Apologies for not updating more this week, but we've been going out to dinner a lot, and I've been getting home late, and the lighting hasn't been quite right, and Wednesday night I had to take a leak, and uh..
Had a good day on Wednesday, but it was another one of those that would've been plenty more tubular had I not been getting a mutuel colonoscopy the previous week and a half. Hit the early double, the fourth through sixth pick three and the seventh through ninth pick three. In other words, if I had played the pick nine, I would've consoed.
The cash I made then was given back today and then some, however, when Alexandros could do no better than fourth in the fifth race. Might take a look at tomorrow's card later considering the exorbitant $101,000+ carryover, but can't guarantee that I'll be on my A-game, as I'm sick, my back hurts, I'm working a full day tomorrow, I'm an old man, I'm confused, I thought I paid for it, etc.
Thursday night was guys' night out, and saw a trip to the buffet at Saratoga Harness for me, Stever, Sonny, Richie, Matt, Donnie, Mike, John Tierney, Freddy from Centerplate and Paulie. The food was good, not great, but the dining room was a looker, especially classy considering the caliber of horses running outside of the glass.
Then on Friday came a jaunt to somewhere I've been meaning to go up here since last year, Leon's. A bunch of the Carolina Crew headed there for Sam's 22nd birthday, and again, the food was good, not great (there's a great Mexican place up the block from my house, so maybe I'm spoiled), but the waitress talent and prolific bar made up for any shortcoming in the cuisine aisle.
Tomorrow should be a fine mess, with folding chairs being the giveaway, which means not only will the "give me any free stuff you have" parasites be out in full force, but they'll be lounging in every nook and cranny of the already overcrowded weekend Saratoga racecourse. It's very possible that it gets to the point where you have to step on five or six old hags to reach the beer cooler on the other side of your picnic table.
Monday has the potential to be interesting, as I'm supposed to spend a few minutes with professional race caller and drinker Tom Durkin. See, a friend of a friend of my mom is friends with the voice of the Spa, and she told him that I was heavy into racing and had a little knack for calling races (at least hung over in my boxers in my basement), so I'm supposed to go chat with TD on Monday and maybe watch him call a race or two. No clue what the hell I'm gonna talk to him about, so if you have any messages for the guy, let me know.
I'm going to go back to trying to blast my sinuses out with more spicy chinese food, but will be back later with anything I can glean from tomorrow's card.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
All eyes on Maimonides
But that's mainly because today's card sucks and nightlong rain has left the condition of both the dirt and the turf questionable. Haven't gotten the word on any track classifications, but just took a trip out to the rail, and the dirt looks plenty wet. There are still two hours of sunshine to change that, however, and the crew was attempting to dry out the turf course, which probably means that they'll at least attempt to run on the grass today.
If the lawn IS utilized, I've got.a thing for Zaynab in the fifth and Thunderestimate in the eighth. The sixth is quite an interesting nine-deep baby event, featuring a whopping zero horses that have already made their respective debuts. Ready's Echo had been training at Saratoga for T-Pletch since May, but had been sent down to Belmont after a slow half work on July 21, presumably to catch some softer two-year-olds at Big Sandy. Two spins at BBP later though, and he's back up to the Spa for his unveiling. Z Humor goes out for Zayat/Mott/Desormeaux, and that's about all you should have to know to include him. Marylou Whitney sends out Stone Bird, whose name she wouldn't use on one who couldn't run. Full Charge, a $550,000 son of Mineshaft who's a half-brother to Awesome Twist goes out for Briarwood/Matz/Prado. He'll be closing.
Find someone who can win from off the lead in the seventh and you will be handsomely rewarded.
Anyone think the Centennial entry in the third can be beaten? I'm undecided.
If the lawn IS utilized, I've got.a thing for Zaynab in the fifth and Thunderestimate in the eighth. The sixth is quite an interesting nine-deep baby event, featuring a whopping zero horses that have already made their respective debuts. Ready's Echo had been training at Saratoga for T-Pletch since May, but had been sent down to Belmont after a slow half work on July 21, presumably to catch some softer two-year-olds at Big Sandy. Two spins at BBP later though, and he's back up to the Spa for his unveiling. Z Humor goes out for Zayat/Mott/Desormeaux, and that's about all you should have to know to include him. Marylou Whitney sends out Stone Bird, whose name she wouldn't use on one who couldn't run. Full Charge, a $550,000 son of Mineshaft who's a half-brother to Awesome Twist goes out for Briarwood/Matz/Prado. He'll be closing.
