PERTH, Australia — Kell Berliner from the Jason Morris Judo Center in Scotia finished in seventh place at the Perth Open on Oct. 30, 2022, in Perth, Australia.
Berliner advanced to the quarterfinals of the Open, falling to Germany’s Lukas Vennekold in overtime. This finish jumped the 28-year-old Berliner up to a world ranking of #77 in the 81-kg weight class.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Skidmore men’s hockey team is off to a fast start, winning four of their first five games, including a victory on Saturday over the then-#2 team in Division III. However, the Thoroughbreds are simply aiming “to just get better each day.”
Skidmore begins NEHC play this weekend, and head coach Rob Hutchison said the team is looking to take things day-by-day, noting that this year is “a new group.”
“A lot of returning guys, but it’s a new group, a new year, and we don’t want to worry too much about things in the past, other than allowing them to maybe drive us or motivate us,” said Hutchison. “Really, our focus has solely been on getting better each day. Making sure guys are healthy, and moving forward and progressing, and as a group (that) we’re getting better and making progress.”
The Thoroughbreds’ most recent contest was a 4-3 victory over SUNY Geneseo, which was the #2 team in the USCHO Division III poll at the time. Hutchison said the win helped Skidmore gain “perspective on kind of where we’re at.”
“Geneseo’s had a really good program for years,” Hutchison said. “We knew it was going to be a tough one for us, and the guys rose to the challenge. They executed our gameplan, and we buried our chances.”
All four of the Thoroughbreds’ goals against Geneseo came on the powerplay, which Hutchison noted has been “finding some connection” early on in the season. Sophomore forward Zach Lindewirth scored the game-winning goal at 9:45 of the third period, and junior goaltender Tate Brandon made 36 saves in the win.
Skidmore is 4-1-0 in their first five games, winning four straight after dropping the season opener to Chatham University in overtime. Hutchison said the strong start has helped the team build confidence and find their identity.
“You can always improve, but I think that the most important thing is getting those wins early, building some confidence, learning how your team is going to win games and what the identity is,” said Hutchison. “For us, it’s been a productive two weeks in the opening going here, just kind of seeing how we’re going to go about winning games.”
This weekend, Skidmore will open conference play with road contests against NEHC opponents New England College and 10th-ranked Norwich University. Hutchison said the weekend will be “a really good test.”
“We’re going to have to play good defensive hockey. Both teams have a lot of offensive threats. Both venues are challenging places to play for different reasons. Both are very good programs, well-coached teams,” Hutchison said. “We’re really just looking to execute a gameplan, stay focused on the things that allow for us to be successful, and then play good defensive hockey.”
The Thoroughbreds went all the way to the NEHC championship game last season, falling 5-3 against Babson College. Hutchison said, however, that the team is “trying to take this year as a new year.”
“We know what’s ahead of us with the 18 league games. Everybody’s good,” said Hutchison. “This weekend will be a really good test; we’re facing two really good opponents. It’s our first overnight road trip, which adds another element of adversity, which we love early on. But I think the focal point has been just kind of getting better each day and focusing on one opponent at a time.”
As Skidmore has progressed through the week, Hutchison said the team has been focused on avoiding complacency following a strong week that included three wins for the Thoroughbreds.
“You come off a nice win, a nice high of a 3-0 week and it culminates with a win over a top five team, and not coming in Monday with any sort of complacency,” Hutchison said. “Come into the Monday morning practice with an itch to get better and make progress throughout the week.
“So really, just keeping our scope narrow, and our focus on the day-to-day.”
Skidmore (4-1-0) plays at New England College (1-2-0) at 7 p.m. Friday, and at #10 Norwich (3-0-0) at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
The 2022 Breeders’ Cup World Championships delivered everything racing fans could ask for and quite a bit more. In a bucolic Fall setting under beautiful blue skies, racing fans in Kentucky witnessed a full weekend of quality competitive races in a full but comfortable setting at Keeneland Race Course. Both the Friday card that highlighted two-year-old stars of the future and Saturday’s undercard before the Breeders’ Cup Classic featured championship quality racing with European runners shining bright in the grass races and horses which ran this year at Saratoga Race Course acquitting themselves well on the big stage.
