Sean Clancy

American horses are on drugs. American horses are bred for speed. American horses are used up. American horses are inferior. American horses can’t handle soft turf. American horses can’t get the trip. Meet Tap Night.

Well, Valdez is no longer undefeated. Riverdee’s British runner finished fourth in the Doncaster Sales Bumper on Saturday at Newbury. My in-running comment would read: Pulled hard, never settled, saved ground, lacked room, slow to respond when called upon, forced to switch lanes several times in stretch, stayed on well to just miss third. 

ST caught up with bloodstock agent Tom McGreevy for an article about Fox Hill Farm’s Havre de Grace (who he picked out) in next month’s Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred. It was one of those conversations that wound up being 45 minutes long and over 2,500 words. We thought you might enjoy part of it. 

 Slam. It’s always the door I hear first. From the far end of the house. I don’t hear feet, no voice, no anything. Other than the door. Slam. He always slams the door. Then I hear his feet. Patter. Patter. Patter. Like a chicken across a bowling alley.

Tom and Mimi Voss went back to the meadow. On a quiet Sunday in late November, oldtimers Shoot Back, Petroski, Sennacherib and Malagash picked their heads up, made sure the Vosses weren’t coming for them and went back to eating.

About 11 months ago, I walked with Alex Solis after he won the Forego to close out the meet. It was one of two wins at the meet for the veteran.

Michael Matz stood at the top of the stairs and pointed to the only moving element after The Saratoga Special. There in the distance, through the rain, through the gray, through the slop, was a solitary figure – shadow roll, white feet, yellow silks – skipping through it all.

John Velazquez stepped off the scales after the Adirondack and shook his head in disbelief. No words needed. Julien Leparoux stepped off the scales and simply smirked, again no words needed.

Bill Mott thought about his owner, his friend. “It’s just a shame he couldn’t be here to watch her,” Mott said. “I don’t know what happens when you leave this place but I hope he was watching.”

Jonathan Sheppard posed in the winner’s circle. His former assistant Graham Motion did not. It would have made a nice reunion.