Year 21 • No. 3 The aratoga Wednesday, July 21, 2021 Saratoga’s Racing Newspaper since 2001 Mighty Mite Althiqa adds second Grade 1 to New York raid Tod Marks Tod ENTRIES & HANDICAPPING v DONK STABLE TOUR v WIT ROLLS IN SANFORD v WEEK 1 REVIEW 2 THE SARATOGA SPECIAL WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2021 Got Surrounded. The Mark Casse-trained Grade 1 winner Got Stormy (fourth from left) gets a look at the Oklahoma turf course among a Chad Brown set. Susie Raisher Here&There...in Saratoga NAMES OF THE DAY Democratic Values, second race. In an era when we need to be re- LICENSE PLATES OF THE DAY DEFINITION OF THE DAY minded of them more than ever, the 4-year-old is by Honor Code PBRAIN, Massachusetts. The Diana winner Althiqa’s name means Confidence in Arabic. out of Freedom Flag. TBREDS, New York. Seems appropriate. KYDERBY, Delaware. Fast Getaway, eighth race. The TOGAGIRL, West Virginia. 6-year-old, a Chester and Mary Bro- WORTH REPEATING man homebred, is by Into Mischief out of “Music Note was one, just thinking in the filly department. Just Stolen Car. BY THE NUMBERS all class and really showed up every day and every time and 6,316: Words written by Tom Law for Edition 2. rose to the occasion. As we all know, those are far and few Recidivism, second race Thursday. Lawrence Roman’s between but it’s great to see them when they come along.” 3-year-old colt is by Into Mischief out of Again. 12: At least (we’ve lost count) offices occupied by The Special Godolphin’s Jimmy Bell, comparing in Saratoga since 2001. small-but-mighty Althiqa to another stable star Roundabout, fifth race Thursday. Curragh Stable’s main- track-only entrant is by Cross Traffic. The 2-year-old filly is 3: Age of trainer Bobby Ribaudo the first time he came to “Did you buy those pants like that?” also a Minnesota-bred. Saratoga, back when his family vacationed up the road in Lake Bloodstock agent Steve Young to The Special’s Olivia Johnson, George. delivering papers Saturday in the style of the day Path Less Taken, 10th race Thursday. Sarah Sheila Sta- ble’s 3-year-old filly, who makes her debut, is by Bellamy 8: Sanford Stakes wins for trainer Todd Pletcher after Wit’s “That place was a lot of fun.” Road out of Perfect Step. triumph Saturday. Trainer Tony Dutrow about the old days at Delaware Park The Saratoga Editors/Publishers/Owners: Sean Clancy: (302) 545-7713. [email protected] Joe Clancy: (302) 545-4424. [email protected] Managing Editor: Tom Law: (859) 396-9407. [email protected] thisishorseracing.com Writers: Paul Halloran, Terry Hill, Mary Eddy. Marketing/Distribution: Samantha Loud, Olivia Johnson. Photographers: Tod Marks, Dave Harmon, Connie Bush, 259 East Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Handicappers: Charles Bedard, Jessica Paquette, Susie Raisher, Michael Trombetta Jr. John Shapazian, Rob Whitlock. ST Publishing. 364 Fair Hill Drive, Ste. F, Elkton, MD 21921. (410) 392-5867. The Saratoga Special, thisishorseracing.com, Thoroughbred Racing Calendar, The Best of The Saratoga Special, 2021 publication dates: Wednesdays and Saturdays July 15-Sept 4. New York Thoroughbred Breeders work, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred and a whole lot more. Plus Opening Day & Sales Week Daily Aug. 6-11. Call us about your editorial needs. WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2021 THE SARATOGA SPECIAL 3 Here&There...in Saratoga Ribaudo’s Rabbit Run Bobby Ribaudo has eight stalls in Barn 12 on the Saratoga Race Course backside – under the tall trees about midway between the Morning Line Kitchen and the gate to Greentree. There’s shade, a breeze, a wide shedrow that makes rainy days not so bad. He’s also got a rabbit in a small, reddish, two-room hutch on the corner near the feed bags. He just showed up one day at Belmont Park, and is part of the team. “About 12 years ago, he was run- ning loose,” said the trainer. “It was the spring of the year, and somebody probably got it for their kids at Easter and then dumped it.” The Ribaudo team didn’t cage the rabbit, but they fed him, gave him water, looked after him, what- Susie Raisher ever you do with a rab- Hot Stuff. Firenze (the cat) and Firenze Fire (the horse) soak up a lazy morning at bit and didn’t think too trainer Kelly Breen’s barn. much about it – until it was time to go to Sara- toga. Trainer H. Allen Jerkens, Amid organizing 1929-2015 equipment, horses, The Chief Marks Tod horse vans, schedules “I know where she can start.” and the other details of – To Kevin Taylor, whose daughter moving a racing