On Saturday, when older filly Malathaat willed her way to a nose victory over two rivals in a blanket finish in the Distaff for fillies and mares, racing fans witnessed racing at its finest – a well-contested fair contest over a distance of ground among quality horses. The crowd was electrified by the run of the three fillies to the wire and many anxious moments were spent reviewing replays until the photo finish camera confirmed Malathaat’s minuscule margin of victory over longshot Blue Stripe and classy filly Clariere. Hall of Fame rider John R. Velazquez told me the next day “Malathaat just kept trying” and that effort delivered her well-deserved championship for fillies and mares.
As good as that race was, it just an appetizer for an even more awe-inspiring equine effort ninety minutes later.
For this year’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic the story approaching the race was clearly Flightline – the undefeated and untested son of top sire Tapit. Flightline had run brilliantly but sparingly over his brief and conservatively-managed career and the debate on where he stood in the pantheon of thoroughbred champions would be answered in this race. The ease and manner of his prior victories prompted his backers to compare him to the historical titans of the sport while skeptics questioned the quality of the competition he had easily vanquished. The debate reached a fever pitch in the weeks, days and hours before the classic and as Mark Twain observed “It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse-races.” In an instance that is all too rare in modern horse racing, the Breeders’ Cup Classic last Saturday shaped up as a time where the question of Flightline’s greatness could be definitively proven on the racetrack.
It was.
The deep and quality field that lined up against Flightline contained most of the top horses of the 2022 year including a horse with blazing early speed as well as those that relished finishing strongly late in the race. The potential dilemma faced by Flightline’s rider Flavien Prat was too passive a ride risked allowing the speed horse Life Is Good to lope along on an easy lead making him difficult to catch while engaging early in the race with that speedy runner could leave Flightline vulnerable late in the race to the deep closers behind him.
It didn’t matter.
From the break, Flightline’s raw talent allowed him to stay close to Life Is Good during very fast early fractions, that same talent allowed him to easily pass that rival and draw away from the top of the stretch to the wire. He was never threatened as the closers made no impact. The ease of his 8-length victory over top caliber runners left novice and veteran observers speechless; some were moved to tears; all acknowledged his greatness.
There was nothing to debate, nothing to do other than cheer. The doubters nodded in respect, the believers breathed a sigh of relief, the vanquished saluted the victor.
The debate was over.
Such was his domination of the racing world that he was immediately retired to the breeding shed. Nothing further to prove, no more foes to spar with, Flightline saw a 2.5% share of his ownership sell at auction shortly after the race for $4.6 million (imputing a staggering value of $184 million). We will now have to await his progeny to carry on his legacy.
The effort was such that this writer cannot do it full justice. Flightline’s victory was simply dominant.
In the stands and in the city the two-day race meet was well handled by the Keeneland Race Course and the Breeders’ Cup staff. Classy and comfortable surroundings, courteous and dignified staff, manageable betting and food lines and knowledgeable fans made for a thoroughly enjoyable experience. In recent years the Breeders’ Cup has truly reached its goal of becoming a two-day world class event.
The Breeders’ Cup presence was ubiquitous throughout the city of Lexington as a celebration of the horses and those that care for them. The attention to detail by the Breeder’s Cup and Keeneland staff was remarkable both on and off the track.
Those that have not attended the Breeders’ Cup should make a point to do so in the future – those that have attended know it is an experience worth reprising. The 2023 Breeders’ Cup is November 3-4 in Arcadia California’s Santa Anita Park – mark your calendar.
