Equicurean 2022

THE HORSES, THE PEOPLE, THE LIFESTYLE

SUMMER 2022 Complimentary

2022 RACING

Fasig-Tipton HISTORY

Fashion

Brought to you by

2 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 1

EQUICUREAN THE HORSES, THE PEOPLE, THE LIFESTYLE

OWNER/PUBLISHER Chad Beatty MAGAZINE DESIGNER Kacie Cotter-Sacala ADVERTISING DESIGN Kelsey Sherman Kelly Schoonbeck ADVERTISING SALES Jim Daley Cindy Durfey CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Marion E. Altieri Matt Bonk William G. Gotimer, Jr. Deborah A. Miles Bill Orzell Barry Potoker L.A. Sokolowski PHOTOGRAPHERS Amira Chichakly Eric Crawford Chelsea Durand Icon Global Viola Jasko Natalie Loizzo Photography NYRA Susie Raisher @Royal Ascot, ASCOT.com Super Source Media Walter Wlodarczy

PUBLISHED BY

SARATOGA TODAY 2254 Route 50 South Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518-581-2480 saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com Equicurean is brought to you by Saratoga TODAY, Saratoga Publishing, LLC. Saratoga Publishing shall make every effort to avoid errors and omissions but disclaims any responsibility should they occur.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the publisher. Copyright © 2022.

Saratoga TODAY Newspaper.

Cover Photo by NATALIE LOIZZO PHOTOGRAPHY See the story on page 46

2 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 3

CONTENTS EQUICUREAN THE HORSES, THE PEOPLE, THE LIFESTYLE

SUMMER 2022

8

Saratoga Race Course Don't Miss a Thing!

Photo courtesy of NYRA

6

Thoroughbred Facts

7

Conformation Guide

14

Saratoga Watch List

22

Jockey Legends: Jean Cruguet, Lester Piggott and Rafael Tejano

28

Fasig-Tipton

30

Who Trains that Horse?

Saddle Towel Guide

32

The Martin Family

40

The Sport of Queens

4 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

42

SUMMER FASHION: Lifestyles of Saratoga, Pink Paddock, Saratoga Trunk, Spoken Boutique, Violet's, Union Hall Supply Co.

46

Artic Storm Cat: Spell This Horse Story P-E-R-F-E-C-T

54

Fast Track Horse Healing

60

Adena Springs Farm

64

Don't Leave Town Without These!

68

Snapshot From History: Willis Sharpe Kilmer

70

CKG Billings

78

When Hoffa Halted the Horses SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 5

10

Facts about Racehorses You Need to Know!

COMPLIMENTS OF AMERICASBESTRACING.NET PHOTO COURTESY OF NYRA

1

All racehorses celebrate their birthday on the same day.

Regardless of what date they were born on, each Thoroughbred turns a year older on Jan. 1 in the Northern Hemisphere or Aug. 1 in the Southern Hemisphere, for ease of grouping them by age for racing and training.

2

An average racehorse weighs around a half-ton (1,000 pounds).

3

Thoroughbreds can trace their lineage to three “foundation” sires of the 17th century: the Byerley Turk, the Darley Arabian, and the Godolphin Arabian. Each sire was brought to England from the Middle East, and their offspring ultimately resulted in the Thoroughbred we know today.

4

Racehorse names must be approved by the breed registry. In the U.S. the Thoroughbred registry is The Jockey Club, and each name must follow certain rules, such as maximum number of characters.

5

Max Player winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes 2021.

6 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

The quickest that a 1 ¼ mile race, the “classic” distance of the Kentucky Derby and other marquee races in the U.S., has been completed in is 1:57.16. The record was set on the grass (rather than a dirt course) by a horse named Red Giant at Santa Anita Park in 2008.

6

Thoroughbred hooves, like those of all horse breeds, are made of the same protein as fingernails: keratin.

7

A racehorse is born after an 11-month gestation. Foals weigh around 100 pounds and stand to nurse within hours of being born.

8

A Thoroughbred can top out at more than 40 mph when racing, though they usually don’t sustain top speed for the entire race but try to reserve it for the stretch run before the finish.

9

Promising (and established) racehorses can sell for millions of dollars. The most expensive Thoroughbred ever sold at public auction was an unraced 2-year-old later named The Green Monkey, who was bought for $16 million but would never win a race.

10

A racehorse can consume 20 pounds of food or more, plus 13 gallons of water every day.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

CONFORMATION More Than Just a Pretty Face POLL

EAR

WITHERS

JAW

FORELOCK

NECK

EYE

RIBS

BACK

POINT OF HIP

LOIN

CROUP

BRIDGE OF NOSE

DOCK POINT OF BUTTOCK

NOSTRIL

CHEEK

MUZZLE

THROATLATCH MOUTH

THIGH

CHIN SHOULDER

POINT OF SHOULDER

FLANK

ARM

CHEST

HOCK

ELBOW SHEATH

FOREARM

STIFLE

KNEE

GASKIN

CANNON

CHESTNUT

FETLOCK PASTERN

CORONET

ERGOT

American Pharoah

HOOF

By Georgia Rush / Talk of the Track

W

WRITTEN BY MARION E. ALTIERI

hen buyers of Thoroughbreds consider a horse for purchase, one of the key considerations is conformation.

Conformation is the way a horse is physically put together. The bones, muscles and proportions of the animal are the characteristics that ultimately prepare them for their job— that of running quickly with great efficiency. Human beauty is relative—every culture and every individual has standards of beauty that may not jive with those of anyone else.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

HEEL

Everyone is beautiful to somebody.

This is not the case in the equine world: each breed has standards of beauty. That beauty is not superficial, but rather tied directly at the unconscious level to expectations for the jobs of horses within said breed. Draft horses work hard for a living: they are stocky and muscular, with thick legs and strong backs. Thoroughbreds must be able to run fast, with grace, for grace of movement actually is a factor in the science of winning races.

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 7

. . . d n A

THEY

Saratoga Race Course's

159

th

Racing Season

July 14 - September 5 Don't miss a thing!

War Like Goddess races to victory on the turf during the 2022 Flower Bowl race stakes.

8 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

'RE OFF! PHOTOS COURTESY OF NYRA

Noted as one of the “Top 10 Sporting Venues In The World”

by Sports Illustrated, Saratoga Race Course is one of horse racing’s most beloved tracks.

With historical ambiance and modern day amenities and style, Saratoga Race Course is the place to find top Thoroughbred horse racing July through Labor Day each year. The 40-day meet draws the top horses, trainers and owners in the world to try their luck at “The Spa."

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 9

Newly renovated

POST BAR AND PADDOCK SUITE TO DEBUT AT SARATOGA RACE COURSE FOR THE 2022 MEET 10 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

The Paddock Suite will sit above the newly renovated Post Bar, which will remain an open-air structure featuring a central bar and large-scale televisions. The Post Bar, one of the most popular destinations for fans at Saratoga, will continue to be accessible to all guests, ages 21 and over.

"We are thrilled to announce this newest capital improvement project which we anticipate will be very well received by fans attending Saratoga this summer,” said NYRA Vice President, Sales and Hospitality, Kevin Quinn. “The renovated Post Bar and newly constructed Paddock Suite follows on the heels of last year’s additions, the Spa Verandas and Tailgate at the Turn. These improvements are designed to offer our fans the best in modern amenities while preserving the charm and history that sets Saratoga apart as a sports and entertainment venue.”

The second floor Paddock Suite can accommodate as many as 80 guests. Rental packages will be sold to groups on a full or partial basis. Subject to availability, individual reservations will also be accepted.

As part of a continuing series of capital improvements at Saratoga Race Course the Post Bar and Paddock Suite will be a new, permanent two-story structure that will replace and enhance the original Post Bar, a popular single-story, open air gathering spot for racing fans that had been located beneath a temporary canopy.

The second story Paddock Suite will feature a climate-controlled bar, lounge and outdoor balcony with sweeping views of the historic Saratoga paddock where fans can watch the sport’s finest Thoroughbreds parade beneath them. The Paddock Suite will be available to groups and individuals by reservation.

Rental includes admission, choice of food platters, non-alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea, tax, gratuity and race program. Open bar packages are also available for purchase.

For reservations, contact the NYRA Box Office at 844-NYRA-TIX or email eventsales@nyrainc.com.

The Post Bar and Paddock Suite are located adjacent to Shake Shack, which is operated by Union Square Hospitality Group.

The 2022 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course will begin on Thursday, July 14 and conclude on Monday, Sept. 5. Racing is conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, with the exception of opening week and the final week when the meet concludes on Labor Day. For more information about Saratoga Race Course visit NYRA.com/Saratoga.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 11

SUMMER STAKES Photo by SuperSourceMedia.com

Welcome to the Track!

The 40-day summer meet at the historic Saratoga Race Course, will include 77 stakes worth $22.6 million in total purses!

Highlighted by the 153rd renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 27 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 6, the 2022 summer meet will open on Thursday, July 14 and continue through Monday, September 5.

With a focus on the New York-bred program and certain categories of stakes races, the 2022 summer meet will feature a purse increase of more than $1.1 million over 2021.

Saratoga Live, the acclaimed television show produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, will return for its 7th season to provide daily coverage of the summer meet to a nationwide audience on the networks of FOX Sports. In addition to expanded national coverage of Saratoga Live on FS1, FS2 and FOX, regional coverage will air on SNY during select hours throughout the summer.

Following the four-day opening weekend, racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays—Sundays, apart from the final week, when the meet will conclude on Labor Day. Opening Day, Thursday, July 14, kicks off the season with the Grade 3, $175,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies and the inaugural running of the restricted one-mile $135,000 Wilton for sophomore fillies to be contested out of the reconstructed Wilson Chute.

The Wilson Chute, last in use in 1992, was named to honor the contributions of the late Richard T. Wilson, a banker and President of the Saratoga Racing Association for most of the first quarter of the 20th century. The reconstructed Wilson Chute will carefully follow the route of the original chute along the Clubhouse Turn just to the west of the 1863 Club and marks the return of one-mile races on the Saratoga main track.

12 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

Opening Weekend continues Friday, July 15, with the Grade 3, $175,000 Forbidden Apple at one mile on turf for older horses, and the $150,000 Coronation Cup at 5 1/2-furlongs on turf for sophomore fillies.

Whitney Day on Saturday, August 6, will feature three Grade 1 events, led by the Whitney at 1 1/8 miles for older horses offering an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 5 at Keeneland.

Whitney Weekend kicks off August 5, with the Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame for sophomore turf milers; the Grade 3, $300,000 Troy, which boasts a purse increase of $100,000, for 4-year-olds and up going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf; and the restricted $135,000 Alydar at nine furlongs for older horses.

Whitney weekend concludes on August 7 with three stakes highlighted by the Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational, the second leg of the Turf Triple series for sophomore fillies. The August 7 card also includes the Grade 3, $200,000 Adirondack, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, and the restricted $135,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose at one mile on turf for older fillies and mares.

New York-breds will take center stage on Friday, August 26, for New York Showcase Day, featuring six stakes for state-breds worth a combined $1.25 million. The card is headlined by the $250,000 Albany, a nine-furlong test for sophomores. Also featured are five $200,000 stakes including the Fleet Indian for sophomore fillies; the Funny Cide presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital for juvenile sprinters; and the Seeking the Ante for juvenile filly sprinters.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

The lucrative New York Showcase Day card also sees two stakes garner a $50,000 purse boost in the $200,000 West Point Handicap presented by Trustco Bank for 3-year-olds and up; and the $200,000 Yaddo Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

The 153rd edition of the Runhappy Travers is the centerpiece of a blockbuster day of racing on Saturday, August 27. The 2022 Travers Day card will include six stakes, including five Grade 1 events and an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup to the winner of the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer [Turf].

