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Sean Clancy 
Canadian-based mare makes season debut in Grade 1 Kevin Attard and Korina McLean leaned over a black and red Phipps webbing Friday morning. Behind the webbing in stall six on the east side of Shug McGaughey’s barn, way back in the stall stood Moira. The 5-year-old mare didn’t prick an ear, didn’t move a muscle, … Read more
We’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times here at The Special. We like tradition. From Jimmy Toner’s pillows, figure eights under the Clare Court trees, the bell ringer doing their job with 17 minutes to post and bleary eyed tourists coming out for morning works with coffee and bagels or making a … Read more
“I thought I was going to die.” Phil Bauer forced those seven words Friday morning when asked about a plane crash on Lizard Island off the northeast coast of Australia Jan. 8. All 10 on the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan thought the same thing, felt the same thing, as the plane’s engine over-torqued early in … Read more
Todd Wyatt was on his way home from the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. The four-day racing festival in June had come and gone. It was everything that was good in racing. Engaged fans. Competitive racing. At a venue that never disappoints. Wyatt, predominately a steeplechase trainer, had come to town with his wife, Blair, their … Read more
One final installment – at least until the fall – of The Saturday Special before our team rolls out the first edition of The Saratoga Special next week with the opening of Saratoga Race Course. The team is ready to roll, thanks in part to already producing four editions during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. … Read more
The final weekend in June and the start of the Saratoga Race Course meeting now less than two weeks away. Who’s ready? Our team at The Saratoga Special certainly is and we’re already well underway planning out our 24th season at the greatest place on earth. Surely you’ve seen our schedule for the 40-day meeting. … Read more
Royal Ascot overseas and a welcome break from the early-season heat wave in U.S. usher in the official start to summer a day after the longest day of the year. With the summer solstice in the rearview mirror, it’s also full speed ahead to the Saratoga Race Course meeting and season 24 of The Saratoga … Read more
And we’re back. Hopefully you enjoyed our four-day run of print editions of The Saratoga Special for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. The Saturday Special returns just in time for the summer solstice and will run every week until the start of the proper Saratoga meeting Thursday, July 11. Then we’re … Read more
Here we go. A week out from the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and even less until the Festival kicks into gear, but one more installment of The Saturday Special to feed your jones. The first Saturday in June marks Derby Day in England and we kick things off in our primer with a … Read more
With a successful 149th Preakness Stakes in the books, it’s time to zero in on the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. But first we’ll take a little pause for Memorial Day, remembering all those lost and readying for the start of the summer. Here’s The Saturday Special for the kick off to Memorial Day … Read more
