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Sean Clancy “You know this guy with the cowboy hat? The guy who won the handicapping contest?” Pete Fornatale asked me the other day. “Of course, I know him. That’s Kevin Cox. I think I wrote a Cup of Coffee about him a couple of years ago.” “Think you can find it?” Hmmm. Back to the archives. … Read more
This Is Horse Racing learned of the passing of Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens Wednesday at the age of 85. For several years The Saratoga Special has published words of wisdom from the legendary trainer. Here’s a collection that we’ve printed online in 2013. “The Chief” will be missed by the team at ST Publishing, TIHR, The Special and all of racing.
Wesley Ward straightened his yellow silk tie. Pulled his gray waistcoat down. Adjusted his black top hat. This was big for anybody. For a guy who’s most comfortable in jeans, and slippers, shirt tail flowing – the quintessential racetracker – this was huge.
And the calendar turns to July. Really? Wise Dan won, just. Royal Ascot is over, sadly. Saratoga looms, gulp. Here’s your Here & There for Monday, July 1. We checked in with Wesley Ward about Royal Ascot, watched the jumpers at Parx and hit the annual Maryland Horse Breeders’ yearling show.
Every year, as you gear up, pack up for Saratoga, you can’t help but think of what’s the same, what’s different, who’s returning, who’s missing. This year, it won’t be the same without Ramon Dominguez. From the perspective of a horseman, a journalist, a fan, a friend…I’ll miss his long hold in the race and articulate answers after. Back to the archives, I found this from Saratoga 2009, when Ramon was at the top and planning on staying there.
Sometimes I find stuff on my computer, labeled, “Extras.” Today, trying to find something else, I found “LoPresti Extras” in the Saratoga 2012 archives on my desktop. This a story Charlie LoPresti told me about Morton Fink’s homebred Wise Dan after the eventual Horse of the year won the Fourstardave at Saratoga last summer. We were somewhere in the caverns of the Saratoga grandstand, heading to the test barn and LoPresti was on a roll about the horse’s life.
In anticipation of Wise Dan’s attempt to push his win streak to seven when he lines up in the Firecracker at Churchill Downs Saturday…
All Eddie Graham wanted to do was go to the beach – eat cotton candy and caramel corn, take a walk on the boardwalk, maybe spin in the teacups at Funland, try to win a stuffed animal or two for his kids. Then a writer calls him up about an undefeated hurdler and asks the most popular question in racing this time of year.
Summer jumping continues with a three-race stint at Parx Racing Tuesday. Horsemen have rallied yet again, over-filling two maiden races and an optional claimer. Full fields, quality horses and trips to Saratoga in the balance.
All good things must come to an end. Royal Ascot 2013 draws to a close with another riveting six-race card. Each day has brought an eclectic mix of horses and races, stories and moments.
The Queen. Lady Cecil. Wesley Ward. Now, that’s a trifecta. Each shared the day at Royal Ascot Thursday.