In addition, the Travers Day card will also include the Grade 1, $600,000 Personal Ensign at nine-furlongs for older fillies and mares; the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego, a seven-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and upward, and the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.

Rounding out the signature day at the Spa is the Grade 2, $400,000 Ballston Spa at 1 1/16-miles for turf fillies and mares.

Runhappy Travers Weekend concludes Sunday, August 28, with a pair of stakes led by the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up that offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint; and the restricted $135,000 Better Talk Now at one mile on turf for sophomores.

The Johnstone Mile, to be run out of the Wilson Chute, is named in honor of the longtime horseman and NYRA employee Bruce Johnstone who passed at age 76 in February 2020 following a lengthy battle against cancer.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Johnstone transitioned from a successful career as a trainer to management at NYRA, where he spent the last 13 years of his career as Manager of Racing Operations.

Saratoga will also pay tribute to the late Suzie O’Cain on Wednesday, July 20 with a 1 1/16-mile turf event for state-bred sophomore fillies. The $125,000 Suzie O’Cain previously ran as the Stillwater.

O’Cain, who passed away in January following a battle with breast cancer, and her husband, Dr. C. Lynwood O’Cain, managed the late Carl Lizza’s Highcliff Farm in Delanson, N.Y. for more than 20 years. O’Cain also served on the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s Board of Directors and was co-chairwoman of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ (NYTB) Political Action Committee and chairwoman of the NYTB Media Committee.

Closing Weekend of the Saratoga meet will feature a pair of Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” events on Saturday, September 3, led by the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup [Classic] at 10 furlongs for 3-year-olds and up.

Should a Grade/Group 1 winner start in the 2022 Jockey Club Gold Cup, the purse will be increased to $1.25 million.

Closing Day on Monday, September 5, will feature the Grade 3, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap along with the prestigious Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful for 2-year-olds going seven furlongs to conclude the 159th Saratoga meeting.

To view the complete stakes schedule for the 2022 summer meet, visit www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/stakes-schedule

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 13

SARATOGA WATCH LIST Young Upstarts WRITTEN BY MARION E. ALTIERI

Mo Donegal, winning the Belmont Stakes on June 11, 2022.

Note that Jockey, Irad Ortiz, is standing in the irons and waving his crop in celebration — a tradition that Jean Cruguet started 45 years ago when he and Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown, also at Belmont.

Photo by Viola Jasko, courtesy of NYRA.

Mo Donegal 14 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Which youthful Horses and Jockeys will bound into the Winner’s Circle this year?

You might be surprised...

Irad Ortiz atop Mo Donegal (6) and Jose Ortiz atop Nest (3) after winning 1st and 2nd at The 2022 Belmont Stakes. Photo by Amira Chichakly, courtesy of NYRA

H

orses and Humans, alike, flock to Saratoga each Summer, like moths drawn to fire. This entire season will be a celebration of Life: following almost three years of Pandemic and historic, world-wide isolation, the world – at least, Saratoga – is ready to rock once more.

Some swarm to the town and to the track, intent on a mission to make “easy money” – whatever that is. : ) Others follow their craving to excel, that inner drive to become their best, and there’s no better proving ground than the deep surface of the Saratoga Race Course.

Jockeys, horses and trainers spend the year before charting their respective paths to the (starting) Gate to Glory.

Stablemates Mo Donegal (6) and the Filly, Nest (3) duke it out in the Belmont Stakes 2022. They came in 1-2. Photo courtesy of Arab News Pakistan

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

But this piece isn’t about those fortune-seekers who come here looking for an easy buck: those numbers are legion.

The focus here is on individuals whose dreams, guts and raw talent may bring them to this hallowed space precisely because they do have The Right Stuff.

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 15

Young Upstarts

Mickaëlle Michel Mickaëlle Michel, doing what she does best: riding like a warrior rushing into battle Photo courtesy of Mickaëlle Michel, Twitter

16 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

Mickaëlle Michel winning on the dirt in Japan. Photo courtesy of NAR (Japan Horseracing Authority)

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

If the steely gaze of Jockey, Mickaëlle Michel, one of France’s winningest Jockeys, doesn’t freeze your blood – you’re probably not alive. Don’t confuse her strong gaze with angry defiance: it’s the look of a woman who knows herself and her talents, and is determined to achieve the goals she’s set for herself 12 years ago. Like most little girls, Michel grew up loving horses; at 14 she discovered a Jockey school in Marsailles near her home—and she never looked back. Horse racing became her passion: “It became my goal to be a jockey,” she said. “I would like to become an international jockey like Frankie Dettori or (Saratoga’s own) Irad Ortiz, who can ride a group race all over the world.”

But, ah: anyone who aspires to a career in horse racing – most notably, females – must be absolutely certain of their calling, and work harder than they ever imagined.

Michele has worked hard, and long: she became a fanfavorite in Japan after riding in the World All Star Jockeys Championships in Sapporo in 2019; the Japanese

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

embraced her, and she was invited back by owner-breeder, Mr. Teruya Yoshida. Michel spent 10 weeks riding exclusively for Yoshida’s Shadai Stallion Station, the first female to score a provisional license. She had 294 starts in two months, winning 35. Following her exhilarating stay in Japan, she raced in Dubai, Italy and the 2021 Shergar Cup at Ascot.

“Work hard, never give up” is the young Jockey’s motto: she loves to ride fast and hard. Her husband/manager, the former jockey Frederic Spanu, said that her aggressive style would be best served in the United States. America was the next logical step, so in May she and Spanu moved to Kentucky.

Having Michel on campus for the Saratoga meet would be a gift to race fans, who are quick to embrace and encourage a hot, new rising star. She’s stated that she intends to ride in Saratoga, so be on the lookout for her. He intent gaze, the reflection of her grit, reminds us of another beloved by Saratoga fans: the mighty Julie Krone. If Mickaëlle Michel has even a fraction of Krone’s will and talent, we predict that the young starlet soon will become a major constellation in the Adirondack night sky.

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 17

Young Upstarts

Dylan Davis, 1,000th Win. Belmont.

Photo by Chelsea Durand, courtesy of NYRA

Dylan Davis

Photo courtesy of NYRA

Photo by Walter Wlodarczy, courtesy of NYRA

18 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Dylan Davis, the talented 27-year-old son of New York’s own Robbie Davis, was already well-established in American racing when he broke his clavicle (collarbone) on March 20, 2021. Horribly-enough, the legacy Jockey wiped out in a three-horse pileup at Belmont, a tragic accident in which one horse died.

Venezuelan-born Sonny Leon is no stranger to racing: he 5’6,” 32-year-old Jockey began his career in 2015, was the leading rider at Mahoning in Ohio for the past three seasons.

With $15,542,534 in winnings so far, the focused rider performed so well that he ended 2021 as 11th in the nation for total victories. He’s amassed $3,891,737 as of this writing.

Davis was rushed to the hospital and treated, but naturally his career got side-tracked with orders to rest and not ride for at least 10 weeks. Davis is an accomplished jockey, following both his instincts and trainers’ instructions – but not so good at obeying initial doctors’ orders. In fewer than eight weeks, he was back on horses, and on May 29, 2021, he won Race 7 at Monmouth on Bottle Rocket Man for Chad Brown.

Of course, a chunk of that cheddar came from his beautiful, 80-1 romp to the finish line first as he and Rich Strike brought down the house on May 7, 2022. The seeminglyunlikely duo started from the worst-possible position: 21 in the Churchill starting gate.

Less than one year later, Davis sat atop Heels Together in the winner’s circle at Belmont, celebrating Davis’ 1,000th win. Heels together, trained by Christophe Clement, is a Hard Spun filly, out of High Heeled Girl (Malibu Moon).

The look on Davis’ face says it all – he would not sit on the bench, watching the racing world move on without him.

He’s a young man willing to put in the work and passion it takes to excel in the sport that chose him. Saratoga is happy to welcome Dylan Davis back to his Saratoga home for the 2022 meet.

History was made that day, and Leon was the hero. He seemed to fall out of grace five weeks later, when he and Rich Strike came in sixth at the Belmont Stakes.

But this sport is horse racing. There’s no such thing as a Sure Thing. So many factors go into the winning and the losing of a race: in Leon’s case, there was a huge difference between the blazing-fast pace at Churchill downs and the molasses created by the lethal combo of Big Sandy + rain.

The considerably-slower pace, in concert with Rich Strike’s craving to be on the rail determined that, well, it just wasn’t their day.

BRIDE

wedding inspiration 2 4 | 7 | 3 6 5

IN PRINT & ONLINE SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 19

Young Upstarts

Sonny Leon atop Rich Strike, winning the Kentucky Derby on May 7, 2022.

Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs Media

Sonny Leon & Rich Strike

Rich Strike, checking out the competition at Belmont Park, June, 2022.

Ears pricked, he's alert and SO handsome!

Photo by Susie Raisher, courtesy of NYRA.

(Left) Sonny Leon aboard Rich Strike immediately after winning the Kentucky Derby, May 7, 2022.

Photo by WDRB / Eric Crawford

20 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

With age comes Wisdom, as we know – and it’s known that, those who talk the most, condemning others, usually know the least about the topic. So, naysayers aside, Sonny Leon will be at Saratoga to ride Rich Strike. – we have it from the horse’s mouth. (Well, from the Trainer’s…) : ) We hope that Leon is given the props he deserves as the Jockey who took his horse straight from that horrible 21-hole, right over to the rail. And from the rail, into the winner’s circle and their deserved-cascade of red roses. Leon’s tale is not over, wait and see...

Without horses, horse racing couldn’t exist, of course. There are many wannabe star horses who’ll trek to Saratoga this Summer in the hopes of establishing themselves in the Pantheon, and the Hall of Fame.

It’s impossible to tell exactly who’ll show up, as horses get sick. Trainers and owners change their minds. Extraneous circumstances can change everything.

At this writing, it’s entirely possible that Epicenter, Smile Happy, Messier, and Creative Minister may make Saratoga their Summer homes.

But two names no doubt will be at the Spa, a least for the Travers: Mo Donegal and Rich Strike. Ripole may even bring his beautiful filly, Nest, hoping to do another Belmont 1-2.

How do we know that Rich Strike will be here? In an exclusive phone conversation, his Trainer, Eric Reed, said:

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

“I can tell you that we anticipate, as long as he’s healthy, to workout at least once on the track – I think we’ll get a much better performance in that [The Travers] race."

When asked if Sonny Leon might be aboard Rich Strike in Saratoga, Mr. Reed responded enthusiastically, “ABSOLUTELY!” His smile was evident, even over the phone. Everyone who works with and for Mr. Reed is like family to him; Leon wouldn’t have been exiled because of one loss. (Mr. Reed had instructed Leon to take Rich Strike to the center of the pack, rather than the deep Belmont rail. Mr. Reed graciously took on the responsibility for that call, and stated so for the press soon after the Belmont.

Not many Trainers would make a point of taking the blame publicly – but Eric Reed, like his magnificent Rich Strike, is a unique individual.)

Those who know nothing about history may forget that, in 2015, Rich Strike’s sire, Keen Ice, trounced American Pharoah, whipping him and winning the Travers. (The Graveyard of Champions: Saratoga has taken down bigger fish than Pharoah.) Upsets are in Rich Strike’s very DNA, he was born to knock over the competition and drive them into the ground.

Regardless of what post position he draws, Rich Strike and his driver will find the Saratoga rail, and if he’s not blocked in, we believe that he will make his Daddy proud.

