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SUBSCR ER IPT IN IO A N R S T COMPLIMENTS OF T !2!4/'! O L T IA H C E E 4HE S SP ARATOGA Year 8 • No. 16 SARATOGA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER ON THOROUGHBRED RACING Saturday, August 9, 2008 Inside F Previews of four stakes for Saturday: James Marvin, Dampened Solomon Northrup, Madame Jumel, Wild weather Duke Of Magenta. F New York-bred cancels races, sales preview. damages track F Entries, Handicapping Photos: Connie Bush, Spirits Dave Harmon, Tod Marks Classic Winners BIG BROWN 2008 Kentucky Derby & Preakness Stakes by BOUNDARY JAZIL 2006 Belmont Stakes Sired by by SEEKING THE GOLD Claiborne Stallions 6 Triple Crown Winners 15 Kentucky Derby Winners 16 Preakness Winners EMPIRE MAKER 16 Belmont Winners 2003 Belmont Stakes by UNBRIDLED sss PLUS the winners of 21 Breeders’ Cup Races FUSAICHI PEGASUS 2000 Kentucky Derby by MR. PROSPECTOR Post Office Box 150 Paris, Kentucky 40362-0150 Tel.(859) 233-4252 Fax 987-0008 claibornefarm.com INQUIRIES TO BERNIE SAMS e-mail: [email protected] PHOTOS © BARBARA LIVINGSTON, HORSEPHOTOS.COM 80868.CLB.ClsscWnnrs.SS.8-9.indd 1 8/8/08 12:00:38 PM 2 Saturday, August 9, 2008 Monsoon Season Dave Harmon choice and some of your closest friends to help you Rains blast track, empty it. The rain sent most of the crowd home, but some diehards basked force cancellation in the sun (yes, it came BY BRIAN NADEAU back out) and tried their hands at Monmouth. he hail that threatened to crack your car “There are still a lot of window was probably the first sign. The fans out there and they flowing water in the street that could seem to be having a good have kept the Travers canoe afloat was time,” said John Lee, the second. The multiple delays leading NYRA’s communications up to the third race were the clincher. director. “They’re not in TThe races were bound to be cancelled Friday after- any rush to go home and noon. The question wasn’t “if,” but rather “when?” I think they’re just out Saratoga Springs was hit with a quick and massive there enjoying the yard thunderstorm Friday afternoon between the second and wagering on some of and third races. With standing water covering a large the simulcast races.” portion of the 1 1/8-mile main track and threatening Though Friday’s can- thunder showers on tap for the remainder of the day, cellation was the biggest NYRA pulled the plug on the remainder of the Friday Dave Harmon ever due to rain, it was card at around 2 p.m.. The final eight races and an Rain, what rain? The Gorton’s Fisherman visited the winner’s circle. hardly the first. Fans will inordinate amount of water washed down the drain. remember the final race John Velazquez is a veteran of dozens of the mid- Edgar Prado, riding his 10th summer in Saratoga, on Travers Day 2004 being cancelled amid heavy afternoon thunderstorms that can be as common at echoed Velazquez’s sentiments. thunderstorms shortly after Birdstone won the Mid- the Spa as a fleet first-time starter. The meet’s leading “Unfortunately you cannot control Mother Nature. summer Derby in virtual darkness (of course, they will jockey added to his total in the second race and was It was the best move for everyone. Safety has to come also remember it being sunny 20 minutes later—such aboard graded stakes winner Ravel as the field left the first,” Prado said. “I’m glad the race was at a mile and is life in Saratoga). paddock for the third. an eighth so we could go out there and check it our- Wind, rain and lightning caused the final two races “I haven’t seen rain come down that hard in so long. selves. If it was at three-quarters or seven-eighths we on Sept. 2, 1998 to be cancelled. It just came down so fast and so sudden that by the wouldn’t have seen it out there. Someone could have On Aug. 28, 1988, after a tree that had been struck time we got over there for the third race the track was gotten hurt. It’s just common sense. You have to make by lightning fell onto the track, the last two races on completely washed out between the three-eighths and sure it’s safe for everybody and with all the water out the day’s card, including the John A. Morris Handi- the quarter-pole,” Velazquez said. “It wasn’t standing there that wasn’t the case.” cap were also cancelled. On Aug. 7, 1986, the last water, it was a river over there. It was the best move NYRA President Charlie Hayward cited in a press four races were called off due to severe thunder and for everyone – it was an accident waiting to happen. release that “even after an hour, there was no guaran- lightning. You couldn’t do that, those were some nice horses