E Year 9 • No. 14 SARATOGA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER ON ...

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ER SUBSCRIPTIONS

TO THE SARATOGA SPECIAL

COmPLImENTS Of

Year 9 • No. 14 SARATOGA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER ON THOROUGHBRED RACING Thursday, August 13, 2009

FREE

Uncle T Seven wins Cab Calloway

Tod Marks photo

F Today’s entries and handicapping

F Statue of Liberty preview

F Catching up with Tim Ritvo

InsideRacing UK PPs Inside

Time‘T’

2 Thursday, August 13, 2009

TERRY LINDSEY EQUIDAE GALLERY

3Thursday, August 13, 2009


Name of the DayJust Ben, third race. The 3-year-old colt is by Speightstown, out of Chip, and we know one journalist who will be betting.

mother Russia, ninth race. The 3-year-old filly is by Mayakovsky out of Still Secret.

Spy In The Sky, first race. The 5-year-old is out of Monaassabaat. Best we can tell, Monasabat (somebody spelled it wrong) is an Arabic satellite television station or channel or something. The son of Thunder Gulch was bred by Gainsborough Farm.

WeatherToday: Party cloudy, high 80.

Tonight: Low 59.friday: Sunny, high 86.

Saturday: Partly cloudy, high 87.

Worth Repeating“Hey, Sean. How are you doing?”

“Buyer” of Hip 151 to The Special’s Sean Clancy (who swears he doesn’t know

him) while being interrogated by fasig-Tipton brass after bidding $1 million

as a hoax Tuesday night

“If I had your money, Billy, I’d be in the French Riviera.”Trainer John Parisella to trainer Billy Badgett Wednesday morning

“Not yet.”The clockers when asked if they’d seen any mistakes

in The Special, at 7 o’clock Wednesday morning

“Oh, my ride’s here.”Artist Chris Cancelli as the Saratoga tourist tram drove past

“Impersonating.”Trainer Ralph Nicks after being called Trainer

“Looks like a Tin Man.”The Special’s Ben meyers, watching a horse

gallop, er, shuffle Wednesday morning

“My house.”Quinn Devine, 3, when asked where he lived

“He’s the only one.”Graham motion when asked if any other horse in the barn is allowed

to eat out of every haynet in the shedrow like Better Talk Now

“Oh, you see some sights at the Water Park.”Agent Steve Rushing, about Great Escape’s Water Park

Angel Cordero to Nick Santagata Wednesday morning: “Raging Bull.” Santagata to Cordero: “The Best in the Business.”

“That’s great, the only time I’m mentioned in the paper is when I misiden-tify a photo.”

The Special’s Tod marks

“Use your words wisely.”Jane motion to Sean Clancy after he was asked about her work ethic

“See, the red light’s on right now.”Stuart morris, checking to see if a conversation was on the record

Richard Hoffberger to Walter Downey, owner of Vanderbilt winner (and cover boy) fabulous Strike: “Did you see Monday’s Saratoga Special?”Downey: “See it? I’ve got a hundred of them right here beside me.”

“When she opens the door and gets out, we’re all going to cheer.”Leader of a group of spectators watching

a parallel parker on Broadway Wednesday afternoon

Tod

Mar

ks p

hoto

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Phone: (518) 490-1175Sean Mobile: (302) 545-7713Joe Mobile: (302) 545-4424

E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

Internet: www.saratogaspecial.com

Published Wednesday through Sunday during the racing season. Every day of Sales Week Aug. 10-16.

The StaffEditors/Publishers: Sean Clancy, Joe Clancy Staff Writers: Brian Nadeau, Karen Johnson, Ben Meyers, Katie Bo Williams, Colin BeauryPhotographers: Tod Marks, Dave Harmon, Connie Bush, Sarah CondonHandicappers: Pete Fornatale, John Pana-got, Gaile Fitzgerald, John ShapazianOffice Assistant: Jill GrantDistribution: Ryan Clancy, Jack Clancy, Nolan Clancy, Jane MotionAdvertising Sales: Contact a Clancy or call Jon Bordeau (518) 812-4545 or Kathy Rubin at (203) 650-6815

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The Saratoga SpecialSteeplechase Times

Thoroughbred Racing CalendarThe Best of The Saratoga Special

Saratoga Days and other acclaimed products and services

within the equine industry.Call us about your editorial needs.

“Editorial excellence is not a goal to be sought and one day acquired and then retired to the trophy case. It is instead an ambition which must be pursued each day, never ending, never totally

achieved. That striving, that ambition is an essential part of our newspapers, a

cornerstone of what we have been, what we are, and what we will be.”

– Lee Hills, Pulitzer Prize winner, Knight Ridder chief executive, in 1974

Here & There at Saratoga

Quote of the Day

1-800-523-8143HoRsE TRanspoRTaTion

“I knew Wayne liked him the first time he saw him, but I don’t know anybody who didn’t like him.”

Lane’s End farm’s Bill farish after Wayne Lukas pushed John ferguson to $2.8 million for the sales-topping son of Storm Cat

Tod MarksLicense Plate of the Day. Enough said, though we’d like to buy a vowel.


Today’s Racing Digest Professional Handicapping Information for the Horseplayer, Owner, Trainer, and Jockey since 1970

Now Available for Saratoga

Today’s Free Race Analysis

"I basically do three things, the first of which combines reading with statistical handicapping. I use the Racing Digest, which is my computer on paper, the Daily Racing Form, and a couple of independent clockers who are pretty good." Professional Handicapper James E. Allard AKA "Jimmy The Hat" - from an interview published in the March/April 2009 edition of Horse Player Magazine

Download the full Saratoga Digest at www.todaysracingdigest.com for only $5.00 use promo code SART2009 to receive 50% off your next 2 Digest purchases

RACE # 3 Saratoga, August 13, 2009 Just Ben tired in the stretch at a flat mile in the Grade II Dwyer Stakes July 4, and now has been moved from the Nick Zito barn to Barclay Tagg. 'Ben was a 13-length winner in the slop at this distance vs. Allowance foes June 6 and beat Maidens by seven lengths at Gulfstream Park March 28. He doesn't always fire, but he's tough to beat when he does and we'll make him the HF 15a for a barn having an excellent meet. Formidable, part of the 'A' entry with Ritzy Jones, hasn't raced since a poor outing in the Grade III Westchester April 29. He was 3rd in the Grade II Gulfstream Park Handicap March 14 and has won by daylight the last two times he's raced outside Stakes company. He's worked five times since July 15 and could be well meant in this spot. Royal Vindication didn't handle turf routing Aug 3, but was 2nd in a Stake sprinting on the dirt at Monmouth June 7. He's been 1st or 2nd in his last three sprints, so he could rebound with the return to what he does best. Congressional Page is a perfect two-for-two at Delaware Park, but catches a very tough field and her numbers are soft. It looks like her win streak will end today. by Today’s Racing Digest

Today’s Free Fractional Charting by Today’s Racing Digest (Projected times at each point of call for today’s race)

Comprehensive Handicapping Information

Expert Race Analysis Paddock Profiles Class and Pace Analysis Claim Analysis Speed and Pace figures

Performance Ratings for each horse Class and Pace Analysis Fractional Charting Quick Picks

Different than Other Handicapping Publications

Running lines adjusted to today’s race distance and surface Unique jockey/trainer stats Key race features Paddock Profile

Workout analysis (currently only California) Running style stats and analysis Track Bias Horses to Watch (BTL)

RACE 3 NAME - TRK,DATE

BY ORDER OF

FINISH 1/4 2/4 3/4 FINISH LF & RCS BK 7F - OCL - TRIFECTA

3rd Post Time 2:00 :22.6 :45.5 01:10.3 01:23.0 (Avg This Level)

1 Just Ben 22.3 45.1 01:09.4 01:22.4 37.3 BEL-06/06/09-2

2 Formidable (a) 23.1 45.9 01:10.0 01:22.5 36.6 GP-02/13/09-3

3 Royal Vindication 22.4 44.6 01:09.7 01:23.2 38.6 MTH-06/07/09-2

4 Mucho Macho 23.3 46 01:11.0 01:23.8 37.8 AQU-01/07/09-2

5 Chris Got Even 23.3 46.3 01:10.7 01:23.8 37.5 CD-06/19/09-1

6 Ritzy Jones (a) 23.7 46.9 01:11.2 01:24.4 37.5 PHA-07/21/09-1

7 Congressional

Page 23.4 46.4 01:11.5 01:24.7 38.3 DEL-07/07/09-1

Owner Tom Mina suggested it. Trainer John Mor-rison followed it. Jockey Julien Leparoux then went out and did exactly what he does best.