You read it here first. : )

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 21

Legends

WITH AGE COMES

Wisdom WRITTEN BY MARION E. ALTIERI | PHOTOS PROVIDED UNLESS NOTED

Jean Cruguet. Photo courtesy of NYRA

Rafael Tejada in the Winner's Circle, California.

Lester Piggott

Today’s young jockeys can learn a great deal about racing, longevity and life, itself from the sport’s elder statesmen.

Ageism may be the one lingering bias that’s acceptable in many corners, a state of mind that prevents patriarchal Wisdom from affecting culture, including horse racing. Even the pastoral backstretch of a horse racetrack is not exempt from Ageism’s reach from the world outside the gates.

Three jockeys come to mind when we think of Wisdom gained from experience: Jean Cruguet, Lester Piggott and Rafael Tejano.

22 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Legendary Jean Cruguet, beloved by race fans and professionals alike, had a special connection to his mount, Seattle Slew.

Together with sage direction from (the late, great) Trainer, Billy Turner, the dynamic team crossed victoriously over many finish lines. It’s not necessary to note that the team won hearts around the world when they trounced the competition in 1977, winning the Triple Crown by four lengths on a sloppy Big Sandy. (Belmont) On paper, it looked like legendary Thoroughbred racehorse Seattle Slew and Jean Cruguet came from very-different backgrounds. Yet the two had something signifiant in common: big souls, wrapped in bodies that were judged by others to be less-than-perfect.

Seattle Slew was foaled on February 15, 1974 in Lexington, at White Horse Acres (now, Cobra Farm) by Ben Castleman. His dam was My Charmer; his sire, Bold Reasoning, descended from Bold Ruler, who’d sired Secretariat in 1970.

Very-well bred, yet it took a while for the big, dark Bay colt to find his groove as a racehorse. (For a while, he was nicknamed, Baby Huey.) Additionally, his right-front leg was a tad crooked; when he walked, the hoof threw itself outward a bit. He was “slewfooted.” (He was not named Slew for this reason – the phrase originated in the mid-19th Century, implying clumsiness of gait.)

Jean Cruguet.

Photo courtesy of NYRA

Disability aside, the moment Seattle Slew walked onto a track for workouts or racing, his disability corrected itself – and the big colt ran straight as a string. It was beautiful to behold: the near-black, muscular horse, focusing on the task at hand, firing on all eight cylinders.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Jean Cruguet was foaled on March 8, 1939 in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne, France. He’d been put onto a horse at a very young age, and the spark was lit.

At age five, Jean was placed in an orphanage, after his Father abandoned the family and Jean’s Mother couldn’t cope. He’d been separated from his brother (older by three years), so the young boy was truly alone. Being small of stature, he was the object of ridicule, and bullied by other children. Fortunately, he took this as a challenge, to dig down and find his own sense of worth. His ability to run faster than his tormenters paid off: little Jean looked back at the others and yelled, “You just wait and see! I’m really going to be somebody someday!"

From ages 10 to 16, he lived in a Catholic secondary school run by priests. At 16, a friend of his Grandfather offered him work at a Thoroughbred racetrack, and the first step on his road to glory was set. His career was side-tracked momentarily when he was drafted for mandatory military service in the French Foreign Legion during the Algerian War. (If this reads like a movie, you’re right – it should be.)

Coming back from the War, Jean’s path to the track seemed stalled for a brief time – then he met and married a pioneering horsewoman, Denyse Pendanx. Denyse was one of the first female exercise riders in Europe, and the first to hold a trainer’s license.

Jean Cruguet, 1965 at Hialeah Racetrack, one day after he arrived in the U.S.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

She met her future husband when he rode one of her troublesome horses to victory. “She thought I was a genius, and that’s how we got together,” Jean quipped. The phrase, “soul mates” is overused nowadays, but it was absolutely true about the dynamic racing couple. Every time Jean mounted a horse, he made eye contact with his Denyse, and together they piloted the equine to victory.

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 23

Legends

Jean Cruguet on filly, Heavenly Decision at Chantilly Race Course.

Jean Cruguet, 1977 Sports Illustrated cover following Triple Crown win on Seattle Slew

Lester Piggott with HRM Queen Elizabeth II

Lester Piggott, Carrozza, HRM Queen Elizabeth II, 1957.

Lester Piggott at Epsom unveiling one of nine statues of him at British race courses.

24 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

The couple moved to Hialeah, Florida in 1965; here, in America, his school-age prophecy would be fulfilled.

Among many other wins, in 1969 he rode the future Hall of Fame colt, Arts and Letters, to victory in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. (This was but the first of Cruguet’s Belmont wins.)

The Cruguets returned to Europe to race during the 1972 season; there, he tore up the tracks, winning Group One races (e.g., the Prix Vermeille and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in France, and the Champion Stakes in England.)

He rode the Champion San San in all her wins for trainer Angel Penna Sr., but sidelined by a racing accident, he had to sit out the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. After finishing second in France's jockey standings for 1972, Jean and Denyse returned to the United States.

In 1976, Fate finally conspired to create one of the greatest, most successful teams in horse racing history when Jean Cruguet was asked to ride two-year-old Seattle Slew in the G1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont. In ’77, the dynamic duo won the Wood Memorial and the Flamingo on their way to the Triple Crown.

When he entered the gate at Churchill 45 years ago May 7th, Seattle Slew was the only horse in history to enter the Triple Crown undefeated since 1919. (The first year acknowledged as the Triple Crown.)

The rest, as they say, is history. Seattle Slew and Jean Cruguet won the Belmont Stakes by a comfortable four lengths, pouring on the juice and whipping fans into a state of impassioned joy.

The Sports Illustrated cover shows Cruguet standing in the irons, waving his crop in joyous celebration 20 yards before Slew’s mighty hooves hit the finish line. Cruguet was the first equine pilot to do this – a celebration that’s been repeated by victorious Jockeys every day for 45 years.

It’s 2022, and the 83-year-old Cruguet is not sitting on his laurels: he walks several miles every day. He lends his fame and Wisdom generously to so many causes, including equine welfare; memory care and educational. Always happy to chat with fans and advise young Jockeys, Cruguet plans to be in Saratoga for at least a week during this meet: look for him on the grounds, and the paddock. (Hint: the Jockeys’ Room, morning workouts and The Morning Line are also good bets.)

He still moves quickly and decisively: if you can catch up with him, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself, he’s just a Regular Guy. A Regular Guy who was the first Undefeated Triple Crown Jockey, that is. : ) Cruguet’s best advice to young Jockeys no doubt is, “Know yourself. Believe in yourself. Don’t listen to the negative, focus on the positive. Bring your best, and always do your best.” Merci, Jean.

MANGINO BUICK GMC 1484 SARATOGA ROAD, BALLSTON SPA, NY 12020 SALES: (518) 490-1269 | SERVICE: (518) 490-1272 MANGINOBUICKGMC.COM SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 25

Legends

Lester Piggott atop racehorse Apalachee

Rafael Tejada inducted to the Hipodromo Camareo Hall Of Fame, Puerto Rico.

Rafael Tejada, Waterford Park 1966

26 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

In May, the racing world lost an international star when the adored British Jockey and Trainer, Lester Piggott, died in his adopted country, Switzerland, at age 86. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain – including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, Piggott was an example of formidable native talent, married to persistence and drive.

He was partially deaf and had a slight speech impediment, but these did not keep him from displaying his dry, quick wit, or his reputation for being taciturn. (It was observed that he did not suffer fools gladly. Like the American turf Champion Thoroughbred, John Henry – Piggott’s personality won more fans than foes.)

In 1957, at age 21, Piggott rode Queen Elizabeth II’s Carrozza to victory in The Oaks at Epsom, thus beginning a long and mutually-respectful relationship with Britain’s #1 horse lover. Her Majesty has owned hundreds of horses, and had many Jockeys over the years — but it was just a fact that Lester Piggott was her favorite. So many times, over the decades they were seen together: in winner’s circles, chatting before a race, sharing a laugh. Clearly, the two legends had great affection for each other.

At 5’8,” Piggott was tall for a Flat Jockey. Subsequently, he spent his entire career working to keep his weight in check. Thus, he was dubbed, The Long Fellow, for his slight appearance. He overcame his physical disabilities, choosing instead to focus on his abilities: his tremendous strength, focus and determination. He overcame because he had to. Piggott’s lesson for all young Jockeys in this (or

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

any other) century: assess your situation; decide to excel, gaze straight ahead and never, ever back down.

The name, Rafael Tejada, may not be a household name to younger American race fans, but at 99, Tejada is the oldest living Jockey – and that, alone, is a huge achievement and worth noting in Equicurean. In a sport where the athletes break bones and bodies, and (sadly) die on occasion – Tejada wove through traffic on American tracks, steering his mounts safely to their appointed finish lines. Coming back from a race unscathed is a good thing.

The first Puerto Rican Jockey to take on the mainland, Tejada barnstormed across America from Rhode island to California, and just-about everywhere in-between. He perambulated across America, winning races and friends all along the trail. His career here spanned the 1950s – ‘70s, trekking between the mainland and Puerto Rico.

Tejada was a contemporary of greats Jean Cruguet, Willie Shoemaker and Violet Smith. (The firsts female licensed in the Pacific Nothwest as a Jockey, the sixth woman to be licensed as a Jockey in the United States.

When he retired from racing, he served with distinction as President of the Hipódromo Camarero, the major racetrack in Puerto Rico. (Many famous American horses raced there, including 1976 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner, Bold Forbes.) Tejada has retired, but still goes to the track to take in the races, and to advise and encoureage up-andcoming Jockeys.

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 27

FASIG-TIPTON

SINCE 1898

2022 SARATOGA SALES PHOTOS BY SUPERSOURCEMEDIA.COM UNLESS NOTED

Experience the excitement, tradition, and prestige of “The Spa!” Held during the prestigious Saratoga race meet for 100 years, Saratoga selected yearlings regularly go on to become racing’s next superstars. In 2022, The Saratoga Sale was once again ranked #1 among North American yearling sales by percentage of Grade 1 winners sold and percentage of graded stakes winners sold.

The Saratoga Sale experience is one of the most unique in the Thoroughbred world, offering a rich racing and social scene.

Yearlings catalogued in The Saratoga Sale have been selected on pedigree and physical conformation by Fasig-Tipton’s respected inspection team.

28 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Photo by Stockstudiophotography.com

THE SARATOGA SALE

NEW YORK BRED YEARLINGS

SARATOGA SPRINGS • AUGUST 8 & 9, 2022

SARATOGA SPRINGS • AUGUST 14 & 15, 2022

The crown jewel of the North American yearling sales calendar is The Saratoga Sale, a selected yearling sale offering the best of the North American yearling crop for 100 years.

Held the Sunday and Monday following The Saratoga Sale, the New York Bred Yearlings sale is the industry’s leading source of quality New York-bred yearlings.

2021 RESULTS:

2021 RESULTS:

SOLD:

135

SOLD:

203

AVERAGE:

$408,556

AVERAGE:

$91,461

TOTAL: MEDIAN:

$55,155,000 $350,000

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

TOTAL:

MEDIAN:

$18,566,500 $70,000

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 29

who TRAINS

misty mornings at Saratoga...

THAT HORSE? WRITTEN BY BARRY POTOKER PHOTO BY SUPERSOURCEMEDIA.COM THOROFAN IMAGES PROVIDED

The setting is a crisp, misty and sometimes foggy early summer morning at Saratoga Race Course.

