The Reality of the Result

Yibir Winning Jockey Club Derby Invitational

There is that period of time, just before the reality of the result is revealed, when fanciful thoughts take hold. Perhaps it's when the last bet is made before the cards are turned over; maybe it's before the results of the Mega-Lottery have been broadcast; maybe it's before the machines are locked, the gates spring open, and the race is being run. There is no result until they cross the finish line. No winners yet. No losers either. 

And today again holds that period of time to fantasize. Saturday at Belmont, at what is a great day for racing. The track will be fast, the turf will be firm and the weather will be clear. Six of the 11 races are carded for the turf.  

I don't know how many Saturdays I've gone to Belmont, but lately it's not a lot. But the feeling stays the same. I'm going somewhere that's not work, not school, not even retirement in my living room and kitchen. It's an outing. And The Assembled will be there.

Each bet will be a fantasy that the wager will turn into a profit. But he biggest fantasy of the day is rooting for Step Dancer in the 10th race, a $1,000,000 Jockey Club Invitational for three-year-olds.

It is not a graded race, only a Black Type race, but it is for $1,000,000 and has attracted several European runners, notably Bolshoi Ballet, Tokyo Gold, Yibir and Soldier Rising. The trainer Aiden O'Brien is represented by Bolshoi Ballet and Charlie Appleby by Yibir. It is a field of seven of top notch turfers who have raced and won on both sides of the ocean.

And in amongst all the rock stars is Step Dancer, the colt co-owned by Bobby G's friend Richie Pressman. On paper, Step Dancer deserves the 20-1 morning line. The only graded race was as a two-year-old, the Pilgrim, where he finished fourth. He has won three races and over $200,000 but is in amongst the sharks.

Yet, Step Dancer will likely love the 1½ mile jaunt around Belmont, and will likely unleash a wicked kick. Who knows, there are only seven entrants, so traffic trouble shouldn't be an issue.

The jockey is the increasingly capable Dylan Davis, who has ridden Step Dancer to all his victories .Lifetime, the horse is 7/ 3 1 2, so only out of the money once. The trainer is the more than capable octogenarian Barclay Tagg, who sports a trainer stat of 33% for winning with a horse who has won their last race, as Step Dancer has, the restricted New York State Stallion Cab Calloway Stakes last out at Saratoga as the favorite. A strong kick brought the colt home.

The distance will be a new one for Step Dancer, but the breeding is War Dancer by War Front, from an English Channel mare Just Be Steppin'. So the name is well derived.

The 20-1 morning line is deserved since Step Dancer's races have not been against the quality of the competition signed on today. But Step Dancer's Byers figures are comparable to the other entrants, so his inclusion in the race is not a pie-in-the-sky whim. In fact, I don't know what criteria is used to see a horse get an invite to an Invitational, but Step Dancer must have done something right.

It is easy to see the fantasy. Cashing a bet on Step Dancer. Perhaps being in the right spot at he right time and getting Richie's attention and being in the winner's circle photo. Or, at least getting an invite to the paddock for the saddling. The colt is co-owned, and there was a passel of people in the photo when he won the Cab Calloway Stakes. But that was at Saratoga, and the same people might not make it to Belmont. Who knows? 

Belmont is not Saratoga. Aside from the physical size of the track, it lacks intimacy. Everything is far away. It also lacks money for infrastructure improvements and modifications. Although, there is evidence of some things on the way.

The parking lot has been paved. It no longer looks like something used for target practice for Navy missiles. There is evidence of some kind of construction going on the second floor Clubhouse. Huge boxes have been delivered.

The place is always clean. The floors are clean and free of litter. There were several annoyances however. The water fountain outside the men's room on the third floor is not fully installed; the bulbs, or LEDs were out on the main tote for the 9 horse, rendering odds of 4 (4-1) looking like 1 since the horizontal and diagonal lines weren't registering.

And most annoying was the near inaudibility of the tack announcer. This was not due to John Imbriale's fill-in, Chris Griffin from Parx, it was just a lousy sound system. You could barely hear anything. It was like being at Keeneland in those days when they had no track announcer. Imagine that one. Very retro.

All members of The Assembled are in good health, double and even triple vaccinated. Jose B. found us, despite thinking the third floor was the second floor. We had moved to the third floor and were calling him to tell him, but he was already there by mistake. Jose's mistakes usually pay off.