The Frenchman climbed aboard New York-bred Uncle T Seven for the first time and finally did what Morrison has been want-ing all year. Leparoux dropped the 3-year-old son of Freud to last in the eight-horse field in the New York Stallion Cab Callo-way, resisted circling horses and punched.

The race was over fast. Owned by Mina, Sue Bobley,

MFRG Stable and Dennis Brida, Uncle T Seven kicked to an im-

pressive 2 3/4 length win over Livin Large and Scien-tist Wednesday. Uncle T Seven finished 1 1/6 miles in 1:42.51 while picking up his third victory in 11 starts.

Bred by Anthony Grey, the winner has never finished worse than fourth.

Puregoodniss set the pace with The Plot Thickens tracking in second. Kent Desormeaux found a perfect spot for favorite Scientist, who nestled into third along the hedge, after fractions of 24.06 and 48.42 seconds. Sent off second choice, Uncle T Seven lagged in last. Morrison loved it.

Turning for home, Desormeaux punched Scientist around the tiring leaders, getting first run as Livin

Large hemmed himself behind the wall. Scientist spurt-ed to the lead and looked formidable but Leparoux engaged Uncle T Seven who slipped inside Scientist. In a flash, he was gone.

“The trainer just told me to take my time and try to save ground and finish,” Leparoux said. “We got a perfect trip on the rail all the way around; we saved a lot of ground. In the stretch we found a spot to go and he kicked nicely for me. I didn’t even whip him, I just

Following Orders

Tod MarksUncle T Seven pulls away in the Cab Calloway Stakes Wednesday at Saratoga.

Uncle T Seven rallies to win Cab Calloway

BY SEAN CLANCY

See Calloway page 6

CAB CALLOWAY STAKES RECAP

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hand rode him; he still had more.”Morrison has been searching for this

type of ride since Uncle T Seven burst to the lead in the With Anticipation last summer at Saratoga. Rudy Rodriguez punched him that day and he looked like a winner before withering to Bit-tel Road and two others. After that, he finished third in the Bertram Bongard at Belmont Park before being put away until spring.

Owner Jeffrey Tucker sold the bay colt to a group headed by Tucker’s for-mer farm manager (and now deli own-er), Dennis Brida. Uncle T Seven won

the New York Stallion Times Square in his 2009 debut and then hit the board in three restricted stakes, from turf to dirt, 6 1/2 to 8 1/2 furlongs, but none following Morrison’s blueprint.

“The way he was ridden today, it goes back to last year, Rudy Rodriguez rode him and had to move earlier than he wanted, afterward, we decided that you needed to time that move with him,” Morrison said. “The race at Bel-mont (the Spectacular Bid), he wanted to go by way of the Cross Island Park-way, he likes to be covered up and burst through there, you try to explain to the riders, if it doesn’t open up it’s my fault, that’s the way Julien rode him today, he’s got that quarter of a mile burst.”

As for Brida, who was taking an af-ternoon off from his Mango Deli, he

leaves all the decision making to Mor-rison. Brida and Morrison bought Un-cle T Seven for Tucker, after the colt broke his maiden at Belmont last June and then put together this syndicate to buy him from Tucker. A former trainer, Brida likes it just fine.

“It’s a lot more fun being an owner than a trainer; just pay your bills and watch the races. Absolutely less stress-ful,” Brida said. “When Jeffrey decided to sell him I put together this group of my friends to purchase him, that makes it all the more sweeter. I love the way the horse ran against Bittel Road up here as a 2-year-old. I thought this horse was the best Jeffrey had and I said, ‘let’s not sell him outside the barn.’ See if we can’t get him to run for us. They’re all good people and they deserve it.”

Calloway – Continued from page 5

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“He’s got that quarter of a mile

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Uncle T Seven


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Tod MarksUncle T Seven exits the winner’s circle with a Saratoga stakes win.


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Wednesday, August 12

1ST. 1 1/8 mILES. 3&UP. f&m. ALW. PURSE $59,000.7 Platinum Velazquez J R 4.50 3.00 2.406 Starship Angel Dominguez R A 3.20 2.404 Stone Legacy Maragh R 2.60Finish Time: 1:50.87Trainer: Jimmy Jerkens. Owner: Peter Blum.B. f. 3. Mineshaft-Nataliano, Fappiano. Bred by Peter Blum (Ky).$2 Exacta (7-6) Paid $14.60; $2 Trifecta (7-6-4) Paid $33.40; $2 Super-fecta (7-6-4-3) Paid $130.00

2ND. 5 1/2 fURLONGS. 2YO. mSW. PURSE $50,000.2 Aspire Leparoux J R 8.90 4.30 2.701 Good to Be Seen Dominguez R A 3.90 2.405 Grand Strategy Garcia Alan 2.30Finish Time: 1:04.03Trainer: Eddie Kenneally. Owner: Gary and Mary West Stable.Dk. B. or Br. c. 2. Tale Of The Cat-Mamselle Nanette, Southern Halo.Bred by Gary and Mary West (Ky).$2 Exacta (2-1) Paid $37.00; $2 Quinella (1-2) Paid $16.60; $2 Trifecta (2-1-5) Paid $70.50; $2 Daily Double (7-2) Paid $29.80

3RD. 5 1/2 fURLONGS. TURf. 3&UP. f&m. mSW. PURSE $50,000.5 Dawn Chorus Desormeaux K J 27.80 11.80 6.106 West Ocean Velazquez J R 9.20 4.809 Ride On Josephine Prado E S 2.70Finish Time: 1:03.30Trainer: Bill Mott. Owner: Swettenham Stud.Dk. B. or Br. f. 3. Unbridled’s Song-Dawn Princess, Polish Numbers.Bred by WinStar Farm (Ky).$2 Exacta (5-6) Paid $155.50; $2 Trifecta (5-6-9) Paid $579.00; $2 Pick 3 (7-2-5) 3 Correct Paid $346.00; $2 Daily Double (2-5) Paid $134.00; $2 Consolation Pick 3 (7-2-1) Paid $26.60; $2 Superfecta (5-6-9-3) Paid $4,259.00; $2 Consolation Double (2-1) Paid $7.90

4TH. 2 mILES. 3&UP. AOC. PURSE $77,371.1 Lord Kipling Chavez J F 6.90 4.20 3.409 Million Seller Leparoux J R 6.10 4.706 Critical Acclaim Velasquez C 4.40Finish Time: 3:27.78Trainer: Gary Contessa. Owner: Winning Move Stable.Dk. B. or Br. g. 6. Kipling-Filliano, Jamiano. Bred by Center Hills Farm (Ark).$2 Exacta (1-9) Paid $57.50; $2 Quinella (1-9) Paid $38.60; $2 Trifecta (1-9-6) Paid $334.50; $2 Pick 3 (2-5-1) 3 Correct Paid $379.50; $2 Daily Double (5-1) Paid $110.00; $2 Consolation Pick 3 (2-1-1) Paid $25.80; $2 Consolation Pick 3 (2-1-4/5) Paid $7.40; $2 Consolation Pick 3 (2-5-4/5) Paid $102.00; $2 Superfecta (1-9-6-8) Paid $740.00; $2 Consolation Double (5-4/5) Paid $25.40

