Tom Law 
As hard as it is to believe we’re almost two weeks removed from the end of the 2022 Saratoga meet, that’s where we find ourselves just past the halfway point of September. Kentucky Downs and Colonial Downs wrapped up, too, and racing made the shift to Aqueduct for the Belmont at the Big A meet, … Read more
The 20th edition of The Saratoga Special is already old news and there’s always come content that we couldn’t get in print. We were blessed with Richard Zwirn’s “Every Horse Has a Story” columns for the meet and offer up his final installment below. We thank Richard for the work and insight, and apologize we … Read more
It all comes down to this. Closing Day at Saratoga Race Course. There’s rain and a chill in the air, along with champagne on ice for the soon-to-be (again) leading handicapper at The Saratoga Special, John Shapazian. He takes a big lead into Day 40, and it would take a complete collapse and total miracle … Read more
Two days remain in the 2022 Saratoga Race Course meeting and a 12-race card topped by the Grade 1 Spinaway awaits horseplayers. What looks like a competitive field of 10 entered the 7-furlong Spinaway, including Schuylerville winner Just Cindy, Adirondack winner Naughty Gal, Wonder Wheel, Kaling and American Rockette. The race for leading handicapper isn’t … Read more
The final week of the 2022 Saratoga meeting rolls along Friday with a 10-race card topped by a pair of stakes – the $150,000 Lucky Coin for older sprinters on the grass and Grade 2 Prioress for 3-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs. We set the stage with the picks from The Saratoga Special handicappers below, … Read more
Welcome to September. The final week of the 2022 Saratoga Race Course meeting kicked into gear Wednesday, the first of a six-day run to bring the curtain down on the best place on earth. We’re catching up and squeezing content into the last couple issues of The Saratoga Special, and also trying to feature some … Read more
Pick a side. Are you a giver or taker? It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while, mostly after deciding to write a story about a couple barbers from Schenectady who decided to produce video vignettes highlighting the work of the valuable and often forgotten men and women of the backside. The story ran … Read more
Week 7 of the 2022 Saratoga Race Course meeting comes to a close Sunday with a 10-race card topped by the Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap for older fillies and mares and Better Talk Now for 3-year-olds on the grass. Champion female sprinter Ce Ce returns to Saratoga for the 7-furlong Ballerina and takes on a … Read more
Travers Weekend is here and everything kicks off with the annual Saratoga Showcase Day card for New York-breds. Eleven races are on tap, including six stakes, and the handicappers are hungry for some winners. Here are the picks for Friday, Aug. 26. Good luck. JOHN SHAPAZIAN (104/315):1-Maple Leaf Mel, Miracle, Song Parody.2-Photon, Funny How, Clement … Read more
Travers Week kicked off Wednesday and rolls along Thursday with a 10-race card topped by the $135,000 Riskaverse Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the grass. A field of 11 entered the Riskaverse, a restricted 1-mile stakes on the inner turf for fillies which have not won a sweepstakes other than state-bred at 1 mile or … Read more
