Historically, The Suburban Handicap, one of the longest running races in America, has always been held om July 4th. Yesterday was the 130th running. One of my best memories of racing is the 1968 Suburban that featured Damascus and Dr Fager, with Dr. Fager vanquishing Damascus, who finished third. In that era, the racing calendar called for the meeting to be held at Aqueduct, a mile and an eighth track more suited to accommodating the classic mile and a quarter distance, 10 furlongs.
With the race held at Belmont, they have to rejigger the starting gate to position the horses to run tangentially into the top of the clubhouse turn, then complete a near circuit of Belmont's mile and a half oval. Effectively, they flatten the starting turn, and give the horses a straight run for a bit before hitting a turn. Belmont is so big, a mile and a quarter race can't start in front of the crowd and have the horses thunder past the stands for the first time, Saratoga's mile and quarter Travers is better spectacle because that track, like Aqueduct, is a mile and a eighth.
Aside from the starting gate qualms, the races NYRA assembled were top rate, with Grade 1 and Grade III races. Six graded stakes on an 11 race card that started an hour earlier, at 12:30.
I read from a reporter's Tweet that the crowd was announced at 7,753, vs. last year's July 4th attendance at 6,545. Might have been the patriotically themed beach towel giveaway that pulled some more people into the track. That, and it wasn't really a beach day, with solid overcast and cooler temps, but no rain.
There was also a two day handicapping contest held on Saturday and Sunday. A $300 buy in, with half going to a live bankroll, and the other half to the pot. No news on this. It's not an activity I've ever participated in.
And with what constitutes a crowd these days when it's not the Belmont Stakes, the "crowd" was felt. People applauded winners and cheered when they were coming down the stretch in what were some very close races. Normally, a cannon fired in the stands would take out no one. Usually, more people are on line at Shake Shacks around the city than attend live racing.
The festival was billed around the card, the giveaway, free admission for military ids, food trucks and family fun activities. This translates to blow up bouncy things that are spread out in the back. Not where I can be found.
The flag flew at half staff in honor of the five police officers killed in Dallas, a city that once again becomes a focal point of national tragedy. When will the flag fly again at full staff, and how long will it stay there? But after those thoughts, there was racing to concentrate on.
Overall, with a few exactas and a winner, playing all 11 races, I managed to almost break even. My $60 starting voucher didn't shrink much at all when I cashed out. A good day that just missed being a better day. Horse racing.
With nearly 50 years of attending NYRA races, I like to think I take in everything. The place is starting to show signs of deferred maintenance, with peeling paint evident and a huge gravel pile in the preferred parking area. It is no wonder the Breeders' Cup has stayed away from staging its year end series the past several years. It's been a while since they've been back.
I still buy the program. The so called "pocket program." It is now $3.00, once having been 25 cents when I started going to the track. I only buy it as a souvenir these days. The entry numbers are part of the past performance sheets. There is little true need for it, but I mark the pages with the order of finish, and have saved programs since the late 60s. Unfortunately there are gaps, and I've yet to find where I put the program from Secretariat's grand day.
I even read this program for what it's worth. I see who the mucky-mucks are that are listed as running the place, and also Who's Who on the board of trustees. Did you know celebrity chef and horse owner Bobby Flay is on the board? As is the chairman of Barnes and Noble, Leonard Riggio, also a sometime horse owner. There are not as many blue bloods these days at the top in racing. They've died. No one named Phipps or Mellon can be found anymore.
I love to see who the non-stake races are named after. These names are a one day acknowledgement to a group of a certain size that has arranged an outing at the track. This usually includes a meal for the gathering in the dinning room, and a presentation in the winner's circle to the connections of their eponymously named race.
Most of the time it is easy to see that a fraternal or church group has come out there, or someone's anniversary is being acknowledged, or even a birthday, or a race named in memory of someone dear. I've got a Harry Lazurus T-shirt from Harry's first memorial named race from a friend of mine who is distantly connected to the family. And Harry's people have been back, because I think I came across the Fifth Annual memorial race last year. No T-shirt, however.
Most of yesterday's races were acknowledging something easily understood: 'Terrence Dempsey 30th Birrhday;' 'Henry and Sophie Race Day.' Not so obvious was the first race, 'Seven Sinners Race.' I have no idea what commandments they might have broken to give themselves that name. Was it a motorcycle gang with AARP cards in their pockets now? I forgot to look at the winner's circle.
But best of all to me was a race for someone's birthday. Not uncommon you might think, a birthday race. Well consider this, the 2nd race: 'Happy 1st Birthday Rocco D'Elia.'
I have never seen a race named for someone who is not toilet trained. First birthday! Who is Rocco, and who are the D'Elia's?
Is Rocco the heir apparent to a pizza parlor chain? Trucks? Building materials? Olive oil? Wine? Great things are expected of Rocco?
No matter. It will be interesting to see if the same crowd comes back next year for Rocco's second birthday. I wish him happy ones.
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