5TH. 5 1/2 fURLONGS. 2YO. fILLIES. NY BREDS. mSW. PURSE $48,400.4 Opus A Garcia Alan 8.60 5.00 3.6011 Freud’s Notebook Luzzi M J 6.30 4.107 Tapaline Maragh R 2.70Finish Time: 1:05.61Winning Trainer: Rick Violette. Owner: Broadway Blue Stable.Dk. B. or Br. f. 2. Read The Footnotes-Lady Nelson, Sea Hero.Bred by Nan Cassidy (NY).$2 Exacta (4-11) Paid $56.00; $2 Trifecta (4-11-7) Paid $148.50; $2 Pick 3 (5-1-4) 3 Correct Paid $589.00; $2 Pick 4 (2-5-1-4) 4 Correct Paid $3,476.00; $2 Daily Double (1-4) Paid $34.20; $2 Consolation Pick 3 (5-4/5-4) Paid $156.00

6TH. 1 1/16 mILES. TURf. 3&UP. f&m. CLm. PURSE $32,000.3 Belle’s Home Castellano J J 10.20 4.80 4.305 Quiet Alice Leparoux J R 3.80 2.9010 Queen of Protocol Velazquez J R 4.70Finish Time: 1:41.96Trainer: George Weaver. Owner: Agnes Peace.Dk. B. or Br. f. 4. Came Home-Belle Artiste, Broad Brush.Bred by John Peace (Ky).$2 Exacta (3-5) Paid $31.40; $2 Trifecta (3-5-10) Paid $222.50; $2 Pick 3 (1-4-3) 3 Correct Paid $165.50; $2 Daily Double (4-3) Paid $41.40; $2 Superfecta (3-5-10-8) Paid $2,847.00

7TH. 6 fURLONGS. 3&UP. CLm. PURSE $31,900.9 My Golden Opinion Castellano J J 5.70 3.80 2.903 Volos Arroyo N Jr 5.40 4.9010 Estimator Velasquez C 10.20Finish Time: 1:10.55Trainer: Bruce Brown. Owner: Ping Tam.Ch. g. 5. High Yield-Distant Breeze (Chi), Distant View.Bred by Kildare Stud and Galvin and D Owens (Ky).$2 Exacta (9-3) Paid $34.20; $2 Trifecta (9-3-10) Paid $466.50; $2 Daily Double (3-9) Paid $25.40; $2 Pick 3 (4-3-9) 3 Correct Paid $124.00

8TH. 1-mILE. TURf. 3&UP. CLm. PURSE $34,000/11 Tahoe Warrior Garcia Alan 23.40 10.60 8.003 Biggerbadderbetter Albarado R J 8.30 5.3010 Cobrador Prado E S 10.00Finish Time: 1:37.04Trainer: Linda Rice. Owner: New Suffolk Racing.B. g. 6. Carson City-Amy’s Gold, Strike The Gold. Bred by Chance Farm (Ky).$2 Exacta (11-3) Paid $172.00; $2 Trifecta (11-3-10) Paid $2,930.00; $2 Pick 3 (3-9-11) 3 Correct Paid $419.50; $2 Daily Double (9-11) Paid $76.50; $2 Superfecta (11-3-10-2) Paid $13,968.00

9TH. 1 1/16 mILES. TURf. THE CAB CALLOWAY. 3YO. NY BREDS. PURSE $150,000.5 Uncle T Seven Leparoux J R 6.80 4.10 2.708 Livin Large Lezcano J 10.40 5.901 Scientist Desormeaux K J 3.10Finish Time: 1:42.51Trainer: John Morrison. Owner: Thomas Mina, Suzann Bobley, MFRG Racing Stable, Dennis Brida.B. c. 3. Freud-Holy Wish, Lord At War (Arg). Bred by Anthony Grey (NY).$2 Exacta (5-8) Paid $72.50; $2 Trifecta (5-8-1) Paid $230.00; $2 Grand Slam (3/5/10-3/9/10-3/10/11-5) Paid $56.00; $2 Pick 3 (9-11-5) 3 Cor-rect Paid $194.50; $2 Daily Double (11-5) Paid $72.50; $2 Superfecta (5-8-1-4) Paid $825.00

10TH. 1 1/16 mILES. TURf. 3&UP. CLm. PURSE $30,000.2 Masterofthehouse Morales S 66.50 29.80 10.608 New York Holiday Garcia Alan 9.90 6.701 Wild Way Albarado R J 6.40Finish Time: 1:43.62Trainer: Juan Ortiz. Owner: Picwynn Stable.B. g. 5. Chester House-Miss Cover Girl, Oh Say. Bred by Margaret Picarello (Ky).$2 Exacta (2-8) Paid $738.00; $2 Trifecta (2-8-1) Paid $3,420.00; $2 Su-perfecta (2-8-1-10) Paid $11,779.00; $2 Daily Double (5-2) Paid $292.50; $2 Pick 3 (11-5-2) 3 Correct Paid $2,476.00; $2 Pick 4 (9-11-5-2) 4 Cor-rect Paid $9,273.00; $2 Pick 6 (4-3-9-11-5-2) 5 Correct Paid $1,458.00; Carryover Pool $52,505

Track: fast. Turf: firm. Saratoga Attendance: 21,010. Mutuel Pool: $2,722,547.

Thursday’s Claims: RACE 4: Lord Kipling by Scott Lake for Ben Mondello; RACE 6: Quiet Alice by Linda Rice for Barry Ostrager; RACE 7: My Golden Opinion by Chip Dutrow for Michael Dubb; RACE 8: Cliff Meadows by David Jacobson for Western Resources Racing, Eldoktori by Bruce Brown for Casey K Racing Stable.

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1 2

4 Lord Kipling 5 Opus A 6

7 My Golden Opinion 8 10 Masterofthehouse

Wednesday’s saratoga Winners • Photos by dave harmon

AspirePlatinum 3 Dawn Chorus

Belle’s Home

Tahoe Warrior


What a difference five days makes.In Lord Kipling’s (Jorge Chavez) last start, he finished a

disappointing ninth in the John’s Call Aug. 7. The Gary Con-tessa-trained 6-year-old pressed the pace early but ran out of gas, losing by 23 lengths to Solitaire in the 1 5/8-mile stakes on turf. Less than a week later, the gelding dominated a 2-mile option-

al claimer, a gate-to-wire effort in a rare marathon on dirt.Breaking from the rail, Lord Kipling traveled just behind

the early speed of Jogja, but the son of Kipling managed to take the lead going into the first of three turns. Lord Kipling maintained a 1 1/2-length lead over Fire Wood at the midway point with Mr. Again a close third. Lord Kipling quickened his pace as he came out of the final turn, Fire Wood pulled up, and Lord Kipling pulled away from the tired field by 7 1/2 lengths. Million Seller (Julien Leparoux) outlasted Criti-cal Acclaim (Cornelio Velasquez) for second.

Owned by Winning Move Stable, Lord Kipling has won eight races in 36 starts, showing an ability to win on turf or dirt. On Wednesday, he won for the second time in two starts at the distance.

“He’s a different horse when he takes the lead. He can re-lax and go all day,” Marcelo Arenas, Contessa’s assistant said

after the race. “Today he went to the lead, with no pressure and he ran away.”

The win was the second of the meet for Contessa, and for the second time the trainer was absent in the winner’s circle. Contessa, who missed his first win while tending to a scratched horse in his barn on Monday, seems to believe in karma.

“He didn’t want to be here; he said, ‘Marcelo, you take the picture,’” Arenas joked.

• Platinum (John Velazquez) made easy work of the com-petition in the first, an allowance for fillies and mares at 9 furlongs. The Jimmy Jerkens trainee jumped out to an early lead and faced very little pace pressure from Starship Angel, going 24.46 for the first quarter-mile and 49.43 for the half. Platinum, owned by Peter Blum Racing, saved plenty for the finish and drew away by 3 1/2 lengths over Starship Angel (Ramon Dominguez) and Stone Legacy (Rajiv Maragh). The 3-year-old daughter of Mineshaft broke her maiden in her second start, an impressive 5-length romp at Belmont July 17 going 6 furlongs. Jerkens decided to stretch his filly out Wednesday, and the result was much the same.

