By any measure Travers Day 2024 was a success for horse racing and the New York Racing Association.  On a stellar weather day, a large crowd wagered a record amount on a 14-race program of high-class racing. Despite the length of the day the races were run with approximately 30-minute intervals between races allowing a pace that matched the excitement on the track. There were no 45-minute lags between races that too often sap the energy out of the building on big days. With good racing, good weather and a pace maintaining the excitement of the day, the NYRA was rewarded with a record all-sources betting handle exceeding $63 million dollars – easily a Travers Day record.

The race itself was a thrilling, if not artistic, event with the early pace being surprisingly slow as most jockeys reserved their mounts early in the race. These tactics perhaps revealed a lack of confidence in their mounts’ ability to get the taxing mile and one quarter distance, but it resulted in a pace less affair with Fierceness finally gaining the lead decisively at the top of the stretch. When the filly  – Thorpedo Anna – made a last second run at the leader the collective accelerating pulse of the crowd was palpable.  She steadily gained on the leader in the final 70 yards only to come up shy by a diminishing head before an enthusiastic crowd. While Fierceness held on to win, much like Zenyatta and Seattle Slew before her, Thorpedo Anna gained more respect in defeat than she had in all her previous victories. Running against colts was a sporting gesture by her connections benefitting fans and the sport and they should be applauded. 

OBSERVATIONS

One of the benefits of writing this column is having people approach me with their observations on a number of topics. This year the reviews of Travers Day by knowledgeable fans was uniformly positive. 

More than one fan welcomed the fast pace of Saturday’s card in the later afternoon, with the truncated times of approximately 30 minutes between races. A veteran attendee observed “Wow, the whole experience of going to the Travers was well beyond my expectations – big fun crowd but not too crowded -easy to get make a bet, get a drink or food and no bathroom line. The racing was fantastic on a sun splashed day – a big win for horse racing.”

The other welcome consensus was the openness of the grounds as compared to Belmont Stakes Day which had far more private areas blocking fans.  Giving fans the ability to get close to the paddock and see the horses unobstructed appears to be the number one desire of most fans. The New York Racing Association would be well served to limit the private areas around the facility and give the fans the ability to be close to the paddock and move about as they desire.  It’s hard to overestimate how important this is to the on track experience and the main thing that keeps fans coming back.

NOTE: The cordoning off of the area in the Paddock Bar adjacent to the paddock is an unwise and unwelcome recent development. It should be undone. Forcing  average fans to cram into the small area near the bathrooms to see into the paddock clearly sends the message that the most ardent fans are not fully appreciated. 

ART ROONEY 

There is nothing quite as valuable as a good reputation, particularly one which defines how you are remembered.  As a teenager on the racetrack, I was often told of the stellar reputation of Art Rooney. His accomplishments in the world racing and sports are too many to list here but a quick google search will reveal their scope. As impressive as his accomplishments were, it’s the personal aspect that is most important and lasting. In a conversation this week, with a racetrack veteran recounting a story that took place more than 60 years ago Art Rooney’s reputation of humility, generosity and kindness has clearly survived the test of time. It’s rare that someone is remembered so well so uniformly (36 years after his passing). That the stories of his character are legion and still being remembered in a personal way more than 60 years after the fact is truly remarkable and legacy and one we should all strive to attain.

Horse racing has lost one of the last remaining celebrities of the sport during it’s peak years of the 1950s through the 70s. Tommy Roberts passed away recently at the age of 96 after a fight with cancer. Tommy’s career included executive positions at both Florida and New Jersey racetracks. He was familiar to horse racing audiences with his nationally televised “The Race of the Week” from Hialeah Park, when the track was the winter palace of the “Sport of Kings.” Mr. Roberts was named “The Father of Simulcast” by BloodHorse magazine for his innovation that now brings live racing to outlets around the world.

Roberts began his career as a radio broadcaster in the Philadelphia area during the late 1940s. He had a golden voice that would have an influence on much of his spectacular career.