He was in good form holding a few bright neon markers, and was playing races at Churchill and even north of the border at Woodbine in Toronto. He had been there since 11:00, uncharacteristically early  for Jose, but I suspect was finding action on some simulcast feed.

From our vantage point in the third floor seats we chose, we could hear the broadcasters in their green "tree house" better than the track announcer.

Several betting machines were balky, and finicky about being fed valid vouchers. You had to seek alternate machines.

The Belmont Café on the first floor was the only outlet for food and drink. This doesn't bother me since when I'm at the races I'm not there to eat. But one of the Assembled, Bobby G., needs food, and humped around until he found the Café. Then all was well.

But, aside from missing creature comforts, the rest of the day went well enough, although a lack of picking winners was not due to anything NYRA was doing. Collectively, we each did okay, with Johnny D. hitting the last race on the card, the 11th, for a $4 win bet on Risk Profile that paid. $13.80.

The bet was made as the voucher was cashed after the 10th race and we were headed home. We didn't stay to view the 11th race. Dinner would be waiting at home. No reservations needed.

In the over 50 years of betting at the race track, the last card on the card is the race I've hit the most often. The payoff made me whole for the day.

Linda Rice had a training triple by winning the last race. Dylan Davis rode three winners, and Tom Morley, Maggie Wolfendale's trainer husband, had two winners, one of which was the upset win of Locally Owned in the marathon 1/5/8 mile race that saw Lone Rock handed a rare defeat. Maggie was jumping around like a kid at Christmas over that one.

Six of 11 races were on the turf, so how did Chad Brown fare? There is nothing worse than betting on one Chad Brown horse in a race and having the other Chad Brown horse win. But that is exactly what happened in the 3rd race when So Enchanting won, and Investment Income (my choice) wasn't a good return on investment.

Chad's prowess on the turf continued with being 1-2 in the 9th, the $700,000 Jockey Oaks Invitational for fillies that saw Chad's Shantisara finish ahead of my choice, Higher Truth, to create a Chad Brown exacta paying $39.20 for $2. Ouch.

But the reality of Step Dancer in the $1,000,000 feature was revealed. Before the race the story we heard from Bobby G. is that the racing secretary called Barclay Tagg and asked if he'd like to run Step Dancer in the race. There was no nominating, entry or starter fee, and it was a win-and-you're-in race for the Breeders' Cup Turf race in November at Delmar. Win-and-your-in is horse racing's version of hitting Lotto, because fees and travel expenses are taken care of. It's like winning a round on Wheel of Fortune.

The solicitation from the racing secretary explained my curiosity as to how Step Dancer even came to be invited to join a field dominated by Graded Stakes winners from Europe. Richie Pressman has come a long way in his 25+ years of owning a horse here and there, usually New York State Breds who are straining to break their maiden and then trying like hell to advance through the next condition. He's now in with the Goober Smoochers. 

(goober smoocher - (slang) a member of the elite, the rich and famous; a member of society who is well-known and always knows what's what and who's who and...)

One of my fantasies of getting in the paddock was achieved when word come to us that Richie was inviting us to join him for the saddling. We've been there before, and it's always a treat to mingle with the crowd that stirs the drink.

There was Maggie Wolfendale, now dressed for her ride on the horse she broadcasts from when the winner of a feature race is finished. Maggie catches up to the winning jockey and horse on the backstretch, as the outrider is leading them back to the winner's circle, and briefly interviews the jockey. It's a gimmick, but well executed.

And there was broadcaster Acacia Courtney with her iPad and broadcasting assistant ready to face the camera and report from the paddock. She is tall.

And the reality of the race? Step Dancer didn't win, and didn't even threaten. He was in a good position to swallow the field, but the chart caller had it right: he came up "empty," finishing 6th in a seven horse field, but only beaten by perhaps six lengths. Bolshoi Ballet, as the slight favorite, also came up "empty," finishing off the board in 4th.

Purse distribution in a million dollar race shakes out with rather generous consolation prizes. The 6th place finish was worth $30,000. And I've read that a race is as good as three workouts. Step Dancer has miles to go before retirement, and will be seen from again when the right race comes up and he qualifies to be in it. 

The period of time before the reality of the result is revealed will be renewed. Like hitting the last race on the card, it's never over till it's over.

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