“It was good, when you’re stretching them out that much, you want them to have as easy a time of it as they can,” Jerk-

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Tod MarksNice and steady, Lord Kipling shows the way halfway through his 2-mile victory at Saratoga Wednesday.

Lord of the Distance

WEDNESDAY RACING RECAP

See wednesday page 12

Contessa’s Lord Kipling makes it 2-for-2 at 2 milesBY COLIN BEAURY


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ens said. “It’s always good to have early speed like that; it can be deadly going long but she’s bred for it.”

• Eddie Kenneally prevailed in the second when he won with Aspire (Lep-aroux), a 2-year-old Tale of the Cat colt making his first start.

The Gary and Mary West home-bred broke poorly out of the gate and settled in fourth, 5 1/2 lengths off the pace. Meanwhile, Good To Be Seen and Back Back Back hooked up early, dueling through steady fractions for the first three-eighths of a mile. Both horses yielded in the stretch, and Aspire, under the patient hand of Leparoux, rallied late to steal the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for maidens. Good To Be Seen (Dominguez) held for second over Grand Strategy (Alan Garcia).

“He overcame a slow break and won nicely. A little green in the stretch but he’ll improve,” Kenneally said after the race. “He took a little time getting ready. He’s been coming along at his own pace and it worked out well.”

• Opus A (Garcia) broke her maiden at first asking in the fifth, a 5 1/2-furlong dash for New York-bred fillies. Trained by Rick Violette, Opus A broke seventh in the field of 11 and settled in eighth af-ter a 22.53 quarter-mile. With the field grouped tightly, Opus A remained in contention after a half, but struggled to

Wednesday – Continued from page 10

Tod MarksOpus A rallies on the outside to break her maiden in the fifth race on Wednesday.See wednesday page 14


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Graham Motion-trained juvenileTURF MELODY wins second start by 151⁄4 lengths in Colonial Downs maiden special on June 26

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find racing room. Porkchop Sandra, Suavecito and Tapaline all seemed like potential winners while Opus A remained in fourth, but a wide move by Garcia gave his filly the lane she needed and the two rallied late for a half-length triumph. Opus A, owned by Broadway Blue Stable, clocked in at 1:05.61 with Freud’s Notebook (Mike Luzzi) beat-ing Tapaline (Maragh) by a neck for second.

A 2-year-old daughter of Read The Footnotes, Opus A gave Violette his first winner of the meet.

“She’s a nice filly, but she actually resented the dirt in her face more than I thought. She kind of kept checking out of it,” Violette said. “She got clear coming out of the turn; she just kind of took off, saw the horses in front of her and went and got them.

She’ll go further; she’ll go a mile and an eighth for sure. She’s a little bit green; not as focused as you would like her, but she’s got some talent.”

• Sebastian Morales rode longshot Masterofthe-house to victory in the finale for trainer Juan Or-tiz. The Picwynn Stable 5-year-old dashed out of the gate but quickly slowed off the pace in the 1 1/16-mile claimer on turf. Morales hung in sixth after three-quarters of a mile, biding his time for a stretch effort. A 5-year-old gelding by Chester House, Masterofthehouse locked up with a game New York Holiday (Garcia), but Ortiz’s horse pre-vailed by a half-length with Wild Way (Robby Al-barado) third. The win was his second in 29 starts and the first of the meet for the trainer.

“He’s a very good horse on the grass. He’s run short before, and this time I ran him long distance,” Ortiz said “I told the jockey (Morales) to keep him intact and make one move and it worked.”

Where Thoroughbreds Run AND Jump! WATCH AND WAGER ON SARATOGA STEEPLECHASES

Thursday, July 30$70,000 Jonathan Kiser Memorial Novice Stakes.

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Thursday, August 6$100,000 added A.P. Smithwick Memorial Stakes (Gr. I).

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Thursday, August 13$70,000 Ben Nevis Stakes, in honor of Janet Elliot.

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Thursday, August 27$100,000 New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. I).

Thursday, September 3$70,000 Paul R. Fout Stakes.

National Steeplechase Association

Thank you NYRA and New York horsemen for your continued commitment to steeplechase racing.

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Wednesday – Continued from page 12

Tod Marksmasterofthehouse wins the finale for trainer Juan Ortiz.


Dave Harmon Marksmother Russia, here winning at Saratoga in 2008, tries a New York Stallion Stakes field Thursday at Saratoga.

sez herJimmy Bond was asked about wife Tina’s chances with her

filly Sezzana in today’s $150,000 New York Stallion Series Statue of Liberty Stakes.

“Jimmy, how is she doing coming into the race?”“My wife or the filly?” Bond joked. “The filly’s doing

great, I’ll let you know about my wife after the race.”Sezzana gives the trainer good reason to be in an amicable

mood. The 3-year-old daughter of Performing Magic rates a big chance in Thursday’s grassy 1 1/16-mile Statue Of Liberty for state-bred sophomore fillies.

Sezzana (Rajiv Maragh) has been a model of consistency and versatility for Bond, winning on turf and dirt while com-piling a 3-for-5 career mark. She just missed by a neck in her debut last December at Aqueduct and returned a month later to run sixth, the only blemish on an otherwise clean scorecard. Bond gave Sezzana a four-month freshening and

she’s responded with three straight wins, which started with a 7-furlong turf score at Belmont in May.

Bond entered Sezzana in a turf sprint in June but ran her anyway after the race was switched to the main track and the filly responded, battling on the pace and prevailing by a head. She headed to Fin-ger Lakes in her last start and took the Niagara Stakes by a widening 4 lengths and Bond enters the Statue of Liberty full of confidence.

“The horse is very versatile and she’s coming into the race very well,” Bond said. “She’s a very handy filly that seems to want to do it all. She can rate, she can lead, she can come from off the pace. If there’s no speed she can be on the lead

Bonds’ Versatile filly angles for fourth straight win

STATUE OF LIBERTY STAKES PREVIEW

See sTaTUe oF lIBeRTy page 36

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and if not she can rate very kindly. The two turns is obviously a question mark but she handled seven-eighths pretty easily on the grass at Belmont so we don’t think it will be a concern.”

On paper Sezzana’s afternoon accomplishments stand out, but for Bond, it’s her class and temperament that have proven to be the biggest key to success.

“I’ve always liked this filly. Since the start she’s always had this mental dispo-sition of wanting to win. She’s always wanted to be better than the other ones

around her. She wants to be the leader of the pack and not the follower,” Bond said. “She’s really got a lot of spunk and a lot of heart which is why I enjoy training her. She gives it all to you every time out there and there’s a lot to be said for a horse like that. She’s the ideal racehorse.”

Linda Rice starts the uncoupled entry of Moth-er Russia (Ramon Dominguez) and We’re Hooked (Alan Garcia).

Obviously NY Stable’s Mother Russia rates as the more accomplished of the Rice pair, having taken the 7-furlong Cupecoy’s Joy Stakes at Bel-mont May 31 over today’s rival Wild Awake. The daughter of Mayakovsky settled in fourth early during the Cupecoy’s Joy before taking charge with a bold move turning for home and drawing off in what was her first start on turf.

Rice freshened Mother Russia and she returned with a disappointing run in the Dam Little at Bel-mont July 17, running sixth of seven after blasting off to a 5-length lead early and then tiring. She makes her first two-turn start and enters as the most accomplished member of the field, with four wins in seven starts for earnings of $285,098.

