Panama Black

Tweet I knew I should have ordered a Mocha with my donut from Tim Horton's after crossing the border yesterday afternoon.

It was truly a golden day at the Fort, as the chestnut with four white stalkings, Golden Moka (pictured here in the paddock), stole the show and the big prize winning the 2nd leg of Canada's Triple Crown. Fort Erie Race Track was buzzing all afternoon on a beautiful summer day in southern Ontario. The border oval, just a hop, skip and a jump from my hometown Buffalo, was packed to the gills like I've never seen it. I parked as far away as I ever had when arriving in time for the 5th race. The stands were full, the beer lines long and the betting lines longer. Track officials had to be happy with the on track attendance and the concessions business appeared to be rolling all day long also.

The horse itself is a big story, in that he had only won 3 races previously, netting a whopping $8K, each race being run in Panama. He was the "X-factor" as previewed by Bill Tallon in the DRF before the race and he sure did X out a few of his competitors, pulling away by 2 3/4 lengths to his closest challenger. Looks like he'll pass on the third leg of the crown, the Breeders' Stakes, according to Tallon.

The track had a big race day feel to it that I've never felt in many visits since I started following the sport five or so years ago. It wasn't Saratoga, but it felt good to be around the buzz of the crowd and listening to the roar as they rolled down the stretch in the Prince of Wales. I took a few photos (as usual) for your viewing pleasure....hope you enjoy 'em...

Looking down at the grandstand (racino side).













Looking left at the clubhouse turn side of the grandstand, notice the picnic benches full of race fans.













Huggy Rocks ($11.80) wins the sixth.













Surprise visit by Dudley Do Right in the paddock.












They were hanging from the rafters overlooking the paddock before the Prince of Wales.












Patrick Husbands making a rare appearance at the Fort to ride Hotep for trainer Mark Frostad.
If he were the trainer for the winner we coulda had a Frostad Moka on our hands...









Speaking of Hotep and Husbands.....













The Plate winner Big Red Mike gets some paddock encouragement from jockey Eurico da Silva. He finished third.











2nd place finisher Mobil Unit.

The goods.

Not exactly Buffalo News-worthy, but a shot of Golden Moka crossing the wire from the rail, with Mobil Unit and Big Red Mike rounding out the tri...

Toga Party III is in full swing and The BeerMan jumped out to the early lead by corraling the opening day attendance with his projection of 22,660 and within 518 of the actual attendance of 23,178. He nosed out Green But Game (who is the only contestant to pick Castellano as top jock - with 5 wins yesterday!) by a mere 91 visitors.

Things About Racing That Don't Bug Me....

Tweet I've designed a one-part series on "Things About Racing That Don't Bug Me," just to show that I'm not always harping on the negative. It's not healthy to be all pissy and moany all the time, if you know what I mean. I started to draft a blog that was about things that bug me, but I figured why be all negative and uptight. So the happy me is editing today's number......

1. Saratoga. Opening day is a couple weeks away. I've already started to thing about Toga Party 3, the lone contest run here in the Space Station. 40 days watering down the meet? Hrrmph to the haters, I'll take the extra few days to enjoy the additional racing and the quaint little town in the Adirondacks. I also have a super secret back roads route that a new reader and former WNYer emailed me (and he's an ex-copper!) to help me get about the mendoza line of 4 hours.

2. 50 cent pick fours. Not gonna hate on the $2 pick six cuz that would just be negative. I'm not a huge player, but give me some 50 cent love and I'll rock that bet all day long. Memo to tracks that carry this: I will play your track (especially if the takeout is decent).

3. Fort Erie's day in the sun is approaching. With Ft. Erie trainer Nick Gonzalez winning the Queen's Plate with Big Red Mike, the Prince of Wales is around the corner and should draw a pretty decent crowd with the added local flavor. With Big Red's Disney flick coming out this year and Signature Red winning on the undercard, what more did you need to make a hunch bet on Mikey? Nice Plate Trial/Queen's Plate double for the big guy.

4. Late bloomers. I was sitting behind Kiaran McLaughlin on Belmont Day when Trappe Shot won his allowance race convincingly. I saw a very wry smile come over the trainer's face and a few fist pumps to boot. Yeah, he's a buzz horse now, but I liked what I saw at Gulfstream and he'll be running this weekend at the Shore in the Long Branch Stakes as perhaps a prep for the Travers.

5. Omnisurface star list grows. Franny Freud added a graded dirt win by winning the G1 Prioress and is part of the omnisurface stars list as the filly has won on all three surfaces. Of course, if Big Red Mike can pull off the Canadian Triple Crown, he'll join the winner of all 3 list. Only 5 horses are currently on the graded list. Great site.

6. Babe Ruth style wins. On Friday I commented to TKS that I was taking down his contest this weekend (*pointed to the right field bleachers*). Sure enough I nailed the United Nations with a mythical $50 win bet on Chinchon (IRE) using the Saratoga Resident's "bet on the foreigners on turf" angle. Unfortunately in the HRF contest, I boxed the two foreigners and took it on the chin. Moral of this story: Free contests don't bug me.

7. New Bloggers and Educational Sites. When I started blogging a few years ago, I think there were maybe 25 of us in the TBA. The number is something over 50 now and growing. The enthusiasm that our sport and that people want to write about it is growing and sites ThoroFan and HRF try and assist the newcomers to our game is encouraging. Thumbs up! While I'm at it I'll welcome two of the newer TBA bloggers, Tony Bada Bing from A Leg Up and Fionnuala from Calvados Bloodstock.

8. Tracks Not Afraid to Change. Monmouth took a big gamble, it seems to be working out, but even if it doesn't, they took a shot. NYRA does a nice job with it's social networking and uses popular people to promote the sport. The Cali tracks and Churchill have used night racing as a way to develop new blood and new forms of entertainment for Gen X and Yers.

9. Older horses staying in training. A big theme when I first started blogging was the defection of many "big name" horses after their 3yo season directly to the breeding shed. Take a look at the star power we now have currently racing. It's pretty damn good. It sparks good, healthy debate on how and when these stars will actually race each other, and should climax with some great racing at the Breeders' Cup (if they all stay healthy, God willing).

10. The Winner's Circle. Hey, who doesn't like the winner's circle? Would be even more fun to be in one someday.

What gives you hope or takes you to the racing happy place?