{Monday, August 31, 2009} Saratoga. It's a tough game.

For a guy who rode only one winner in seven weeks at Saratoga, good buddy Calvin Borel sure is living large. Shortly after dusk on Monday morning, Borel stood at the rail of

{Sunday, August 30, 2009} RACING ADDS MEDIA ROLL OF HONOR Visit the horse racing Hall of Fame website, click on “inductees,” and you will find the only inductees are horses, jockeys and trainers. For years I have said it’s too bad the

{Friday, August 28, 2009} TRAVERS DAY PREVIEW Who knew that the Albany Stakes at the time would be so unique? Why so? Because the Albany produced the only winning favorite in 17 races entering Friday afternoon's card at Saratoga. Will

{Thursday, August 27, 2009} Quality Road Can Take Divisional Lead The major news from the post position draw for Travers 140 was that Mine That Bird would not be entered. And, oh yeah, Rachel Alexandra still wasn’t running. Last week there

{Wednesday, August 26, 2009}   MR. SMITH COMES TO TOWN One would think that Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, at age 43, would be slowing down. But one would be wrong. Mike is keeping a schedule that athletes half his age would find taxing.

{Tuesday, August 25, 2009} RACHEL SKIPS TRAVERS FOR WOODWARD The decision by owner Jess Jackson to run Preakness and Haskell Invitational winner Rachel Alexandra against older males in the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward here Sept. 5 was greeted

{Monday, August 24, 2009} Q&A WITH MINE THAT BIRD'S TRAINER CHIP WOOLEY Q: You had a little bit of a scare when Mine That Bird had the minor surgery last week for the breathing problem. What was it like to go through that? A: Monday

{Sunday, August 23, 2009} Careless Jewel outshines Alabama rivals Donver Stable's CARELESS JEWEL (Tapit) moved her current win streak to four straight with a dominating 11-length victory in Saturday's $600,000 Alabama S. (G1) at

{Friday, August 21, 2009} BAMA TIME That sigh of relief we heard coming from Saratoga Race Course this week was from NYRA management when Rachel Alexandra was not -- repeat not -- entered for Saturday's 129th running of the Alabama. After

{Wednesday, August 19, 2009} SPA INTRIGUE Sure I loved the racing -- and picking winners -- in my 20-plus years covering Saratoga for the New York Post and Daily Racing Form, but it was the beyond-the-scenes activity that got my journalistic hormones raging. And

{Thursday, August 13, 2009} Grand Couturier seeks record third win in Sword Dancer Trainer Robert Ribaudo figures if he can get GRAND COUTURIER (GB) (Grand Lodge) to the winner's circle Saturday in the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational

{Tuesday, August 11, 2009} DOMINGUEZ EMERGES AS ELITE JOCKEY It’s been quite a year for Ramon Dominguez already. The 32-year-old jockey’s nearly $11 million in earnings ranks him at No. 1 among his peers, and he’s won more than a quarter

{Monday, August 10, 2009} FABULOUS STRIKE SCORES HIT IN VANDERBILT In a battle of all-star sprinters at showery Saratoga Aug. 9, even-money choice Fabulous Strike edged past stubborn pacesetter Go Go Shoot in deep stretch to win the $250,000

{Sunday, August 09, 2009} Longshot’s Paradise Bill Johnson, who would have been 77 later this month, closed his eyes for the last time on, Whitney eve. He was a lifelong racetracker and whenever one of his friends passed he would talk about

{Friday, August 07, 2009} TWO BIG DOGS
by John Piesen Commentator and Einstein, the two most highly-rated older males in North America, are in action Saturday afternoon...but, as is the norm in thoroughbred racing, at two different venues.

{Thursday, August 06, 2009} Commentator Still In The Running At Whitney Nolan Ryan threw baseballs for 27 years in the major leagues. Gordie Howe rifled pucks at overmatched goaltenders for 26 years in the National Hockey League. The

{Wednesday, August 05, 2009} THE BIRDS
by John Piesen No, we are not talking Alfred Hitchock's Birds here. We are talking Summer Bird and Mine That Bird, who, despite their weekend losses, remain the most accomplished 3-year-old male thoroughbreds

{Monday, August 03, 2009} Justenuffhumor does family proud in Fourstardave Darley Stable's JUSTENUFFHUMOR (Distorted Humor) lived up to his illustrious pedigree with an authoritative 2 1/2-length victory in his stakes debut in Sunday's

{Sunday, August 02, 2009} Forever Together joins elite club of two-time Diana winners Champion FOREVER TOGETHER (Belong to Me) produced her patented late kick to defeat Carribean Sunset (Ire) (Danehill Dancer) by a head in Saturday's