Joe Clancy

Thor’s Echo peered from his stall at the stakes barn and looked as interested as a Yankees fan listening to Terry Francona talk about his two World Series rings. The 2006 champion sprinter had descended upon the most famous racetrack in the world to run in today’s Grade II Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap . . . big deal.

And finally the turf. The Grade II Lake George provided what the first three days of the meet hadn’t – good old-fashioned turf racing when every move is magnified and trips mean everything.

“Nice article on Chad Brown winning his first race at Saratoga,” John Fahey III said while leaning on the racing office counter Thursday.

“Thanks. I’ll write the same one when you win your first.”

“OK,” Fahey said.

Here goes.

Eoin Harty leaned on the counter of the racing office and tried to occupy his mind. First he leafed through the New York Post with Ashley Dupre on the cover, then he listened to the Pat Reynolds show, then started worrying about last-minute training tweaks.

“Were they a big racing dynasty?”

The grass looks like it’s been groomed by Vidal Sassoon. The walking ring could pass for a scale replica of the main track’s oval. The shedrow has fewer rocks than your swimming pool.

Ever been to The Whip? I was there before The Whip was The Whip. Then known as the Country Place Deli, the cinderblock square at the corner of Route 841 and Springdell Road in Chester County, Pa. lured an odd mix of cowboys and kids. The cowboys drank beer and threw darts in the back … Read more

Four. Six if you count part-timers. Seven if you count my dad, who does Pennsylvania distribution. Eight if you count Barry Watson, who handles Maryland and Virginia. Other than the occasional freelance writer, some independent advertising sales people, a core group of freelance photographers and a cast of volunteers, that’s the staff of Steeplechase/Eventing Times. … Read more

Visitors, we get visitors at ST Publishing World Headquarters here in Fair Hill. Deliverymen, horsemen, salesmen, relatives, old bosses, relatives’ old bosses, young people, old people, lost people. One day last week, a visitor reminded us of why we do what we do. He came to watch a horse run on TVG. A few moments … Read more

Steeplechase/Eventing Times won the General Excellence Award for 2007 at the American Horse Publications awards banquet Saturday, June 28 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.