JC / Railbird

Saratoga Archive

Closing Weekend

Saddling jumpers before the Thursday NY Turf Writers Cup.
Six weeks have nearly passed and Saratoga comes to an end on Monday, despite my fervent wishes that the meet go on and on. In honor of Curlin Day (and the other, official holiday being celebrated), I’m taking the weekend off from posting (but will still be on Twitter). Railbird returns Tuesday Wednesday, with a Spa wrap-up from Brooklyn.

Posted in Saratoga on August 29, 2008

Noticing

Ran into Alan of Left at the Gate near the paddock before the seventh, which was won by 7-2 Easy Ashley for Wesley Ward. Barely had the filly crossed the wire and Alan was pointing out that the trainer now had a Saratoga record of 20-8-1-3, a quietly successful meet in which he’d won with 40% of his starters, a stat I hadn’t even noticed. The oversight had me wondering what else I might have missed and reminded me of this interesting conversation on noticing, and how the better designers, writers, filmmakers, etc. are good at “super-noticing.” That also seems an essential quality to develop as a handicapper …

Posted in Saratoga on August 28, 2008

Leading Pair

Alan Garcia aboard Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Stream of Gold in the winner’s circle after the sixth.
– Alan Garcia surged to the lead in the rider standings with three wins on Wednesday, bringing his total to 33. Two of those wins were for Kiaran McLaughlin, now leading the trainer standings with 15 wins. The pair hook up for three races on Thursday: In the first, with Caesar Beware (scratched out of a race August 4 after flipping on his way to the paddock); in the ninth, with second time starter Justwhistledixie, third as the favorite in her debut earlier in the month (following a terrific gate work), but the 2-year-old Dixie Union filly had excuses in that the track was sloppy and she had to steady in traffic early; and in the sixth, with first-time starter Southern Oaks, a 2-year-old Vindication filly whose August 21 gate work matches closely that of Majestic Blue, a first out baby winner on Wednesday, and Regal Ransom, another McLaughlin debut winner on Monday.
– Garcia is on the verge of winning the title in only his second season at Saratoga, but there’s this little matter of having to be in Philadelphia on Monday …
– Casino Drive is heading back to the US in mid-September for the Breeders’ Cup … and Curlin could be shipping east for the Japan Cup. In related non-news, there’ll be no match race between the Horse of the Year and Big Brown.

Posted in Saratoga on August 28, 2008