As the trees begin to slowly lose all their decorated leaves, and our local waters continue to cool, anglers are faced with the difficult decision of what they can fish for this time of year. For the majority of outdoorsmen, fall means putting down the fishing gear and heading to the woods in search of that trophy buck. But for the avid, year round fisherman, this can be a difficult time of year figuring out just what to target. Although the turning over of lakes and sub freezing mornings can make wanting to fish a challenge, the fall can present some of the best fishing opportunities of the year for certain species.
The Fall Turnover
One of the biggest keys to understanding how and why fish behave in the fall can be a result of the lakes turning over, which happens twice a year. As we know, in the summertime the surface holds the warmest water and as you go deeper the water gets progressively colder.
When a lake begins to turn over, the colder water begins to mix and even flip flop with the warmer water that is closer to the surface, allowing the lake to become the same temperature regardless of the depth. The key to this turnover is when the water temperature reaches around 50-55 degrees fahrenheit, and the surface water becomes denser than the rest of the lake’s water column. This dense, oxygen rich water sinks to the bottom allowing the oxygen depleted water from the bottom to rise to the top. It will be a visually noticeable difference, as the water on the surface will look extremely dirty from the decomposing matter that was on the bottom.
Eventually, the oxygen depleted water becomes recirculated and therefore allows fish to move wherever they want to.
Depending on what lake you’re fishing can also determine how fast this turnover happens and which areas will turn over first. The northern, larger lakes like Schroon Lake and Lake George will take a lot longer to turn over than smaller lakes, such as Saratoga Lake or Round Lake, which can determine your approach towards fishing them. Anglers in the fall have to be aware that most of the time the fish in the smaller lakes are going to change their patterns much more rapidly than the ones in the larger lakes because of how fast the water temperature changes. Most of us are still used to the same generic summer patterns where the fish are relating to shade, heavy vegetation, and drop offs, so this transition can be extremely frustrating for anglers once these fish have moved.
Covering Water
When the fish are no longer sitting where you had caught them in the previous months, this is the best time of the year to pick up a moving bait and cover water. A moving bait is basically any fishing lure that you are constantly working to imitate a fleeing baitfish. Predatory fish species like bass, walleye, and pike are actively seeking out bait schools this time of year and will often be found schooled up. So if you catch a fish in an area, most times there will be more to come if you continue working the same spot. My favorite moving baits in the fall are spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and crankbaits. The bites are usually extremely aggressive and by using a moving bait, you can fish a larger area that will help you uncover where these fish are.
Location
If you are stuck thinking about where to start searching for fish, I always like to target some of my springtime areas where I usually see the first presence of healthy weeds or weed beds. In the fall, these will be the areas where the weeds take the longest to die or will even partially remain all winter. Baitfish are attracted to the zooplankton and insect larvae that live in them, which then attracts the predatory fish to the same areas. If you can’t seem to find fish around weeds, the next place to check is winter holding areas, such as rock piles and drop offs. Once the water temperature begins descending into the 40s, fish will begin moving to their winter spots that are generally deeper. So being able to locate these areas after the fish have moved out of the shallows can be key to a successful trip.
Species to Target
Although the water temperature is now below most fish species’ preferred temperatures making them tougher to catch, there are still certain species that are willing to bite to provide you with plenty of action. If you are a pan fisherman, who is looking to eat your catch, Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Yellow Perch taste great and can provide constant action this time of year. They will be headed to their winter weed beds and holes in some of the biggest schools of the year. The other nice thing about targeting them is when you are finished catching them, you can switch baits and target the predatory species that will be found very close to them. Northern Pike, Bass, and Walleye are also catchable right now, as they are capitalizing on schooling baitfish and will be looking for an easy meal. You even have a shot at landing your personal best, as the bigger fish are bulking up for the winter.
So even if you have struggled previously in the fall, understanding the yearly patterns can be a huge game changer to your future success. By covering water and knowing which fish to target this time of year, you can continue to catch fish every time you go out. There is also nothing quite like having the entire lake to yourself, with only the echo of geese to break the silence. Every cast this time of year gives you the opportunity to catch a true fish of a lifetime.
