Sea-ing The Stars and Some Juvenile Hopefuls (Hot Dixie Chick and Dublin!)

So hard to pull myself out of the cool sheets this morning. Even though autumn doesn't officially begin for a few weeks, there's a kind of post-Labor Day malaise hanging over this Tuesday morning. I think part of it is that I'm still kind of spinning from my weekend in Saratoga Springs...what an idyllic place to celebrate the end of summer.

Yesterday I'd written about the possibility of Mine That Bird's connections winning a kind of double crown (of the Kentucky Derby and All-American Futurity), which, in the end was not meant to be. I watched the race on television and it was an exciting one, won by Running Brook Gal, but I'm going to have to say that I much prefer thoroughbred racing to quarter-horse racing. Both are beautiful animals and incredible athletes, don't get me wrong, but the quarter-horse races are just too short. (I know, they're quarter-horses...that's the point.) It just doesn't allow for as much of the strategizing or gamesmanship of thoroughbred racing, in my opinion, at least. There's no place for a late closer, or a stretch running wonder. Those quarter-horses are the equine equivalent of Usain Bolt--they are speed demons!!

All fun to watch, in any event...I'd never even try to handicap a quarter-horse race, but their power and strength is admirable and beautiful.

Incredibly, there were some really well-contested races over the weekend that didn't feature Rachel Alexandra! And some of them were on the other coast, even! (That never-ending battle between Oriental and Occidental goes on!) I kid, of course. Though I must say that watching the Pennsylvania Derby (Gr II), won pretty handily by Gone Astray, I wondered if Rachel's camp had ever really seriously considered running her there. It just seemed a much smaller and certainly less prestigious race than The Woodward (G I).

Einstein, one of my other favorite horses, ran a strong race in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar but was defeated by long shot (24-1) Richard's Kid. Rail Trip ran valiantly in between them, but it was a real battle. I'm always going to be cheering on Einstein, but was very impressed with the off-pace run of Richard's Kid and Mike Smith's ride as well.

Two juveniles that I'll be keenly interested in over the coming months are Dublin (out of the athletic Afleet Alex) who won the Grade I Hopeful Stakes on Monday at Saratoga, and Hot Dixie Chick who won the Spinaway (also Grade I) Stakes there on Sunday. She's a two-year-old stable mate to Rachel Alexandra and she's won her last three races convincingly. I was amused to read that she's a very laid back youngster, because she certainly seems to be all business on the track. It seems wrong to be thinking about next spring already, but with so many talented two-year-olds, it's fun to keep an eye out and start to settle in on some favorites.

Now for a pipe-dream: I'd love to watch Sea The Stars race over here. He won the Irish Champion Stakes on Sunday--in convincing fashion--and has cut quite a swathe through European turf racing this year. As a three year old, Sea The Stars now has won five straight group I races, and has improved his overall record to seven victories from eight starts. Pretty impressive. While he seems pointed toward the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) at Longchamp in October, his trainers have not ruled out a trip to Santa Anita this fall. One of the writers or commenters on a blog weighed in that he would be a great stallion to match up with Rachel. With his love of the turf and hers of the dirt, the possibilities could be endless.

Something new to me is blog-talk-radio. It's an intriguing thing and while it's maybe not new to you all, I'm enjoying investigating it. If you haven't heard enough about Rachel and Sea The Stars or weighed in on Calvin Borel's ride on Saturday, then tune in to ABR blogtalkradio tomorrow, where they will be discussing all that and more.

And on a final note, congratulations to Linda Rice for her historic achievement--winning the training title at Saratoga and marking the first time in the 145 years of racing that a woman has taken that title. She's in pretty good company this summer with a large cast of talented equine females. You go, girls!!

A Double Eagle Double?

I'll fully admit that Mine That Bird never really captured my imagination, despite his being ridden in the Derby by one of my favorite jockeys, Calvin Borel. Nothing against the little guy, he's clearly got a huge heart and lots of gumption, but he just never caught my eye. None of the "Bird" horses have, and if I'm totally honest it probably has to do with Birdstone's upset of Smarty Jones in the 2004 Belmont Stakes. Nothing like having some sort of weird sire-grudge, is there?