out tee that the track would be up to standard.” Racing is scheduled to resume as planned on Satur- there. It wasn’t like it was just in one spot, there were A day at the Spa for fans is filled with several perks day, with a traditional 1 p.m. first post for the 11-race washouts in several of them.” – most notably a cooler filled with your beverage of card. Custom Trailers The trailer of choice for professional trainers and transporters nationwide s5NPARALLELED3TRUCTURAL)NTEGRITY 3ALESs3ERVICEs0ARTS s!LLALUMINUM#ONSTRUCTION M.H Eby, Inc.sBlue Ball, PA (optional polished stainless exterior) s www.mheby.com s!VAILABLEINTHRU(ORSE$ESIGNS [email protected] 5460 Built on a Heritage of Innovation Saturday, August 9, 2008 3 Here & There at Saratoga 100 Lake Avenue Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 At the corner of Lake and Regent Phone: (518) 490-1175 Sean Mobile: (302) 545-7713 Joe Mobile: (302) 545-4424 E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Internet: www.saratogaspecial.com Published Wednesday through Sunday during the racing season. Every day of Sales Week Aug. 4-10. The Staff Editors/Publishers: Sean Clancy, Joe Clancy Copy Chief: Jamie Santo Staff Writers: Brian Nadeau, John Panagot, Karen Johnson, Laura Pepper Graphic Designer: Carl Hott Proofreader: Melaina Phipps Photographers: Tod Marks, Dave Harmon, Connie Bush, Barbara Livingston Distribution: Barry Watson, Ryan Clancy, Jack Clancy, Nolan Clancy (Menial Tasks Division has been promoted) Advertising Sales: Contact a Clancy or call Jon Bordeau (518) 812-4545 Tod Marks ST Publishing Inc. Home Office 364 Fair Hill Drive, Suite F, Good fences make good neigh-bors. Elkton, MD 21921 No parking or standing, even on four legs, near this barrier at the Oklahoma Annex Friday. (410) 392-5867 • Fax (410) 392-0170 www.st-publishing.com [email protected] The Saratoga Special Worth Repeating Steeplechase/Eventing Times Tom Voss: “Do you have a spare pack of ciga- Thoroughbred Racing Calendar rettes?” The Best of The Saratoga Special Betty Merck: “I always have to carry a spare “What kind of basketball player shows Saratoga Days and other acclaimed pack when Tom is around.” products and services Tom Voss: “That’s because I smoked my spare within the equine industry. pack in the paddock before that race.” up in corduroy“ slacks?” Call us about your editorial needs. “I owned 25 percent of a racehorse, until I Trainer-turned-basketball coach Todd Pletcher on halftime substitute called the trainer and told him I’d make him Matt McCarron in Thursday night’s charity hoops game “Editorial excellence is not a goal to be a deal. He had to stop sending me bills and sought and one day acquired and then I would give him my 25 percent. Best deal I retired to the trophy case. It is instead ever made.” an ambition which must be pursued Fasig-Tipton’s Steve Dance, “Do you want to autograph it or something?” “He didn’t score any points, but he didn’t have each day, never ending, never totally on the foibles of owning racehorses Owner Bob Manfuso, to a partygoer any turnovers either.” achieved. That striving, that ambition is who got the last Molson at the bar Jack Clancy, on the basketball play of an essential part of our newspapers, a “I’m aerating – they say that’s good for the steeplechase jockey Matt McCarron (tallest cornerstone of what we have been, lawn.” “He’s fast.” guy on the court) in the jockeys vs. kids what we are, and what we will be.” Peggy Steinman, who wore heels to her Harry Walker, 12, as a loose horse ran amok basketball game Thursday night – Lee Hills, Pulitzer Prize winner, outdoor (turf soft) cocktail party Thursday on the Oklahoma track Friday morning Knight Ridder chief executive, in 1974 night; former steward Clinton Pitts nearly wrote her up for wearing turndowns. More Here and There on Page 4 Fall of the hammer HAMMERTOWN INSURANCE AGENCY insurance available “Protecting Equine FOR THE Investments” SARATOGA SALES Specializing in Equine Insurance: Competitive rates Mortality, Theft, Stallion Permanent Disability, Excellent service Stallion First Season Infertility, Tod Marks photo Barrenness-Prospective Foal, Contact:!NYA3HECKLEYsMain: sCell: 646-872-6843 Claiming and Fall of the Hammer 0/"OXs0INE0LAINS .9sE-mail: [email protected] Website: www.hammertowninsurance.com 4 Saturday, August 9, 2008 Here & There at Saratoga The Special’s straw (well, hay) poll began back at Keeneland in April, The Big Horserace and we’ll keep a running total of the votes around town. McCain Beth Fout Daisy Phipps Cindy Weaver Michael Martin Richard DeStasio Richard DePass Barry Schwartz Stuart Janney Dr.