The colonel, who was not actually a colonel, probably has been dead for some sixty years . He is most memorable for naming all his horses with names that began with " B " . Black Toney, Black Servant, Busher, Bimelech, Behave Yourself, etc. I would think that Nerud would remember him .

Churchill derby week blows both Saratoga and Del Mar away. Nothing better than the morning at Churchill when the big horses are in the house.

Yeah the week.... Come spend 6 @ SARATOGA

Ive been to monmouth park multiple times. I am going to be there on july 4th. But an "utter delight" and you would take an afternoon there over a similar experience in San Diego any time? I would say that we certainly have different tastes.

Have you ever noticed the smell that eminates from that place? Have you ever noticed the lifeforms that you see there? There are absolutely the worst accomodations in the history of the world in Long Branch.

Monmouth park is a second tier track. Del Mar is the best of the west. Is Del mar better than Saratoga? Absolutely not. But to compare it to Monmouth? Get real.

Dala..

I have a special attachment to MON.. It was really the first track that I frequented on a regular basis while living in Brielle in the late 80's.. The days when Julie Krone ruined every exotic by depressing the prices... I could never win with her.. and you could never beat her.

I'm just not a West Coast guy... As I mentioned earlier, the only towns I like out there are San Fran and Portland.. LA, San Diego, Seattle.. do nothing for me.

There are pros and cons to both places.As far as racing goes Del-Mar can't shine Saratogas shoes.As far as what to do lets not forget that San Diego is a major city and Saratoga is a small town in upstate NY,that if they didn't have racing would never get the recognition it does.With that said Lake George is a gorgeous area,if you want to take your kids places you can drive to Howe Caverns or even the baseball hall of fame.It goes without saying that the food and nightlife should be better in San Diego and the climate.I've never been to Del-Mar but my brother has and said it was a nice place.

I couldn't agree more. I went one year and it is awesome with the tv coverage and the big name horses. You can just sit there for hours in the morning watching the derby horses hit the track.

Homer. Saratoga would probably be great if you lived there, but 6 weeks anywhere is too long unless it is home. The week going up to the derby is better than any one week at Saratoga.

You dont need to be here the entire 6 weeks, especially Labor Day. While it is nice that the crowds dwindle, the racing isnt all that great, save for the Forego which is a cute little sprint that I love... and it is kind of depressing as it marks the end of the summer.

Just pick any of the other 5 weekends and you cant go wrong. Every one of them has something for everybody...

Opening weekend- Marks the beginning of the meet, everybody is happy, place is sparkling clean, theres a few good races like the Diana and the Jim Dandy.

Whitney Weekend- Always a nice undercard with the Test, the Whitney is always good for a laugh or a scream.

Sword Dancer- Saratoga's premier turf race, but the real treat is you get great simulcrash action from Arlington Million Day.

Alabama- By this weekend everybody is hungover and the track is looking lie it needs a good cleaning. the fillies provide us with laughs in the Alabama. So much tradition with Farda Amiga and Society Selection.

Travers- The meet's premier race and race card with the lovable Kings Bishop. Let it all hang out because the day after card is always a letdown. The meet for all intensive purposes is over!

"Colonel" Bradley ... gave all his horses names which began with "B" ... Bimelech, Busher, Baby League, etc.

Not only a great character ... but a great contributor to the success of the game.

Once again ... Dixie's memory enlightens us.

Hey Cheech ...

I have been to Del Mar ... only once, but I was there ... and I've been going to Saratoga since 1962 ... when I made some dough betting on Firm Policy over Cicada in the Alabama.

And it IS possible to stay in Saratoga without having to sell your soul to Lucifer ... Mrs. Brooklynite and I will be enjoying the Spa this year for $99 per night in a comfortable place with a nice swimming pool just 7 minutes from the track.

Hey.. Enough.. I yanked the unpleasantries and will continue to do so,

Tone down the rhetoric. The threats... the grandstanding... the self-congratulatory... Enough to discuss without the b.s.

A huge weekend of racing on tap... I don't care what went on elsewhere. It's adult swim around here...

Thx..
SB

Thanks Anton Scalia. Why don't you go through all the threads and pull all the unpleasantries? Just censor the ones you or this loudmouth doesn't like? Nice to know that freedom of speech is alive and well in america.

