Sean Clancy

“It’s a triangle, like a perferct triangle.” That’s how my friend Jonathan Thorne described the route from Middleburg to Lexington to Saratoga. I had looked at the map, and yes, it’s a perfect triangle. Geometry wasn’t my thing in school (what was?) but he’s right, it looks like a triangle, a perfect triangle. I’m at … Read more

Months…a year…two years…  Back in Kentucky for the first time in…what…months…a year…two years.  Since March, 2020, days have run into weeks and weeks have run into months and months have run into years. Back on the cicuit, the tour. Iroquois a few weeks ago, Kentucky today, Saratoga Wednesday.  Good to be back.  For more from … Read more

Saratoga is looming. Large. Sure beats last year when it was limping. At best.  Six days away. I’m still trying to figure out how to be in Lexington Monday and Tuesday for Fasig Tipton July Sale and Saratoga by Wednesday for the first deadline Wednesday night. As an owner once said to me, “I have … Read more

This is ultimately what has been missing for the last year. Urgency. The sense of urgency when deadlines loom. Travel stress. The sense of pressure right before a trip. I feel both. Working the sales at Arqana, Tattersalls and Fasig Tipton, juggling walking videos, race replays, clients’ wants and needs. Beyond that, the daily rituatls … Read more

Ragged Old Flag I walked through a county courthouse squareOn a park bench an old man was sitting thereI said, your old courthouse is kinda run downHe said, naw, it’ll do for our little townI said, your old flagpole has leaned a little bitAnd that’s a ragged old flag you got hanging on it He … Read more

I’m back after taking a few days off from the tumult of the Iroquois. As Todd Wyatt said early Sunday morning when I was catching a Southwest flight and he was clmbing into his truck for a long, lonely trek home, “That was fun. Kind of.” Racing road trips hinge on winning.  As for Footpad, … Read more

The second Saturday in May. The last Saturday in June. Either way, it’s the Iroquois.  I came here for the first time in 1984 or ‘85, for the large pony race. Red Raven scooted up the inside to beat a field full of Quarter Horses. I was the only one in race tack, well, actually … Read more

Reading A Life on Our Planet by Sir David Attenborough, the British naturalist and broadcaster. Miles gave the book to me for Fathers’ Day. I promised I would finish it by the time he got home. Tomorrow. I have a lot to do. Fascinating read so far, certainly not uplifting about our planet and what … Read more

What a week. Here are a few quotes from Royal Ascot.  Jockey Oisin Murphy: “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be top jockey at Royal Ascot. When I was a child, I watched this meeting with my parents and I never thought this armband belonged on me, but thankfully the last few … Read more