Opening Week

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga race meet begins in earnest this week after two unusual appetizers. The conclusion of the July 4th Racing Festival paves the way for the traditional (at least recent traditional) mid-July opening. 

While it’s debatable whether the July 4th Racing Festival was an on-track success, as the attendance was not stellar, there is no question it was a smashing mutuel handle success. The amount bet on the four days of racing easily eclipsed and surpassed the amounts bet on the same days downstate in prior years. Betting on the four-day meet was so strong that it came at the expense of competing tracks during the same four days, making the New York Racing Association offerings by far the leader of the weekend. Despite official denials that this festival will remain at Saratoga once the new Belmont racetrack is completed, it’s hard to imagine the New York Racing Association eschewing a repeat next July 4th. 

DEBUT RUNNERS

The Saratoga race meet is usually replete with races for well-bred maidens representing the future stars of the sport. Such races teem with potential stars making their debuts and if you want to be able to say you saw a good one race the first time, Saratoga is the place to do so. 

This year, even before the start of the official meet, we have seen some good ones.  Last week, the 2-year-old New York-bred filly Iron Orchard was rumored to be a good one. She was, and her debut makes this $500,000 purchase look like money well spent.

The male version of the same race run the following day saw another high-priced purchase run debut with an eye-catching stride while finishing third. The fancifully named Nowucme Nowudont, a son of Good Magic, figures to be heard from in the future in a big way.

Continuing the parade of expensive two-year old first-time starters was the cleverly named colt Ewing, sired by freshman sire Knicks Go. The Mark Casse trainee won easily and will likely be seen in stakes company next.

Another impressive debut, this one with talent well-hidden from the public, came in the last race of the festival when the Michael Dubb-owned, Rick Dutrow-trained Hangover Heaven slingshotted to the lead while extremely wide on the turn and romped to victory at a generous price. The gamble to offer this late debuting three-year-old for a tag paid off as there were no takers. Stealthy talent was commonplace decades ago when keeping a first timer’s ability hidden was not difficult, but in today’s world of video workouts, workout reports, and high scrutiny, this effort was truly remarkable. 

RUFFIAN

Last weekend marked the 50th anniversary of the tragic breakdown of the brilliant filly Ruffian in an ill-conceived match race at Belmont Park against top three-year-old colt Foolish Pleasure. The match race, spurred in part by the success of the Billy Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs “Battle of the Sexes” tennis exhibition, was a low point in modern racing history. Running for a huge purse of $400,000, Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure raced in tandem down the Belmont backstretch only to see Ruffian suffer a fatal injury early in the race and Foolish Pleasure eerily run alone to the wire. For those of us who were there (and those who remember), it was a somber day and set back racing significantly. It is hard to overstate how magnificent Ruffian was and the expectations her fans, including this writer, had for her. The match race, a concept largely fueled by bravado, is not one racing should ever embrace again.

THE WILSON CHUTE

Readers of this column (as well as my family, friends, and acquaintances) have heard me repeatedly express my distaste for the Wilson Chute. While it is a necessary evil for races that are removed from the turf courses due to weather conditions, the carding of races specifically with a start out of view of on-track patrons and that provides an unfair start has always struck me as unwise. It appears the new racing secretary, Rob MacLennan, agrees with me (at least early in the meet), as no dirt races utilizing the Wilson Chute are contained in the first two racing books of the season. Here’s hoping that continues.

FIRE/FLOOD

Last week saw two Saratoga enterprises suffer sudden damage. McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Stillwater lost two hay barns and several smaller buildings to fire. No people or horses were harmed, and the farm expects to continue operating. On the same weekend, Northshire Bookstore on Broadway in Saratoga suffered flood damage that has closed the Saratoga staple right as the racing season begins. Rachel Person, Director of Special Events, told me “We are determined to reopen in early August and in the meantime, we will have alternate arrangements for our scheduled events.” Keep both businesses in mind as they will appreciate your support.