News

By Joe Clancy

August 1, 2003. The Springwater Inn in Saratoga. Dinner guests put down their forks and walked into the bar to stare at the television. Azeri was running. Horse of the Year in 2002, she’d won 10 in a row and was 1-5 in Del Mar’s Clement Hirsch.

Mike Michalisin had to do it. Had to own horses.

I wasn’t going to write one of these until late in the meet, when The Saratoga Special officially concluded its 10th year. We’re halfway through – and with nothing else to write about – no time like the present. 

By Joe Clancy

Ronny Werner went to the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale in 2007 with fairly specific instructions from John Kuehl and Nathan Fox.

By Sean Clancy

Padua’s Stable’s Sasha Sanan watched Majesticperfection walk out of the paddock for Sunday’s Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap; part parent, part fan, Sanan stood in amazement. 

Life is a checklist – 15 down, 20 to go. That’s where the Saratoga Special stands for 2010. This is the last page of the last paper of 12 in a row, completed over sales week. 

Al Stall had done all he could do. It was 10:30 in the morning. The Whitney loomed in seven hours.

By Joe Clancy

Back home in Louisiana, veterinarians, other trainers and racetrackers refer to trainer Eric Guillot by a one-word nickname.

Al Stall will try to win the Whitney Handicap today with Blame. It sure beats trying to plug the BP oil leak. 

By Joe Clancy

Tom Voss stood on the landing of the metal steps that lead from the box area to the winner’s circle after Saratoga’s eighth race Friday. Hair all over the place, red-and-gold Hermes tie hanging crooked on a blue-and-white striped shirt under a tan plaid blazer,  creases in his dark green pants, creases around his eyes, he looked worried, stunned, vexed.