Find someone who can win from off the lead in the seventh and you will be handsomely rewarded.
Anyone think the Centennial entry in the third can be beaten? I'm undecided.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Party at Byk's!; I heart the '07 sophomores
Just another reason why Steve is the man, last night. In the house, drinking, smoking, blasting music, eating, generally just causing a huge ruckus were me, Sam, Kelly, Martin, Alex, Lori, Patricia, Teeny and Jesse. Those last three were pretty tame, but you get the picture, and Steve is upstairs the whole time not saying a word. If this were my house, I think I would've flipped my lid by about the third time I heard "Wet Wipes" by Cam'ron resonating through my sheet rock.
Anyway, after a whole bunch of drinks, Lori, Alex and I decided to hit up a hippie party, or at least make a cameo, so down the road we go to Amanda's pad, which is pretty fucking sweet. There we proceed to have many more beers, listen to Britney sing a little bit, and play lots of beer pong. I got my ass kicked by all three of those activities, but it didn't matter to me, because I was just tickled by the girl-to-guy ratio there. Had to be at least 4-to-1. A party doesn't have to be exciting or wild, as long as there are plenty of chicks in attendance, I'm satisfied. We left, unfortunately without my really dope Breeders' Cup '07 lid that Steve got me earlier in the day, and I don't remember too much after that. In my next swing of consciousness, I woke up on a deflated air bed back at Byk's.
The canadians, including Patricia, who is fucking AWESOME, dipped this morning, so now it's just me and Lori at the crib, and I'm eyeing the third of a fifth of Cap'n sitting next to the microwave.
On another note, I'd like everyone in attendance to rise and applaud obnoxiously for the 2007 class of three-year-olds. Damn near every way we turn, we hear about how today's thoroughbred band is a slow, fragile, shallow lot, and if that's an accurate portrait, then we should be thanking our lucky stars for the three-year-old crop we've been blessed with this year. Unless Lawyer Ron keeps blowing 197 BSF's all year long, it's pretty much a lock that a sophomore will win the BC Classic, and what's scintilating is that it could be any of about five or six horses, one of them being a filly. Tiago has the potential to be a superstar down the road, the West Virginia Derby was strong and competitive, Nobiz Like Shobiz, a very good colt and a Grade I winner, had to try the turf yesterday to get away from the dirt monsters he's been facing, and he won impressively. Hard Spun, the RUNNER-UP IN THE KENTUCKY DERBY, is being retracted to one turn, partly because of distance issues and partly because he's a cut below the top two-turn sophs. And he's no lock to dominate around one turn, with giants like Black Seventeen and Teuflesberg waiting to test his chin.
It's freaking delightful. The only shame is that we won't get to see most of these guys past this fall, but hey, when the top of the older male division has the quality and attractiveness of a daytime stripper, take what you can get.
Just picked up tomorrow's form, and staring at a day off, so I'll run down the card a little later.
Anyway, after a whole bunch of drinks, Lori, Alex and I decided to hit up a hippie party, or at least make a cameo, so down the road we go to Amanda's pad, which is pretty fucking sweet. There we proceed to have many more beers, listen to Britney sing a little bit, and play lots of beer pong. I got my ass kicked by all three of those activities, but it didn't matter to me, because I was just tickled by the girl-to-guy ratio there. Had to be at least 4-to-1. A party doesn't have to be exciting or wild, as long as there are plenty of chicks in attendance, I'm satisfied. We left, unfortunately without my really dope Breeders' Cup '07 lid that Steve got me earlier in the day, and I don't remember too much after that. In my next swing of consciousness, I woke up on a deflated air bed back at Byk's.
The canadians, including Patricia, who is fucking AWESOME, dipped this morning, so now it's just me and Lori at the crib, and I'm eyeing the third of a fifth of Cap'n sitting next to the microwave.
On another note, I'd like everyone in attendance to rise and applaud obnoxiously for the 2007 class of three-year-olds. Damn near every way we turn, we hear about how today's thoroughbred band is a slow, fragile, shallow lot, and if that's an accurate portrait, then we should be thanking our lucky stars for the three-year-old crop we've been blessed with this year. Unless Lawyer Ron keeps blowing 197 BSF's all year long, it's pretty much a lock that a sophomore will win the BC Classic, and what's scintilating is that it could be any of about five or six horses, one of them being a filly. Tiago has the potential to be a superstar down the road, the West Virginia Derby was strong and competitive, Nobiz Like Shobiz, a very good colt and a Grade I winner, had to try the turf yesterday to get away from the dirt monsters he's been facing, and he won impressively. Hard Spun, the RUNNER-UP IN THE KENTUCKY DERBY, is being retracted to one turn, partly because of distance issues and partly because he's a cut below the top two-turn sophs. And he's no lock to dominate around one turn, with giants like Black Seventeen and Teuflesberg waiting to test his chin.
