There are a couple of words that could describe the feeling and emotion around the Saratoga Racecourse backstretch as this year’s meet begins on July 15: excitement and optimism.
While last year’s meet was successful for many trainers and their staff, the COVID-19 pandemic stifled some of their excitement that would have been shared with fans and other people.
A year later, a lot of people around the backstretch are looking forward to the meet, especially since Saratoga Racecourse has been opened for training on the main track since April 17 with the Oklahoma Training Track starting almost a month later following its renovations.
One of those trainers is Hall of Famer Nick Zito, who has been a fixture near the Oklahoma Training Track since the mid-1970s with notable horses that include Kentucky Derby winners Strike the Gold and Go for Gin, Belmont and Travers winner Birdstone, and two-time Whitney winner Commentator.
“Of course, that’s what everyone wants – a sense of normalcy,” he said, “Obviously, there are going to be some wonderful horses coming up here. It should be a good meet. I hope everything goes smoothly. For the fans, they should see some wonderful racing. They always do.”
Some of the horses who are already on the Saratoga grounds include last year’s Alabama winner Swiss Skydiver, multiple Grade 1 stakes winner and last year’s Sword Dancer winner Channel Maker, and several of Chad Brown’s graded stakes winners.
Meanwhile, there are other trainers who are hoping to capitalize on last year’s success.
Jorge Abreu is one of those trainers after finishing 10th in the standings by winning 10-of-31 races with horses like Liveyourbeastlife, who won an allowance race before finishing second in the Jim Dandy Stakes, and Myhartblongstodady, winner of the Yaddo Stakes. Along with some of last year’s runners, Abreu has 45 2-year-olds who are currently training between Saratoga and Belmont.
“Last year, I had a great meet,” he said. “This year, it seems like my horses are even better, especially with my 2-year-olds. With the babies, when you start pressing on them, it will come down to how they react.”
Even though Abreu had a good Saratoga season, he had concerns about staying afloat as the pandemic forced a pause on New York racing last spring and going into the summer prior to the Saratoga meet.
“It was that bad,” he said. “Last summer, some of the owners took their horses back to the farm, which was the right thing to do. You are training horses for 4-6 months without knowing when racing will resume. We were pretty lucky to have a job and keep the racing going.”
With that part behind him, Abreu is also looking forward to seeing fans return to Saratoga for the 40-day season.
“We miss that action,” he said. “Having a grandstand that was empty wasn’t fun. I have been coming here since 1984. It has always been packed and crowded.”
The Bond Racing Team, with H. James “Jim” Bond as the trainer, is also hoping to come back for another strong Saratoga season following eighth-place tie in winning 12-of-40 races. Two horses that led the stable were Rinaldi, who won an allowance race before taking West Point Stakes, and Prioritize, also a winner of an allowance race who later finished third in the Woodward Handicap.
“We definitely had a successful meet last year,” said Ryan Bond, one of the Bond’s sons and assistant. “Horses were just missing [to finish first] at Belmont. They were very competitive in the spots. It was nice to get our noses down on a couple of those tight races.”
Though, Ryan Bond acknowledged that it was difficult to celebrate those wins without fans or some owners due to the pandemic.
“It was a little strange to have nobody to celebrate with it,” he said. “We couldn’t high-five owners. It was like a morning workout scenario, but with a little bit of cheering for your horse. You didn’t have anyone screaming along with you.”
The Bond family, who has a solid base in the Saratoga region with its Song Hill Thoroughbred Farm in Mechanicville, has seen the area become a little more relaxed and happy over the past couple of months.
“It is nice to see people smile again,” Ryan Bond said. “It seems like everyone has dropped their guard a little bit and shaking hands. I think everyone is happy it is at the back end of it.”
Carmouche to Cook for Principessa Elena Society
Jockey Kendrick Carmouche is planning to cook his increasingly famous gumbo at the Principessa Elena Society at 13 Oak Street on Monday, July 19 for members and their guests to benefit the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.
Carmouche is looking to resume riding at Saratoga after suffering a broken right ankle after Kentucky Pharoah unseated him coming out of the gate in the last race on Belmont Stakes Day.
The cost is $25 per person and the event will run from 6-9 p.m. For more information, contact Fran LaBelle at 518-506-0705.
Main photo/last photo in gallery by Super Source Media. Other photos provided.
