Page 16 - August 2005 The Game

16 The Game, August 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Saratoga: Heaven for Horse-Players
A Grandstand seating ticket for Saratoga
By Peter Gross
On at least ten occasions since the early 90s, Clint and Jim and I have driven to Saratoga for a week of that famous track's summer meet. To us, (fervent horseplayers each), it's like a visit to the Garden of Eden; simply the best racing on the planet.
We won't be making the trip this year. Clint is in Victoria, and I'm a little underfinanced and Jim, who is closing in on 40 years with the same woman, has been reluctant to broach the issue with his wife. So I'll live vicariously through my own memories.
Saratoga is unlike any other North American city that has a racetrack. Only in Saratoga would you typically see a woman walking down the main stretch with a rac- ing form jutting out of the back of her jeans. Unlike Toronto, where buying a form away from Woodbine is only slightly easier than finding a 75 cent litre of gas, Saratoga sells forms and programs in pretty well every one of its variety stores and gas stations. Most of the hotels offer the form in their lobbies as well.
Saratoga is a cozy 350-mile drive from Toronto, and if you use the Cat Ferry to Rochester, you not only make the trip more interesting, you'll probably cut at least an hour off the trek.
We've stayed in a variety of motels and inns over the years. First timers should be
warned that the rates double and triple during the racing season and many of the rooms are booked months in advance.
Last year, we made last minute plans and discovered the Thorobred Motel. Not only does the Thorobred Motel take the ugh out of thoroughbred, it also takes the ugh off your credit card. We crammed into a single room for $100 US a night, quiet cheap by Saratoga standards.
There is so much at Saratoga for a horse fan to get excited about. There's the massive recreation area to the north of the track with picnic tables and betting areas and food stations making it a good day for those who don't have reserved seats. The horses are saddled in this area and it's a great opportunity to get real close to the racing stars. The track itself is stately and historic; you can almost see the sepia-toned film of past Travers. Announcer Tom Durkin gives a vividly entertaining call of each race and because every owner, trainer and jockey wants a Saratoga win on his or her resume, the races are thrilling and eminently bet-worthy.
One thing I love about Saratoga is the parlay bet. The parlay bet allows you to pick horses from non-consecutive races and hook them up in any combination of win, place or show. You can create your own daily double on the first and ninth
race. You can pick three or four horses throughout the card and bet each to place and show and watch your money grow.
One successful
parlay I had several
years ago lasted
into the third leg wherein I had two live horses. Each was about 5-1. When they ran first and second, not only did I reach my maximum heart rate, but I cashed for over $900 from my $16 investment.
Most years, Clint and Jim and I have purchased reserved seats about one-third down the stretch. Very nice touch-when you order reserved seats, they print them with your name on. We love this section about an eighth of a mile from the wire, because we can see that, in most of the races, it's where the real running takes place. Last summer though, feeling quite heroic, I was able to reserve a table in the dining room. That turned out to be quite the adventure.
About eight feet behind our table was a conveniently located betting machine and several minutes before the first race, I was putting in a series of daily double bets. At one point, I forgot which horse I wanted, so I turned away from the machine to look at
my program on the table. When I turned back, this guy was at the window, making his bets. Over his shoulder I could see his voucher was worth over $100. I knew I had $85 left on mine.
"Hey guy, was my voucher still in the machine? "I asked. He didn't even look at me.
"No," he said curtly, quickly printing his ticket and leaving the machine.
"I've lost an $85 voucher!" I cried to no one in particular.
However, Helen, a waitress, had witnessed the series of events. She told me that I could summon the director of pari-mutuels. I was somewhat dubious, but I was also somewhat ripped off, so we called the pari-mutuels office and within minutes the director arrived to hear my sad story.
Happy ending though.
CONTINUED PAGE 34 - SEE SARATOGA
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