As the sun begins to burn through the haze on a beautiful summer dawn at this historic track, the infield trees are very still with only a hint of a breeze while the geese in the pond behind the tote boards are beginning to stir. The morning dew certainly smells sweet but there is a pungent aroma from the steaming hay filling the air. Things become clearer as first light pours down on these storied grounds, and yet the stables and the backstretch have been alive for hours. What a feeling to be part of the awakening of the track in the am! Both the Oklahoma training track and the Main flat oval in the morning are much like being backstage before a Broadway play. It's simply exhilarating knowing that later that day, the place will be bustling with fans ready for the main event.

30 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Around you are trainers, jockeys, agents, clockers, exercise riders, grooms, hot-walkers and owners. It’s an up-close and personal festival of the Sport of Kings.

The majestic star performers are not only working out and training, but are meticulously being attended to – bathed, groomed, schooled at the starting gate and, of course, fed breakfast. There is an abundance of activity, yet it is a calm, pristine and organized scene.

So, if you’re heading “to the barns” or backstretch or the grandstand for the morning experience of workouts, don’t go without picking up one of these….

Now in its 14th year of publication, ThoroFan’s 2022 Saddle Cloth Guide is your companion to the morning workouts. It’s the essential guide to identify “Who Trains that Horse” quickly and easily from their saddle cloth.

This 60-page “program” is broken down TWO ways - by saddle cloth color and alphabetically by trainer name.

There are also feature stories and interesting facts about trainers, horses, and happenings in and around the hallowed grand old oval.

ThoroFan is a non-profit organization dedicated to the philosophy that "An educated Fan is a better Fan" and this simple yet useful guide to the Saratoga workouts is a winner. Its original idea came from the late trainer Rick Violette, and is now curated by local, Bob Giordano.

The vision was to help new, casual and seasoned fans learn more about the sport of thoroughbred horse racing. This handy pocket guide is now also used by clockers, owners, photographers, and even handicappers to spot specific horses.

2022 GUIDE Saddle Towels to Saratoga Race Course Trainers’

Mixed Company Photo by Tom Ryan

One More Time!

•••••••• The 159th Time for Saratoga Racing!

The 3rd Time for The Wilson Chute!

And Another Time to see what's new in this Guide!

14 Edition th

Want to get our publications delivered to your inbox?

SIGN UP ONLINE

TODAY!

saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com | 518-581-2480

The FREE 2022 edition will be available opening day (July 14th) and can be found at many locations. These include The Whitney Stand at the Oklahoma training track, the horsemen's Morning Line Coffee Stand in the backstretch barn area, the Saratoga Visitor's Center, the Chamber of Commerce booth on Broadway, several Saratoga businesses - and for the first time at the breakfast on The Porch. It will also be available to view online at ThoroFan.com.

Misty morning workouts at Saratoga are amazing, mesmerizing, and so much more enjoyable nowadays with the official ThoroFan Saddle Cloth guide at your fingertips… along with an egg sandwich and a piping hot cup of coffee!

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 31

Frank "Pancho" Martin

32 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

The Martin Family WRITTEN BY WILLIAM G. GOTIMER, JR. | PHOTOS PROVIDED

New York

Training Excellence for 70 years Those that follow New York racing have seen many changes in the past 70 years but at least one thing has remained constant, the Martin family’s presence on the track. Beginning with the grandfather, Hall of Fame leading trainer Frank “Pancho” Martin followed by “should be Hall of Fame” trainer Jose Martin, his son, and currently with Hall of Fame-caliber trainer Carlos Martin, his grandson, the Martin family has trained horses on the New York Racing Association circuit for more than seven decades.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 33

Frank "Pancho" and Jose Martin, On the Rail 70's

Hailing from Havana, Cuba, the Martin patriarch, Frank Martin, began shipping Cuban horses to win in the United States shortly after World War II and settled permanently on the New York circuit in 1951. Teaming with owners Sigmund and Viola Sommer, Frank Martin was the leading trainer in New York for ten straight years from 1973-1982. He is best known as the conditioner of Sham who had the misfortune of being born in the same year as Secretariat, but his stakes winners are far too long to list in addition to the claiming horses he routinely acquired and improved. Frank Martin was truly one of racing’s greatest 34 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

trainers. The inaccurate and unflattering portrayal of him in Disney’s movie Secretariat was a huge injustice. He was widely respected by those in racing as a prolific horseman and a generous man.

His son – Jose Martin – is arguably the greatest horse trainer not currently in the Hall of Fame – (an oversight that hopefully will be corrected in coming years) – followed in his father’s footsteps but carved out his own niche by developing champions from modestpriced stock. Also born in Cuba, Jose Martin amassed 1,139 wins and over $20,000,000 in earnings. He trained multiple stakes winners, most notably

2-year-old Filly Champion Lakeville Miss in 1977; Champion 3-year-old filly, Wayward Lass in 1981 and Champion Sprinter Groovy in 1987. He also campaigned multiple Graded stakes’ winner and sire Noble Nashua.

In 1981 Jose Martin had arguably one of the best training years in New York racing history - winning the Marlboro Cup (Gr. 1), Jerome Handicap (Gr. 2), Dwyer Stakes (Gr. 2) and Whirlaway Stakes with Noble Nashua, who also won the Swaps Stakes (Gr. 1) at Hollywood Park in California setting or approaching track records numerous times in the short span of 7 months.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

In the same year, Jose also campaigned Champion Filly Wayward Lass to win the Busanda and Searching Stakes, followed by a string of impressive victories in the Coaching Club American Oaks (Gr. 1), Mother Goose Stakes (Gr. 1), and Ruthless Stakes (Gr. 3). Wayward Lass ran 13 times in 1981, won seven times and never finished out of the money. As a testament to Jose Martin’s superior training acumen Wayward Lass won at sprint distances, at a mile and one half and distances in between all in a short period.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 35

Newspaper photo of Jose Martin.

Caption reads " Jose Martin — two stakes in three days.

Jim Raftery Turfotos"

Jose and Frank "Pancho" Martin

Jose Martin began training the formerly mismanaged Groovy after he was last in the Kentucky Derby and off the board in the Preakness in 1986. Immediately, Jose’s expert handling converted Groovy to a multiple stakes winning sprinter.

Groovy's 1987 championship campaign included six triumphs in seven starts. He annexed that season's Vosburgh Stakes (Gr. 1), True North Handicap (Gr. 2), Tom Fool Stakes (Gr. 2), Forego Handicap (Gr. 2), and Roseben Handicap (Gr. 2). His only defeat was a second place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (Gr. I). Groovy retired from racing with earnings of $1,346,956 and was later inducted into the Texas Thoroughbred Hall of Fame, as the richest Texas-bred in history.

36 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

That same year Jose Martin developed eventual Kentucky Oaks winner Goodbye Halo, winning the Demoiselle (Gr. 1) in an upset before being sold to new connections at a handsome price.

Adept with fillies and primarily known for developing younger horses to be sold or syndicated for far more than their purchase price, Jose Martin showed his versatility in 1995 by reforming an older Rokeby Stables campaigner – Key Contender, who was purchased at auction by his son Carlos Martin. Shortly thereafter Jose Martin turned Key Contender into a Grade I winner at the advanced age of seven by winning the Suburban Handicap at Belmont on the 4th of July.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Jose Martin’s training career was cut short when he passed away from lung cancer in 2006 at the age of 63.

The family tradition would not end there as his son, Carlos Martin, became one of the youngest trainers on the New York circuit beginning at 19 and training a Grade I winner at the tender age of 21 with Buy The Firm. Most recently Carlos Martin campaigned the mare Come Dancing to multiple stakes wins in New York, including the Grade I Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga. To date, as a trainer Carlos Martin has amassed more than 750 wins and more than $30 million in purses. Starting in 1997 to date (25 consecutive years), Carlos Martin has an incredible strike rate at over 30% in the money with his runners.

With an expansive knowledge of New York racing at his fingertips Carlos Martin is congenial and always ready to share racing knowledge and trivia with racing experts and novices alike.

Operating out of Barn 31 on the Saratoga backstretch since 1977, the Martin family has been training for a list of loyal owners over the years but remains available to take on new owners and challenges. When asked about the family legacy, Carlos Martin said “I am proud to carry on the tradition of developing horses to reach their potential while making lifetime friends of owners, big and small. More than a business to us, this is a family calling and one of which we are all proud.”

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 37

Carlos Martin

Martin Brothers

Greg Martin at OBS Sales Grounds, 2021

Gloria Martin at OBS Sales 2021

Diane Wagner Martin and Gloria Martin at Saratoga Race Course.

Family Matriarch Gloria (Jose's wife) and Gloria Martin at Belmont.

38 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

The family connections to the horse industry widened as Carlos’ sister, Gloria Martin~Wallshein founded Britton Peak in 2020, a Thoroughbred Training facility that operates at Big Lick Farm, just outside Ocala, Florida.

Another member of the Martin clan, Greg Martin (son of Frank Martin), partnered with Gloria. Greg directs all operations at Britton Peak and is the Chief Bloodstock Advisor. He catapulted the operation to some notable early successes with two Britton Peak graduates that includes Grade 3 winners along with multiple horses that were selected and broken by Greg, who all broke their maidens last year.

Gloria Martin reflected, “Greg and I had a dream a decade ago to develop a training center in Florida and now here we are four generations deep. The business of horses - it’s in our blood and I know Grandpa Pancho and dad are guiding us every day proud that we’ve continued their legacy”.

Many things change in life but when it comes to New York racing one thing has been constant for over 70 years - the Martin family training and developing stakes winners. www.carlosmartinracing.com www.brittonpeak.com

Also involved in the family business, is Jose Martin, Jr., who works alongside his brother Carlos, as the foreman at Belmont Racetrack. Rounding out the pack is Gregory Martin, Jr., (Greg’s eldest son), who is Britton Peak’s Assistant Trainer.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 39

Queens THE SPORT OF WRITTEN BY MARION E. ALTIERI PHOTOS COURTESY OF @ROYAL ASCOT, ASCOT.COM

@Royal Ascot

HRM Queen Elizabeth II petting her horse, Estimate, after winning the 2013 Royal Ascot Gold Cup.

@Royal Ascot 2015

HRM Queen Elizabeth II with world-renowned Jockey, Frankie Dettori.

It is good to be Queen, but even better to be a successful Thoroughbred owner.

HRM Queen Elizabeth II enjoys the best of both worlds.

I

n 2022, Her Majesty celebrates 70 years on the Throne, 60 of those years a Thoroughbred owner, breeder and lover. Princess Elizabeth began riding at age three.

(Her love affair with the equine species is one of her most endearing characteristics; an anecdotal tale still circulates, that when she was a small child, she was asked what she’d like to be. The precocious youngster quipped, “I’d like to become a horse!”)

In 1948 Elizabeth got her first racehorse—the filly Astrakhan, a wedding present from the Aga Khan. The following year the Princess registered her colors. Under Steeplechase rules, she also registered a partnership with her Mother, and each owned a half-share in the Irish jumper, Monaveen.

Monaveen, won the Queen Elizabeth (I) Steeplechase at Hurst Park in '49, giving the young Princess her first taste of

40 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

racing victory. At just 23, the monarch-in-training had the heady winner’s circle experience, and never looked back.

Her Father, King George VI, died on February 6th, 1952. His daughter and fellow horselover, acceded to the throne – just weeks before her 26th birthday. (Her formal coronation took place one year later, as it was deemed inappropriate to conduct such festive events soon after the death of a royal.)

Inheriting the Throne meant also that the young monarch took the reins of her Father’s sizeable breeding and racing stock – a role she was born to fill. She moved gracefully into the role, calling upon her love of all horses and natural desire to learn ever-more about her new charges. Her natural curiosity and native intelligence contributed to her body of knowledge, and she grew as a horsewoman and clear-witted Thoroughbred owner.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

On June 6, 1953, her magnificent Aureole finished second to Pinza in the Derby; he raced 14 times, won 11. (He would go on to become Champion Sire in 1960 and 61, retiring.)

