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Saratoga Archive

A Stand-Up Guy

That’s how agent Jeff Smith remembers rider Parker Buckley, who died Tuesday afternoon following a training accident, to the Saratogian:

“I’m in disbelief,” said Jeff Smith, Buckley’s former agent. “I had him his last two years at Finger Lakes and at Tampa Bay Downs. We lived together in Florida. He was a stand-up guy, clean cut, never drank. He took care of himself. He’d do anything for the horses. Something like this, it’s terrible.”

A former jockey with 947 wins and more than $9.2 million in earnings, Buckley, 40, was an exercise rider for trainer Steve Asmussen; Pyro was one of the horses he regularly rode. On Monday, while galloping a horse over Oklahoma, Buckley was thrown, or fell, from his mount. Accident details are sketchy. “I’ve heard all kinds of versions,” said Asmussen, who declined to name the horse involved. What’s not uncertain is that the respected Buckley will be missed. “Parker was very passionate about his job,” said assistant trainer Scott Blasi. “He was a talented horseman.”

Posted in Saratoga on August 19, 2008

And She Didn’t Even Bet

– Linda Rice accomplished the improbable on Monday, sweeping the superfecta in the Mechanicsville:

“I kind of joked about it, but I thought it was wishful thinking we could be 1-2-3-4,” Rice said. “But it sure feels good.”

There’s a nice little twist to the story, as well, in line with all the other distaff news of late. Three of Rice’s starters were fillies, including the winner, 9-1 Ahvee’s Destiny (PDF).
– Curlin put in his final serious work for the Woodward on Monday (he’ll have a maintenance breeze next week) and will school in the paddock on Thursday. Fans wanting to see the Horse of the Year will be given advance notice:

“Being here it’s just different,” Asmussen said of the paddock, which is close to the fans.”Whenever we are going to school him, we’ll definitely let everybody know that we are, so we’ll simulate actually what happens to him on race day.”

– The riding title race is tight heading into Saratoga’s final act. On Monday, John Velazquez resumed the top spot with two wins, bringing him to a total of 22, followed by Alan Garcia, Edgar Prado, and Cornelio Velasquez, all with 21, and Ramon Dominguez, with 20. Velazquez has won three graded stakes, as has Garcia, while Prado and Velasquez have won one graded stakes apiece, and Dominguez, none. Robby Albarado, in a little slump these days and with nine wins total, does have two graded stakes wins, along with Julien Leparoux, who has a total of 16 wins.
– Trainer Dallas Stewart takes up blogging for the week.
– In one of those odd worlds colliding kind of moments (in this case, tech and racing), I learned yesterday that Gary Vaynerchuk, vlogger and hyperkinetic wine guy, will be in town this week to give a toast Thursday night at the annual Travers Celebration (which benefits the wonderful work of BEST) and to do a champagne tasting on the clubhouse porch Friday morning. Everyone really does pass through Saratoga, especially Travers week …

Posted in Saratoga on August 19, 2008

Day After

– Final time for the Alabama was 2:04.08, the final quarter went in a reasonable :25.09, and both Proud Spell and Music Note earned a career-top Beyer speed figure of 101 for their game efforts. But while Music Note ran essentially the same race she did winning the Coaching Club American Oaks, Proud Spell progressed considerably from her hard-fought win in the Delaware Oaks last month. No question she showed greater tractability and gutsiness, but I do wonder how much Javier Castellano taking Music Note back early and then wide around the final turn affected the finish, given the “deliberate” fractions and the narrow margin.
Both fillies reportedly came out of yesterday’s race fine, with Proud Spell and connections departing Saratoga early this morning for Fair Hill. “Right now, everything looks good,” said trainer Larry Jones. “[Proud Spell’s] back home and doing quite well” (ThoroTimes). Godolphin assistant Rick Mettee said that Music Note and third-place finisher Little Belle appear in good shape. “We’re happy with them.”
The Gazelle at Belmont has been mentioned as a possible next start for Music Note; the Cotillion Stakes at Philadelphia Park next month for Proud Spell. A meeting in the Breeders’ Cup might not happen. Jones said he was “leery” of the Pro-Ride surface being installed at Santa Anita, and couldn’t “see them settling [the Eclipse award] on an artificial surface,” which makes what happened on Saturday all the more thrilling, especially those couple strides mid-stretch where it looked like Music Note might get by Proud Spell …
– Numaany, who attracted attention and a bit of excitement last fall when he won a maiden special at Aqueduct after refusing to switch leads in the stretch, bolting to the outside fence, and nearly dumping his rider in the final furlong, returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since that November adventure in the third this afternoon as the 5-2 second favorite. This time, no shenanigans, just a patient, ground saving trip under Castellano before drawing away to overtake pacesetter Tizbig by two lengths.

Posted in Saratoga on August 17, 2008

Proud Day

It was something to see trainer Larry Jones, waiting for Proud Spell to gallop out, with a quiver in his jaw, blinking back tears threatening to break. Photographers pressed and congratulations flowed; he paced in the Saratoga dirt and tried to smile. He couldn’t stand still, he couldn’t speak, his filly had won the Alabama and done so tenaciously, digging in to get to the wire first by a head over favored Music Note.

“If Eight Belles were here,” said a reporter leaning against the rail, his back to the returning field, “this would have been her race. She was better than either of those fillies.” Those fillies, so talented and fast, settling a championship over the track, still not enough to fill a gap in the division.

Jones strode toward Proud Spell, signaled to the groom to enter the winner’s circle. Pictures taken, trophy bestowed, the filly unsaddled and led away, question time began. Jones could talk again, and he had praise for the beaten rival, for rider Gabriel Saez, and especially for the game Proud Spell.

“She shows up every time,” he said. “This filly has been here all year. She was the first horse to beat Indian Blessing, who was the champion. She showed up for the Kentucky Oaks, she’s still around for the Alabama … in my mind, there’s no doubt she’s the best 3-year-old filly in the country.”

What’s next is uncertain. “We’ll try to enjoy this win a little more than the Kentucky Oaks,” Jones said, then paused, stumbled. “Because that got short-tailed … we’ll plan something for her later.”

Proud Spell wins for two.

Posted in Saratoga on August 16, 2008

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