SARATOGA PREVIEW NOTEBOOK
JULY 28, 2009
by Albie Johnson
Backdrop
When I was much younger and first starting going to Saratoga in the
1960’s, racing was nearing the end of the big stable era (Greentree, Rokeby,
Cragwood, King Ranch, George D. Widener, Calumet, Elmendorf, etc.) and along
with them the career trainers who stayed with one outfit almost their entire
careers (John Gaver, Max Hirsch and his son Bill, Elliot Burch, “Mack Miller”
and many others too numerous to mention).
The meeting at that time consisted of four, six-day weeks with no racing on
Sundays. The traditional features were positioned on the calendar like clockwork, with the Whitney, Alabama, Travers and Hopeful run on consecutive Saturdays.
The place had an air about it that was very calm and peaceful, and the atmosphere
in town echoed that feeling. A crowd of 8,000 to 12,000 was considered
large.
All this stayed in place until the mid-70s and it all changed very
quickly. Racing became more of a “business” than a sport and the big stables
began to disband. In this writer’s opinion, the emergence of Secretariat in
1973 and the popularity of Seattle Slew, Affirmed and Alydar had a lot to do
with it. Those horses made racing an “in” thing at the time and the New York
Racing Association (NYRA) was smart enough to jump on the bandwagon in helping Saratoga
achieve the status and popularity that it now enjoys.
The meeting’s length was tinkered with several times, as was the official
dark days, and has evolved into a steady six-week beat who’s popularity has
actually gone nationwide.
General Info
The 2009 six-week session begins Wednesday and will end on Labor Day, September 7. Racing will be conducted
everyday but Tuesdays, with first post at 1 p.m. (EDT). As with everything there
are exceptions, and racing will begin at 2:30 p.m. on a pair
of Friday twilight cards (July 31 and September 4) and at noon on the 13-race Travers
(G1) card
(August 29).
Types of Races
Saratoga has always been known for it’s two-year-old maiden
and stakes racing and those events are conducted on both dirt and turf. The
distances on the main track for juvenile runners range from five to seven furlongs,
but stop there as the next distance that is run on the dirt after seven panels is 1
1/8 miles. In recent years, there has been an increased number of turf races
written for the younger set and many are conducted at one mile or at 1 1/16 miles.
(Bettors Note — In the event that these races are switched to the
dirt due to weather-related issues, they are shortened-up to seven furlongs as the
corresponding distances cannot be run on the main track).
Turf racing has grown in importance with each passing season at the Spa, with
several carded each day and a large number of graded stakes and overnight
features as part of the menu. Most are highly competitive and can give the
bettor a chance to get generous odds on runners who have a legitimate shot at
the win.
Dirt racing for older runners is still the mainstay on the everyday program,
and this meet features many stakes on the main track and a high-end level of
allowances, optional claimers, starter allowances and good old-fashioned
claiming races (with most being geared to the upper end in prices).
Trainers and Jockeys
At a highly competitive meet like this, each race is
fought over tooth and nail with every owner in the country wanting to have his
picture taken in the Spa winner’s circle.
It’s a solid meet for the bettor as there are opportunities in most races to
get a good trainer who has a horse with a winning shot at generous odds. Look
past the obvious, as the runners from the barns of Todd Pletcher, Bill Mott,
Shug McGaughey and Richard Dutrow will always be overbet. Trainers on the
rise to look out for here are Chad Brown, Chris Clement, Dave Donk, Bruce Levine
and some fine out-of-state barns such as Kelly Breen, Graham Motion, Mike Trombetta
and Steve Klesaris. Value is the name of the game and a meet like Saratoga very
often has heavily-bet runners who may have several rivals on the same page in
talent.
There was a time not too long ago when several riders dominated each and
every year. That’s no longer the case, with many of the nation’s leading jockeys
shifting their tack here for the lucrative 36-day session. One rider can catch
fire early in the meet and ride that popularity along with a hot trainer (Alan
Garcia and Kiaran McLaughlin last year) to the top of the standings.
It may be hard to topple Ramon Dominguez from winning the title, though, as he’s
coming off a record-breaking meet at Belmont and likes to ride five or six times
on every card. Rajiv Maragh and Jose Lezcano may not be familiar names to many casual racing
fans, but both are excellent at their game and, at least early in the meet, many
of their mounts may be a bit over-looked in the wagering.
Post Positions and Bias
Without much moisture in it, the Saratoga main track
often plays kindly to speed or those racing just off the lead. Combine that with
an inside post going six furlongs or 1 1/8 miles, or an outside post out of the
seven-furlong chute, and you have a solid wager.
However, just like the speed with which an Adirondack thunderstorm can
descend here, the track bias can change drastically, especially on the day of or
the day after some rain (as it’s drying out). The front-end advantage can be
gone until the surface completely dries out.
The turf tends to play fairly in the two-turn events, though inside runners
with speed tend to hold an advantage.
The sprints on the infield always favor outside speed with not one winner
coming from a hedge draw during last season. The turn in the 5 1/2-furlong turf
contests comes up very quickly, and many runners encounter problems of one sort
or another at that point. Best to stay with a horse whom you know will be on the
lead or just off of it.
Conclusions
If you go, enjoy this meet for what it is — Thoroughbred racing
at the highest level possible in this country, jam-packed with stakes, classy
runners, big crowds, top trainers and jockeys, and nice betting
opportunities.