The Queen’s Trainer, Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, noted that he was delighted that the rambunctious son of Hyperion had a temperamental, excitable personality: he believed that Hyperion’s offspring often “…tended to be difficult and spirited characters” – that is, big, Alpha personalities who liked to win.

That same year, Choir Boy (Royal Hunt Cup) gave Her Majesty her first winner at the prestigious Royal Ascot annual racing festival.

In November of 1954, she brought her 3YO colt, Landau, to Laurel Park in Maryland, to run in the Washington International. Delighted Americans were treated to a firsthand look at the young Queen. Landau did not win on American soil, but his owner won the hearts of American horse race fans.

The Queen has won various races at Ascot at least 23 times, according to the British Horseracing Authority: she’s the patron of Royal Ascot, rarely missing the meet in her 70 years on the throne.

Victories aside, the one race that evaded her for decades was the Ascot Gold Cup. Then, in 2013 she struck gold when Estimate, with Ryan Moore up, charged home in front of a roaring crowd to claim the first Ascot Gold Cup win for a reigning monarch in the race’s 207-year history.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

“It’s a special thrill for the Queen. She said it gave her great pleasure and she thanked everyone involved,” enthused Estimate’s trainer, Sir Michael Stoute.

In the BBC documentary, The Queen’s Racehorses: A Personal View (1974), she revealed a bit of her inner workings when she said: “My philosophy about racing is simple. I enjoy breeding a horse that is faster than other people’s. And to me, that is a gamble from a long way back. I enjoy going racing, but I suppose, basically, I love horses, and the Thoroughbred epitomises [sic] a really good horse to me.” — A Royal Passion Platinum Jubilee Celebration, British Horseracing Her horses raced 166 times in 2021; she’s 96 in 2022, and shows no sign of retiring from her beloved sport.

Her stats can be found on the British Horseracing Authority’s Website. Stats are impressive – numbers of horses owned, bred and raced – but more significant is that HRM Queen Elizabeth II has spent the majority of her life as the Ruler of the British Empire – while never losing one iota of her love for horses. A devoted horselover and savvy businesswoman, she generously shares her joy and her equines with her subjects, and with the world. As any horse-loving person knows, the Horse is an archetype, one that speaks of universal themes. Queen or baker, clerical or teacher – even the noblest of hearts falls under the spell.

Her Majesty willingly surrenders her heart to the Horse, and we follow her lead.

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 41

lifestyles {clothing.accessories.shoes}

lifestylesofsaratoga.com

436 Broadway, Saratoga Springs 518.584.4665 LifestylesOfSaratoga.com 42 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

358 Broadway, Saratoga Springs 518.587.4344 PinkPaddock.com SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

by Designer Emily Shalant

Saratoga Trunk Lady's Finery

493 Broadway, Saratoga Springs 518.584.3543 SaratogaTrunk.com SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

27 Church Street, Saratoga Springs 518.587.2772 SpokenSaratoga.com EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 43

494 Broadway, Saratoga Springs 518.584.4838 VioletsofSaratoga.com 44 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

437 Broadway, Saratoga Springs 518.450.7025 • UnionHallSupplyCo.com SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 45

46 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Artic Storm Cat: Spell This Horse Story P-E-R-F-E-C-T

WRITTEN BY L.A. SOKOLOWSKI | PHOTOS BY NATALIE LOIZZO PHOTOGRAPHY UNLESS NOTED

THERE’S A CERTAIN APPEAL TO RACEHORSES WITH MISSPELLED NAMES, A REMINDER THAT GOOD THINGS DON’T HAVE TO COME IN PERFECT PACKAGES.

Daily Racing Forms in 2017 -- thrice in the money -- before the homestretch led instead to a real-life winner’s circle: a forever home with a Long Island mother and daughter.

Think Triple Crown champion, American Pharoah, who will never have to worry about winning a spelling bee to assure his place in racing history.

“Artic is my first horse,” says Alison Galeotafiore, of Setauket, NY. “Artic Storm Cat is his Jockey Club [registration] name.

Everyone knows him as Artic, so I just couldn’t change it!

Now meet an extraordinarily rare, white eight year-old Thoroughbred, named Artic Storm Cat (Bluegrass Cat x Princesspatseattle), whose own phonetic misnomer (the purposeful registration choice of original owners Augie and Patricia Renzinie) appeared five times in Belmont and Saratoga

“I wished and hoped for a horse for as long as I can remember. I just turned 50, but will always be a ‘horse girl’ at heart.” Her childhood dream came true four years ago, when a nearly magical white horse unexpectedly entered her family’s life.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 47

48 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

”For years, horses weren’t on the radar because life got busy with college, marriage, and kids. So everything I’m learning now is from him or,” she grins, “from my favorite school horse, Maggie.” She and her youngest (14) daughter, Maddie, have been training with Nicole Mancuso at Island Hills Stable, with the goal of becoming the riders their dream horse deserves.

Genetically speaking, Artic has a White Spotting 22 (W22) mutation gene that, when combined with a W20 gene that many Thoroughbreds carry, the result is his nearly white coat.

“In the grand scheme of things, I’m a newbie,” Alison says.

“I had a handful of lessons when I was 10, did some trail riding in college, and took about a dozen lessons before buying Artic.”

“I always especially loved white horses, like Silver from The Lone Ranger. I’m pretty sure that was the very first horse that ignited my passion. I thought Silver was the epitome of what the most perfect horse should look like. I even had a replica of Silver to show for it!”

Since then, she’s been “consistently lessoning” for about three years. After all, her best possible incentive is waiting at the barn.

“Would you believe, I learned this from a Hungarian fan of Artic’s, who specializes in horse genetics, and reached out to me to ask permission to include Artic in her university studies?,” she adds. “Crazy, huh?!”

NOT JUST ANY HORSE Every horseman starts out a beginner, but not every beginner starts out with a horse like Artic.

In fact, the odds are about one in 10,500.

Andrew B. Chesser, manager of registration services for The Jockey Club, and secretary general of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) says that, in the more than century-old history of The Jockey Club and 2.1 million horses it has registered, less than 200 white Thoroughbreds have ever been registered. He would know better than most.

The Jockey Club is the keeper of the American Stud Book, where Chesser’s role includes working with owners to register and name all Thoroughbreds born in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

So when Artic, owned and bred

by Hollywood Star Stable, LLC, in Port Jefferson Station, NY, came into this world in late January 2014, the little white colt was already destined to be a standout.

“I’m not sure I really knew what a Thoroughbred was when I was a kid,” says Alison. “But I can tell you that I always gravitated toward slender, athletic types of horses.”

Since owning Artic, she’s had a crash course in genetics. The white gelding wasn’t just rare

by Jockey Club standards; at the time of his birth, she says, “To boot, he was only the thirdever New York-bred white Thoroughbred registered!”

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 49

50 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

HI-YO & AWAY Alison wasn’t shopping for Silver replicas when the white gelding arrived one day five years ago at the stable where she and Maddie took lessons. She can still remember the first time she saw Artic in his stall.

The horse had been racing under two-time NYRA Trainer of the Year and record-setter (159 NYRA wins) Gary Contessa when, in October 2017, after finishing third at Belmont in a mile and a furlong under jockey Christopher DeCarlo, a knee injury led to Artic’s fifth career appearance also becoming his last.

“Thank goodness, his owners had his knee repaired at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists,” Alison says. The stateof-the-art center in Elmont, NY, extends the reach of Cornell Equine Hospital and brings internationally renowned specialists in horse medicine together with colleagues at institutions including Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine to provide horses like Artic with topnotch specialty care.

Artic went to Island Hills Stable to recuperate where, one February day shortly after Valentine’s, Cupid’s bow struck Alison right between her horse-loving eyes. She and Maddie had arrived early at the barn, before Maddie’s weekly lesson, to say hello to some of the privately owned horses boarded there.

“I know it sounds crazy but I was instantly drawn to Artic,” Alison says. “In that moment, my infatuation began. I thought he was the most beautiful horse I ever laid eyes on. I still feel that way. There was something about him and I knew we were meant to be together. He had such a gentle look in his eyes and although he had been confined during recovery, he was still sweet and had a good disposition.”

Over the months, she learned the recovering racehorse was going to need a new home: “After lots of soul searching, and begging on my part to my loving husband, Angelo, we decided to make Artic part of our family.”

Stall recuperation had cost Artic weight and muscle tone so their trainer at the time, Kristin Hlavac-O’Brien, put extra time into helping the gelding, and showing Alison and Maddie how to help him, too.

“She walked us through all our ‘firsts’ with him: first time grooming him, sitting on him, riding him, everything. He was a goofy four year-old who only wanted to run fast.”

Look familiar?

Alison Galeotafiore in Artic Snow Cat's former racing silks.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Alison watched as Kristin patiently introduced the young Thoroughbred to a new language and encouraged Artic to relax his track mentality.

“She was just as patient with us,” she says. “We were so green, with zero experience in ownership. Sadly for us, Kristin moved to Arizona but thank goodness, we were blessed with a new trainer, Nicole Mancuso, who has also been patient with us! Maddie has learned how to handle a young OTTB and has started jumping courses on Artic. It’s quite different than riding a school horse!

“Her goals are to jump in a show with him by the end of the summer and hopefully next year, make their debut at the Hampton Classic [the prestigious end-of-summer show on Long Island). My goals are simpler. I’m happy safely toodling around on Artic and just spending time together. I want to provide him with the best life I possibly can.”

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 51

Alison Galeotafiore, daughter Maddie, and their four-legged family member, Artic, today.

Maddie & Artic earned 4th place in Walk Trot Pleasure last year (2021).

Photo courtesy of Alison Galeotafiore.

Lighter shades of Pale At your next après races party, try these fun facts for icebreakers!

• There are no albino horses.

Horses lack the genetic factors for albinism.

• Horses have six different dilution genes that lighten coats differently: cream, champagne, dun, mushroom, pearl and silver.

• Artic is related to two of the white horses ridden by Johnny Depp in Disney’s 2013 film, The Lone Ranger.

ARTIC WARMS UP “Perhaps any initial bumps in getting to know one another had more to do with me than him. I was the inexperienced one,” says the first-time owner. “I had no idea how much time and work goes into rehabbing a young former racehorse coming off extended stall rest after arthroscopic knee surgery.

“But I can tell you this, it most definitely takes a village!”

Today, the white horse with the natural ‘eyeliner’ sports a stylish English show bridle and is learning to jump, not race, his courses.

The horse born to run is learning how to take it slow. “Artic is loving his new career. He will jump a course now without racing and rushing around the ring,” she says, adding with a grin, “For the most part.”

Artic’s personality has also grown.

“He’s more confident and comical and, I believe, very happy. He loves almost everyone he meets, two- and four-legged, a trait brought out I think by his time at the track, when so many people visited him.”

During his racing career, Artic Storm Cat inspired a Facebook page (See sidebar, Lighter Shades of Pale) and now more than 2,000 fans follow his adventures daily on Instagram at @articstormcat.

“He enjoys daily naps and absolutely loves peppermints. He’ll do just about anything to earn those! He enjoys carrot tops, and secretly loves when I kiss him all over his nose, and scratch the sides of his muzzle or rub his ears.”

“Artic is my once-in-a-lifetime horse. When I think back to how much we have learned and grown together, it makes me so happy and proud. Diane Keegan (manager at Island Hills) truly helped set the stage for success for us.

“We are well on our way to an amazing life together. I hope others will be inspired by our story and know that they too can give an offtrack racehorse a new lease on life.”