We’re Hooked has yet to win in two career starts on turf but did run a close fifth to her stable-mate in the Cupecoy’s Joy. The daughter of Hook And Ladder broke her maiden at first asking over Aqueduct’s inner dirt course in March but has

Statue of Liberty – Continued from page 35

Connie BushSezzana See sTaTUe oF lIBeRTy page 37


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Barclay Tagg sends out potential fa-vorite Wild Awake (Javier Castellano) for Three Friends Stable. The daughter of Judge T C owns just one win from six lifetime starts but has finished sec-ond in her last four outings, including a big effort behind Mother Russia in the Cupecoy’s Joy. Wild Awake enters off a second in a state-bred allowance at Belmont June 28, when she closed from ninth to just miss after a wide trip. Though her late rally can often fall vic-tim to a slow pace, Wild Again should be rolling late – provided she can find a seam.

“We just need to hope for a clean trip. With her off-the-pace running style you can get into some traffic so we’re hoping she can get a clean run,” Tagg said. “She likes the distance and the two turns and that should be in our favor on Thursday. She’s been running well all year long and seems to be coming up to

the race in great shape.” Es Mia (Edgar Prado) has yet to reach

the winner’s circle but rates a longshot look based on her fine second going 9 furlongs at Belmont in May. The daugh-ter of Wheelaway closed from eighth on the turf that day and made up 11 lengths late while steadying and running wide. Es Mia, trained by Rodrigo Ubillo for San Miguel Racing, tightened up for the Statue of Liberty with a late-running fifth going 6 furlongs over Belmont’s turf July 22.

Seek On (Cornelio Velasquez), eighth in the Cupecoy’s Joy in her lone turf try; Big Brownie (Norberto Arroyo Jr.), win-less in two lifetime starts; She’s Prime (John Velazquez), whose lone win came over Aqueduct’s inner dirt course last December and Simple Western (Eibar Coa), who was fourth in her career debut in a maiden claimer at Belmont, round out the field for the New York Stallion Statue of Liberty Stakes.

The Statue of Liberty lost one pro-spective runner when trainer John Wames indicated his filly In Volo would not make the trip from Penn National after suffering an injury while training earlier in the week.

Statue of Liberty – Continued from page 36


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Everybody should root for a guy like Tim Ritvo – a family man, humble, friendly, eager to give credit to others. The Florida-based trainer splits his divi-sion of horses; some run in the sunshine state, and the others compete at Aque-duct, Belmont and Saratoga. His wife Kathy, also a trainer, manages the barn in Florida when Ritvo travels north.

Racing has always been a family af-fair for Ritvo. He worked with his fa-ther’s horses which led to a stint as a jockey.

“My dad owned some horses, and I started galloping them,” Ritvo said. “I went down to Ocala and worked on a farm, and the minute I graduated high school I started riding. I rode 1982 to 1987 and rode 500 winners in five years as a jockey in New England.”

In 1987, his riding days done, Ritvo started working as a racing official at Suffolk Downs in Boston. It was there that he found his future training part-ner.

“I met my wife Kathy there, we just had our 19th anniversary,” Ritvo said. “I was a jockey, she was a trainer. Then we moved to Florida and started a fam-ily.”

The couple began working together in 1990 – until 1997, she was the train-er and he the assistant.

“We built a pretty big division down there – won the training title at Calder in 2005,” Ritvo said. “Then we decided in 2006 to have split divisions. So we still carry a division in Florida, and a division here.”

Here is New York and for the last five years Ritvo has spent his Augusts at Saratoga, where he has been successful given the limited number of horses he brings (about 20). Thus far, the 2009 meet has been bittersweet for Ritvo. August 4, Ritvo won two races on the same day. Sophisticated Lass started the

trend when she won the first.“That’s a filly we paid a little bit of

money for and had kind of been a little bit of a disappointment,” Ritvo said. “She seems like she’s finally putting to-gether, she’s won two of her last three.”

Roughly three hours later, an al-ready stellar Monday got even better when Ritvo won the Fleet Indian Stakes for New York-breds with Dance Gal Dance. The 4-year-old filly led gate-to-wire, dominated seven foes, and made Ritvo a repeat winner.

“She’s a very quick filly; she’s one of those fillies where, if you try to go with her, you’re going to have trouble finish-ing up,” Ritvo said. “And if you let her go, she’s gone.”

Ritvo left the track Monday evening with obvious reason to celebrate, but the victory parade ended early the next morning when Ritvo’s standout horse,

Training fullof ups, downsRitvo rides rollercoaster early in meet

BY COLIN BEAURY

See RITvo page 39

Tod MarksTrainer Tim Ritvo


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Finallymadeit, broke his left cannon bone during a routine tune-up for the Whitney. The injury was so severe that the 5-year-old son of Concerto had to be euthanized.

“We were just blowing out for the race on the weekend,” Ritvo said. “It shows you the two sides of the game. On Monday night you’re celebrating two wins, one of them a stakes win, and then the next day – early in the morn-ing – you’re putting down a horse that won over a million dollars and was go-ing to compete in a Grade I and be very competitive.”

Finallymadeit had recently moved to Ritvo’s barn and had raced for the train-er only once, a third in the James Mar-vin here Opening Day. Ritvo intended to use the race as a springboard for the Whitney.

“We planned to prep him up here with the race over the track and then

run him back in the Whitney,” Ritvo said. “That’s something that’s been done with him before.”

Before the Donn Handicap he had run 11 days before and wheeled back to be second to Albertus Maximus in the Grade I. Ritvo wanted to use the same strategy in preparing for the Whitney; instead he dealt with the worst part of training racehorses.

Trainers spend countless hours pre-paring horses, scouring condition books and dusting themselves off every time a sure thing horse turns out to be an also-ran. Staying level-headed is difficult, es-pecially when you have a week similar to Ritvo’s. However, when he needs help putting things in perspective, he looks to another trainer – his wife.

“The biggest story of my life is that my wife was sick eight years ago, and she just received a heart transplant eight months ago,” Ritvo said. She’s 40 years old and has a brand new heart; she was just up here to visit, and she’s doing great. That’s the biggest thrill in my life.”

Ritvo – Continued from page 38


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RACE 1: SWAGGER STICK impressed at CNL, just missing to subsequent Grade I Smithwick winner Mixed Up. Drops 10 pounds off that run and ran well here last summer. DYNASKI looked great winning in the training flat at Open House and that usually transfers to afternoon success later in the meet. Looked like a real comer over this course last summer. DYNA-MITE FLYER steps up but impressed winning his first start in three years at CNL.

RACE 2: I’m going with SPECKLEDBIRD for a few reasons; first, she looks really fast, but secondly she will be a much bigger price than she should be with $1.7 million purchase CABLEKNIT entered. The former is a half-sister to champion sprinter Speightstown and will probably be about 3-5, but she drew inside and could need a run. HAPPY WEEK was another expensive yearling and should make her presence felt.

RACE 3: FORMIDABLE drew a nice attack post and has been freshened since trying some toughies earlier this spring. Half-brother to the speedy Medallist also has the benefit of drawing outside JUST BEN, who will be under the gun from the start. The latter ran off early in the Dwyer buts cuts back here, so he’ll have to shake off several who will hound him the entire way. ROYAL VINDICATION should be in the mix from the bell but his out-side draw gives Castellano some options.

RACE 4: Stabbing bigtime with FAST DRAW, a full-brother to Grand Slam who drops through the floor but has a bit of hidden form. Lukas and Theriot have done well together the past two years and when he drops them they usually run big. TELEMACHUS will be a solid favorite and rightfully so; no major knocks. ALL WEST wheels back on short rest and cuts back.

RACE 5: There’s a decent chance that DONTQUITYOURDAYJOB makes an uncontested lead and that has proved lethal in these turf sprints. Must break alertly from the rial. INTERROGATORY ran well at Belmont and cuts back a tad for a trainer that had a solid meet here last summer. MASTER takes a suspicious drop and will take a ton of money, so it’s worth trying to beat him at underlaid odds. If on dirt: Hero Figure, Master, Warrior Ace.

