Features

Shug McGaughey did the ultimate Stable Tour in The Special back in 2004 when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Shug’s 32 Flavors began with Inside Information and finished with Aldiza, with everything else in between. Just McGaughey talking about the horses who shaped his career. (Originally published in the Sept. 2 edition of The Saratoga Special.)

“Want to do a Stable Tour?”

George Weaver looked up from his desk at his barn near the Oklahoma training track and laughed, “I was wondering why you were hanging around here,” Weaver said, sliding his chair and walking out of his office.

Last Thursday morning after training, five pigeons caused a fuss outside Ray Handal’s barn on the Oklahoma Training Track. A Handal Racing cooler hung to dry on a railing. Geese squawked overhead. Pickup trucks and golf carts zipped by. Piles of bedding poured out of stalls in the barn. In front of each stall, a Jolly Ball horse toy dangled. Hanging baskets of flowers hung from the roof.

Trainer Barclay Tagg came to Saratoga in 2015 and wasn’t sure he’d win a race at the country’s top race meeting. Of course, the horses went 7-for-19 to put Tagg in the top 12 alongside far bigger stables. Last year, the win total was one. This year, the barn is 3-for-11 with a stakes win. (Originally published in Aug. 27 edition of The Saratoga Special.)

It was the day before the Travers, Bill Mott had one in the first, sixth, seventh, ninth and 11th and had something called the Red Jacket Ceremony that afternoon. Two horses waited to paddock school, a vet walked past to scope a horse, an exercise rider discussed a rank filly who’s getting better, a van agent organized a trip to Belmont, a van driver asked for a Coggins test and Elliott Walden called about a horse. Mott stood in his courtyard, directing it all. (Originally published in the Aug. 26 issue of The Saratoga Special.)

David Cannizzo grew up in a racing family and even though he excelled at lacrosse in high school and college, he always seemed destined for a career involving horses. (Originally published in Aug. 25 issue of The Saratoga Special.)

Ken McPeek stood in front of a dry erase board in his Saratoga office. Color-coded to denote horses stabled at Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Magdalena Farm and Saratoga, the ceiling-to-floor board lists a far-reaching battalion of horses, McPeek’s best string for a while. The Kentucky-based trainer won 103 races in 2009, but slipped to 50 each of the past two seasons. This year, he’s sent out 34 winners for $2.7 million, already ahead of last year’s earnings total. (Originally published in Aug. 24 issue of The Saratoga Special.)

The first win always provides a bit of a relief, not that Bruce Brown was showing any signs of pressure before You Like That broke his and the barn’s maiden Thursday. You Like That won for $40,000 and immediately got his trainer, owner and breeder thinking about what’s next. Such is the life of a horseman. (Originally published in Aug. 20 issue of The Saratoga Special.)

Friday morning, Jimmy Jerkens swished a saddle towel around the legs of Holy Helena as the Queen’s Plate winner received four new shoes for today’s Grade 1 Alabama. Jerkens swished his towel and imitated his dad, Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens. (Originally published in the Aug. 19 issue of The Saratoga Special.)

Rick Violette’s Saratoga shedrow and spacious courtyard provide a welcome and peaceful respite just a long throw-in from the frequently bustling three-quarter-pole gap, backstretch mutuel area and Morning Line Kitchen. (Originally published in the Aug. 18 issue of The Saratoga Special.)