What you have to gain, she spells out, is unbridled fulfillment.

52 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 53

o G ! n e g y x O

54 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

FAST TRACK HORSE HEALING

WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY DEBORAH A. MILES

The sound of beating hoofs on the Oklahoma Training Track with Thoroughbreds whinnying in the barns signals the widely anticipated 2022 Saratoga racing season.

In July and August, fans will flock to Saratoga’s historic race track, while trainers and owners exist in the barn areas, making sure their horses are healthy and ready to race.

One concern is how to treat horses who are prone to an Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) without Lasix. Last year, the New York Racing Association, Inc. SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

(NYRA) implemented a regulation prohibiting the use of Lasix within 48-hours of stakes races. Lasix, the brand name for furosemide, helps to prevent bleeding and has been routinely used by trainers. Without Lasix, trainers are turning to alternative therapies to help their equine athletes.

A natural therapy is placing a horse in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. A recent case has shown how Inhaling pure oxygen makes a huge difference in the health of horses who suffer from EIPH and other issues.

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 55

Clermont Farm owner Tom Cunningham and Thomas Masterson, operator of the equine hyperbaric oxygen chamber, finish checking out the interior of the chamber.

Rick Schosberg, Clear Stars Stable (CSS) trainer and president of Take the Lead, a New York retirement program for Thoroughbreds, has been recognized by his peers for his dedication to the welfare of horses. He followed the NYRA regulation when Unique Unions, a handsome bay gelding, raced in The Rego Park, a $100,000 stakes race at Aqueduct on January 9.

“Unions,” his barn name, led most of the field during the race but came in fourth. Afterwards, Schosberg and a veterinarian discovered through an endoscopic exam that this promising three-year-old suffered an EIPH. Informed of Unions’ diagnosis, Michael Sternklar, CSS managing partner, said, “We not only want to get Unions’ lungs 100 percent sound, but find a way for him to run in a future stakes race, without Lasix. For a horse of this quality (Curlin’s grandson), we should do everything we can to get him into top form. He has speed and determination. If the damage to his lungs from the bleeding is not healed, it will recur.”

Schosberg added, “The most effective treatment for moderate to severe bleeding episodes is the hyperbaric oxygen chamber.”

Unions was shipped to Clermont Farm, the New York Equine Fitness Center, on a frosty January day to receive oxygen therapy.

Unique Unions receives oxygen therapy.

Clermont Farm, a sprawling160 acres in the Hudson Valley, has the only equine hyperbaric oxygen chamber in New York, and possibly throughout New England.

56 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

IT’S BEGINNINGS

A HEFTY PRICE TAG

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has a long history in human medicine. It dates back to 1834 when an airtight case was developed to help treat pulmonary infections. It was designed by Victor Junod and James Watt, a French surgeon and a steam-engine inventor, respectively,

Equine hyperbaric oxygen chambers range from $250,000 to $400,000.

Fast forward to 1964 when the first institution to use oxygen therapy was the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital in China. Since then, the chamber has experienced nearly 50 years of rapid development for human treatment. Currently, there are more than 5,000 hyperbaric oxygen chambers in China, and approximately 1,300 U.S. hospitals have hyperbaric facilities.

Today, professional athletes in the NHL, NFL, NBA and MLS have benefited from oxygen therapy for soft-tissue injuries, burns and deep infections. Around 2005, equine athletes joined the group.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a relative newcomer to equine medicine. KESMARC, LLC, a Kentucky equine and rehabilitation center, pioneered equine hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It paved the way for its use during the last 20 years with protocols and results from more than 30,000 treatments.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Tom Cunningham, owner of Clermont Farm, said he purchased his equine chamber in 2011. When asked about the cost, Cunningham said, “It was very, very expensive. I did not buy it new, and it took a while to negotiate a price.

The former owners had no place to put it. Our chamber accommodates two horses at one time, and that was a major consideration in our purchase.

“I had attended a conference in Oklahoma where the chamber was featured, and I was immensely impressed by its ability to accelerate the healing process in both humans and equines. Doctors and nurses attended from around the globe, and they all raved about it.

“I thought, if you are in this (racing) business to make money and help horses, you need a chamber. It simply accelerates the healing process and reduces the downtime between races. That’s an enormous benefit in the highly competitive world of horse racing.”

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 57

BENEFITING ALL HORSES Thomas Masterson, an experienced horseman, has operated the Clermont chamber since 2013 and supervises the farm’s crew. He recalled a standardbred with a bleeding issue was the first to receive oxygen therapy.

During the following years, hundreds of horses have entered the 27-foot-long chamber. The oxygen therapy has been successful for equines of all disciplines, ranging from sport to backyard horses, who suffered from various conditions.

“One horse, who we nicknamed “Junior,” arrived with an open wound on his leg. We soon discovered he had a severe case of MRSA (an infection from sickness or an injury). He was treated with the chamber and a cold-water spa,” Masterson said. “Another horse ate red maple leaves which are poisonous to equines. We also treated a mare who couldn’t get pregnant. She went into the chamber the night before she was placed with the stallion, and we got her back in the chamber afterwards. Approximately eleven months later, she produced a nice foal. Oxygen also enhances the delivery of medications.”

After a horse is securely and comfortably tethered with a canvass strap in the sealed chamber, the atmospheric

58 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

pressure is increased. Chamber air is replaced with oxygen, which causes the hemoglobin in the horse’s red blood cells to become 100 percent saturated with the oxygen.

The bloodstream then flows across cell membranes and allows the oxygen to reach damaged tissues, which helps to destroy bacteria and heal injuries.

“For Unions, the key was to let the tiny blood vessels in the lungs heal without infection,” Schosberg said.

SAFETY BEHIND-THE-SCENES Masterson learned to operate the chamber gages, some in Chinese. He credited the faculty at the University of Tennessee for a wealth of chamber-operating information, and other chamber owners.

At Clermont, everything revolves around safety. Prior to entering the chamber, any metal is totally covered or removed from a horse, such as shoes and halters.

That’s because metal-on-metal contact in a pure oxygen environment will result in combustion.

A tragic, but rare, 2012 accident occurred in a Florida chamber. A six-year-old Thoroughbred was wearing uncovered steel shoes. He kicked through the protective padding and scratched the interior steel-chamber wall.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Thomas Masterson operates the control panel of the equine hyperbaric oxygen chamber at Clermont Farm.

According to a report by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the horse’s shoes created sparks against the wall and triggered a horrific explosion. It resulted in the death of the Thoroughbred, and 28-year-old Erica Marshall, the chamber operator and the horse’s owner.

Along with ensuring that no metal contact will occur, additional precautions are taken at Clermont. Any horse running a fever does not get the treatment, as it could cause convulsions. Each horse is bathed or hosed down, so there is no oil-based product on his coat to avoid any static electricity.

Masterson said leading a horse into the chamber is simila to entering a trailer. Horses may be a little nervous the first time, but appear eager to enter the chamber for subsequent treatments.

“They seem to know they will feel better,” he said.

It takes approximately a half-hour for Masterson to replace the chamber air with oxygen. Once it reaches the maximum level, a horse inhales the pure oxygen for one hour, and then the chamber is slowly depressurized.

During this time frame, Masterson continually monitors all the gages, and observes the horse with surveillance cameras.

“It can be stressful,” he said. “But when a horse comes out, SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

you can see how the oxygen in the chamber really perked him up. You can see he feels good. It’s also very satisfying to get positive feedback from veterinarians, trainers and owners after the horse has completed the treatment.

“The chamber is not a cure-all. It is another tool to use to help resolve problems,” Masterson said.

Cunningham added, “We’ve had a lot of good success. We also have post-surgical stalls for veterinarians who want monitoring of the horse, which we are able to do.

“We essentially closed down during the pandemic because we knew people wouldn’t spend money. Most people spent their money feeding their horses and going broke. We are starting fresh.”

As for Unions, he is also getting a fresh start.

Schosberg said, “Unions has come back from his hyperbaric treatment in fantastic shape. He looks very healthy and happy.

We have galloped him several times, and his lungs are clean.

“I highly recommend this therapy for any EIPH occurrences or other ailments that require expedited healing.”

And yes, look for Unique Unions this summer in Saratoga.

For more information on Clermont Farm, the New York Equine Fitness Center, visit www.clermontnyef.com EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 59

ADENA SPRINGS FARM $55 Million PHOTOS BY ICON GLOBAL

Adena Springs Farm, meticulously designed by industry visionary Frank Stronach to produce champions, is one of the most storied farms in the annals of modern Thoroughbred racing.

"Since 2005, when the Stronach Group opened this state-of-the-art breeding and training facility, Adena Springs has left an indelible imprint on the Thoroughbred industry," said Bernie Uechtritz, broker-owner of Icon Global, the international real estate brokerage that is offering the property. "The farm has produced and stood some of the greatest horses in modern history, including Awesome Again, Ghostzapper, Macho Uno, El Prado and Mucho Macho Man. It, at 2,300± acres, is one of the two largest farms under one fence in the rolling heart of the Bluegrass Country, located near Paris, Kentucky, just 20 minutes northeast of Lexington.

60 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

In Bourbon County, founded at the dawn of America, the thrum of hooves is the region's pulse. The climate, the geology and the generational know-how provide a competitive advantage unsurpassed anywhere on the planet.

Notably, any number of Kentucky Derby and stakes winners were produced within a 15-mile radius of the farm; Medaglia d’Oro was born right next door, Uechtritz said. Adena Springs has earned the prestigious Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder eight times since its founding.

"It is only fitting that Adena Springs is a particularly rare jewel in Thoroughbred racing where a Triple Crown represents the pinnacle of achievement," Uechtritz said.

“I would rank it as a dynasty, the level of accomplishments and the amount of eclipse awards, you just don’t see that happen,” said Dan Hall, Former General Manager At peak capacity, Adena Springs can safely accommodate 1,000 horses. While historically its focus has been on breeding champion racehorses, the world-class infrastructure is multi-faceted, versatile and could be easily converted to any equestrian discipline, be it show jumping, hunter-jumper, Grand Prix or dressage, show place. It could even be a horse park or a co-op operation with central facilities.

"Adena Springs is a place of superlatives," Uechtritz said. "If the farm was a hotel, it would be the Four Seasons. If it was a Texas ranch, it would be the 535,000± acre Waggoner. It is head and shoulders above anything else that exists."

Its grand size also lends to the opportunity inherent in this property. While Adena Springs is offered as a whole, the farm can be easily subdivided into several parcel and custom-parcel combinations. Because the legendary facility has more than two miles of frontage along Cane Ridge Road and more than one mile of frontage along Jackstown Pike, each smaller tract could have its own private access.

From a business standpoint, demand is strong for equestrian properties.

2,300± ACRES | PARIS/LEXINGTON, KY | BOURBON COUNTY

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

"Since the announcement in early November, we've fielded serious inquiries from across the United States as well as England, Ireland and the Middle East," Uechtritz said. "Equine enthusiasts know the potential of investing their time, energy and money in the historic heart of the Thoroughbred industry."

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 61

THE FARM AND FACILITIES Guests arriving through any of the property's six automatic iron entrances immediately know they have entered an equestrian estate of the highest order.

Following one of the tree-lined interior roads, of which there are more than 25 miles, guests watch as the farm's immaculate grandeur, designed in association with a famed golf course designer, unfolds.

With almost 1,500 acres of pastures, the intensely cleared farm offers the open vistas horses of all ages and stages need to graze, rest, run and thrive. More than 100 miles of four-plank and diamond mesh fencing keep the equine athletes safely enclosed.