For more information and specific lake reports you can visit your local bait shops such as Wiggly Worm Bait Supply. To book a guided fishing trip you can go to Ziehnertguideservice.com or email us at ziehnertguideservice@gmail.com.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Winter Club will hold their annual Saratoga Cup and Northeast Series I Short Track Speed Skating Meet on Saturday, Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Weibel Avenue Ice Rink. Admission is free and open to the public. Speed skaters from the Capital District as well as from Vermont, Massachusetts, New Jersey and beyond will compete at this East Coast tradition. It is the first time in the Saratoga Winter Club’s history that there is a female Race Director for the Saratoga Cup. Race Director Karolina Quinn said, “I’m very excited to be the first female Race Director in the history of our club, and it’s a role I take very seriously. I’m learning so much along the way and am having fun too! I will say that since joining the club several years ago, I’ve met and worked with several women who would be outstanding Race Directors, so while I may be the first, I’m sure I will not be the last.”
Warm-ups on race day will begin at 8 a.m. with racing commencing at 9 a.m. Racing will continue until around 4 p.m. Breaks will be taken to resurface the ice. “With Speedskating being the fastest human-powered sport in the world, the short track races are definitely very entertaining. During our Saratoga meet the races will be very quick and maintain constant action. At this meet you’ll see athletes from across the age and experience spectrum competing against one another, and supporting each other too, which is probably why so many athletes compete in the sport throughout their lives,” said Quinn, whose son will be competing in the meet along with other local kids, teenagers, and an adult from the Saratoga Winter Club.
Want to be part of the action? Volunteers are still needed to help with office positions including timers and judges. It’s a way for local high school students to fulfill community service hours in a fast-paced, exciting environment. Contact swc.skt.fst.brn.trn@gmail.com for more information. The Saratoga Winter Club has been an institution in Saratoga since the late 1800’s. It has produced world-class speed skaters including more than half-a-dozen Olympians, including SWC Head Coach Amy Peterson Peck who is a five-time Olympian and three-time Olympic medalist.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —On Thursday, Oct. 13, the Saratoga Regional YMCA hosted its second annual Impact Celebration at the Saratoga Hilton to celebrate and reflect on its success with staff, volunteers, donors, board members and community partners. During the celebration, SRYMCA awarded its former Board President and CFO of the Fort Miller Group, Rick Schumaker, the prestigious Frederic J. Resseguie Leadership Award.
The Frederic J. Resseguie Leadership Award recognizes those who have displayed outstanding leadership for the Saratoga Regional YMCA and its community. It is named after Dr. Frederic J. Resseguie, who in 1957 donated his home on 509 Broadway to assist the YMCA in reopening in Saratoga Springs. Rick is only the seventh recipient of this award since its beginning in the early 1970’s, with past recipients including major YMCA and community partners such as Nancy Lester and Michael Toohey.
Chairman of Stewart’s Shops and past recipient, Bill Dake, presented Rick with the award and reflected on many of his successes during his decade of service under the Saratoga Regional YMCA. Rick joined the Y’s Board of Directors in 2012 and went right to work, playing a vital role in several growth opportunities for SRYMCA such as the Outdoor Expansion at West Ave to implement their new outdoor pavilion, Adventure Ropes Course, and numerous play spaces and activity areas for summer camp and programming to utilize. Rick was also vital to the 2018 Malta Capital Campaign in partnership with the Saratoga Hospital and has continued to help SRYMCA reach its annual fundraising campaign goals across its association.
Now, Rick is on the Board of Trustees for SRYMCA and continues to be one of their vital voices in the community. He and the Fort Miller Group have provided leadership gifts for their Annual and Capital Campaigns cumulating to over $500,000 during his time on the board, and now are major donors of the West Ave Capital Campaign with the Saratoga Senior Center. The Frederic J. Resseguie Leadership Award is a well-deserved honor for Rick, who has and will continue to be a major ally for the Saratoga Regional YMCA.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —On Saturday, Nov. 19, the Saratoga Springs Firefighters IAFF Local 343 will be hosting the Saratoga Springs Police PBA in the annual Saratoga Springs Fire & Police Holiday Hockey Classic. The game will be played to benefit the Franklin Community Center’s Holiday Assistance Program.
