Toga Bound

Tweet Pack up the bags we're heading east and bringing with us some beautiful weather (*fingers crossed*). With the Space Gal in foal, there will be no attempt at the sacred 3:59 today as nature will be taking its course with some frequent stops along the great NYS Thruway (note sarcasm in the word great). We'll be passing the folks on their way back to the 'Cuse, after spending the last two days with their Kutztown college pals of over 40 years who they reunion with annually at the Spa.

Alabama Day looks to be absolutely a smorgasbord of racing (five turf races carded) and if you think I'm excited about the two grade one's on tap (Sword Dancer/Alabama) you should have seen the look on my face when I read the entries for Saturday yesterday afternoon.

- My main excitement was for my pirate horse, Arrrrr, winner last time out going in the 6th at 6 1/2 furlongs in a $20K claimer, with Mike Luzzi up. The Space Gal immediately sent an email to the Saratoga Resident and I stating "please get the joke out of your system now. I don't know if I'll be able to handle it being told to all of the surrounding tables after one too many Bloody Marys."

- Next, Shirley Shaw's Brushed Prince is slated to go in the 7th on the turf. The Space Gal wrote a guest blog for me on her chance meeting with Ms. Shaw during last year's Alabama weekend here. She's hoping to meet up with Shirley over at the hat shop next to Siro's (name escapes me, but I have a card somewhere) to see if she has any tips for this year's race.

- In the feature, one of my favorites, the David Cassidy-bred Sweet Vendetta (ML 10-1) runs for the first time since winning the Black Eyed Susan which made me a happy man (handicapper) that day. She'll be facing some really tough competition here, especially if heavy favorite Music Note runs for the Sheikh and bypasses the Travers, but I expect her still to catch a piece of the exotics.

- So three of my favorite horses going on Alabama Day couldn't have worked out better. Not to mention that the move of the Sword Dancer (G1) to Alabama Day makes this one of the best days of racing the Spa will see all summer. The Sword Dancer features three foreign horses including Grand Couturier (last year's winner), 06 BC Turf Champ Red Rocks and Champs Elysees shipping in for Bobby Frankel. Is the foreign triple tribox an option tomorrow, we'll have to see how soft the turf is. Also entered is the talented Dancing Forever, last seen winning the fantastic Manhatten Handicap (G1) on Belmont Day and United Nations (G1) winner Presious Passion. This race is shaping up to be a really really good one. It may even be a "Win and You're In" Breeders Cup race, but I haven't seen any marketing on this yet (shocker).

- Looking forward to some show pools with the gang and some superfecta pooling on race ten (group tradition) and mostly a day of comradery and laughter (with a few cocktails sprinkled in).

- We'll be headed over to the Oklahoma training track on Sunday morning to check out the workouts as the SG has never been to watch, maybe we'll get a glimpse of one of the superstars currently stabled at the Spa.

- Long-sleeve tee shirt giveaway Sunday...nice.

- My reaction to the Big Brown-Curlin sparring. Big shrug. Race will never happen. Life goes on. Thanks for coming.

- Onward to one of my favorite places in the world....