Lakes and ponds dot the landscape, adding shimmering beauty; automatic Varner waterers, located in all the fields, paddocks and around all the run-ins, provide water throughout.

Arguably, the farm's focal point is the two-and-a-halfstory Office/Stallion Barn/Breeding Shed, situated in a verdant, landscaped environ that showcases the signature fountain and reflecting pool. Here guests get their first taste of winning hospitality.

The lobby, complete with custom trophy cases, recessed lighting and walnut wainscoting with an adjoining conference room and offices, is just the beginning. A staircase rises to a widow's walk, which provides a 360-degree view of Adena Springs.

The office is directly attached to a 14-stall stallion barn complete with a large viewing area outfitted with rubber pavers, wood siding and a soaring ceiling with recessed lighting. And the stallion barn feeds into the teasing and prep area that includes two teaser and three mare stalls as well as a teasing area, full laboratory, a viewing area and two offices.

In addition to the main complex, the farm boasts seven identical 28-stall broodmare barns, built at an original cost of $2 million each and surrounded by cross-fenced 100-acre paddocks; 10 lighted run-in barns with three stalls, feed rooms and a loft, while the attached runin sheds' interior walls are lined with hay racks; one quarantine barn with five stalls; two hay barns (250'x30') and one equipment building (60'x40').

All of the outbuildings are constructed in a style and in materials that complement the main complex and one another. The barns all feature expansive aisles with rubber paver floors, and in many instances the stall walls and flooring are poured rubber, adding to horse comfort. For maximum safety, stalls are also outfitted with sliding metal doors.

"Anyone who has ever seen or been involved in the Thoroughbred industry will recognize that these barns have been crafted with an incredible amount of thought as well as the best materials and craftsmanship available to ensure both the physical and biological safety of the horses," Uechtritz said.

62 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

RESIDENCES Wanting to attract and keep the industry's best professionals, Mr. Stronach designed an 11-residence employee complex featuring an in-ground pool, soccer fields as well as volleyball and basketball courts.

His attention to employee contentment extended to upper management, so the farm also boasts two large executive residences that are approximately 3,000 to 3,500 square feet with attached garages that currently house the general manager and staff veterinarian. An assistant manager's home, measuring 2,000 to 2,500 square feet, and six manager's houses, measuring 1,500 to 1,800 square feet, as well as three additional quad units round out the dwellings.

All residences are constructed from brick siding with faux stone accents and pseudo-slate roofs to maintain the farm's aesthetic cohesiveness.

As part of the thoughtful development, the farm's premier building site has been retained, atop the tallest hill in Bourbon County, providing a panoramic view of the surrounding area - the lot is an ideal location for an owner's home or other signature building.

THE OPPORTUNITY While horse-centric properties regularly come and go from the marketplace, rarely do legendary farms the likes of Adena Springs become available.

"The legend and legacy of Adena Springs is unparalleled," Uechtritz said. "The farm is awaiting the next steward, who will take the reins and lead Adena Farms into the next chapter in its glorious history."

To stake your claim on one of the finest farms in the equestrian universe, contact Icon Global at 214-855-4000 or by email at info@icon.global.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 63

From Souvenirs to Décor DON’T LEAVE TOWN WITHOUT THESE! FINISHING TOUCHES HOME DECOR 450 E High Street, Malta FinishingTouchesStore.com | 518-584-1490

Equestrian plaid pillow with a decorative bit and leather straps.

64 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

20 oz Insulated Leather Tumbler for hot and cold beverages, etched with Saratoga logo SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

DARK HORSE MERCANTILE 445 Broadway, Saratoga Springs DarkHorseSaratoga.com | 518.587.0689

A new addition to the Dark Horse Mercantile, our "Saratoga Clubhouse" Section features a variety of gifts inspired by unwinding after a day well spent at the stables. Along with Woodford Reserve Bitters, Caramels, and Mixers as well as Bourbon infused toothpicks and Glencairn tasting glasses, you'll find whisky stones and barware all with a Saratoga spin on them. Indulge yourself while in Saratoga where "The Dark Horse is Always the Smart Bet.”

IMPRESSIONS OF SARATOGA 368 Broadway, Saratoga Springs ImpressionsSaratoga.com | 518.587.0666

Our exclusive collection of Saratoga signs, wall hangings, coasters, and magnets are all made in the USA. Celebrate good times, great friends, and amazing memories with these fun reminders of your "happy place"... Saratoga Springs!

There are a variety of sizes and styles so you are sure to find something to fit your decor. These also make great, affordable gifts or favors!

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 65

From Souvenirs to Décor DON’T LEAVE TOWN WITHOUT THESE!

VIOLET'S OF SARATOGA 494 Broadway, Saratoga Springs VioletsOfSaratoga.com | 518-584-4838

DEJONGHE ORIGINAL JEWELRY 470 Broadway, Saratoga Springs DJOriginals.com | 518-587-6422

The prefect finish, to the perfect outfit...

Brave Leather / Kasi Equestrian Belt, $98

Jockey and Racing Horse Charm Add this equestrian to a classic charm bracelet or hang from a chain as a pendant.

Created by hand in downtown Saratoga Springs.

Available in 14k yellow or white gold.

SILVERWOOD HOME & GALLERY 398 Broadway, Saratoga Springs SilverwoodGalleries.com | 518.583.3600

Celebrate everything Saratoga with Silverwood’s new exclusive Saratoga toile line. Available in pajamas, robes, and select home items.

66 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

Silverwood offers classic equestrian accessories and gifts for the perfect Saratoga summer and beyond.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

TOM MYOTT GALLERY 71 Lawrence Street, Glens Falls TMyottArt.com | 518-798-8431

"Saratoga Hats" greeting card. Limited edition.

Printed on linen. Individually wrapped with an envelope. Measures 5.5" X 4.25" $3 each, 6 for $12, 12 for $20

"Saratoga Grandstand" greeting card. Limited edition.

Printed on linen. Individually wrapped with an envelope.

Measures 5.5" X 4.25"

JACOBSEN’S RUGS 543 Broadway, Saratoga Springs JacobsenRugs.com | 518-583-2044

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

For all you turquoise and wood lovers.

One of a kind Mesquite wood live edge and burl with turquoise and copper inlay Adirondack Accent Pieces Starting at $190

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 67

SNAPSHOT from History

TRAVELING

Companions

WRITTEN BY BILL ORZELL PHOTO COURTESY OF LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Willis Sharpe Kilmer was a man who firmly believed in his own ideals and developed his early twentieth century Thoroughbred racing and breeding operation founded on those beliefs. He began his own breeding venture in the southern tier of New York in 1916, and infused his bloodlines with many broodmares purchased in Europe, and imported to this side of the Atlantic.

Having built a personal fortune in unique industries, Mr. Kilmer developed a strident personality, like so many leaders in business of that era. However, he would do anything to keep his prized equine herd healthy and happy.

An additional introduction, and what became another breeding interest for Mr. Kilmer, was the donkey stock he had acquired in his travels to Mediterranean countries.

These composed animals had a calming effect on his highdollar, high-strung Thoroughbreds and provided a sense of familiarity, especially when traveling together with his racing strings on railcars to remote race track stables. A portion of this sought after donkey production, with their distinctive cross-marks along their spine and over their shoulders, were gifted by Mr. Kilmer to others in the industry, with Racing Hall of Fame members Alfred G. Vanderbilt and Max Hirsch being among the recipients.

68 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

Mr. Kilmer freely spent on other novel concepts for improving his chances on the race track, and ultimately the bottom-line of his breeding operation. Sun Beau was the greatest money winning horse produced by Mr. Kilmer, who was an avid disciple of the benefits derived from Saratoga Springs’ mineral waters. Wherever Sun Beau raced or trained, he was provided with State Seal spring water, bottled at the Spa, and transported in special demijohns. Sun Beau was also accompanied by a puce cat, named Sun Beau Red by the stable staff and a mongrel dog (Shepard-Huskie mix), and similarly named Sun Beau Pal. The canine’s former owner, realizing its recently acquired talent as an equine companion, held Mr. Kilmer up for five-hundred 1931 depression-era dollars. This unlikely team of horse, cat, dog and donkey, along with hundreds of clinking carboys, traveled together to race tracks across the North American Continent. Sun Beau was elected to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1996.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 69

the Man, the Myth, and the Menu WRITTEN BY L.A. SOKOLOWSKI | PHOTOS PROVIDED

70 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

Billings Stables, 1913.

Long before HBO viewers swooned for the unbridled opulence of The Gilded Age, one Saratoga native’s name was already synonymous with the most over-the-top dining experience New York City’s bluebloods ever yearned to attend: ‘American Horse King,’ Cornelius Kingsley Garrison Billings.

The future titan of industry (Peoples Gas Light & Coke Company, Union Carbide Carbon Corporation), philanthropist, art collector, and horse breeder (part-owner of 1920 Kentucky Derby winner Omar Khayyam; owner of harness racing recordsetters Lou Dillon and Uhlan) was born in Saratoga Springs on September 17, 1861, the son of Augusta S. (née Farnsworth) and Albert M. Billings, an enterprising stagecoach line owner and former ‘road driver’ from Vermont who, when Cornelius was three, moved the family to Chicago to heed the siren call of fortunes to be made.

In remarks archived at the Saratoga History Museum in Congress Park, on NYRA letterhead dated November 19, 1962, then-chairman of the New York State Racing Commission, Ashley Trimble Cole, recalled Billings as “a man whose contacts with Saratoga were brief and occasional but who, nevertheless, was a real Saratogian.”

Judging by some of the entries in his father’s 1864 Saratoga diary – “Put sleigh in hay loft.” “Sold Munson carriage to C. Ladd for $200.” “Had Kitty shod on fore feet, new cost $7.”

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

– horses made an indelible impression on the boy. It was in his blood. His father, a successful local harness driver, owned and raced Princess 2:30, bred by Andrus Hambletonian and reputed, in 1858, to trot a mile as fast as Flora Temple, the first trotter driven to a mile on record in 2:20 or better.

Fortunately for Cornelius, when he grew up he would be able to afford horses.

Fifteen years after leaving Saratoga, Albert Billings became president of a Chicago gas utility service, Peoples Gaslight & Coke, and hired his 17 year-old son, fresh out of college, as a laborer. Eight years later, C.K.G. succeeded his father as company president and, by 1910, led the mergers of 12 gas companies and co-founded Union Carbide and Carbon. At the height of his industrialist influence, C.K.G. Billings was purported to be one of the five richest men in America, with a net worth of $30 million (equivalent, in 2021, to $823 million).

Enough to make even a prudent businessman start thinking they could break even in this horse business.

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 71

Lou Dillon, the first 2:00 trotter.

Estate of C.K.G. Billings.

Photo courtesy of Library Of Congress.

Estate of C.K.G. Billings C.K.G. Billings' racehorse Lou Dillon after winning the Webster Cup in 1903.

THE AMERICAN HORSE KING “Billings, with more money than he knew what to do with, continued his interest in trotters, something else he inherited from his father, and began buying horses,” recounted a June 17, 1987 retrospective in the Ballston Journal column, On The Rail.

“He began buying horses like Lou Dillon, the first 2:00 trotter, and the world champion, Uhlan,” it continued. “But instead of keeping them for himself, C.K.G. shared his good fortune in Standardbreds with the world. He exhibited them in this country, Europe and Russia. It was in this spirit that the founders of the Billings Amateur Classic named the harness racing series. Life, it seems, can be enjoyed all the more if you can view it from a horse.”

The New York Times dubbed him ‘The American Horse King.’