stable was studying child psychology 190 miles north, came the fairly simple state- ment, “We’ve got to do “Anybody could play me.” something about the – When told Kevin Costner was going to rabbit.” Ribaudo found an “old, dilapidated have the role in the Allen Jerkens life story New York Thoroughbred cage,” put the rabbit in it and took the rabbit to Saratoga for the summer. After six Horsemen’s Association weeks or however long the meet was 12 years ago, the rabbit came back to Belmont nytha.com | 516.488.2337 and resumed living free-range around the barn. Then it was time to go to Florida. This is when Ribaduo’s wife stepped in. “You can’t take him to Florida in that,” she said. ������� ������� ����� ����� ����� ������� “She went online and found this – it’s like a condominium,” Ribaudo said. “He went to Florida for seven or eight years, he’s been coming up here every summer, he’s in a stall-and-a-half, He’s got it pretty good.” ������ �� ������ ���� And he does. Named Conejo, the brown and black bunny is bedded deep in straw Chair, Equine & Racing Law and hay, he’s got carrots, a bowl full of pellets, a water bottle, even a small wooden 516-741-6565 | [email protected] heart medallion as a latch on the door. “All the guys around the barn said Conejo,” Ribaudo said about the name. “Conejo’s a nice name. We’ll call him Conejo. OK, Conejo. I found out later it means rabbit in Spanish. What do I know?” There’s plenty Ribaudo doesn’t know. “I don’t know how long rabbits live,” he said. “He doesn’t get much exercise, but we �e�resen�n� o�ners, trainers, breeders, jockeys, dri�ers and horse�en associa�ons in business transac�ons and feed him and take good care of him. He’s here, he’s part of the barn now.” �a�ers before the �e� �ork �tate �a�in� �o��ission – Joe Clancy and in the federal and state courts. �����, ������, ������� � �����, �.�. I ��� ������� ������, ������ ����, �� 115�� I ���.����.��� 4 THE SARATOGA SPECIAL WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2021 Looking for a bit of a challenge this season – because putting out the paper isn’t enough of an undertaking – we’ve Here&There...in Saratoga come up with the 20 for 21 contest. Tip of the cap to sisters Cc Larner and Mary Hill for coming up with most of the list, what “He’s like saddling a steeplechaser in the paddock. Just stands we’re calling the 20 for 21. A word for every issue of the 2021 QUOTE OF THE DAY there.” season if you will. We’ll try to use at least one in each issue and Assistant Tristan Barry after Wit won the Sanford when we do, we want you to let us know. Readers of the digital edition – those far and wide but some “I said the two path, not the 22 path.” “You lose your mind.” even right here in Saratoga – might have an advantage since Exercise rider, Vinnie Viola, while going back to the box seats they can read it before the print even rolls off the press. But we making a point while pulling up to retrieve his phone after winning the Sanford have confidence in our loyal print crowd. So here’s the challenge, when you see one of these words “By appointment only.” in an edition, email Tom Law at [email protected] Retired jockey Nick Santagata, with the word, page number and edition and you’ll receive a about a jockey who picks his spots prize. Prizes need to be picked up at our Saratoga office, or delivered somewhere in the stable area, grandstand or club- “I’m working with it.” house if we can make it work. Regardless we’ll give plaudits Photographer Barbara Livingston while trying in a future edition and you’ll have bragging rights among your to work the sunrise into a shot Tuesday morning friends as a true reader. Speaking of which, don’t forget to sign up for the Special 800-523-8143 “He’s like a goalie in hockey, he just expands.” Readers Club. You’ll definitely get first crack at each day’s Teresa Viola, after Wit won the Sanford edition. Finally, one or more of the words might have already appeared in either of the first two editions of The Special for WORTH REPEATING “I asked him if he needed help.” 2021. Outrider after a horse and exercise rider See thisishorseracing.com/readersclub “I’ll be in France Wednesday but I’ll be sure to read it online.” ducked out the gap Tuesday morning Godolphin’s Patrice Pot, exercise rider for Diana winner Althiqa, adding to our international audience Word List Lollygagging Peek 20 for 21 Loom Penultimate Admirable “My last name is Sanford, but I don’t have anything to do with Now for something obvious here at The Special – we like Mellifluous Pique Encroach the race.” words.