RACE 6: GREG GOT EVEN should move forward off his first start in 13 months and could get loose on the lead for one of the best front-end riders on the grounds. QUICK TO CHARM returns for his first start since Janaury and looks spotted to score. BULLARA has the back class to crush these and could be close to the top choice early. If on dirt: Angliana, Aly’s Wheat, Doc N Roll.

RACE 7: HATHEER is a full-sister to Habaya, who won her debut sprinting at Belmont last fall. Daughter of multiple Grade I-winner Golden Apples has the look of a special filly. CRIMSON GLORY should make the lead and be tough to catch but the Ward juveniles haven’t been as good as advertised this summer. SMART SEATTLE probably doesn’t have enough ground to get up but look for her on the stretch to two turns maybe later in the meet. If on dirt: Captilalism At Risk, Crimson Glory, More Armour.

RACE 8: OCEAN GODDESS might enjoy a pace advantage over main rival TURN AWAY, who will be heavily favored but might not like the 6 furlongs. The former enters in top form and will be a better price than the latter, who has never run this short in her life. HONEST TO BETSY got a nice tightener at CD and can improve.

RACE 9: WILD AWAKE gets bonus points for owning a solid second-place finish at the distance and her late rally looks like it will get flattered by a solid early pace. ES MIA is still a maiden but her lone two-turn turf run was solid in May, with trouble. Looms a potential upsetter at a big number. IN VOLO makes her first start on turf, but also her first start against state-breds. The rail draw is a plus. If on dirt: In Volo, She’s Prime, Mother Russia.

RACE 10: COLLAR scored here on the main two weeks ago and seems set up to do the same on the turf. We already know about speed in these turf sprints and there’s no one faster than him early. HANGINGONAPRAYER has enough tactical speed to be close early and should be the one to fear in the stretch. CATTY MADELINE drops in class and cuts back so look for her to be flying late. If on dirt: Secretmademoisell, Matrimony, World Gone Wrong.

THURSDAY’S detailed analySiS By Brian nadeau

Race #

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

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grid

To Date:

PeteFornatale

BrianNadeau

JohnPanagot

the

32/120 26/120 23/120 30/120 35/120

DynaskiFogcutter

Swagger Stick Cableknit

Happy WeekDattt Echo Just Ben

FormidableMucho Macho

All WestTelemachus

Napkins Interrogatory

Flying Zee EntryCounterspy JamaludinVettriano

Quick To Charm Crimson GlorySmart SeattleMore Amour Turn Away

Tar Heel MomHonest To Betsy

Wild AwakeMother Russia

Es Mia Hangingonaprayer

Catty MadelineRed Hot Baby

JohnShapazian

Swagger StickDynaski

Dynamite FlyerSpeckledbird

CableknitHappy WeekFormidableJust Ben

Royal VindicationFast Draw

TelemachusAll West

Hero FigureDontquityourdayjob

InterrogatoryGreg Got Even

Quick To CharmBullara

Capitalism At RiskHatheer

Crimson GloryOcean Goddess

Turn AwayHonest To Betsy

Wild AwakeEs MiaIn Volo

SecretmademoisellCollar

Hangingonaprayer

DynaskiSwagger Stick

Dalucci Speckledbird

CableknitCapital Adequacy Royal Vindication

Just BenClay Entry

TelemachusAll West

Dancing Luca Little Alex

MasterCounterspy

Ramsey EntryRegal Officer

D’Alessandro Entry Capitalism at Risk

It’smyburtdayMore Amour

Tar Heel MomChoragusTurn Away

Mother RussiaWild Awake

Sezzana Secretmademoisell

Catty MadelineHangingonaprayer

DynaskiDalucci

Arcadius Speckledbird

CableknitCapital Adequacy

Just BenFormidable

Congressional Page All WestNapkins

Telemachus Counterspy

MasterLittle Alex

Willsboro PointRamsey Entry

Vettriano Hatheer

Crimson GloryPletcher Entry

Turn AwayNewport Harbour

Choragus Wild Awake

Mother RussiaEs Mia

HangingonaprayerCatty Madeline

World Gone Wrong

DynaskiDalucci

Aracadius Cableknit

Capital AdequacyHappy Week

Just BenFormidable

Mucho Macho Telemachus

All WestDancing Luca Counterspy

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Tar Heel Mom Mother Russia

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SecretmademoisellHangingonaprayer

Catty Madeline

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Art preservation exhibit at museumspotlights history

The National Museum of Racing ex-hibit, Preserving our Past, is open in the von Stade Gallery and features several paintings and trophies from the perma-nent collection.

All the pieces in the Preserving our Past exhibit are in need of conservation work and due to their condition many of them have not been on display in years. The exhibit explains what is required to restore the pieces and invites visitors to help sponsor the work.

Art created by Edward Troye, Henry Stull, and Martin Stainforth are repre-sented in the collection.

The exhibit features portraits of horse owner and breeder James Ben Ali Haggin, Hall of Fame jockey Frank “Dooley” Adams, American Eclipse, Swaps, Reigh Count, and Iroquois, the first horse bred in America to win the Epsom Derby.

Museum Curator of Collections Beth Sheffer said the exhibit is a great oppor-tunity to educate visitors on the impor-tance of preserving these treasures and to provide them with more information about conservation issues.

Key to the development of the ex-hibit was the work of Susan Blakney of Westlake Conservators and Roger Jette of RO Jette Antique Restoration, who examined the items Sheffer selected and provided estimates.

The popular Ride On! exhibit about equine medicine has reopened to the public in the McBean Gallery.

The Ride On! exhibit has undergone some changes since last year with many new objects added, including several more trophies won by Hall of Famer Sunday Silence. This is the 20th an-niversary of the colt’s victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and the gripping rivalry during that Triple Crown series with another future Hall of Fame member, Easy Goer.

Other items new to Ride On! in 2009 include additional specially made horse-shoes and boots for treating laminitis, a horse hoof plastinated slice model, an antique cautery set, dental floats, and an antique microscope.

The exhibits are open during the mu-seum’s regular racing-season hours – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.


Thursday, August 13. Post Time 1 p.m. Entries with program number, post position, jockey, trainer, and morning-line odds.

1ST (1:00) BEN NEVIS S. 2 1/16 mILES (HURDLE) 4&UP PURSE: $70,0001 1 Dynamite Flyer ..........Petty J .................. Hendriks Sanna N ....6-12 2 Fogcutter ...................Aizpuru X ............. Voss Thomas H .....12-13 3 Arcadius ....................Hodsdon D ........... Sheppard Jonathan .6-14 4 Red Letter Day ..........Walsh R ............... Elliot Janet E ............8-15 5 Dalucci (IRE) .............Dalton B ............... Elliot Janet E ............3-16 6 Hip Hop .....................Young P J............. Hendriks Richard ...15-17 7 Spy in the Sky ...........McVicar L ............. Day James M ........15-18 8 Dynaski .....................Buchanan P .......... Voss Thomas H .......7-29 9 Swagger Stick ...........Dowling W ........... Fisher Jack ..............5-1Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (1-3), Daily Double

2ND (1:35) 5 1/2 fURLONGS fILLIES 2YO mAIDEN PURSE: $50,0001 5 Snap Happy ...............Borel C H .............. Stewart Dallas .......10-11A 7 Limeheart ..................Albarado R J ........ Romans Dale .........10-12 6 Happy Week ..............Velazquez J R ....... Pletcher Todd A .......9-52B 8 Proud Zoe .................Velazquez J R ....... Pletcher Todd A .......9-53 1 Dattt Echo .................Maragh R ............. Hennig Mark ............6-14 2 Cableknit ...................Garcia Alan ........... McLaughlin Kiaran ..2-15 3 Capital Adequacy .......Dominguez R A .... Violette, Jr. R A........8-16 4 Rapport .....................Theriot H J II ........ Lukas D Wayne .....20-17 9 Speckledbird .............Desormeaux K J ... Mott William I ..........6-1A-Coupled: Snap Happy and LimeheartB-Coupled: Happy Week and Proud ZoeExacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Pick 3 Races (2-4), Pick 4 Races (2-5) Daily Double