At any rate, I am intrigued by the possibility of MTB's connections (Mark Allen's Double Eagle Ranch) winning both the Kentucky Derby (with Mine That Bird) and the All-American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs with their quarter horse, Winners Cartel. It's a very cool thought, winning the big thoroughbred title with a long shot AND taking the quarter horse title with another real contender.

And perhaps the best part of the races at the All-American today is that Mine That Bird will be leading the post-parade, so he'll get to bask in the well earned glow of love from his home crowd. It's a very nice thing that Mark Allen and Chip Woolley are doing to let the hometown fans get a glimpse of the brown gelding who has brought them so much joy. All horses need that victory lap where they can be appreciated and cheered for. And getting him to Ruidoso was no small task...the trip from Saratoga Springs started off with a van ride to Newark, then "hopping" a flight from Newark to El Paso, and a further van trip to Ruidoso.

Good luck to Winners Cartel and all the Mine That Bird connections on winning a pretty major DOUBLE!

A Verse for Rachel

My father and my Grandma A were always the verse writers in the family--quick with a ditty, a limerick, recitation of The Cremation of Sam McGee or other Robert Service poem. Herewith, then, a little verse to celebrate Rachel Alexandra, courtesy of my father, and for all those boys she leaves in her wake!

To the Boys I Left Behind

With them I'd romp and play

Roaming the fields so Vast

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay

Hoping these Moments would Last.

It's off to work I must Go

Cherishing The Ties That Bind

Looking Back , as always, I Know

It's For the Boys I've Left BEHIND!

Queen of Saratoga

Rachel Alexandra

It's going to be desperately close...

It's taken me longer than I'd expected to process all the emotions and thoughts of the weekend's races. My friends and family would tell you that I am perfectly capable of over-analyzing a stick of chewing gum, so give me an historic moment and *whoa,* stand back.

I've always been a sports fan, someone who enjoyed--in the fullest sense--being part of something larger than myself. As a teenager I loved (loved isn't a strong enough word, perhaps, but you get the gist) the San Francisco 49ers, and the key object of said love was Joe Montana. I remember "the catch," Montana's lofty throw to Dwight Clark in a playoff game vs the Dallas Cowboys in 1982 as clearly as I remember anything. (Video HERE for those who aren't familiar) I was over the moon and would continue to follow the ups and downs (for downs, reference: vs Joey Browner and the Minnesota Vikings; vs Jim Burt and the NY Giants) for many years to come.

And then there were the Minnesota Twins. As a Minnesotan by birth, the Twins (who thankfully didn't parallel their football counterparts with a record number of championship failures as their calling card) were part of every summer. Herb Carneal on WCCO--games listened to on AM radio after a visit to the Dairy Queen--and the likes of Roy Smalley, Rod Carew, Ken Landreaux, John Castino...so many great memories. Fast forward to 1987. I was away at school and watching the World Series games on TV in Chicago. I was fortunate that the Twins were playing the nemesis of the Chicago Cubs in that World Series--the St. Louis Cardinals--because everyone was, in unison with me, singing "We're Gonna Win Twins" to the entirety of our little Chicago neighborhood. The Twins' 1991 World Series win was almost more meaningful to me because I was in Minnesota at the time and really got to experience all the hoopla and mayhem. It was great. I still love my Twins and watch them whenever I can, lamenting when they don't make the playoffs, and cheering when they do.

As a midwesterner who was transplanted to the East Coast, I have my New England teams, too. I love my Red Sox and Bruins and watch the New England Patriots filled with the same joy as that I felt when I watched my 49ers as a teenager.

All this by way of saying that I love a good sporting contest. Whether it's Rafa Nadal vs Roger Federer at Roland Garos or Smarty Jones at Belmont, I love the attempts at greatness. Even when they fall short, that level of effort and commitment to a goal is inspiring, and when the underdog wins it usually is all the better. History, however, is written by the victors.

