SUBSCR ER IPT IN IO A N R S ✫ T COMPLIMENTS OF T O L The aratoga A T I H E EC S SP ARATOGA Year 10 • Issue 18 Saratoga’s Daily Newspaper on Thoroughbred Racing Friday, August 13, 2010 Hall of Fame 2010 Best Pal Point Given Randy Romero Azeri Don Pierce Photography by Benoit Photo and Barbara Livingston Friday Stakes Preview • Entries/Handicapping here&there... at Saratoga 517 Broadway, Suite 207 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (Second Floor, around the back) The Special quotes from Saratoga Phone: (518) 490-1175 WORTH REPEATING Sean Mobile: (302) 545-7713 Joe Mobile: (302) 545-4424 “You look hung over – too much Ben and Jerry’s.” By The Numbers Jockey Rajiv Maragh to Jack Clancy Wednesday morning E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] 8: Seconds steeplechase train- Internet: www.saratogaspecial.com “You’re part of the furniture now.” er Jack Fisher was on the track Ralph Theroux about The Special’s 10-year anniversary Thursday morning before he got Published Wednesday through Sunday yelled at for something. during the racing season. “4-for-21, that’s the worst ever. Tourists.” Every day of Sales Week Aug. 2-8. Jack Clancy, after trying to give away papers Wednesday morning Names of the Day The Staff “We brake for Clancys.” Torrone, third race. Torrone is an Editors/Publishers: Sean Clancy, Joe Clancy. Trainer Phil Serpe, as Miles Clancy walked in front of Serpe’s golfcart Wednesday morning Italian nougat candy. Owned and Staff Writers: Phil Janack, Karen Johnson, bred by First Class Thoroughbreds, Mike Kane, Terese Karmel, Ben Meyers, Katie “I don’t think I’m made for this.” Bo Williams. the filly is out of Taffy Pull. Layout/Design: Dan Vunk. Retired jockey Angel Cordero, recalling his first and only steeplechase schooling session Photographers: Tod Marks, Dave Harmon, Connie Bush. “He got in his New York City taxi cab mode.” Tapaline, third race. Owned by Handicappers: Gaile Fitzgerald, Dean Keppler, A jockey about a fellow jockey’s bumping incident Goldmark Farm, the filly is by Brian Nadeau, John Panagot, John Shapazian Assistants: Chelsea Brown, Maggie Kimmitt. Eavesdropper. Distribution: Ryan Clancy, Jack Clancy, Nolan Clancy, Jane Motion. Advertising Sales: Contact a Clancy or call Kathy Rubin at (203) 650-6815. ST Publishing Inc. Home Office 364 Fair Hill Drive, Suite F, Elkton, MD 21921 (410) 392-5867 • Fax (410) 392-0170 www.st-publishing.com [email protected] The Saratoga Special Steeplechase Times Thoroughbred Racing Calendar The Best of The Saratoga Special Saratoga Days and other acclaimed products and services within the equine industry. Call us about your editorial needs. “Editorial excellence is not a goal to be sought and one day acquired and then retired to the trophy case. It is instead an ambition which must be pursued each day, never ending, never totally achieved. That striving, that ambition is an essential part of our newspapers, a cornerstone of what we have been, what we are, and what we will be.” Tod Marks – Lee Hills, Pulitzer Prize winner, Dog Proofing.Tom Voss’ 15-year-old Norwich Terrier “Otis” reads The Special. Knight Ridder chief executive, in 1974 2 Friday, August 13, 2010 here&there... Continued from previous page “In increments.” The Special quotes Owner Alan Brodsky, about a horse’s ability to go 2 miles from Saratoga WORTH REPEATING “It’s amazing how many more jump jockeys went on to become train- ers. I guess they had to work all day so they learned something.” “So, he’s not really a doctor?” Trainer Allen Jerkens Anne Clancy, when hearing Doc Danner is a jock’s agent “Can’t blame them.” Trainer Carl Domino about The Special’s kids who slept in Thursday morning Weather Saturday: Mostly sunny - Today: Afternoon showers - High 83. “Where are all the little Indians?” Trainer Gary Sciacca when looking for The Special’s delivery team Thursday morning High 80. Sunday: Isolated “I would, if I could, but I can’t, so I won’t.” Tonight: Mostly clear - Low 58 thunderstorms - High 80. Gap attendant Bow White on doing favors “His shirts are like wine, they’re all vintage.” Jockey Mike Luzzi about agent Roger Sutton’s wardrobe Just Sayin’ “Everything’s down.” Pinkerton at the Oklahoma gate when asked, ‘What’s up?’ “I didn’t bet, there’s enough riding on “One day I’m going to bear out and go straight in there.” her from the sales ring.” Trainer James Bond as he walked past the Horseshoe Inn Thursday morning Trainer and half-owner Ralph Nicks, after Valiant Passion won her debut and paid $63 Thursday “So that’s my life story – in about 10 minutes.” Hall of Fame jockey Don Pierce, after a telephone interview HORSE TRANSPORTATION “That way we know where they are.” 800-523-8143 www.brookledge.com Owner Mike Balfe, who keeps the binocuars in the car (when he needs them at the track) SEVEN 2-year-old winners in 2010 • Third Chance at Arlington Park for Ron Magers and James Divito • Sunday Splitsville at Saratoga for Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher • Another Silver Oak, 3rd in the Sanford at Saratoga for Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher. • Loving Dove at Monmouth Park for Red Oak Farm and Gregory Sacco. • Gambline Geraldine at Belmont Park for Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher. • K.R.’s Jazz at Monmouth Park for A Woman’s Thing and Mary Hartman. • Saratoga Louie at Monmouth Park for Gary Barber and Peter Miller Our graduates include: Vineyard Haven (Gr. l) • Zensational (Gr. l) Contact Jim Crupi Bustin Stones (Gr. l) • Awesome Gem (Gr. l) Toll Free: (866) 313-5400 Macho Again (Gr. l) • Ten Most Wanted (Gr. l) Cell: (352) 427-1600 Stately Character (Gr. I) • Toccet (Gr. l) Bella Bellucci (Gr. l) • Acey Deucey (Gr. l) www.newcastlefarm.com Moon Catcher (Gr. l) • Weekend Magic (Gr. 1) Friday, August 13, 2010 3 HALL OF FAME Class of 2010 Streaking her way into the Hall BY JOE CLANCY the stock,” said de Seroux, who took over from Simon Bray. “Michael (Paul- August 1, 2003. The Springwater Inn son) wanted me to evaluate the horses. in Saratoga. Dinner guests put down They were all supposed to be sold at their forks and walked into the bar to some point and Azeri was entered in the stare at the television. Azeri was run- Keeneland November Sale.” ning. Horse of the Year in 2002, she’d The daughter of Jade Hunter and the won 10 in a row and was 1-5 in Del Ahonoora mare Zodiac Miss carried av- Mar’s Clement Hirsch. erage bloodlines and little else – until de Of course Seroux saw her on the racetrack at San AZERI she won, draw- Luis Rey Training Center. In the first ing off by more CONTEMPORARY gallop, the trainer saw a good mover. In than 3 lengths as the first work, she saw real talent and FEMALE HORSE the people at Del told Paulson that he might want to hang Mar – and the on to the chestnut filly. Springwater – applauded. Sent off at 17-1, Azeri won her ca- The California-based Azeri won 17 reer debut at Santa Anita – rolling by of 24 career starts for the Paulson fami- 6 lengths on the same November day ly, earned more than $4 million, secured several other Paulson horses headed to four Eclipse Awards (three as champi- Keeneland. on older mare and one as Horse of the “Maybe that’s part of the magic of Year) and retired in 2004. She joins the the whole story,” said de Seroux. “She Hall of Fame today, in her first year of was supposed to be on a Tex Sutton eligibility. plane, but she was winning impressive- It all nearly didn’t happen. Azeri ly. That started everything.” went to trainer Laura de Seroux in Au- From there, Azeri won two allow- gust 2001, an unraced 3-year-old filly. ance races – one at Hollywood Park in Because of the death of Allen Paulson in December and another at Santa Anita in 2000, the family’s horses were placed in January, her first start as a 4-year-old. a trust and were destined for auction. Tod Marks “The whole exercise was to evaluate See AZERI page 6 Azeri, who won 17 of 24 career starts and four Eclipse Awards, takes the 2004 Go For Wand. Multiple G1 winner at 2 & 3 • G2 Sanford Stakes • G1 Champagne • G2 Fountain Of Youth • G1 Florida Derby Purchased by Todd Pletcher and Jim Scatuorchio at the Keeneland Yearling Sale Kim M. Valerio (859) 338-9015 2045 Williams Lane Versailles, Kentucky 40383 Scat Daddy 4 Friday, August 13, 2010 Friday, August 13, 2010 5 third (placed second via disqualifica- tion) in the Lady’s Secret. She bled in Azeri – the race, but was back training for the Continued from page 4 Breeders’ Cup when de Seroux found a tendon issue. She recommended retire- She met Summer Colony in the Grade ment, but Paulson opted to bring Azeri II La Canada, and finished second. Az- back for a 6-year-old campaign with eri became a Grade I winner in her next Wayne Lukas. start, the Santa Margarita – her first Azeri added a third consecutive Ap- step on the winning streak that would ple Blossom in 2004 and won anther last 17 months. championship with Grade I scores in the Early on, Azeri tested her trainer’s Go For Wand and Spinster. The Go For patience. Wand was Azeri’s lone win at Saratoga “She was full of energy and there was and she won a battle with Sightseek, to a delicate balance in keeping her from even the score from a loss in the Ogden boiling over so we did a lot to keep her Phipps.