Meet my new boy, Tapizar

Official photo finish of the 2010 Travers

In December 2009, I was lucky enough to have TVG running in the background on a cold, shut-in kind of day when I happened to witness the debut of a 2-year-old at Aqueduct named Afleet Express. I was immediately impressed by his sheer talent to overcome a rollercoaster of a trip to rally from last and breeze past his rivals while still acting green in the stretch. This was a big ball of potential, and I hung on his every workout and race thereafter. If you followed horse racing in 2010, you will know then how I was rewarded with the ultimate pay-off for my loyalty: Afleet Express hung on to win the Grade I Travers by a nose to Fly Down that summer. It was one of the highlights of my year, to say the least--I was screaming like a flaming banshee, my shrieks piercing the windows of my living room and alerting the neighborhood to what they likely thought was my murder. My vocal cords were practically shredded by the time the horses galloped back from that race. I hadn't bet on that race (as I bet maybe twice a year, and only if I happen to be at the track), but I still had my $2 win ticket from my trip to Saratoga when I saw him run in the Jim Dandy, proof of my devotion.

Rachel Alexandra takes on history again in the Woodward

Originally posted as my latest article at Smilepolitely.com:

If Curlin taught me anything in the Breeders' Cup last year, it's that the best horse doesn't always win the race. Look also at the 2009 Stephen Foster where the sure bet, Einstein, was blocked in the whole way 'round and never got an opening, having to settle for third place to Macho Again, a horse he could beat by daylight on any given day. Some will say last week's Travers is also an example of this notion, as the blazing Quality Road was boxed in and cornered on the rail, where a river of water had him logged until it was too late to work him into stride, and the lead was quickly surrendered to a free-floating Summer Bird. We like to think our heroes are invincible, but even Superman had his Kryptonite.


This is why Rachel Alexandra's foray into the Woodward is a little unsettling: she is daring to challenge history at Saratoga Race Course, the notorious "Graveyard of Champions;" it was here that Man o' War was handed his only defeat in 21 starts, here that the mighty Secretariat was beaten by Onion, here that the name Jim Dandy would ring forever, when the 100-1 longshot beat the Triple Crown winner, Gallant Fox. It was here that a horse named "Upset" became a vernacular in the world of horse racing, synonymous to when a favorite is undermined. Rachel Alexandra won't just be battling older horses in the Woodward, she will attempting to vanquish the spirits of Saratoga...


Read the rest here.

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In undercard news, I'll be rooting for my boy, Pyro, in the Grade I Forego; it's Race 9 at Saratoga, directly before the Woodward. He'll be going for his first Grade I victory, and the hard-knocking little horse deserves it. It won't be an easy task, but his last race proved he's come back to form as a 4-year-old. I don't know if anyone has yet figured out what distance he likes best. Seven furlongs has me worried, I'll admit; a mile seemed more to his liking. Anyway, go Pyro! and happy Woodward day!

Spa Spa Spa!!

I would do anything to be in Saratoga Springs, New York, this week. I really don't have the words to explain how exciting it would be to see Wednesday's opening day of races with the big two-year-old filly stakes in the Schuylerville, see my boy Pyro's first race since last October when he runs in the James Marvin Stakes, and Quality Road's return to the races since his dominating Florida Derby victory... it's all too much. If I stop to think about all that I'm missing, my mind begins to conjure up ways I can hop a train or a plane to New York. I'll just have to block out all the people who're telling me Saratoga is the place to be, because I can't.

But it still hurts.

And then there's the goings-on at Monmouth. Rachel Alexandra will be schooling between races on Friday, when she arrives from Saratoga. Do I even need to mention how huge this Haskell is going to be? Just don't forget it's on Sunday, not Saturday.

I really hope that Pyro does well in his return race. After seeing the distance, I'm not so sure he's got much of an advantage. At 7 furlongs, the James Marvin Stakes really is too short of a distance for this horse that does his best at 1 1/8-miles. With his late-running kick, and as a horse that takes a while to get going, usually waiting until the last furlong or two to get into gear, Pyro will have to acquire a little get-up-and-go if he's to do well in this stakes. Riley Tucker will also start in the James Marvin, a colt that's been improving in his fourth year. So all in all, a decent place to come back for Pyro, though the odds are stacked against him. Note he will be ridden by a jockey other than Shaun Bridgmohaun for the first time in his career. John Velazquez will be in the irons.

ESPN.com relates all things Spa for the opening week here.