It was an honorific not without merit. Billings, a member of Belmont Park’s Turf and Field Club, was said to own the fastest stallion, mare, and gelding in the world; he bought controlling interest in the Kentucky Breeder’s Association, rescuing it from insolvency; held interest in the Jamaica Race Course in Queens; and was part-owner of Omar Khayyam, the first (1917) foreign-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby.

“C.K.G. Billings owns more championship trotters and pacers than any other man,” the Daily Racing Form said in October 1915. “He has a remarkable breeding stud at Curles Neck 72 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

Farm (Virginia), where the champion trotting stallion of the world, The Harvester, with a record of 2:01, holds court.

While Mr. Billings takes much pleasure with the champion Uhlan, 1:58, which he rides and drives, he confesses to a growing fondness for horses of pure blood. This is most encouraging to his associates in the Jockey [sic] Club.”

When Billings decided to bring his own family back to New York, he hired Guy Lowell to build a Louis XIV-style chateau at West 196th Street and Fort Washington Road, on one of the highest points in Manhattan, that included a 25,000-square foot, two-story high, stucco walled, $200,000 stable with two exquisite guest suites as well as 22 box stalls, 9 straight stalls, a 75-foot outdoor training ring, 40x50-foot carriage and sleigh room and separate hay loft (that Albert might have appreciated), and 5,000-bushel, zinc-lined granary. The stable had steam heat, electric light, and hot water provided by a dynamo room.

It was also convenient to one of his fondest indulgences, the Harlem Speedway, an impromptu racetrack among gentlemen horsemen that ran from West 155th to Dyckman Street.

To celebrate completion of his grand equestrian estate (now Fort Tryon Park), and his selection as president of the New York Equestrian Club, Billings feted 32 of the Club’s gentlemen members with a stag formal dinner at 8:00 p.m. on March 29, 1903, in the grand ballroom on Fifth Avenue and 44th Street of restaurateur and “society caterer,” Louis Sherry.

And oh, what a dinner it was…

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 73

Billings' dinner party at Sherry's.

DINNER FIT FOR A HORSE KING Among the Fifth Avenue archives inside the Museum of the City of New York are the remarks of New York Herald Tribune ‘café society’ columnist, boulevardier, and gourmand, ‘Luscious’ Lucius Morris Beebe, who said of Billing’s lavish dinner and the complimentary Byron Company photograph provided each guest after dessert: ‘The photograph reinforced people’s belief that New York socialites went to bed in full evening dress after brushing their teeth in champagne.”

The next day, such photos assured guests they indeed had not been dreaming. As did sterling silver horseshoes, inscribed with the menu, given each diner as a souvenir.

74 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

The New York Times estimated Billings spent $175,000 annually on his racehorses, so what’s another $50,00 ($1.5 million by 2021 prices) for a banquet? A hotbed of high society discussion, journalists jockeyed for details and breaking, in advance, that his dinner would be on horseback.

So to throw news-hounds off the scent, planners fed expectations of a more restrained event at another locale, while quietly changing the date and a fourth floor Rococo grand ballroom of Louis Sherry’s 12-story restaurant into a “woodland garden” where a canvas backdrop of a bucolic countryside was accented by real birds, trees and shrubbery, a burbling brook along its sod floor, and a harvest moon from the ceiling.

There, however, were no tables.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

The dirt footing would have belied one of the few clues that the “tables” were, in fact, 32 well-trained riding horses, their hooves muffled in cloth, coming up the freight elevator to be led into the ballroom where Billings’ guests would mount and face one another in a circle, while dining atop custom-made, linen-covered trays attached to their saddles and sipping champagne from rubber tubes attached to iced bottles of Krug in their saddlebags. Every rider had a waiter, in huntsman’s pinks and white breeches, while a real groom stood, oats handy, at the head of each horse to reduce the tossing of salads (or diners) through each French-style course.

The dinner began with caviar and potage tortue lait en tasse (creamed turtle soup), followed by a first course of truite au

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

bleu – fresh cooked trout plunged in vinegar, resulting in a blue-purple color – and served with a green herb sauce.

A rack of lamb with glazed vegetables, Guinea hens with lettuce-heart salad, and asparagus with hollandaise sauce followed. Peches flambé chaud (flambéed peaches) were served for dessert, while Scotch and sodas complemented a good cigar.

Louis Sherry, ever the attentive caterer, took note that Mr. Billings eschewed hard alcohol, preferring instead to enjoy bottled ginger ale with his convivial guests.

Two days later, once the formal meal had been enjoyed, Billings officially debuted his stable to the public, with a luncheon for the Equestrian Club and wealthy horsemen and dignitaries from around the country.

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 75

Dine Like A Horse King Partake like racing royalty with culinary delights similar to that Gilded Age menu: Chicken Caesar Salad Chicken, lettuce heart, shaved Parmesan, anchovies, garlic croutons PanzasRestaurant.com

Ginger Ale Quaff like Billings, it’s okay PartingGlassPub.com

New Zealand Lamb Loin Chinese five-spice, soubise, radicchio, black garlic ketchup, dukkah 15churchrestaurant.com

Peaches & Cream Vanilla panna cotta, almond crumble, roasted honey peaches PrimeatSaratogaNational.com

Trout Dip Cold smoked rainbow trout, vegetable crudité, salt crackers SperrysRestaurant.com

Waterville Farm Asparagus Smoked trout roe, dill, sauce gribiche HamletandGhost.com

Handwritten menu for Billings' party of 32 persons, dated March 28, 1903.

A TRUE SARATOGIAN “He was extremely abstemious at the table, eating sparingly and, for the last 40 years of his life, abstaining altogether from the use of wines and liquors,” friend and writer John Hervey reminisced in a May 19, 1937 edition of Harness Horse, shortly after Billings and his wife succumbed within days of one another to bronchial pneumonia at their home in Santa Barbara. “The sole time when he departed from this custom was Armistice Day when, to join the rejoicing, he sipped a few drops of champagne. At banquets his glass was always turned down, and in private life, while he was pleased to have his friends pour out libations to Bacchus he poured none for himself.”

Just two years after Billings’ horseback banquet and the completion of his breathtaking stable, he sold 18 of his 22 horses at Madison Square Garden, fetching $46,270 in 76 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

the dispersal, including a top seller at $10,500. As World War I closed in and his health began to fail, he divested himself of his East Coast properties in anticipation of moving to California.

With due respect to the old adage, you can take the boy out of Saratoga but you can’t take the Saratoga out of the boy or the Gilded Age magnate. Billings, despite his culinary display of excess, turned out to be simply another horseman, in love with the sport and its horses.

“In his great achievements with his horses,” Harvey wrote of Billings in The Greatest of American Sportsmen, “he resolutely avoided all personal exploitation, parade or pomp. He kept out of the spotlight as much as possible – desiring that the fame and adulation be centered upon the horses themselves rather than their owner.”

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 77

When Hoffa HALTED THE HORSES

WRITTEN BY MATT BONK, SARATOGA COUNTY HISTORY ROUND TABLE | PHOTO PROVIDED

There were only 14 horses at Saratoga Racecourse in late July of 1961. By that time, it was expected that at least 200 would have arrived for the racing season. Strikes led by Jimmy Hoffa and a branch of his Teamster Union, Local 917, halted the transportation of horses from New York City to Saratoga Springs. Teamsters wanted to force themselves into a position of being representatives in labor negotiations for approximately 1200 backstretch workers at Belmont and Aqueduct racecourses. Picket lines consisting of these workers formed outside the racetracks and Teamster truck drivers were ordered not to cross. No horses were to be delivered until better pay and improved working conditions were granted to the workers.

78 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

Horse owners, who normally decided wages for the workers, refused to negotiate with the Teamsters and were stuck in a difficult position. Who was going to bring their horses to Saratoga Springs? They could have found different trucks and drivers, but increased violence in the picket lines kept them from doing so. A stabbing occurred on July 22, which involved both union and non-union workers. That same day, a van operated by non-union drivers was pelted with rocks as it attempted to deliver horses to Aqueduct. The risk involved with crossing the picket lines was too great and deterred horse owners from employing any outside help for the job.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

During the days that followed, the strikes and picketing continued while negotiations between Teamsters and the State Labor Board remained at a standstill. Consequently, horses were not being delivered at a rate that would ensure races could proceed as scheduled. With about a week until opening day, the entire racing season was put into question.

Tension began mounting as this news spread and the Mayor of Saratoga Springs, James Benton, reached out to anyone who could help aid the situation. Among others, he was communicating with the State Labor Board, the Chamber of Commerce, the State Mediation Service, Lieutenant Governor Malcolm Wilson, and Governor Rockefeller.

Everyone he spoke to assured him that racing would proceed as scheduled. These assurances were difficult to get behind though since negotiations between Teamsters and Labor Board representatives were making no progress.

Perhaps trying to circumvent these complications, Benton went straight to the top and spoke with Jimmy Hoffa on July 25. Aside from his role as mayor, Benton was the owner of the Grand Union Motel on South Broadway and was involved in many city projects. His ultimate concern was for the city and understood that its livelihood depended on business generated during the 24-day racing season.

Hoffa was also aware of this and used it to his advantage.

He made it clear he would only transport horses once labor demands were met. Benton suggested that Hoffa allow his drivers to move the horses and resume strikes in Saratoga, but Hoffa remained obstinate and rejected any pleas or compromises presented to him.

In the meantime, plans for using trains to move the horses had been quietly formulated. Trains were an outdated method of transportation at that point, but the equipment needed for the task was still available. The New York Racing Association employed “special cars” for the use of transporting horses, and on July 26, D&H Railroad was seen putting up a “horse siding” at their West Circular Street depot. The trains were to be routed through Connecticut and Massachusetts before coming to New York. Changes made to the railways in recent years prevented the special train cars from clearing certain bridges, so this indirect route had to be taken.

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

On July 27, the first bulk of horses arrived successfully. As early as 5 a.m., 60 people gathered outside the D&H depot to watch the horses unload and parade their way to the stables. In a way, this was reviving an old tradition, albeit against the will of the city. Back when horses were normally brought by rail, people would gather to watch as they were unloaded and then guided across Broadway and down Union Avenue to the racecourse. The event was symbolic of mid-summer and assured citizens that the city would soon be booming. A total of 3 trains and 8 vans arrived between 3 a.m. until around noon that day, bringing a total of over 100 horses. The vans were able to make the trip undisturbed thanks to protection given along the way by state police, city police, local sheriffs, and Pinkerton Security.

The operation continued into July 28 and approximately 400 more horses arrived. This shift in momentum, from no horses to suddenly over 500 horses delivered in 2 days, coincided with a break in the Teamsters’ position. A spokesman for the Eberts Van Co., one of the major horse transporters that was previously honoring the picket lines, said that 6 of his 7 drivers went back to work. It’s likely that with little headway being made with negotiations, drivers chose to resume work and not completely lose out on money. The next few days were relatively peaceful, and Saratoga Springs continued to receive horses uninterrupted.

On July 31, opening day at Saratoga Racecourse, the front page of The Saratogian announced, “Fans, Horses, Stream to Racetrack.” With nearly 1300 horses on the grounds and over 12,000 people attending, races proceeded as usual that day. Threats of pickets and strikes coming to Saratoga Springs were revealed to be harmless. Only a handful of picketers were seen outside the gates of the track that morning. Even though labor disputes would continue through the following months, they would never reach the level they did during the week leading up to opening day.

Special thanks to Chris and Larry Benton for telling me stories about their father, Mayor James Benton, and offering their insight regarding the lead up to the 1961 racing season.

Matt Bonk graduated from SUNY Albany in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in History and is currently working at Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa as a museum assistant. | saratogacountyhistoryroundtable.com

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 79

80 | EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

SARATOGATODAYNEWSPAPER.COM

EQUICUREAN | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 81