A Dandy of a Weekend

Tweet My first Jim Dandy weekend at the Spa was a huge success and a relief that we got through it with our 18 month old son completing his track superfecta on his 1/2 birthday. Thanks to A Little Warm and Miner's Reserve we salvaged what could have been a Belmont day-type bloodbath at the windows. Luckily we rallied in the Saturday feature and me and my little good luck charm survived the weekend.

We were fortunate enough to score some box seats (hat tip to the Saratoga Resident) just off the finish line on Friday and we had perfect seats on the Porch on Saturday with a great view of the horses at the rail and coming out onto the track.

We had our fair share of sightings (if you count trainers) on Friday. Nick Zito was sitting behind us and Rick Dutrow in the box next to us, not to mention Bo Derek being a couple boxes below us. We also ended up sitting at a table next to hers at Max London's later that evening where the Space Gal and Kid had an encounter with her at the door. Of course, the Space Kid was making a poopy-face which caused some light pleasantries. Gotta love that kid. Dutrow was cheering on Believe in A.P. in a Mdn Sp Wt on the turf who came hard at the end to grab the show. We went into the paddock for the Fleet Indian Stakes and the Space Kid garnered a wink and a nod from Zito (whose one of the Space Gal's favorites - must be a paison thing) who was saddling Eager Emma who grabbed third. Of course there was an Ernie Munick sighting (and another 2005 stump of the guitarist/videoagrapher) as well as sharing a few races with our good friend, the Puma.

Saturday brought a number of meetings of old and new friends. The BeerMan (who was leader in the Toga Party III clubhouse until yesterday) joined us for the first three races. We met up with former Buffalonian and reader Dan D and his fiancee before the third (Dan also gave me my new shortcut into the Spa - more on this in another post). Finally we said hello to Michael and Niki who run the ThoroFan group outside of the jockeys room, who we've been running the Handicappers' Corner for as well as helping them with some corporate work.

As usual we captured a few amateur photos over the weekend....

Our weekend gets underway in the 3rd, won by Persistently.












The meet's leading jockey, the red hot Javier Castellano!


















Is this kid a natural or what? Hold all tickets.



















Fleet Indian Stakes winner My Dinah, in the paddock.










Jockey David Cohen has had a nice start to the Spa meet.


















Nick Zito in the paddock before the Fleet Indian.



















The close of day one.....














The Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing is off.....













Jockey?

or Farrier?

From a child's eyes.....













Mike Smith in from the left coast to ride Proviso (GB), winner of the Diana (G1)












Edgar Prado on Diana (G1) place finisher Shared Account.











Julien Leparoux atop the grey and long time favorite Forever Together.












Heading to the clubhouse turn in the Diana (G1), former BC champ Maram (#7) putting the early heat on Dynaslew (#5), the early leader.








Calvin Borel up on Jim Dandy place finisher Miner's Reserve, completing a nice $96 exacta!










Javier up on Afleet Express, who finished third in the Jim Dandy.







They're off in the Jim Dandy!

Heading to the clubhouse turn......









A Little Warm, crosses the line in front of longshot Miner's Reserve to win the 2010 Jim Dandy Stakes (G1).

Belmont Day in Pictures: Halloween in June

Tweet The only thing I took home (besides the Space Gal) yesterday was the nice red "Fly Emirates" cap that one of these young ladies gave me. We had a great time, but the gambling was Michael Meyers scary. A bloodbath of sorts. As Steve Crist said in his article today, chalk it up and move on. I'll share a few of the gory details: Live to five horses in the 5th race on a $15 early Pick 4 ticket, the 9 horse (also known as the $#%$ 9 horse Hoppsey) closed late on one of my five horses, Cherokee Speed and the table was set for a horror show of a betting day. The only ticket I cashed was a $5 place bet on Discreetly Mine in the Woody Stephens. Even Alan H's son scored more than I did yesterday (2 goals!). The late P4 where we went 3x3x3x4 had four straight seconds and no winners. Never, ever happened to me. Shell shock city. Oh well, we had fun all day nonetheless enjoying New York's big day and enjoying many different vantage points while sampling some BBQ and taking in some backyard funk.

As far as the big race goes, wouldn't have had the Nutcracker repair man if I re-read the PP's another hundred times. I really liked Fly Down and he ran a good race. I had my train tied to FD and Make Music for Me, who finished a non-threatening tenth. We were down at the finish line behind the ESPN camera guy. The Space Gal could have pinched his arse and screwed up a couple live national TV shots, but she thought better of it. Not the best way to make Sports Center.

Here's our day in pictures....

Rajeev on Tapaline who won the second race as my single in the early Pick 4. I also singled Trappe Shot, who was very impressive in the 4th and we should see this summer at the Spa (and hopefully in the Jim Dandy (my next planned big race weekend).




The goods.












Funk Filharmonic was funking up the backyard. We hung out here for some of the afternoon to catch a nice breeze that was blowing through the picnic area, some brews and some great music. I can report that some folks were having a really good time.








D'Funnybone crosses the wire in the Woody Stephens in front of Discreetly Mine (I cashed a ticket!!). This is always my favorite race of the day (outside of the Belmont).










Edgar on D'Funnybone in the winners' circle.















"Hey Babe, nice win...wanna bite of my pretzel?"












The HRTV gang was in the house....the Red Bulls were flowin'.....












Gotta give the World Wide Leader equal time on the Space blog....da da da da da da.











GoGo on Cherokee Queen in the paddock before the Just a Game Stakes where he finished fourth.












Proviso (GB) surges to win the Just a Game, just as the guy in front of me decides to do his rendition of YMCA.











Me: I like Top It on top.
Barber: Take a little off the top?
Me: Cut me, Mick.
Barber: I'm charging you extra.
Me: Don't you know who I am?
Barber: No.
Me: Ok, Take a little off the top, then.







The Call to Post for the Belmont!













"Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today......"

Oops....hopefully not coming back either...










And they're off in the Belmont Stakes!














That's a wrap on another triple crown series and it's on to summer racing and the Haskell, Travers and BC Classic for this unassuming group of three year olds....