This program has been essential in providing local families assistance during the holidays. The hockey game and toy donation associated with it has the goal to ensure that every child in the area has the opportunity to wake up on Christmas morning to a present waiting for them. The game has seen continued growth with increased support each year it has been played.
This year’s game will be held at the Weibel Ice Rink (30 Weibel Ave., Saratoga Springs) with doors opening at approximately 6 p.m., after the conclusion of the Skidmore College game against Southern Maine. Gametime is scheduled for 7 p.m. Admission to the game is free with the donation of a new and unwrapped toy (or monetary donation). The game will include raffling items from various sponsors; King’s Tavern, Panza’s on the Lake, Skidmore Hockey and the Adirondack Thunder, with all proceeds going to the Franklin Community Center. If you would like to donate but can not attend the game on Nov. 19, toy collection boxes are open at the following locations: Saratoga Springs Fire Department Station 1 at 60 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs Fire Department Station 2 at 166 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs Police Department at 5 Lake Avenue, Kings Tavern at 241 Union Ave and Panza’s on the Lake at 510 NY-9P, Saratoga Springs.
If you have any questions please contact Chris Stewart at 518-338-2664 or email at ssfd159@yahoo.com.
COLONIE — On Tuesday, November 1, the Saratoga Blue Streaks squared off against Shaker High School in the Class AA Section II final hosted in Colonie. The fans in attendance didn’t have to wait long for the scoring as Saratoga’s leading scorer for the season – Ryan Farr – netted the ball off an assist from Owen Eldridge in the twelfth minute. In what would be a back-and-forth contest all night, Shaker needed less than a minute to equalize as Lesedi Sekhobo knotted things at 1-1, which is how the first half would finish.
Midway through the second half, the deadlock was broken by Shaker’s Kofi Sarfoh by way of a header from Nick Pepe. Just nine minutes later, Brendan Degan notched another for the Bison as they took what looked like a commanding 3-1 lead with less than 10 minutes left in the final. But Saratoga stepped up, and the effort was led by one player in particular, the previous goal scorer and junior Ryan Farr. Farr was the first to the ball as a cross from Lucas Verghese swung into the penalty area with just under 9 minutes remaining. Farr’s header would make it 3-2.
“Ryan Farr is unbelievable,” said Shaker coach Dan Fountain in a post game statement. “We had him triple-teamed and he was still causing us fits and scoring a bunch of goals. He’s just an unbelievable player and the team uses him well.”
With 2 minutes left, the hattrick was complete as Vincent Devito assisted Farr for his third goal of the night.
“He’s been amazing all season and he kind of took the team on his shoulders and got us those goals,” said coach Jeffery Geller about Farr. “The team was definitely feeding off his energy, but we’re a little gutted on how it ended,” Geller would say to the media after the match.
How it ended was frustrating for both Saratoga fans and players alike. Ultimately, it was a line judge’s decision to give a penalty to Shaker in golden goal overtime (meaning if one team scores, it’s over). Shaker’s Ben Halek lined up to take the kick, and with the stroke of his boot sent Saratoga home and claimed the Section II title for Shaker High. With 18 seniors on the Saratoga squad, the abrupt end of the season on a penalty kick may feel sour, but with an overall record of 15-1-1 and Class AA ranking of #2 in New York State, hopefully the momentum of this year can carry the program for years to come.
“Not only did we have a great season, but I felt like this group is a family,” said Geller. “I’m going to miss a lot of these boys next year. They fought for each other. They played for each other all year and I really can’t ask for anything more.”
