Rain Spoils the Party

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Opening week (for the third time this year) was a party that was largely spoiled by rain. Heavy localized downpours each night over Saratoga Race Course resulted in numerous races being moved off the two turf courses onto the main track (many run out of the dreaded Wilson Chute). It’s an all-too-familiar routine. 

When the rains come, fans who salivate over the large juicy turf fields are disappointed to see them dramatically reduced due to the surface switch. The outcome is unappetizing racing and a significantly reduced betting handle. There is also frustration for all involved. The tension between wanting to keep races on the grass and wishing to protect the grass courses from damage done by running in wet conditions is palpable. The New York Racing Association fears damaging the grass courses, thereby risking additional cancellations or unsafe conditions for the bulk of the meet, but fans and horsemen bristle at seeing racing moved to the main track on sunny days.

This problem has grown with increased popularity of grass races (and the seasonal weather patterns in Saratoga Springs). There is no easy solution to this conundrum, but solutions are worth exploring. Each suggestion has its drawbacks and limitations. Among them:

– Replacing one of the turf courses with a synthetic course. This leaves turf racing more vulnerable to damaged course conditions as more races will be run over the remaining course while providing no guarantee that trainers will run over the synthetic course rather than scratch (and that bettors will bet). There is also the aesthetics damage of removing lush green acreage. 

– Carding actual substitute races as opposed to taking “Main Track Only” entries. Each grass race would be cancelled when the course was unavailable and replaced with a completely new race with different entries. While better than the hodgepodge remainder in these races, this is a logistic and practical nightmare which may cause even smaller fields and more frustration.

– Install/use a tarp system to cover the grass courses to protect the courses – like what is done in baseball. The dimensions and cost of equipment and manpower makes this impractical as does the speed with which storms develop in the area, but it should be studied for some instances. 

– Run grass races only in the second half of the meeting when damage to the course would have less of a lasting impact. Obviously, this is self-defeating – promoting grass racing by not having grass racing for much of the meet – but it might provide some consistency with the first half promoting dirt racing and the second half turf racing. 

– Stop carding an inordinate number of grass races on a particular card. Last Sunday’s card had six of ten races on the grass course which seems unwise, particularly early in the season. Balance would seem to be the key.

– Promote dirt racing. The dirt races are difficult to fill with trainers and owners preferring the grass races. However, incentives to run on the main track and the prospect of fewer grass races could be the impetus to change that. Grass racing is popular with horsemen and betters, but it cannot be ignored that Oaklawn Park in Arkansas has seen large fields and healthy mutual handle each year without a turf course. 

Grass trips

Speaking of grass races…two weekends in a row, odds-on grass favorites were narrowly beaten after wide trips with no cover. When riding the best horse, the cautious approach is to make sure the runner has clear sailing. But as the connections of Nitrogen in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes and She Feels Pretty in the Diana Stakes can attest, lost ground can prove too taxing. Both fillies were gallant in defeat but were asked to do too much. 

Journalism to the Haskell

Saratoga will share the racing spotlight this weekend with Monmouth Park, where Preakness winner Journalism returns in the Haskell Stakes to face Gosger and Goal Oriented, both of whom he defeated in the Preakness. Journalism “dances every dance” and his connections are to be commended for racing him while he is fit, but history has shown very good horses are vulnerable after a taxing triple crown campaign. Let’s hope a rematch with Sovereignty later in the year is in the offing.

Live music in Saratoga – Kiah Saxe

Top line professional music fills the Saratoga Performing Arts Center each year but live music in bars and downtown clubs has been a staple of the racing season for a century. The quality varies (which is what makes it fun). One high-energy crowd-pleasing band is The Hey Nows. The Hudson Valley-based cover band led by vocalist Paul Serrao has often played in the area. The group now features an extraordinary young female vocalist – Kiah Saxe from New Paltz. The enthusiastic crowd at The Ice House was treated to a powerful, enthusiastic, and talented performance by Ms. Saxe that was worthy of many repeats and portends a bright future. The Hey Nows return to The Ice House on Aug. 22. Mark your calendar to see this woman perform.