FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2020 MIKE CLINE TO RETIRE AS HANDLE OFF TO STRONG START AT SPA WITH HELP OF INCREASED TV EXPOSURE LANE=S END FARM MANAGER by Mike Kane SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At the very bottom on the left-hand side of the daily recap sheet you can find the answer to why the New York Racing Association opted to run at Saratoga this fan-free summer instead of staying downstate and operating at Belmont Park: All Sources Handle. Though they were acutely aware that New York State's COVID-19 protocols prevented spectators from attending professional sporting events, NYRA officials projected that handle on Saratoga racing would be stronger than on 40 days at Belmont. The early returns are showing they were correct. The opening day handle was up 21% from the rainy Saratoga opener in 2019. The first weekend, a total of four days, showed a 9.4% increase. The trend continued on Wednesday, the first day of the second week, with a jump of 38%. Cont. p4 Mike Cline | Matt Goins photo Mike Cline, "the only farm manager Lane's End has ever IN TDN EUROPE TODAY known," according to a press release from the farm announcing ANOTHER NEW HOME FOR GORESBRIDGE the news, is retiring after a 40-year career at the storied Friday’s Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze Up Sale will be nursery. "It would be hard to overstate Mike's importance to held at Tattersalls in Newmarket due to the coronavirus. Click Lane's End and everything that has happened here since the or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. farm's inception," said Will Farish. "I hired Mike back in 1979 and he has overseen everything from the broodmares, to stallions, to sales, to barn construction, to pasture maintenance." Many successful people in the industry came up under Cline's tutelage, including Callan Strouss, the farm manager at Lane's End's Oak Tree division; Chris Baker at Three Chimneys; Eddie Kane at Calumet; Charles Campbell at Indian Creek Farm; Cooper Sawyer at Mt. Brilliant; and Donna Vowles at Kiltinan Castle Stud, among others. "Will Farish provided me with the opportunity of a lifetime and it has truly been an honor to work for him and with him over these many years," said Cline. "Will's vision for Lane's End was incredible and it has been a privilege to help him implement that vision. I have had the opportunity to meet presidents, the Queen and many fascinating people, not to mention manage some of the greatest Thoroughbreds in history: A.P. Indy, Smart Strike, Kingmambo, Zenyatta, Miesque, All Along, Weekend Surprise and so many others." Cont. p3 PUBLISHER & CEO Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Friday, July 24, 2020 Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN Deputy Editor Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Associate Editors Christina Bossinakis @CBossTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN News and Features Editor In Memoriam: Ben Massam (1988-2019) ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistant/Dir. Of Distribution Rachel McCaffrey Advertising Assistants Amie Newcomb Kristen Lomasson Photographer/Photo Editor Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew [email protected] Social Media Strategist Justina Severni Moscato (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) gives a look to the camera while en route to victory in Director of Customer Service Thursday's G1 A.P. Smithwick Memorial S. steeplechase at Saratoga. See the complete Vicki Forbes race recap in the Regional Report. | Coglianese Photo [email protected] Marketing Manager Alayna Cullen @AlaynaCullen MOMOS HAS IRONHORSE THINKING BIG 7 Alan Carasso catches up with Ironhorse Racing Stable’s Director of IT/Accounting Ray Villa Harlan Malter to discuss impressive Saratoga debut winner [email protected] and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Momos (Distorted Humor). [email protected] WORLDWIDE INFORMATION International Editor TODAY’S GRADED STAKES Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN EST Race Click for TV [email protected] European Editor 5:46p Quick Call S.-G3, SAR TJIS PPs Sar Live/FS2 Emma Berry [email protected] Associate International Editor Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 9 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • JULY 24, 2020 Cline cont. from p1 And that was the cool part about it; so many people have farms The farm said that a new farm manager will not be hired; that aren't really homes--but this place started out as a home. rather, Todd Claunch will continue in his role and take on So we fixed up the house, and immediately started working on additional responsibilities at the farm, while Cline will continue plans to build the broodmare barns." Cline was in his 20s at the to consult. time. "I plan on continuing to stay involved with the farm and its Cline attended the University of Kentucky on a football many clients in more of an advisory role," said Cline. "Lane's scholarship, and got a job for trainer Mack Miller when he left End's continued success will always be important to me." school. "Mack was a hay, oats and water guy, so the formative Chris McGrath profiled Cline for the TDN in 2018, and Cline years I had in the horse business were with someone who was talked about the many opportunities and experiences his role at straight, honest and loved his horses," Cline told McGrath in Lane's End had provided him, such as the time he flew on Air 2018. He went on to work on the starting gate at NYRA, and Force One to deliver a puppy to President George Bush. "For then as assistant to Bob Dunham. It was through a subsequent some bumpkin like me, to do that kind of stuff? Working for the job managing the old Big Sink Farm when he met Farish. Farish family has been an unbelievable experience," Cline told His gratitude for the opportunity has always been palpable, as McGrath. "I just think how lucky I was to run into this one guy McGrath discovered when he sat down with him two years ago. who's enabled me to do this for all this time. I don't think either "There's lots of ways to get judged and I'm happy with being of us had an idea where it was going to go, back then. But I just judged the way I will be," he said at the time. "I just really am felt I was around the right sort of person. And he and his family grateful for the opportunity I got. There aren't many of those have been basically responsible for everything good that's ever kinds of jobs any more. For me to stay as long as I have is pretty happened to me." unheard of, in this day and age. Especially when you're doing Cline arrived at Lane's End in 1979, when it was a 140-acre something that's your passion. I love what I do. Mostly because cattle farm. "There was a beautiful old house, beautiful rolling where I get to do it, and who I get to do it with." land," Cline recalled in 2018. "[Mr. Farish] lived in Houston, he came to Kentucky all the time but never really had a home here. TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 9 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • JULY 24, 2020 Saratoga Handle cont. from p1 NYRA Bets, and its television programming. In 2016, the Tony Allevato, the Chief Revenue Officer & President of NYRA inaugural season of Saratoga Live had 80 hours of national Bets, said officials spent a lot of time considering whether it broadcast time on the Fox Sports Network's FS2 channel. Last made sense to add the expense of opening Saratoga Race year, the total grew to 190 hours. This year, the partnership Course for the 152nd season of Thoroughbred racing in the city. expanded again, as NYRA left the long-established racing "From a management standpoint we got together with the channel TVG for the commitment to Fox and MSG and 700 horsemen and talked about it, looking at the Saratoga brand and hours of live national TV exposure. The package includes what it means to racing. It's the best in Thoroughbred racing," America's Day at the Races, as well as NYRA and Churchill he said. "When you think of Saratoga, you think of premier Downs racing. Fox's main sports channel, FS1 will carry 32 hours horse racing. I think it was of Saratoga Live and the G1 important to maintain that Runhappy Travers will be shown season and have the racing live in a 90-minute program on come up here, knowing that it Fox on Aug. 8. would be reflective in the Allevato worked for TVG for numbers, in our opinion. The 14 years earlier in his career and same race at Belmont would said he had a strong relationship generate more handle and more with the channel money back to the industry if "Any time that you are going that race was run at Saratoga to move away from a significant versus Belmont." partner like that there is always Allevato said confidence in the going to be some kind of risk," power of Saratoga was borne he said. "For us, the reason that out by the handle numbers we went exclusive this year with Horses race past an empty grandstand and apron on during the first year of an Fox, it was about being able to opening day at Saratoga | Chelsea Durand exclusive television deal with showcase New York Racing and Fox Sports and the MSG networks.