. . . with Joe & Elaine as they travel the USA and the World.
Sunday was a beautiful day. Just one winner again, but it was a good one! The forecast for today is grim, and I expect to get wet. Heading home in the morning. This is my last post from Saratoga. I’ll be back in early September with the great cross-Canada train adventure and the annual Depoe Bay, Oregon visit.
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It rained, heavily at times, Saturday morning, but by noon the sun was out and it was a beautiful cool sunny afternoon. I only had one winner, but it was a good one, and I made a few bucks. It was Mike day at the track!
That’s Mike Mutnansky, Mike Shea, Mike from New York, and Mike from Connecticut
Mike Toomey (John to me, Mike to everyone else)
A good time was had by all at the track and later at King’s Tavern.
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Today is Saturday – Whitney Stakes Day – so there will be a huge crowd. I lost on Wednesday and Thursday but won on Friday, so gambling continues to go well. We have totally avoided rain until today. It’s drizzling this morning, but it should be dry most of the day after about 11 AM.
My friends John & Lino from Marshfield have arrived. We had dinner last night at the Brook Tavern. Ed the Pharmacist from Connecticut and Mike “Mut” Mutnansky are also here. Mut does the Red Sox pre and post game shows on Boston’s WEEI radio. He’s on a four day vacation.
Here are some pictures from King’s Tavern, my longtime hangout across the street from the track, and elsewhere around the track.
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Two winners yesterday but lost a little. Bob headed home last night after the races. Michael from New York is back today with his wife. John and Lino from Marshfield come Friday. Yesterday Sam the Bugler (who plays the call to the post) played God Bless America in the backyard for some New York City fire fighters.
Back to the track today. Tuesday was no racing, so we wandered around town and took a ride.
The most interesting thing we viewed was the Palazzo Riggi, the Saratoga home of Michelle and Ron Riggi, local benefactors. Michelle is quite the diva and has 36 dogs. The story of the house is fascinating. Read it here.
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Today is a dark day at the races, so we will kill the day around town doing something or other. I won on Sunday, lost on Monday. Weather has been perfect, but thunderstorms are in the forecast from tomorrow through Saturday. we’ll see what happens. Dinner at Pennell’s last night was as good as usual. Bob and I met some track friends we have from Baltimore, and we shared a table.
Broke my slump and won on Friday, a beautiful weather day. The good weather is expected to last through Tuesday at least. My friend Bob comes from Boston this morning to join me for four or five days. Dinner last night was Gennaro’s pizza. Delicious! For lunch everyday I make my own salad in the room and bring it to the track. No overpriced junk food at the track for me. Plus, I promised Elaine I would eat my vegetables.
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(the gallery preview below shows just thumbnails of the pictures)
Day two wasn’t good. Rain off and on all day until about 4:30 pm when the front finally finished passing through and the sun came out. The forecast through next Wednesday is beautiful – sunny and mid 70’s to low 80’s. I hope they are right.
With the rain most of the turf races were moved to the main track with the resultant scratch of many horses. It was a day for extremely casual betting. I’m glad I reduced my bets because I hit nothing! I had a 20-1 shot run a great race. He led to a couple of steps before the finish line before getting caught. There was an inquiry because the third horse looked like he got cut off by the winner. Steward’s inquiry and jockey objection. But, in fact, it was my horse who committed the foul and he was moved from second to third. Had he won and then got disqualified, I would have been upset even more than just losing at the wire. That’s horse racing.
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Yesterday I flew east, drove west, and am now at Saratoga. First day of racing for me today, fifth day of meet. Foggy morning, but sun predicted for later. It was a nippy 56 degrees when I went over to the track at 7 AM to set up my office. It should be in the 70’s later. Rain coming tomorrow, but a beautiful weekend is forecast. Scary, because they are ALWAYS wrong. A few pictures from this morning.
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