News

Stop the presses.

Today’s New York Turf Writers Cup is not yesterday’s New York TurfWriters Cup. Wednesday morning, Jonathan Sheppard planned to scratchhighweight Mixed Up, leaving a field of six led by new highweightPlanets Aligned. By Wednesday afternoon, Tom Voss decided to scratchPlanets Aligned and Sheppard opted to run Mixed Up.

Stop the presses. Today’s New York Turf Writers Cup is not yesterday’s New York TurfWriters Cup. Wednesday morning, Jonathan Sheppard planned to scratchhighweight Mixed Up, leaving a field of six led by new highweightPlanets Aligned. By Wednesday afternoon, Tom Voss decided to scratchPlanets Aligned and Sheppard opted to run Mixed Up.

Chip Woolley stabbed his right crutch at a weed in the shedrow of theSaratoga stakes barn Wednesday morning and thought about what mighthave been.

Running a marathon is easy. Training for a marathon is hell.
Winning the Alabama is easy. Preparing, securing and keeping the ride is tough.
Robert Landry bangs out a decent living at Woodbine; the 46-year-old veteran has guided 21 winners at the Canadian track this year, good enough for 13th in the standings. He was leading rider there in 1994, earned the Sovereign Award for outstanding jockey in 1993 and 1994, won his 2,000th career race this summer. When the weather takes over at Woodbine and the horses go south or go to the farm, Landry follows the coast to Florida.

Kevin Plank asked for the floor. The Sagamore Farm team quieted, the Under Armour squad hushed, the Graham Motion crew stood at attention, the NYRA brass turned and listened. Plank raised his glass of champagne to salute Lake Placid winner Shared Account.

For a steeplechase trainer, it’s a pretty simple plan. Break a horse’smaiden in the spring, then plan the best path to Saratoga. Tom Vossdoes it better than most.

OK, we got motivated.

Ryan, Joe and I were humbled in the Fasig-Tipton 5K. Not necessarily by our time, Ryan and I made the first page of results, but by how we felt.

I was desperate.

The 1998 New York Turf Writers Cup loomed and I didn’t have a ride. Not riding a jump race at Saratoga when you call yourself a jump jockey hurts. You spend all morning avoiding the question, “Who are you riding and who do you like?” They look at you like, “Man, that’s pathetic. Two races a week and you’re missing one. Get a job, dude.”

You can get from Northlands Park to Saratoga, but it takes awhile. Donver Stable sent trainer Josie Carroll a cheap bay filly namedJustjoriser back in 1999. The daughter of Cherokee Colony won once (at the Edmonton, Alberta track) innine starts that year and went 1-for-7 the next season. Ten yearslater, Donver and Carroll cheered Careless Jewel home in Saturday’sAlabama – the $600,000, Grade I Alabama.

Tom Voss was on his way to Belmont Park in November 2007. The Maryland trainer had a horse to run and a horse to see. The racing office called Voss to tell him bad weather had forced the cancellation of the card. Voss nearly turned around, then decided to help put his horse back on the van. He nearly forgot to go see a big gelding of James Bond’s.