FOX Sports Broadcasts Bring Saratoga Home

As a longtime racing fan (86 on Aug. 3!) I just wanted to comment on what a great job FOX is doing on covering Saratoga Race Course.  

They have a great lineup with two champion jockeys, now retired, a couple of expert handicappers, and two women whose explanations of conformation and paddock behavior are spot on. It’s really fun to be able to watch the racing every day Saratoga is on and to get such excellent reporting.

Margaret Guthrie

Conshohocken, Penn.

Great Races Should Fit Into Legacy of Great Horses

The recent Kelso Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga caught my attention. After research, my thinking was confirmed; the Kelso had been on dirt before being moved to turf.

Kelso, the horse, won notable races on turf, but fans of racing history do not associate his greatness with turf. Most of his best races were on dirt where he carried weight and won at various tracks and distances. By moving the Kelso to turf, in my opinion, the New York Racing Association opened the door for the great Kelso to be less appreciated.  

Names of great horses are still found on the racing calendar, but are they being given their due for their greatness? … The Secretariat Stakes (G1T) has been moved multiple times and downgraded to afterthought status, and—it’s on turf. His greatness was greatest on dirt and in the classic races. For all Dr. Fager’s greatness he is “honored” with a state restricted race for 2-year-olds. Really?

Honoring American Pharoah   and Zenyatta  as all-time greats with race names is good. Runhappy   was a champion, but should he be honored over Buckpasser, Round Table, or Genuine Risk? Replacing greats with those not as great is a travesty. John Henry finally received his due at Santa Anita Park. Racing officials need to do this more often.

Brett Beasley

Creal Springs, Illinois

Stronach Failed Golden Gate, Now Failing Maryland

I must commend Jay Hovdey on an excellent article about the closing of Golden Gate Fields (July 22, BH Daily) and the management of race tracks by the Stronach Group. Their corporate gobbledygook explanation on why, and their tone-deaf attitude on what this means to the people whose livelihood depends on this track, is, unfortunately, being ignored by others not in the racing world. However, a similar situation, on the other side of the nation, is being ignored by the racing community as well.

Here in Maryland where TSG owns Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park, we have had to deal with the slow demolition-by-neglect of our internationally known Triple Crown track, Pimlico. In 2003, Frank Stronach made an announcement, at the Preakness Stakes (G1), that this famous race would always be run at Old Hilltop. Then for the next two decades his company did everything it could to move it to their other track, Laurel. Why? Because Laurel is closer to D.C.

The difference between Maryland and California is that GGF is actually getting a reason for the closing (none here in Maryland!), and the California Thoroughbred Trainers group is speaking up for their horsemen (also not here)! … The industry has finally come together for one governing body pertaining to medications. Maybe we need another to step in when bad, short-sighted decisions, like what is happening in California and Maryland, occur.  

April I. Smith

Baltimore