He brought his radio skills to war torn Korea during that brutal conflict. His radio show “The Armed Forces Korean Network” was broadcast throughout South Korea and as far away as Japan. He also produced “On Stage Korea” where he introduced Hollywood stars to the battle tested GI’s with the likes of Academy Award winner William Holden, actor Mickey Rooney and his great friend from Philadelphia, singer Eddie Fisher.

When he returned home, he was offered a job at Garden State Park, a major horse racing venue of that era. Within a short time he was named publicity director. Always the innovator, in 1960 he planned an extravagant, fan friendly day of racing for the rebirth of the Jersey Derby. The event produced a record for both attendance and pari mutuel betting for the state of New Jersey.

For years he called the feature race of the day on radio for all three of New Jersey’s racetracks. His smooth voice could be heard throughout the mid- Atlantic states, thrilling the fans with picture perfect descriptions of the ongoing races.

Another of the many faces of Tommy was his career as the play by play announcer for the NBA’S Philadelphia 76ers and his beloved Philadelphia Eagles football team. For his accomplishments, he was inducted as a proud member of the Broadcasting Pioneers of Philadelphia’s Hall of Fame.

He was also well known in the world of professional boxing. Tommy produced numerous championship fights for Madison Square Garden Productions, including the Heavyweight Championship bout between Joe Frazier and Oscar Bonevena.

South Florida was Tommy’s backyard. It was there that those of us old enough to remember had a chance to see him perform his magic with NBC’s nationally televised “The Race of the Week.” Every Saturday during Hialeah Park’s fabulous winter meeting, he could be seen in the paddock interviewing the important personalities who were involved with that day’s Stakes Race. The show was a success that lasted for 23 years. Tommy Roberts surely had more than a knack for longevity.

His success was booming. During Secretariat’s run for the record books in 1973, he called the Triple Crown events on 800 radio stations across the country.

When John Brunetti purchased Hialeah, he asked Tommy to become his right hand man as Vice-President and General Manager of the racetrack. He loved Hialeah and worked diligently on making improvements to the facility.

Tommy Roberts made his reputation in horse racing and radio. That’s a gimme. He was way more than that. Tommy was about to alter the course of the horse racing industry.

His baby was a little thing called SIMULCAST. The great innovator introduced the concept to Nevada Casinos in 1983. What started with 30 outlets blossomed into today’s worldwide industry. Mr. Roberts may well be called the savior of horse racing. The sport was on the decline as casinos offered quick action, entertainment and fine dining. Players were comped with meals and shows to entice their gambling dollar.

Racetracks were losing business faster than Seattle Slew could run six furlongs. Simulcast put live horse racing in living rooms and off track wagering facilities. Attendance on track may have declined, but the off track wagering skyrocketed. Tommy had given the sport the lifeline that it so badly needed.

Tommy was one of the last of the lions who rose to prominence in one of the greatest eras of sports. It is fitting that he would leave the scene during the Saratoga racing meet. For many years he and his wife Vicky called Saratoga Springs their summer home. Here, he could be found at his box at the racetrack nearly every day after a morning round of golf at Saratoga Golf and Polo Club.

Tommy was brilliant, articulate and serious. On the other hand, he had a quick-wit, was funny, and could light up a dark room. He also was a great story teller. The amazing thing about hearing them was that every one was true and most were hilarious.

His many friends within and outside the horse racing community will surely miss him. I know that I will.

Saratoga Spring native Jennifer Paragallo wins her first race at Saratoga Race Course as trainer following a horse racing path that started with selling the Daily Racing Form and newspapers.

Jennifer Paragallo’s career path in horse racing may be an atypical one, but the path has recently become a winning one.

Paragallo won her first race as a trainer at Saratoga Race Course on Friday when Dunedin Causeway took the lead inside the sixteenth pole before inching away to a three-quarter length margin in the maiden claiming race.

“A win anywhere, regardless of the track, is special,” she said with a hoarse and raspy voice from shouting with excitement. “Though, a win at Saratoga is special. This one is my biggest deal because it’s home. Being from Saratoga and growing up here, this means the world to me.”

