SARATOGA!

[Barbwire]

Saratoga opened yesterday! I LOVE going to the track, it is so alive. If you get there before 5 am it is pure magic! The mist in the air, sometimes so thick you can barely see the horses. When the betting crowd comes in closer to post time, the people watching opportunities boggle the mind. When the track gets out LOOKOUT! The clubs are hopping, the galleries and shops are open, jazz is in the air!

I plan on going up a few times this year to get some pix. Which reminds me, if anyone has a particular horse, trainer or jockey they want a picture of, please PM me and I'll snap a few off for you. :D

Anybody want to join me?

[DSDECKERT]

Barb - I'd LOVE to join you - what is the closest airport? Let me see if I can schedule a trip for when you are going!

[Heidi]

Sister and I used to spend two months of every summer with GrandMa in New York and I will NEVER FORGET when she and GrandPa bundled us up early in the morning to go to breakfast at Belmont and watch them work the horses in the mist. We also were shown how the starting gate works and got to meet a TB whose stable name was "Mouse".
Ruffian and Secretariat are my two faves...
Uncle in CA still has his first race horse, a mare named Lady Harridan. I think she is about 27 or 28 now?

Anywho...I sure wish I could join you, too. We could win a BUNDLE because I can pick 'em! I've always been able to do it. Ever since I was about 13, in 4-H at the county fair, I made friends with the man who guarded the Jockey's Gate and he'd let me sneak in to watch the runners. I'd stand at the walking ring and pick my favorite three and probably 90% of the time it was dead-on, or the three would still be in the top three, just not the order I picked, or one would come in 4th/5th.

Wish GA had horse racing.
Heidi

[Barbwire]

Deb, Albany International airport is the closest. For an outrageous fee, I could pick ya up at the a'port and cart ya around the region. ;-) I'm not sure what dates I am going, but let's try to work something out. Please PM me. :D

Aw Heidi, I wish you could come! I'm not a gambler myself, never even purchased a scratch off ticket, but I'm sure hubby would be happy for some tips.

[Edurne]

Cyril Murphy, Jockey - he's the trainer/jockey who is training the two year olds at the farm.

[Heidi]

...I'm sure hubby would be happy for some tips.
I look at all of the horses entered into the race as they are led to the saddling enclosure, while they are being saddled and while being led to the starting gate.

Which are the fittest horses?
Who is happy to be there?
Who is NOT happy to be there?
Is anyone sweating excessively?
Is anyone dancing around, misbehaving and wasting excess energy?
How do the ones you've rough-picked behave as they are led around the track?
Some dancing is okay, but a lot of lunging and rearing is bad. Those horses usually leave their race right there by expending too much energy.

*I should quantify that I have never been able to pick the top three from any major races. The quality and caliber of horses are all too evenly matched...however, the summers I did this at my local County Fair, there is a wide range of horse quality and it was readily apparent...that is how I was able to pick so well.
Have fun!

[DebbieS]

Barb, your description makes it sound wonderful!

Have fun at the races!!

[Blameitonbrio]

Barb, your description makes it sound wonderful!

I agree. Barb, I hope you will take pictures to share!

[Privatetreaty]

Hey Barb,
Please let me know next time you go.
I may have something for you. 8-)

.

[Barbwire]

I want it now! I want it now!

What is it?

[Privatetreaty]

You want it now? You want it now?
But, you don't know what "it" is. :lol:

[darcy]

Oh Barb! Wish I had known this yesterday. My aunt's boss is half-owner of Steel Millie, a 2 yo filly. She ran in the second race yesterday, her first real race. I know she will be running over Labor Day weekend, not sure how much she'll race before then. If you can get me action pics I would love that!!

As much I hate to see horses get broken down by racing I have to admit that I am a race horse junky. I could care less about betting on them I just love to look at them and watch them move....

Wish I lived closer to a bigger track. We have Sun Ray Park about 1.5hrs away but there meet is quite short and there isn't that much talent there.