Page 14 - The Game September 2006
P. 14

14 The Game, September 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Saratoga Timeline - A Trip to an Historic Racetrack: Veni Vidi Wageri
By Peter Gross
Wednesday August 2, 4:00 am:
McKenny picks me up in his cherry red Cadillac van. On what will be the hottest day in many years, I am already covered in sweat as I toss my bags in his car. This is either our 12th or 13th summer trip to Saratoga. We’ve lost count and, strangely, the Horseracing Hall of Fame does not keep track of such statistics. As soon as the suns rises, I will be buried deep in the form, identifying horses I’m sure will return generous dividends later this afternoon.
10:08 am:
Fifty miles east of Utica, and the radio gives us the devastating news. For the first time in 138 years, weather has caused a Saratoga card of racing to be cancelled. With the heat index climbing well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, it seems the New York Racing Association’s sympathies lie more with the health of horses and jockeys than with a couple of anxious gamblers from Canada.
12:20 pm:
McKenny and I check into our favourite Saratoga local, the Thorobred Motel. Famous not for its level of luxury, or its prime location, or even for the quality of its water, the Thorobred charges only $125. During the Saratoga meet, $300 a day can be the typical lodging cost.
“I’ll put up with the mildew,” says McKenny bravely, “I’d rather have money for betting.”
Actually, betting is now the activity of desire, but with no action at Saratoga, we realize we’ll have to go to the Racino, which features slots and simulcasting. First post is 1:40 pm at Ellis Park, 2:00 pm at Arlington.
“Want to get massages?” suggests McKenny.
Saratoga Springs is located in the middle of a fault that is rich in geothermal activity. This produces hot carbonated spring water that is considered beneficial for everything from skin disorders to digestive problems to losing on favourites. A number of therapeutic baths have been built around the springs giving the area its popular nickname ‘The Spa’.
12:40 pm:
At the Roosevelt Baths, we discover, to our good fortune, that there are two immediate massage availabilities.
12:42 pm:
The good fortune continues. McKenny pays with his credit card. My masseuse is Carol and she asks me if any area of my body needs special attention (note: this is not that kind of a story). I tell her we’re here to play the races and that the left shoulder can sometimes get fatigued from turning pages in the Racing Form. Carol does a superb job.
1:45 pm:
The Saratoga Racino is a harness track built to resemble the historic thoroughbred edifice a half-mile to its north. Today it’s mobbed, thanks to the live
racing being cancelled.
3:45 pm:
Ellis Park, Arlington and Monticello Harness aren’t making us rich and a Saratoga tradition starts to work its way into our mindset. McKenny and I place some advance bets - several doubles at Del Mar and most of the races on the evening card
at Woodbine - then set out for what has been an annual treat for us over the years.
4:10 pm:
We pull into the WalMart of Saratoga Springs. We love this place. I spend $80 on stuff I don’t need.
4:55 pm:
We watch Del Mar races on the Racing Channel in our motel. We win the double. We make over $200 at Del Mar, but cash nothing from Woodbine, though I do get a refund when the last two races at Woodbine are cancelled because of heavy rain. Which completes an ironic weather based daily double.
Thursday 12:30 pm:
At the track, McKenny runs into a friend from his hockey days. George Morrison, born in Bobcaygeon, used to fire goals for the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Fighting Saints and at 60 still looks hockey trim. He owns horses now and has one running on Sunday. We take his phone number. I find the communications building and NYRA spokesperson Fran LaBelle fills me in on the previous day’s cancellation.
“We had a heat index of 110. The dew point was in the 70’s. It was extremely dangerous for the horses,” he tells me from the air-conditioned comfort of his cozy office just over the jockeys’ room, “Jockeys, trainers, stewards, veterinarians, everyone was involved. We felt that we’ll take the hit. It probably cost us $12 million for the benefit and safety of our horses.”
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Thursday 3:45 pm:
The heat notwithstanding, I am sizzling at the windows. I hit Her Royal Nibs ($11.60) in the 4th, Thatsmorelikeit ($11.60) in the fifth, Birthday Song ($12.40) in the 6th and Garibaldi ($9.20) in the 7th. I win $300. It should have been more. A filled out pick three ticket never left my shirt pocket.
Thursday 5:00 pm:
On a gorgeous, almost cool evening. McKenny and I play 9 holes at the Saratoga National Park course. Every hole, I call HPI to find out Del Mar results. We hit four doubles in a row. I had four double bogeys in a row as well.
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George Morrison and his horse Seaside Salute


































































































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