Paragallo’s world in horse racing started as a child when she was selling the Daily Racing Form and other newspapers with her mother outside the track. During that time, she became familiar with jockeys and their agents, as well as trainers and other horsemen.

Entering her teenage years, Paragallo evolved into a dedicated fan of the sport, which part of it was reflected constantly watching the first Breeders’ Cup on her recorded VHS tape before it broke from overuse.

By the time Paragallo entered Saratoga Springs High School in the late 1980s, she had aspirations of going to the “big leagues” at Belmont Park and Aqueduct where she could gallop horses. However, she never realized that Saratoga was always the place to be.

“When I was a kid, I knew that Saratoga was big, but I couldn’t wait to leave,” she said. “I never knew this was the big leagues, and I’ve been to a lot of tracks all over the country –California, Florida, Arkansas, Texas, Indiana, New Jersey and Delaware. There is no place like Saratoga.”

Once Paragallo left Saratoga Springs in 1991, she started galloping horses for trainers that included Mike Daggett, Mike Sedlacek, and Terri Pompey. After galloping horses for a few years, Paragallo wanted to follow her dream of becoming a jockey.

During the Oaklawn Park meet in 1994 while riding under her maiden name Jennifer Robinson, Paragallo had just five mounts during that meet with none of them finishing in the money.

Once the Oaklawn Park meet ended, Paragrallo migrated to Finger Lakes where she was getting closer to her first victory with three second-place finishes. With no Winner Circle appearance, she ended that year with a second-place and third-place finish at Aqueduct.

With more riding opportunities in 1995 at Atlantic City, Paragallo finally won her first race aboard Prize Writer in a claiming race. Just over a week later, she guided Delightful Marine to his first victory after 41 attempts as a maiden.

That was the last winner for Paragallo as she finished her jockey career at Hoosier Park on Oct. 15, 1995 due to limited opportunities and other challenges.

“I was bound and determined to be some great jockey,” she said. “I didn’t plan to quit. I was making a decent living, but I was fighting my weight. It was probably not in my cards to be a jockey because I wasn’t naturally light.”

Paragallo came back to New York as an exercise rider for a plethora of trainers that include Hall of Famers Bill Mott and Nick Zito for the next two decades. 

Paragallo eventually transitioned into an assistant trainer with her early opportunity coming from Bruce Brown in 2009. During her 4½ years with Brown, she took care of the 30 horses that he stabled at Saratoga once the Oklahoma Training Track opened in the spring.

During her time with Brown, Paragallo traveled to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Spring with Spring to the Sky and Churchill Downs for Breeders’ Cup Mile with Compliance Officer. She also went to Woodbine for the graded stakes races with New York-bred Strong Impact and Night Officer.

“This was an important part of me,” Paragallo said. “Bruce is the easiest-going and simple kind of guy. He was one of the best bosses that I had. There is so much [public relations] at Saratoga. He liked how I handled that.”

Paragallo made the decision to become a trainer in late 2022. About three months since her first starter at Tampa Bay Downs, she won her first race with Redzilla on Mar. 4, and that followed with a victory from Mylastredcent and another win from Redzilla.

Now, she has just five horses at Barn 42 at Saratoga. Four of those horses are still looking for their first wins: Althena, Devil of Ramadi, Fire Baron, and Theregoesmymiracle.

Though, Paragallo wasn’t the only trainer who earned her first Saratoga win based at Barn 42. In fact, she gave up one of her stalls for Kathleen O’Connell, who also picked up her first Saratoga victory – and her 2,500th career win – with Thirty Thou Kelvin in Wednesday’s allowance race.

Paragallo likes the manageable stable size that is supported by just her exercise rider and roommate Makaia Carpenter, as well as and her assistant and groom Richie Suttle, who once had his lone stakes win with Dontletthebigonego in the Grade 3 Lafayette Stakes and his only Saratoga victory with Momsmercedes in a maiden race – both in 1998.