3RD (2:08) 7 fURLONGS 3&UP ALLOW OC ($35,000) PURSE: $54,0001 4 Formidable ................Lezcano J ............. Jerkens H Allen .......5-21A 5 Ritzy Jones ................Velazquez J R ....... Servis John C ..........5-22 1 Just Ben ....................Dominguez R A .... Tagg Barclay ............2-13 2 Mucho Macho ...........Espinoza J L ......... Jerkens James A .....8-14 3 Chris Got Even ..........Albarado R J ........ Zito Nicholas P ......12-15 6 Royal Vindication ......Castellano J J ....... Hough Stanley M .....7-26 7 Congressional Page ...Napravnik A R ...... Trombetta Mike J.....5-1A-Coupled: Formidable and Ritzy JonesExacta, Trifecta, Pick 3 Races (3-5), Daily Double

4TH (2:41) 7 fURLONGS 3&UP mDN CLm ($20,000) PURSE: $23,0001 1 Bindle Stick ...............Chavez J F ............ Dunham Bob G ......15-12 2 Peytons Heart ............Samyn J L ............ Kelly Patrick J ........20-13 3 All West .....................Leparoux J R ........ Maker Michael J ......5-24 4 Napkins .....................Maragh R ............. Hennig Mark ............5-15 5 Fast Draw ..................Theriot H J II ........ Lukas D Wayne .....12-16 6 Telemachus ...............Velasquez C .......... Jerkens H Allen .......3-17 7 Dancing Luca ............Lezcano J ............. Zito Nicholas P ........7-28 8 Triple Glory ................Luzzi M J .............. Barbara Robert ......10-1Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (4-6), Daily Double

5TH (3:15) 5 1/2 fURLONGS (TURf) 3&UP mDN CLm ($35,000) PURSE: $24,0001 1 Dontquityourdayjob ...Lezcano J ............. Serpe Philip M .........8-11A MTO Hero Figure ...............Lezcano J ............. Serpe Philip M .........8-12 2 B Sharp .....................Luzzi M J .............. Horgan Roger A ....30-13 3 Warrior Ace ...............Bridgmohan S X ... Zito Nicholas P ........6-14 4 Counterspy ................Castanon J L ........ Ward Wesley A ........5-25 5 Master .......................Maragh R ............. Terranova, John ............3-16 6 Interrogatory .............Garcia Alan ........... Duggan David P ......6-17 7 Mind Boggling ...........Samyn J L ............ Ferraro James W ...15-18 8 Bennington Station ....Velazquez J R ....... O’Brien Keith .........15-19 9 Little Alex ..................Dominguez R A .... Klesaris Steve ..........8-110 10 Love of Life ...............Arroyo N Jr .......... Lotruglio Edward ...15-111 AE Roma Di Notte ...........Castanon J L ........ Sciacca Gary .........15-112 MTO Romancing Reid ........Velazquez J R ....... O’Brien Leo ........ 8-1A-Coupled: Dontquityourdayjob and Hero FigureExacta, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (5-7), Pick 6 Races (5-10) Daily Double

6TH (3:49) z1 1/16 mILES (INNER TURf) 3&UP CLAImING ($20,000) PURSE: $25,0001 8 Aly’s Wheat ...............Castellano J J ....... D’Alessandro R .....12-11A AE Fleet Appeal ...............Luzzi M J .............. D’Alessandro R .....12-12 9 Quick to Charm .........Lezcano J ............. Brown Chad C .........7-22B AE Jamaludin ..................Leparoux J R ........ Maker Michael J ......7-23 1 Angliana ....................Maragh R ............. Contessa Gary C ......3-14 2 Counting House .........Morales S ............. Callejas Bernardo ..20-15 3 Bullara .......................Arroyo N Jr .......... Arroyo Enrique ......10-16 4 September Hero ........Samyn J L ............ Wolferseder John ..20-17 5 Greg Got Even ...........Dominguez R A .... Parisella John ..........6-18 6 Willsboro Point .........Garcia Alan ........... Rice Linda ...............9-29 7 Regal Officer .............Fuentes R D ......... Reynolds Patrick ...20-110 10 Vettriano (IRE) ..........Coa E M ............... Morrison John .........5-111 AE Eltish Star ..................Samyn J L ............ Ortiz Paulino O ......20-112 AE Balian ........................Dominguez R A .... Klesaris Steve ..........8-113 AE Absolute Return ........Desormeaux K J ... Violette, Jr. R A......12-114 AE Doc N Roll .................Castellano J J ....... Tagg Barclay ............6-1A-Coupled: Aly’s Wheat and Fleet AppealB-Coupled: Quick to Charm and JamaludinExacta, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (6-8), Grand Slam Races (6-9) Daily Double

7TH (4:23) 5 1/2 fURLONGS (TURf) fILLIES 2YO mDN PURSE: $50,0001 3 Lyrical Note ...............Velazquez J R ....... Pletcher Todd A .......4-11A 6 Raise the Kitty ...........Desormeaux K J ... Pletcher Todd A .......4-12 1 Ready to Party ...........Dominguez R A .... Dutrow Anthony W ..8-13 2 Smart Seattle .............Rose J .................. Motion H Graham ..10-14 4 It’smyburtday ............Leparoux J R ........ Harty Eoin ...............8-15 5 Neenie’s House ..........Castellano J J ....... Weaver George ......12-16 7 More Amour ..............Albarado R J ........ Albertrani Thomas ...8-17 8 Miss Matzo ................Maragh R ............. Benzel Seth ...........15-18 9 Hatheer ......................Garcia Alan ........... McLaughlin Kiaran ..3-19 10 Crimson Glory ...........Castanon J L ........ Ward Wesley A ........7-210 MTO Capitalism At Risk .....Maragh R ............. Violette, Jr. R A........5-1A-Coupled: Lyrical Note and Raise the KittyExacta, Trifecta, Pick 3 Races (7-9), Pick 4 (Races 7-10), Daily Double

8TH (4:57) 6 fURLONGS f&m 3&UP ALLOW OC ($75,000) PURSE: $56,0001 1 Honest to Betsy .........Velazquez J R ....... Romans Dale .........10-12 2 Choragus ...................Borel C H .............. Wilkes Ian R ............5-23 3 Newport Harbour .......Leparoux J R ........ Kenneally Eddie .......8-14 4 Ocean Goddess .........Coa E M ............... Turner, Jr. W H ........4-15 5 Tar Heel Mom ............Garcia Alan ........... Hough Stanley M .....7-26 6 Turn Away .................Dominguez R A .... Frankel Robert .........2-1Exacta, Trifecta, Pick 3 Races (8-10), Daily Double

9TH (5:31) NY STALLION STATUE Of LIBERTY S. 1 1/16 mILES (INNER TURf) fILLIES 3YO PURSE: $150,0001 1 In Volo .......................Hastie R M ........... Wames John J.......12-12 2 Es Mia .......................Prado E S ............. Ubillo Rodrigo A ....10-13 3 Seek On .....................Velasquez C .......... Jerkens H Allen .....15-14 4 Wild Awake................Castellano J J ....... Tagg Barclay ............5-25 5 We’re Hooked ............Garcia Alan ........... Rice Linda ...............8-16 6 Big Brownie ...............Arroyo N Jr .......... Pugh Peter D .........12-17 7 Mother Russia ...........Dominguez R A .... Rice Linda ...............3-18 8 Sezzana .....................Maragh R ............. Bond H James .........4-19 9 She’s Prime ...............Velazquez J R ....... Miceli Michael .......12-110 10 Simple Western .........Coa E M ............... Quick Patrick J ......30-1Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10), Daily Double

