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The location of Ian Wilkes’ barn at the far end of Clare Court might be one of the best on the grounds. The barn sits in a quiet spot on the corner, with Nelson Avenue to the west and the Greentree property to the south.
Gary Contessa’s first summer in Saratoga happened in 1978 with a 12-hours-a-day job as a groom/pony boy/exercise boy/hotwalker/foreman for Jimmy Picou. The barn did not have running hot water, instead relying on a 55-gallon drum propped up on cinder blocks over a flame fueled by a propane tank.
Ralph Nicks is back. The Saratoga veteran – as assistant for Bill Mott and on his own – decided to stay in Florida last summer. The decision, made out of necessity, turned into the best decision Nicks has made, perhaps, in his career.
John Terranova’s barn at Belmont Park was bustling with activity this spring and summer. The just turned 45-year-old trainer sent out 39 starters at the spring-summer stand, won eight races and hit the board in 13 others for a strike rate of 54 percent in the money.
Rick Violette called his Saratoga barn near the 6-furlong gap on the main track “as close to a home as you could have.” He’s been there for, as he put it, 50 years. It’s probably not quite that long, but he did work there for David Whiteley and Angel Penna before becoming a trainer.
Trainer Al Stall Jr. didn’t waste much time getting his 2015 Saratoga meet off to a strong start, sending out Dating Lady Luck to finish second in allowance company Opening Day and Paid Up Subscriber to a win another allowance the second day.
Leah Gyarmati looks down her shedrow, deep in the corner of Clare Court and Greentree and thinks about her 20 horses here and 17 at Belmont Park. It’s the most she’s ever trained.
“I’ve never had to leave that many behind,” she said. “It’s just different. Trying to stay on top of everything. It’s not my favorite way of doing it, but it’s nice to have a good group of horses.”
Seven-time Sovereign Award-winning trainer Mark Casse is back at Saratoga with a strong hand and it was on full display Friday morning when a set including Whitney Invitational-bound Noble Bird and Coaching Club American Oaks-bound Conquest Eclipse went to the track with some maiden 2-year-olds and allowance horses.
Todd Pletcher won his fifth consecutive and 11th overall training title at Saratoga Race Course in 2014, just one of the accomplishments that paved the way to a record seventh Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding trainer. He won 28 races at Saratoga last year, 10 fewer than his career best in 2011 but enough to win by five over Chad Brown.
Suzanne Carreker-Voigt got to see just how far a Thoroughbred could take her in disciplines outside of racing starting from the cornfields of Iowa of all places. Now she and fellow upstate New York horsewoman Donna Vild hope to show others the value of Thoroughbreds in second careers during a dark-day event next month near Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