Now, anyone who reads my blog or my tweets knows I love horses, period. From the Shetland pony up to the Clydesdale...I love them all. And when it comes to thoroughbreds, while I'm partial to grays generally, I am compelled by great stories and horses who outrun their pedigrees. I've had the chance to see some wonderful races in person--Smarty Jones and Funny Cide at Belmont--both heartbreakers (which made that long train ride back to Manhattan even longer.) And Afleet Alex also at Belmont, showing his superior athleticism and heart with his inspired victory. And then there's Barbaro. Another heartbreaker who captured all of our hearts with his courage and will to carry on. His heart, while maybe not technically the size of Secretariat's, was gigantic in all the best ways.

Heart. The heart of a champion. And this all brings me to Rachel Alexandra on Saturday at Saratoga. I've watched all her races--traveled to Belmont for the Mother Goose and saw the others on TV--and with each victory, the hold she had on my heart grew. While I'm a cynic about so many things, I'm a sentimentalist when it comes to horses. I was enthralled with her Kentucky Oaks victory. Her Preakness run was stunning and scary. The romp in the Mother Goose was great fun, but I was edgy all day before the Haskell. Each time she raised the bar, exceeded expectations and rose above and beyond her competitors. When the opportunity to watch Rachel run--and potentially make history--at Saratoga arose, it was a no brainer. Of course I had to go.

Even though I had grandstand seats, I got to the track about 7:30 am and camped out along the rail near the 1/8th pole. I figured I could always go up later in the day, depending on the crowd. (Which, I have to say, for more than 31,000 people, didn't seem so overwhelming.) It was an absolutely glorious day. The sun was out, the morning was chilly, and there was a faint smell of autumn in the air. I got to watch several horses during their morning works and it was fascinating to really watch how different all of their running styles were. The day's races were all enjoyable and Tom Durkin on the Tannoy is always something special. He is so passionate and so well informed, his presence is such a great part of NY racing, whether it's Belmont, Aqueduct, or Saratoga.

By the time we were getting to about the 8th race, I was getting antsy, jittery. And unfortunately, some of my compatriots in the surrounding seats had overindulged a little bit so that made me a bit more out of sorts. There was a very well meaning--and generally pleasant--older couple next to me. Both clearly knew a fair amount about wagering, but not a lot about specific horses. The female half of this couple was lecturing a neophyte wagering couple on who Rachel Alexandra was and how they should bet the race. Now let me just say that while I'd had an incredible day, I'd been listening to the malapropisms and general misinformation all day long so I wasn't as patient as I should/might have been and when added to my anxiety over the coming race...well, my last nerve was being frayed. I tried to put it out of my mind though, knowing that I want to be fully present for The Woodward.

It's now time for the post parade for the 10th race, The Woodward. We all watched Calvin and Rachel in the paddock on the trackside jumbo-trons and the crowd started to cheer raucously. By that point the place is HEAVING with fans and the air is electric with cheers and applause. Any of you who have read all the fabulous pieces on Bloodhorse.com or in the Albany Times Union (www.timesunion.com) know that en route to the starting gate on the track, Rachel was feeling her oats, so to speak, and tossed Calvin Borel from her back. I could feel my heart literally SINK in my chest.

For the record, I have to say that I'm not terribly brave when it comes to watching my teams/horses compete. I pace, I leave the room and turn up the TV or radio, it's sometimes just better to hear it than see it. (During the Haskell I listened from the kitchen until I about 1/4 mile to go.) So sue me, I'm a coward!