It's freaking delightful. The only shame is that we won't get to see most of these guys past this fall, but hey, when the top of the older male division has the quality and attractiveness of a daytime stripper, take what you can get.
Just picked up tomorrow's form, and staring at a day off, so I'll run down the card a little later.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
That dead rail is dead to me
Up came the Dee Tee (note: not the same as DT) crew this morning, for a chance at a winner's circle picture and the indescribable thrill of running an un-hopeless horse at Saratoga. They weren't disappointed at one end, and considering that the filly has come from losing in $20,000 MNR maiden claimers, it's a hell of an accomplishment. On the other hand, we've come to expect a win (or at least a narrow second) from the big girl, and today, she finished an uncharacteristically well-beaten fourth. Trying to come up with an explanation for her duller-than-usual run, the consensus is that she either isn't a true two-turn filly (or at least not on this kind of track) or she ran into a dead rail at the 1/8 pole. Methinks it's a little bit of both, which makes it a little difficult to foresee another Spa start, with the track's configuration forbidding 7 1/2-8 1/2-furlong races.
Regardless, another DT gathering, another splendid time with some great people, and with me getting off at noon today, I got to enjoy the experience even more.
The canadians are back, by the way, and are staying at the Byk residence. Kelly, Martin and the kids, so there's plenty of beer and very little room, but that's to be expected. Just got back from Talk of the Town again, this time with Byk, Nicole, the Montrealites, Darren and his wife.
Felt pretty damn slick today when I singled Fahgeddaboutit Sal and Any Given Saturday in my 4x1x4x1 MTH pick four, but felt pretty disgusted when I caught two heavy chalks in the two legs I wheeled in. Figured I had a much better chance of catching a price than both of my singles winning, and really only played the thing for shits and giggles. $82 for $1. Even when I win I lose.
Just in case you haven't gotten the drift, Any Given Saturday is FOR REAL for real. Texted my boy last week and told him that either Street Sense, Curlin, Any Given Saturday or Rags to Riches would take the BC Classic, and it looks pretty good right now. Also told Byk last week that AGS was my BC sleeper pick, but stupidly didn't get down on a future wager.
Stop betting against Bill Mott, people. It just isn't gonna happen for you. Even that rat Kent Desormeaux is on my must-include list now because of the tear he and WHM are on. Super bonus points if the horse is owned by Del Mar deserter Ahmed Zayat.
Rocking the Byk schedule is cool in that I'm off quite early, but I can almost feel my skeletal structure changing into his. I need a damn massage at the track, and no I'm not above dropping hints to people on this blog.
You know you're out of ideas when you try an Albert the Great horse on the turf.
Regardless, another DT gathering, another splendid time with some great people, and with me getting off at noon today, I got to enjoy the experience even more.
The canadians are back, by the way, and are staying at the Byk residence. Kelly, Martin and the kids, so there's plenty of beer and very little room, but that's to be expected. Just got back from Talk of the Town again, this time with Byk, Nicole, the Montrealites, Darren and his wife.
Felt pretty damn slick today when I singled Fahgeddaboutit Sal and Any Given Saturday in my 4x1x4x1 MTH pick four, but felt pretty disgusted when I caught two heavy chalks in the two legs I wheeled in. Figured I had a much better chance of catching a price than both of my singles winning, and really only played the thing for shits and giggles. $82 for $1. Even when I win I lose.
Just in case you haven't gotten the drift, Any Given Saturday is FOR REAL for real. Texted my boy last week and told him that either Street Sense, Curlin, Any Given Saturday or Rags to Riches would take the BC Classic, and it looks pretty good right now. Also told Byk last week that AGS was my BC sleeper pick, but stupidly didn't get down on a future wager.
Stop betting against Bill Mott, people. It just isn't gonna happen for you. Even that rat Kent Desormeaux is on my must-include list now because of the tear he and WHM are on. Super bonus points if the horse is owned by Del Mar deserter Ahmed Zayat.
Rocking the Byk schedule is cool in that I'm off quite early, but I can almost feel my skeletal structure changing into his. I need a damn massage at the track, and no I'm not above dropping hints to people on this blog.
You know you're out of ideas when you try an Albert the Great horse on the turf.
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