I'm doing the best I can to minimize the unpleasantries when I see them.. I don't particularly have time to supervixe this 24/7... I'm naively relying on the maturity of those that post to conduct themselves accordingly.

You do an excellent job. Bold Brooklynite just made a comment that annoyed me. His has made it clear on this site that he isn't a horse person and has little concern about the animals so I really shouldn't have taken him that seriously.

BR,

I heard about that comment and agree it was midguided, hurtful and uncalled for. I've promised everyone here that I'll promote an environment of civility and mutual respect. It will be impossible for me to legislate every slight, back-handed or vindictive insult, but think if we all set a harmonious tone early in the life of this community, it will ultimately be self-policing.

I'm proud of a great number of people that have made their home here that have shown restraint despite reputations earned elsewhere as "problematic" posters.. I want this to be the best place on the Net for racing fans to congregate, and know that it's possible.


(BTW.. I must admit I got a kick out of the Scalia line given that those who know me well know that my political views are closer to Trotsky's than his...)

Steve

Geting back to the original topic ... Saratoga and Del Mar ...

... another delightful morsel at Saratoga is the yearling sales. It's always pleasurable to get a closeup look at the babies arriving from Kentucky and various other points ... then getting bedded down in their new temporary homes ... being displayed to potential buyers ... and finally the actual auction ... which is open to the public and televised throughout the area around the sales pavilion ...

... and to save the catalog and follow the 2YOS the following year.

Only Keeneland can match Saratoga for high-end yearling sales.

yes--get there at four AM to see the que of vans all unloading @ one dock and the little lunatics getting off the truck on what is probably the first of many road trips...it is so much fun!

Hmmm ... is it "civil" and/or "mutually respectful" to make definitively negative judgments about a "comment" of which you've only heard ... second-, third-. or fourth-hand ... but not actually read yourself?

"Misguided" ... "hurtful" ... "uncalled for" ... don't sound very civil or mutually respectful ... do they?

I know you're trying very hard and very earnestly to herd cats ... but in attempting to placate the unplacatable ... have you unwittingly made unkind and unlearned commentary of the type which you yourself would justifiedly pull down?

Just wondering.

Indeed ... but I'd describe them more as scared children than little lunatics ... although sometimes the distinction between the two is razor thin.

Let me just say something....I have known our host, Steve Byk, for a number of years. Like everyone he isn't perfect, but he's about as nice and thoughtful a guy as you will ever meet, and he has graciously donated this board ( and his time ) for the enjoyment of others. Thus, this is effectively his house, and even if you don't agree with everything he says or does, it borders on ungracious to perpetuate a discussion that he has attempted to quell.

You're a bright guy, BB, so why not just let this one go. Surely there are plenty of civil arguments you can find here.

Bottom line, anyone who remotely loves thoroughbred racing should make it a goal to visit Del Mar, as well as Saratoga.

I'm on the West Coast these days, but am perhaps unique in that I have a few Saratoga visits, and zero Del Mar visits. I plan to change that.

But, having visited most all thoroughbred tracks in the east, and having attended multiple runnings of every Triple Crown race over the years, getting to Saratoga was one of my most special horse racing trips.......ever.

As far as things to do, I'll chime in that if one has a car.......and a few extra days, there's lots to see and do within a few hours drive of Saratoga Springs.

Cooperstown, and The Baseball Hall of Fame, for one. If one has never driven around New England, it's just a hop, skip and a jump. Most times I have visited Saratoga I have worked in Hartford CT the week prior. Easy and great drive to Saratoga via multiple routes through CT or Mass.

And cripes, if one is from the midwest or someplace, it's not that far to add Boston or Maine to a multiple day trip including Saratoga.

As to prices, I've had much success with Bed & Breakfasts in the $150 range, give or take. Gas fireplace in the room, and everything.

Downtown Saratoga is a little too quaint for me, beyond the first or second obligatory visit. I'm not a quaint kind of guy.

But, lots of folks know horses there, real well.

For me, if I had to choose one or the other as the only option.......and being a lifelong thoroughbred afficianado.....I say Saratoga is the one to make.

But, most all of us here should shoot for both Saratoga...and Del Mar.

I am!

when I used to show my trainer always told be that there was a fine line between brilliance and explosion (i ride an 'off-the -track'). That certainly applies to these youngsters.

They're running the Woodward, the Hopeful, the Spinaway, and the Forego- all G1's- closing weekend this year.