All this said, no one will be surprised that after Rachel tossed Calvin to the ground, I gave up my prime trackside seat for a spot in front of one of the simulcast TVs underneath the clubhouse. It is much easier to pace in that area, that I can tell you. It just seemed utterly impossible. When a baseball player fouls off a long fly, he rarely hits a home run in that same at bat; quarterbacks don't often throw a completed touchdown pass after a long incompletion, it just doesn't happen that often. It doesn't, unless you are one of the great ones. Think Joe Montana with 2 minutes to go in any game (from Notre Dame to the 49ers) or the late, great Kirby Puckett in nearly any Twins World Series game. And of course, Rachel. As I stood in front of the televisions, with about 12 or 15 others, I paced and found myself mindlessly chewing the sleeve of my cardigan. When I heard Tom Durkin announce the split for the first 1/4, I shook my head--punishing was the word Durkin used. She was running her heart out. The split for 1/2 was a little better, but still, breakneck. (Insert more sleeve chewing and head shaking on my part) It all happened so fast, and the excitement in Tom Durkin's voice continued to build, as did a kind of panic, almost. As the field turned for home, with Rachel in the lead Durkin commented that "A dramatic stretch drive awaits...and Calvin Borel imploring his filly for more," and I chewed harder on my sleeve and paced more. I could literally feel my eyes becoming hot with tears. It was impossible not to hear the roar of the crowd and feel the clubhouse and grandstand shake as the horses thundered down the last 1/8 mile. I watched how bravely Rachel battled on and saw the amazing surge by Macho Again (and I must say, under any other circumstances, I'd have been cheering him on--he's wonderful and ran an incredible race!) and find my brain flashed back to that 'suicidal' opening 1/4 split. How could you expect a filly, a 3-year-old filly no less, to power through that kind of a challenge? And just as Tom Durkin announced that "It's going to be desperately close..." everyone in the stands, everyone outside, and people watching on TVG from home realized that Rachel might actually do it. The sound surge as she crossed the line was deafening. And even after she was called as the winner, I think everyone just wanted to see her number go up--to be sure that we'd actually seen her win, not just willed it to be so.

With apologies to Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre, reader, she won. (Incidentally, she won the race in a full second less than her future "soul-mate" Curlin did. Maybe nice girls do finish first...) And while it is literally yesterday's news, it's still BIG news. We all love heroes and heroines who prove their mettle when tested. And in the end, that's what I love about sports. The effort, the attempt to do something great, to beat the odds, to make a lasting impression. While Rachel didn't necessarily beat the odds (she was the favorite), no one would have faulted her for a second or third place finish within that field--particularly after the incident in the post parade. In every instance since last November, Rachel Alexandra has risen to, met, and exceeded the challenges presented her. For that, my sincere admiration. And for all the joy and excitement she's given racing fans, my sincere gratitude.

Needless to say, I literally floated back to Connecticut. The moon was full, the Catskills and Adirondacks were blue shadows beside and behind me (respectively) and for a couple of hours all was very right with world.

Oh, and for a little Kirby Puckett trip down memory lane...tune in HERE. And for a fun montage of Herb Carneal's great game calling for the Minnesota Twins, click HERE. And I know you've seen Rachel's great race already, but watch it once more HERE...you'll be glad you did.

The Rachel Alexandra Show

A few more snaps from my trip to Saratoga Springs, henceforth known as "The Place I'd like to spend every August for the rest of my existence!"

I'm still kind of processing the moments on Friday and Saturday, so blog to follow, but here are some of the pics, anyway. The poster with Rachel's blaze that's an advert for The Woodward somehow came off the wall at the racetrack and made it into my tote and home with me. *Yes, I'll be going to confession this week...but it will have a VERY good home!*

Enjoy the pics...I surely had a good time taking them!

A Place For Us

There was a great Oprah episode where they were discussing what the beauty standards were in countries all over the world. A particularly out-going woman (I apologize that I don't recall which African nation she represented) was interviewed in her home country and reported that more zaftig women were considered to be the most beautiful. Oprah began singing "A place for us...Somewhere there's a place for us..."



I had a kind of similar feeling upon arriving in Saratoga Springs, NY, earlier today. (And it was Oprah's singing that echoed through my head!) Driving around town to find my way to the racetrack I was immediately struck by the architectural variety. Incredible. Amazing Victorians (Queen Anne, Shingle...); Classical and Greek Revivals; and brick everywhere. I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity to wander around town and enjoy the views, so instead of heading straight to the racetrack, I took a little 'Tyger Tour' and spent the day feasting on the architectural sights and wonderful old downtown. Nothing like stepping back in time a century or so, but still having Starbucks and Dunkins to provide coffee!!