Friday, Nov. 4 & Saturday, Nov. 5
This year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championship races will be held over two days – Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5 at Lexington, Kentucky’s stately Keeneland Race Course and as usual it will have a strong Saratoga connection. The beautiful fall Keeneland setting is complemented by the surrounding world-class horse farms affording fans the opportunity to visit past champions as well as current contenders. In addition to its racecourse, Keeneland is the industry’s leading auction house founded in 1936. Keeneland’s mission is to continually invest in the industry and to preserve the tradition of Thoroughbred racing. It’s motto “Racing as it was meant to be” resonates with many in Saratoga who revere racing traditions and customs.
Like most years the Breeders’ Cup will feature many horses that ran at Saratoga this summer or have a significant Saratoga ties.
The Breeders’ Cup series of races spans two days of racing at varying distances, surfaces and categories. This years’ event will feature 14 races for total purses of more than $31 million. The five races featuring two-year-olds will be run on Friday’s card which is dubbed “Future Stars Friday.” The remaining nine races for older horses will be run Saturday, Nov. 5, with the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic ending the card with an expected post time of 5:40 p.m. The races will be televised live on USA Network and FanDuel TV (formerly TVG) with the Classic being shown on NBC between 3:30 and 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
The Breeders’ Cup event was first run in 1984 and was created to be a televised season ending event much like the Super Bowl or World Series. Having initially eschewed television coverage for fear of giving away its product, racing found itself with a shrinking fan base and difficulty creating new fans. The traditional stakes races were televised but predicting who would run and how much interest there would be in any particular fall stakes race proved difficult and not conducive to television promotion. As a multi-race event the Breeders’ Cup was meant to assure the appearance of stars and fans. While it was originally meant to rotate among North American race tracks (and it did so in its early years) in recent years, due to a myriad of factors including weather and politics, it has alternated between California and Kentucky. The races draw stars and challengers from each racing division with a formidable complement of runners from overseas.
One interesting statistic from a handicapping perspective, longshots have done extremely well in the series since its inception. A flat win bet on all runners that started at odds of 20-1 or above shows a significant profit and return on investment.
This year the Breeders’ Cup entrants are owned by a mixture of traditional owners and diversified ownership groups. Saratoga-based West Point Thoroughbreds will be front and center having partial ownership of undefeated super horse – Flightline – who will be the overwhelming favorite in the Classic while other entrants will be owned by traditional private stables.
Like most years, this one will see several equine stars try to eclipse their respective fields at short odds to claim champion status in their respective divisions. However the major focus of the two days will by Flightline and his super star status.
Flightline is undefeated and unchallenged albeit, in a lightly raced career. He has produced runaway victories in each of his starts and showed the speed to control the race on the front end as well as the ability to stalk a speedy opponent. To date there does not appear to be any weakness in his performances. The field of challengers will be replete with horses that ran this year at Saratoga. Older runners including the speedy Life is Good and the steady winner Olympiad (who also has a Saratoga connection through owner LNJ Foxwoods) are expected to challenge. Three-year-old runners taking on older horses for the first time in the Classic include Travers winner Epicenter and Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike.
Earlier on Saturday The Distaff for fillies and mares will see one of two Todd Pletcher-trained Saratoga winners – Malathaat or Nest go to the post as favorite.
The focus on the grass races will be on the European entrants who have typically performed well on Keeneland’s grass course as both the weather and the surface are conducive to their conditioning and running style. Internationally based runners have factored in each running of the series.
For many runners it will be their final race before moving onto the breeding shed to pass on their genes to future generations. This annual two-day flurry of first class racing usually provides lasting memories. It is well worth the watch.
SARATOGA — This past weekend, the Saratoga Boys JV Volleyball won the Suburban Council “End of the Season Tournament,” hosted at Burnt Hills High School. This tournament encompasses the last round of matches for the junior varsity season. The Blue Streaks went 7-1 in pool play – receiving a first-round bye. After the bye, the Streaks squared off against Columbia High, who they would sweep two games to nil. In the finals, Saratoga came out on top against rivals Shenendehowa to win the tournament and put an exclamation mark on their season. The team is coached by Coach DiFusco.
