Let's give Wilko a race? The One Hit Wonder race. A Grade 4.

I'll have to defer to other board experts on that topic.

Kentuckroses will be on shortly to give her analysis.

The Cigar Mile was fine, as it was previously the NYRA Mile, and changing it only added to history for a relatively new race.

Awww they should've named it the Scott Lake Handicap

One can only hope.

ThE Shuman 3 Legged Derby

I think all Thoroughbred tracks would be a better place if each had a small museum in them of the great moments in that tracks history. Racing really needs to remember when it was great and to give something good and historic for parents to show children that come to the track.

I guess for now, a lesson in how to operate the ingenious "Horse Wizard" machines will have to do.

When I started going to Saratoga as a kid, in 1975, I went in when the track opened and every day started with a " movie " about a past race or horse. I used to love those. Considering their vast video/film library and I see no reason not to attempt to reinstate this. Can't hurt.

Now we have Nader doing bits. Although I like them.

I agree. It would definitely help to educate newer fans on the history of whatever track they may be at.

Who was Barbara Fritchie anyway? Or Lazara Berrerro?

I'm going to look for the Ellis Park Country Music Theme Song/Video to sway opinions to "HELL NO!"

LOL

"Shoot, if you must, this old gray head,
But spare your country's flag," she said.
A shade of sadness, a blush of shame,
Over the face of the leader came;
The nobler nature within him stirred
To life at that woman's deed and word;
"Who touches a hair of yon gray head
Dies like a dog! March on!" he said.

I mean, we have a freaking stakes named after a yellow ribbon! Smarty Jones definitely deserved a stakes race.

You're not serious? You don't know who Laz Barrerra was?

Smarty Jones deserves NOTHING. He raced, he won, he raced, he lost, he got a mild injury and his owners took the money and ran....and then blamed others.

He is the most glaring recent example of people's lack of knowledge of the history of the game.

Amen!

I don't know, the 120,000 or whatever it was on Belmont Day in 2004 would tell me Smarty Jones meant something to somebody in the greater NYC region.

Not to be overly critical, but if you don't know who Laz Barrerra was, I find it hard to even have a discussion that in any way involves the history of the game. You simply have a myopic view of the game that centers around one OK horse while ignoring the plentitude of players in this game that deserve at least as much attention....and in many cases more.

By the way, that attendance, while substantial, was phony.