It's pretty clear why visitors have been flocking here for over 100 years. Not only is a beautiful area (just south of the Adirondacks) but it's just far enough away from NY, Boston, or Montreal to be a vacation without being too far afield. The complex of the old baths and spas on the southern end of town is gorgeous. So many wonderful brick buildings--Classical Revival--and long expanses of green lawn. A wedding was being held in one of the porticos at about sunset and it looked perfect.



A late lunch at a creperie called Ravenous--which I highly recommend, by the way--was the perfect culmination to my first trip to The Spa.



I'm all set for a long day at the races tomorrow and can't wait.



More in the morning, then, time for a little dinner and a pint at The Parting Glass Pub.



Signed, Saratoga's newest fan who already is looking forward to another trip up here!!

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That iconic blaze...could only be Rachel Alexandra!

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Testing!

Just a quick test to make sure I can remember how to post from my BlackBerry. I'll be @ Saratoga Friday and Saturday and will post pics and more as often as I can!

Stay tuned...
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My Kingdom for a Horse

So many horses, so little time!

It's been a great racing summer at Saratoga, judging by all I've read. Great horses, exciting races and budding rivalries...just what it ought to be.

I'd intended to get up to The Spa earlier in the season, but I'm thrilled to say I'll be there on Saturday for the day and I couldn't be more excited. I'll try to post pics here, but I'll surely be posting them to my Twitter feed--ThePaperTyger--so follow my day there, too, for all the sights and sounds. (And no doubt crowds, too. It's going to be a gorgeous late summer day in upstate NY and I expect everyone will be out!)

Will Rachel prevail? Who can say. I think I'm right in saying this will be the toughest test--by a long shot, actually--that she's faced yet. Cool Coal Man, another Bird horse, Macho Again, and the big and bullish Bullsbay all want to keep the filly at heel, so it should be exciting. If she wins, all issues about HOY should be put to rest, I think. These are big boys and they have more experience than Rachel does and I'm sure they'd like to give her a little schooling :) Steve Haskins from Bloodhorse.com has a very subjective analysis of Rachel's chances HERE, and his look at what might be next for Rachel & Co is HERE. There is talk of Rachel and Zenyatta both running in the Beldame at Belmont on October 3, 2009. So much to look forward to as we ramp up to the Breeders Cup races in November.

One other note, you may have noticed that the Boston Mounted Unit was utterly missing from Senator Kennedy's funeral procession. Their disbanding earlier this year for what were termed "budgetary reasons" left a real gap in the procession for we horse people. Chris Matthews even commented on the lack of horses then basically saying that motorcades these days are all cars and motorcycles. I did yell at the TV, but I'm pretty sure that neither Chris Matthews or Keith Olbermann heard me. The missing horse presence had nothing to do with the march of progress or "the times," it was about a ridiculous budget cut that's not saving the City of Boston very much money. Caparisoned horses and riderless horses are traditional to honor the fallen--whether it is a President, a Senator or any hero--and history is rich with these memorable horses. (In the US Military the caparisoned horse is formally part of the military honors given to an Army or Marine Corps officer who was a colonel or above; this includes the President, by virtue of having been the nation's military commander in chief and the Secretary of Defense, having overseen the armed forces.) From Black Jack who was so graceful in President John F. Kennedy's funeral procession to Sergeant York who was kitted out with Ronald Reagan's own riding boots--facing backward in the stirrups to denote the fallen leader--these beautiful animals have imprinted on our collective memory. I fully appreciate that protocol may not have allowed for the full equestrian treatment in Washington, but even a small presence of the Historic Boston Mounted Unit would have been most memorable, I'm certain.

Photo at the top is of Sergeant York --the Standardbred "Allaboard Jules" in his previous life!

Mother Mayo or Follow the Leader(s)

I promise to return to our regularly scheduled programming--that of horses and hounds--in the next day or so. (Especially with Rachel running against all the big boys this weekend and the great race by Summer Bird last weekend! I know I've been remiss. *ashamed*)

Before I do, though, I have to spend a few minutes on something close to my heart, and Senator Ted Kennedy's as well--heath care reform. I'm very thankful to have had COBRA (a piece of legislation that Kennedy fought for) when I was downsized, however, it quickly became absolutely unaffordable. The Freelancers Union is a great option if you've been able to put together enough "billable hours," but it's not a perfect solution for insurance either.

