Saratoga Opening Weekend: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Everyone loves a three day, holiday weekend. Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Saratoga Opening weekend. Opening Day of the annual Saratoga Race Course Summer meet traditionally has been on a Friday in mid-to-late July. Regardless that my full-time employer does not recognize this particular Friday as an official company holiday, this horse racing fan does. Hence, it’s been among the first of my requested vacation days every year since 2009.

This year the date was Friday July 24th. NYRA ruffled a few feathers when they designated 117 picnic tables, located between the paddock and The Big Red Spring, for advanced reservation only. These picnic tables are available for $40 on weekdays; $60 on weekends and $100 on Travers Day. The table reservation fee does not include admission. It’s important to point out there are the same number of “first come first serve” picnic tables as in 2014.

Having just returned to reality from a memorable 2015 Saratoga Opening weekend experience, there was plenty of good, bad and ugly to share. Here are the Top 3 from each category.

The Good

Fan accessibility to trainers and jockeys. You can nab trainers for a quick photo as they exit the paddock and/or hail a jock after the race along the designated jockey walkway back to the jocks room. That is if you can jump in between the young, autograph seeking racing fans…

The racing cards. Filled with 2-year-old races. Though in my humble opinion, no early Derby prospects were among them during the first 3 days of the meet. There was no shortage of stakes races either, seeing five (5) graded stakes … all having exciting finishes.

Food and beverage choices. There are plenty. First stop every year is The Lobster Hut serving a Lobster Roll ($13) which is my Best Bet. Other excellent choices are Mac N’ Cheese from the Mac Truck and Hattie’s Chicken. Both located near the carousel. The Buffalo Mac N’ Cheese seems to be a fan favorite. We actually dined at Hattie’s Chicken Shack on Friday evening. It’s just 5 furlongs from the track. Their Cajun Stuffed Mushroom Caps are to die for and you never know who you may run into.

The Bad

Official Saratoga merchandise. Nothing wrong with the quality or variety of apparel available for purchase, but whoever did inventory must grossly underestimated the popularity of some items. On Saturday afternoon, we were interested in a Men’s polo shirt in Large. We were told they were Sold Out. On the second day of a 40-day meet you no longer have the most popular size of clothing for men available?

PINK SHEET Handicappers. Not such a good start of the meet for the quintet of Sam Hollingsworth, Liam Durbin, Dan Feiss, Andrew Champagne and the “Wise Owl” who are featured as the Cover Sheet of the local Saratogian newspaper. Through the first 3 days none of their Best Bets or Longshots have won. To make matters worse collectively they are batting just above the Mendoza Line (.200).

I’m a Chatterbox. On Sunday the Larry Jones trained 3-year-old made her first start since running third in the G1 Kentucky Oaks. The daughter of Munnings led a talented field in the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks from gate to wire, but lugged out bumping post time 4-5 favorite Curalina just a few strides before the wire. After a Stewards Inquiry and jockey Objection, it was a no brainer that I’m a Chatterbox was disqualified. One cannot blame her jockey, Florent Geroux, as he whipped his mount right-handed, the same side which she lugged out. Her actions were uncharacteristic for a seasoned and professional thoroughbred.

The Ugly

Disqualification in the G3 Sanford Stakes. Social media blew-up when winning juvenile Magna Light was taken down and placed 3rd for alleged interference in the stretch. When viewing the head-on, he’s all over the track in the final furlong. First weaving from the rail to the 7-path then back towards the rail as he reaches the wire. Looks pretty bad, but from all angles, he’s clear and never impedes the progress of #10 - Percolator with Kendrick Carmouche aboard, who lodged the Claim of Foul. Magna Light owner and NYRA Board of Directors member Michael Dubb didn’t pull any punches concerning the DQ and the colt's trainer, Rudy Rodriguez, according to a story by the Albany Times Union. "There is a different set of standards in racing for Rudy Rodriguez," Dubb said. "Maybe because he is Mexican. He is picked on. He is being held to a different set of standards in racing all together and is being treated unfairly. It’s not good, but it’s the world we live in." On Monday Dubb told DRF that his group planned on appealing the stewards’ decision stating, "I thought their decision was the wrong decision. Virtually everybody in the racetrack could see it was the wrong decision. I plan to use every source of appeal I can to try and get it reversed."

High Tech Toteboard. Throughout the weekend it appeared that the primary infield toteboard had a bug. Not the kind produced by nature, but as a result of poor programmatic coding/testing. For at least one race on each of the first 3 days, the horse numbers and odds were completely missing for a few horses while in their place were the numbers and odds of horse already displayed.

Tweet Kitten. One of the most bizarre sights I had ever witnessed at a race track took place in the 9th race on Sunday. A 1 3/8 mile turf event for maidens, Javier Castellano guided Tweet Kitten to the lead and maintained that lead with a brilliant rail trip nearing the wire. Just when it appeared the Ken Ramsey owned 3-year-old would graduate, she attempted to jump the rail where it ends and the hedge begins, less than 10 yards from the wire. Lucky for both filly and rider, she merely jumped up against the rail, but lost enough momentum to yield the lead and lose by a neck. How Castellano was not unseated is beyond belief. Odds are Tweet Kitten will have “Blinkers On” for her next race. Click here to see head-on replay.

All in all, opening weekend of the Summer Saratoga 2015 meet was a rousing success. Great weather, great racing, a FREE hat and positive ROI for my bankroll. Looking forward to the rest of the meet.