Nice quiet day at the track without weekend crowds.  I only hit one race, but it was my big bet of the day and it was a longshot, so I came out ahead for the day again.  Perfect weather!  Monday night Bob and I ate at Pennell’s, a family run Italian eatery.  Good food and drink.  Mike from Delaware, another old friend, joined us for dinner.

Tuesday is a dark day at the track. We took a ride to Schenectady to check out the new Rivers Casino.  It’s beautiful.  Bob won $65 playing Let It Ride.  I won $80 playing blackjack.  Stopped at Ben and Jerry’s for ice cream.  Tonight it will be steak at the Wishing Well, my favorite Saratoga restaurant.  Back to the track tomorrow.  Weather for the next three days doesn’t look good.

Sunday was a beautiful day.  Sunny, low humidity, and winners.  The first eight races were tough.  But I came alive in the ninth, the featured Shuvee Handicap.  I went out on a limb and bet Farrell, a shipper from the midwest with the less than legendary Channing Hill riding.  He led very step of the way and just barely held off the 3-5 favorite at the wire.  Paid $20.20.  Great vision!  And then I had the $11.00 winner of the tenth as well.  For dinner, we got pizzas at Gennaro’s and ate them back in the room.

Bob, Michael, and Rich

Bob at Morning Workouts

Ditto

Looking Up the Track in the AM

The Other Direction

???

Finally got to Saratoga at midnight Thursday night after arriving in Boston and then driving to Saratoga.  Hit a frustrating thirty minute delay on the Mass Pike as they were doing night bridge work near Worcester – three mile backup as the road was down to one lane.

Friday in Saratoga was wet.  Nice morning, then rain for thirty minutes around post time at 1:00, then some sun, then torrential thunderstorms for thirty minutes at 3:00.  Then sunshine until the last race.  As we watched the last race on television in the race track back yard, it was pouring rain at the starting gate but dry behind the grandstand.  Weird.  When the race finished, we went across the street to King’s Tavern and as we went in, another torrential downpour began.  I had a couple of winners and made money for the day.  Michael from New York sat with me as did Michael from Delaware.

Saturday was a good day weather wise.  Gambling wise, not so much.  I made two critical mistakes.  In two different races I decided at the last minute between two horses and picked the wrong one.  The wrong horse won both times, one paying $12.00, the other $15.00.  My bad.  My friends John and Lino arrived from Boston for their three day stay.  I had dinner with them at the Brook Tavern, right down the street from the track.  Good food!  Good fun.

Raining in Saratoga

Wet Grounds

Michael from New York

Lino’s on the Phone

Sam the Buglar Plays in the Backyard

Thursday Morning:

Silly me.  Didn’t check text messages before leaving for the airport.  Flight delayed almost two hours.  Won’t get to Saratoga now until about 10:30 PM.  At least it’s comfortable in the American Airlines Admiral’s Club.

I leave on my solo trip to Saratoga Springs, NY tomorrow morning:  American Airlines non-stop to Boston and then immediately into my rental for the drive to Saratoga.  I should be in the hotel by 8 PM.  Then it’s nine days of racing (one dark day) before I head home again on August 6th.  My friend Bob will stay with me for four nights and I’ll see lots of other old friends while I am there.

I’m traveling light this time.  I’m not even taking my camera, so photos on the blog will be taken with my Moto X cell phone.

Stay tuned!