Saratoga Weekend ...

Posted by Avram Freedberg

Bulletin! – Ahvee’s Destiny is entered in the eighth race on Friday but… NOT AT SARATOGA! Linda found a race for her at Monmouth where she should have a good chance to win. However, I am worried about the long van ride. She doesn’t react well to be being shipped away. We’ll see if it actually takes place, the results, etc. and keep everyone apprised.

Saratoga -

We got a good night’s sleep on Saturday night and took breakfast at the Hotel Adelphi where service is not their middle name. Want some toast? Just wait in line to use the one available toaster.

On the way to the stable to see our progeny, we passed several sales corrals where horses are displayed, paraded, allowed to be felt and, I guess anything else, if your checkbook is large enough. In the sales catalogs, each horse has a number. This is known as a hop number because the number is actually displayed on each horse’s hip. It was very interesting to see the going’s on. Next time, we’ll try to attend the actual sale.

On to the stable. We took the carrots but not my camera to the stalls because I thought I’d taken all the photos of the horses on Friday. But leave it to Arielle’s Song. She was sleeping on her side on top of the hay in her stall. I ran back to get the camera but too late. She was already up and eating some hay when I returned, only moments later. Until last year, I used to think that if a horse was on its side, there was a problem with the horse. Nope. Many of them like to nap that way. Almost made me want to cuddle up with her, she was so cute.

So, after Arielle’s Song devoured the carrots, we went to see the rest who offered us no unusual sights or sounds. They did offer us something irreplaceable… a sense of peace and familial tranquility. We were clearly in the right place.

Off to the races where we went to see Joan and Carmen, the two women in “Horsemen’s Relations” who got us wonderful boxes each day. My assistant, Barbara Shaw struck up a nice relationship with them and they were very helpful to us. Their photo will be on the web by the weekend, I hope.

Now, you may think I didn’t enjoy the track because I decided to try and handicap the races which met with very limited success. Even when I picked a winner, I paired it up with a loser but that’s what happens when all you pick is “the chalk (the favorites).” Anyone can do that. It’s finding winner’s at a better price that poses the difficulty. I thought I did this well years ago. However, if that is true, I’ve forgotten everything I once knew (or thought I did!). Somehow, I think that’s what they all say when they can’t find winners.

The best time was spent visiting with friends like Rob and Patsy. Rob hit a nice exacta which put his account in the black. My account was just black and blue. One of Rob’s friends, Bob Fox who broadcasts The Legends of Racing, talked about health, bowling and Bollywood. Then, Rhoda walked around to various vendors, including those one who had fancy race hats for women at fancy prices. There were some really nice ones but Rhoda resisted.

During the day, the balloon man called to say we were on for Monday morning. So, after the races, we ate in a wonderful Indian restaurant named Karavalli and turned in early. That night, Rhoda dreamt about India, which she told me about at 4AM.

So now we had spoken about Bollywood, eaten Indian, dreamt Indian and were off to the balloon flight where, as fate would have it, our companion passengers were all Indian! (On top of that, I had an important business meeting today with, of course, an Indian gentleman!)

I expected the balloon to serve curry but they stuck to mimosa’s and/or straight Champagne (or orange juice, I guess). This balloon experience was ice but not as exciting as the balloon flight we took last month in Switzerland. Just for you who say you’re scared of heights, so are we. However, there is something about being in that balloon, rising gently and not feeling the wind - since you’re moving at the same speed as the wind - that is sort of magical. I’m no David Niven but I expected to see Passpatout join our Indian friends and lead us around the world. You must try this experience. It is very special.

Unfortunately, we ran late, so we missed seeing Jess Not Jesse workout on the grass at the Oklahoma training track which is around the corner from the house we will be renting on August 17th. Instead, it was breakfast, return to the Adelphi to checkout and a visit to the house we’ll be renting and to our “landlord,” Liz. She was wonderful and so is the house. We’re looking forward to saying there.

Then another stop to say goodbye to the horses and feed them the carrots that Liz had given us and we were homeward bound. What a grand weekend! Hope you enjoyed sharing our experiences.

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