figure out who’s who. This morning, I saw two instantly recognizable horses: Discreet Cat, out for a light gallop, and Funny Cide, looking magnificent and dappled, sauntering along the main track in his new role as stable pony.
– Wait a While was ultra impressive in yesterday’s Ballston Spa Handicap, regaining her brilliant form to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Vacare at 3-1. “She showed today that she is as good today as she has ever been,” said trainer Todd Pletcher of his champion filly, whose win snapped his 12-day Saratoga losing streak (Blood-Horse).
– We had to wait nearly an hour in the bar for a table and the service was largely indifferent once we were seated, but the fried chicken and red beans at Hattie’s were as good as ever last night. Tonight, we might have to try Mare, per noted restaurant critic Steven Crist’s recommendation.


2 Comments

Okay, the suspense is killing me: Did you try Mare? Was I hallucinating about how good the chow was?

Posted by Steven Crist on August 27, 2007 @ 12:51 am

We did try Mare; I wish I could say it was a happy experience. Dinner started badly when we were seated at a table wedged into an awkward corner that afforded us a perfect view of the women’s bathroom, the bar, and all the restaurant traffic. I ordered the calamari and arugula and radicchio salad; my racing companion had the local greens and sausage tagliatelle. The calamari was good, but the flavor was overwhelmed by the absurd sight of the obscene mound of squid in a family-style sized plate that was plunked down in front of me. Both of our salads came with greens wilted beneath a thick, sticky balsamic-tinged dressing, and the tagliatelle was gummy and slimy. The sausage, though, was fantastic — sweet and subtly spiced. I’m guessing it wasn’t handmade in their kitchen.

Posted by Jessica on August 27, 2007 @ 10:28 pm