Messy Mammal
Jonathan Thomas walked to the winner’s circle and shook hands with his old boss. “Hey, I haven’t been in the winner’s circle for a long time…” Thomas said.
Sean Clancy
Cup of Coffee: Telling Them
And finally Tuscalee gets in the Hall of Fame. The 37-time jump winner will be a commensurate line at the end of most stories about the Hall of Fame. Of course, rail-skimming Kentucky Derby scion Calvin Borel will garner the most lines of type, the most minutes of ovation. Greased-lightning miler Lure will get his … Read more
Cup of Coffee: Goose Egg
Here at the Special, we’ve weathered the storms - literally and figuratively. A hurricane that cancelled the races, power outages from New York City to Saratoga, kids getting sick, kids going back to school, golf cart accidents, clashes with security guards, typos, factual errors, employees who run off the tracks, advertisers who stick us, trainers who … Read more
Cup of Coffee: Finding Edgar
Edgar Prado paused and let the comment hang in there. Said with good intentions, it could have been received with a smile or a snarl. Prado split the difference. “Where did I go?” Prado said. “You said, ‘Nice to see you back.’ Where did I go?” The 46-year-old Hall of Fame jockey didn’t smile or … Read more
Cup of Coffee: A Long Time
“How long have you been writing about this place?” The question came out of the crowd, at the races, just after interviewing John Velazquez about winning the Vanderbilt. I turned and a perfect stranger, under the brim of a Yankees hat, was staring at me, from under the tree near the jocks’ room. “How long … Read more
Cup of Coffee: Dr. Jockey
The first time you saw him, you knew he wouldn’t last. The talent was there, natural and omnipresent. The work ethic was there, hell, he grew up in Bill Mott’s shedrow, you learn about horses and about work all at the same time. He had hands of gold and a long leg to match. He … Read more
Cup of Coffee: Momentous
It’s the moments that make the meet. All together, when put together, they complete another endless summer. Good and bad, harrowing and fulfilling, depressing and elating, they come at you, hard and fast. So far… Walking up to the window to bet Miss Lamour because she’s pretty and hearing her number being called out at … Read more
Justin Time
Scott Blasi shook hands, smiled and made an editorial request. “Now you can run a good picture of him,” the assistant trainer said, as he walked toward Justin Phillip, fresh after winning the Grade I Vanderbilt. “He looks so good. Dapples. I want to see tomorrow’s picture.”
Crossing Guard
It was a stupid question. Moments after winning the Whitney Handicap, John Velazquez was asked if he knew where Fort Larned was as he guided Cross Traffic to the lead going into the first turn of the $750,000 stakes. Like asking the Road Runner if he knew where the coyote was.
Cup of Coffee: Loss Meter
Cot Campbell says he gets over defeats in 90 seconds. In a minute and a half, Dogwood’s founder processes the loss, puts it away and devises a plan going forward. That’s fast. How long does it take you? I’ll admit, it takes me longer. Way longer. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to … Read more