10TH (6:04) 5 1/2 fURLONGS (TURf) f&m 3&UP CLAImING ($35,000) PURSE: $31,0001 1 Red Hot Baby ............Velazquez J R ....... Terranova, II John .12-12 2 Hangingonaprayer .....Maragh R ............. Serpe Philip M .........3-13 3 Wheels Up .................Medina J .............. Ubillo Rodrigo A ....15-14 4 World Gone Wrong .....Garcia Alan .............Schettino Dominick ...6-15 5 Seasons Wise ............Arroyo N Jr .......... Odintz Jeff .............20-16 6 Quiet Dancer .............Chavez J F ............ Contessa Gary C ......5-17 7 My Anna Rose ...........Prado E S ............. Sciacca Gary ...........8-18 8 Collar .........................Albarado R J ........ Maker Michael J ......6-19 9 Catty Madeline ...........Leparoux J R ........ Levine Bruce N ........5-110 10 Western Slang ...........Migliore R ............ O’Brien Leo ...........10-111 AE Sweet Bama Breeze ...Castellano J J ....... Brown Bruce R ........7-212 AE Linsalata (IRE) ...........Rose J .................. Motion H Graham ....7-213 MTO Matrimony .................Dominguez R A .... Klesaris Steve ..........5-214 MTO Secretmademoisell ....Dominguez R A .... Dutrow Anthony W ..3-1Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10) Wagers

Don’t Just

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THURSDAY’S Saratoga entrieS


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“Want to go look at a horse?” Sean asked me Wednesday morning.

It was the first time I have been at the track in the morning due to the long nights constructing the pages you are currently leafing through and my land-scaper impersonation every morning.

Five minutes after the question, we were standing between a silver Chevro-let from Louisiana and a black Cadil-lac from Ontario watching a 3-year old graze on some Saratoga sod. It wasn’t the animal that Sean had referred to, but it was worth the 15 minutes we killed just watching him munch away.

No security, no fans elbowing for po-sition to take a cell-phone picture, no cameras chronicling every step, no cigar smoke, no betting windows, just Sean Clancy, Jack Clancy, Jane Motion and Ben Meyers looking at a horse eat.

The sun, the golf cart, a few cars, a trainer talking with colleagues, a groom keeping an eye on the animal and us. It was a cliché photograph. At legendary Saratoga, this horse had turned me into a gawker in one of those idyllic paint-ings – of the morning, the fog, and the workouts – that tourists buy.

Thinking about it though, it could be seen as boring to just stand there and watch an animal flick his ears and pick up a few blades with his lips.

He lifted his head four times. He turned in three circles while we

were there.He took a total of 17 steps while we

watched him.What kept it from being just anoth-

er forgettable lost quarter of an hour though was the air about him.

He seemed like one of those friends that’s good at everything. Everyone knows someone like that. A two handi-cap, a quick wit, a good fashion sense, and an ability to not get wet in the rain.

He doesn’t have to be told he is cool because he knows. He has that easy aura that the high school football cap-tain, the Hollywood leading man, and the most beautiful woman at the ball all have. Not the life of the party, but it

isn’t a party without him.Finally he looked at me (I’ve always

been the sidekick to that friend), seemed to acknowledge that I was there and then went back to his snack. If he had a glass at the end of a bar, he would have raised it.

I got into the business of sports, and sports writing, because I was a fan of sports (especially this sport). Sports-writers who tells you they are here for a different reason are liars or bad sports-writers. But, I have always found that I like to cover teams and games where the players are just regular people – re-ally talented regular people, but still regular.

If there is a horse you could go out and have a few beers with, this was it.

Oh, the horse we were watching . . . Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

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PM 8-31-09 SS:3-14-06 CTBH 8/3/09 4:44 PM Page 1


Bernie Madoff’s list of victims is long. And includes John Morrison.

Morrison trained Jeffrey Tucker’s horses at his Stone Bridge Farm in Schuylerville. Tucker’s investment com-pany lost billions in Madoff’s scam, forcing Tucker to put his farm for sale and disband most of his horse stock.

It’s been a long and arduous climb for Morrison since. He had to regroup, trying to turn the private job into a com-mercial business, all while uncertainty played its hand. Like trying to build a sandcastle in a windstorm.

Nine months since Madoff’s scheme landed like an anvil, Morrison walked through Saratoga, life felt a little bit bet-ter. Morrison sent out Uncle T Seven to win Wednesday’s Cab Calloway Stakes. Once owned by Tucker and now owned by a syndicate put together by Tucker’s former farm manager, Dennis Brida, Un-cle T Seven earned $90,000 for the win and showed the world that Morrison and his horse business are alive and well.

Asked what it meant, the trainer sighed.

“Relief,” Morrison said. “Nothing’s gone right this month, this year. This was quite relieving.”

A big man in the heat, Morrison wiped his brow and shook his head at the madness he has endured since Tucker’s investment company realized it had lost billions of dollars to Madoff’s crime. Asked if he was a victim of Ber-nie Madoff, Morrison didn’t duck it.

“I’m one of them way down the line. In my heart of hearts, I think Mr. Tuck-er was one of them,” Morrison said. “I know people might not look at it that way but I just think he was hoodwinked like everybody else. We just have to con-centrate on taking it one day at a time and doing our very best with what we have, that’s all we can do. It was a chal-lenge.”

Morrison trains about 35 horses, the vast majority being outside horses, at Tucker’s farm (still for sale) and uses three stalls at Saratoga. The vision was grand, utilizing a synthetic training track and building a showplace farm. It’s a commercial operation now, not that everybody knows that. Plenty of his peers thought he was out of business and, to be honest, he wasn’t sure what was going to happen.

“A lot of people thought we were out of business, that’s not the case, once the word got out that we were still in busi-ness, it filled back up again,” Morrison said. “One day at a time, it’s a rebuild-ing year, we’re just trying to put one block at a time, one steppingstone at a time, it will get back there. You’ve got to be patient but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s been frustrating. Trying to build for the future. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

Uncle T Seven did his part. Winners make the world go round in

horse racing and it’s been tough sledding for Morrison this year. Uncle T Seven

has provided two of Morrison’s five wins on the year. The 3-year-old New York-bred colt hasn’t been off the board in five starts, including two restricted stakes victories. A buoy in the storm.

“The one thing about this game is it’s frustrating as it gets and as many times as you want to say screw it, you find yourself getting up and doing the same thing again,” Morrison said. “Days like this are few and far between compared to all the calls you get in the middle of the night because you’ve got a colic or whatever. We don’t have the quality of some other people, so we have to manage it better. I worked for Richie O’Connell, he always said, ‘We’ll just do a better job than everybody else.’ We’re trying to do that.”

If only Madoff would have used the same theory.

• • •And now for the rest of the story. It

went something like this . . .Two men sat down in the front row of

the sales pavilion, one bid a million dol-lars for a daughter of Kingmambo, con-signed by Denali Stud. He said, loudly, that he just bought the best horse in the sale. Walt Robertson said he hoped so.

Apparently, it was the alcohol talk-ing. Sale or no sale?

Thinking things didn’t look right, consignor Craig Bandoroff headed to Shadwell’s Rick Nichols, who was in-terested in the filly. She might come back through the ring, Bandoroff told Nichols.

The mystery bidder – bald, madras shirt, swigging from a bottle of Canada Dry that didn’t look like Canada Dry and sucking on a brown cigarette – re-fused to go to the Fasig-Tipton office to establish credit. Standing at the corner of the pavilion and looking like a seg-ment of “COPS,” he fished for an out.

In the middle of the fracas, he looked me dead in the eye.

“Hey, Sean, how are you doing?”I thought, “Better than you,” but I

said, “Hey, how we doing?”Fasig-Tipton’s Dan Pride whipped

around and sprinted to me. “Can this man pay for a million-dol-

lar horse?”“I don’t know him, but I don’t think

it looks too good.”The man made a break for it, and

headed toward the feed store as Boyd Browning signaled for the cops. The man drifted off into the night, another Saratoga legend.

I swear I don’t know him.

CUP oF CoFFee

By sean Clancy

morrison onroad back

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E Year 9 • No. 14 SARATOGA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER ON ...

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