I'd guess it's safe to say that there are a lot of other people out there in my same position, and it stinks. For those of you out there who believe that everyone who wants insurance has it, trust me, WE don't. And yet Senator Jim DeMint, wackadoodle Representative Michele Bachmann and many others have announced that they are pretty sure that access to affordable to health care is a privilege (like living on the seashore, getting the best table at a 4 star restaurant, or flying first class) and not a basic human right. And they are entitled to their opinions. The irony of this of course is that both have garnered thousands of votes on a platform of being devout and dutiful Christians...yet is it not part of said devotion to 'Christian values' to help others in their hour of need and to treat people with dignity? As a cradle Catholic--which I know means I'm not 'Christian enough' to those members of other 'more Christian' faiths (something I find as laughable as I do offensive, for the record), I feel it is very much part of any and all faiths to be part of the solution to making everyone's lives better. I would never want to have my own health care at the expense of another person's benefits. Everyone needs to have accessible and affordable health care at every point in their life.

There are many arguments against "socialized medicine" from various camps, but the fact that the Canadians, French, and British (as well as several other countries--the US ranks 35th in life expectancy and is bested by most of the EU countries) all have longer average life expectancies than Americans do suggests that they might have it right. Not perfect, but something to use as a jumping off point, perhaps. Certainly Canada, the UK, and France, are all properly faith-filled nations who care about their fellow citizenry enough to want everyone to have quality care throughout life.

All this brings me to the Mayo Clinic. I grew up in the shadow of "Mother Mayo" as we locals called it. It was, and is, in my not unbiased opinion, the best health care system anywhere. (Okay, I'll give a shout out to Cleveland Clinic, too, and Johns Hopkins!!) When the Mayo Clinic was founded after the "Great Rochester Tornado" of 1888, the Mayo triumvirate (father Dr. William Worrall Mayo, sons Dr. Charles H. and William J. Mayo) made sure that patients would be treated, regardless of how or if they could pay. Both Dr. William Worrall Mayo and his wife, Louise Abigail Wright, shared a broad view of charity and an awareness of social obligation. She believed that "life is not a question of what others owe to us, but of what we owe to others." In those early horse and buggy days there was no doubt a lot of payment made in chickens, eggs or the like. Whatever the patient could pay was taken for their services. Later, when Mayo was beginning to grow into the private group practice that we recognize today, it was still about patient care, not how much you could pay. There are myriad stories of people coming back to Mayo years later to settle up bills they owed. Yes, this was nearly one hundred years ago and before medicine had been tainted with the stain of greedy insurance companies and big pharma. Yes, it was in a small town in the midwest. But here's the kicker...Mayo hasn't changed ALL that much. It is still about patient care and the ideals of the founding Mayo brothers and their father are still the standard by which care is judged.

And now President Obama is citing the Mayo Clinic model as one of the systems for producing better care for lower costs. People in Rochester have long known that the 'Mayo Way' worked, and it worked awfully well. Mayo must have it at least a little bit right and they are stepping up to help shape policy in meaningful ways, for which I am thankful. As a teenager they removed my appendix and tonsils, and treated my allergies. In more recent years, Mayo doctors have fitted my parents with new hips and knees and for all of it, I'm most appreciative.

While understand that there are a number of layers to this issue that most lay people (like me) cannot even begin to fathom, I also know that at the simplest level we are all connected. We are all connected and we are all impacted. These things cannot be factored out of the debate. A high tide raises ALL boats and life is indeed not a question of what others owe us, but of what we owe others. If a nation is judged--even slightly--on how it treats the most vulnerable of it's citizens, then we need to get this right. Right for everyone of every race, creed, color, sexual orientation; right for both Yankees and Red Sox fans; right for those who like Brett Favre and those who don't. You get my point...this is about ALL of us.