“We have a small team. We’re best friends,” Paragallo said. “My friends are my team. We’re working with horses every day – inside and out. We get up 4:30 in the morning and stay until noon. It doesn’t matter if it is hot out, cold out, or raining. We enjoy this small stable.”

 Even with the support of her team, Paragallo knows that being a trainer is still a lifelong learning experience, especially since that has been reinforced by the late Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens and his former assistant Chuck Simon, also a Saratoga Springs native.

“I’m still on a learning curve,” Paragallo said. “Jerkens trained horses for more than 50 years. He said you never stop learning. Even Chuck said that you never stop learning.”

“I am a little thick-headed,” she added. “Sometimes, you don’t always see stuff when you are in the moment,” she added. “I might be overtraining. I might be overreading. I might be trying too hard sometimes. When you are trying to force something, you cannot make it happen. I understanding these things. No one teaches you these things.”

While Paragallo never had intention of training horses, she has embraced this part of her career path, but she had never forgotten about being a fan of horse racing, especially at Saratoga.

“They say, ‘Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.’ I’m living my dream. I don’t want to miss a moment with my horses. Coming to Saratoga, I am still a fan. This is where I fell in love with the sport.”

Reacting to a harsh and definite weather forecast, the New York Racing Association opted for flexibility and common-sense last weekend.  In doing so it managed to salvage two important grass races for the benefit of the fans.  This innovative flexibility acknowledged the devastating impact multiple horse scratches due to changing track surfaces can have on a race card.  Both the ugly raving in such events and the associated drop in mutuel handle need to be avoided and it is hoped this type of flexibility will be employed liberally going forward. last weekend.  While there was some grumbling by the horizontal bet players (who tend to complain far more than most about most things) this was a practical decision which benefitted the sport and its fans.

Even though the two races in question – The Fourstardave Handicap and the awfully-named Saratoga Derby, had already been pushed back a week due to wet grass conditions, the New York Racing Association employed the maxim “better late than never” and pushed both races back another 24 hours in order to allow both fields to run on a safe grass course.  The result was two quality competitive grass races that benefitted the on-track crowd who opted to stay for the late Sunday post times and the racing fans viewing off track. While this was a win for the sport in general, it was a particular win for West Point Thoroughbreds who again sprung a Saratoga grass stakes upset when Carson’s Run ran down the favored Legend of Time inside the final furlong to win going away. Owned in partnership with Steven Bouchey, Carson’s Run was purchased for the reasonable sum of $170,000 at auction. He is targeting the lucrative Nashville Derby next at Kentucky Downs with the longer-term chance of travelling down under to Australia for the large purse offered in the Cox Plate in late October.

Westpoint Thoroughbreds’ win in Saratoga Derby continued a huge meet for the high-end partnership stable. The continued success of West Point Thoroughbreds for decades, in the difficult business of purchasing and running horses is remarkable given the vicissitudes of racing. Their presence in graded stakes races has continued to expand in recent years and they have a nationwide presence. On the same day their Carson’s Run eclipsed the Grade I Saratoga Derby they ran second in the reconstituted Arlington Million, (now run at Colonial Downs), in Virginia with their colt Integration. Looking towards the future, earlier in the day on the Sunday Saratoga card they unveiled a sharp maiden winner – Sandman – who as a high-priced son of top sire Tapit only figures to get better as the races get longer.  

The win by Carson’s Run represented hot-riding jockey Dylan Davis’s first Grade I win at his home track of Saratoga. He is having a tremendous meet and is consistently making the right choice in both dirt and turf races. He is riding with confidence and has become a “go to” rider for a number of stables.  Earlier on the card Davis won the listed Mahony Stakes aboard Fandom with a persistent ride on the front end.

The aforementioned Fourstardave Handicap was won by Carl Spackler who benefited from a perfect trip under rider Tyler Gaffalione (riding for his father-in-law) to give trainer Chad Brown his first win in the event.