A special maiden trip to Saratoga Race Course

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » ‘First time, long time,’ that was my introduction to almost anyone I met when I introduced myself at Saratoga Race Course. This summer, after 21 years with The Saratogian, was my first time covering the meet. It was actually only my second time ever in the press box and first time making that very, early trip to the barns courtesy of former sports editor and horse racing guru Brien Bouyea.

For two decades I was fortunate enough to have a slew of more talented, interested bodies around me to cover horse racing and the Saratoga meet. That freed me up to spend my summers covering Little League, Cal Ripken, Babe Ruth Baseball, college baseball, auto racing, even some rodeo in the past before diving into the fall high school pre-season. To be blunt, I had it made. Over the course of years, buyouts, ownership changes and corporate downsizing, the fulltime staff of The Saratogian, Troy Record and Community News now consists of myself and newly named sports editor Joe Boyle who entered the office for the first time July 10. The meet started July 20. To everyone who came before me, I still don’t know how you did it and did it so well?

At times I wondered how The Pink Sheet went out every night (late on just a few occassions) for 46 days, but this is where due credit is deserved.

The man who’s space I currently occupy in this page location, Jeff Scott, is one of the main reasons there is a Pink Sheet.

He has been at my side daily, typing every stakes preview, virtually every race recap and his always interesting column throughout the meet. Words cannot express what his dedication to the sport, his willingness to share information along with reading some choppy horse racing copy has meant to me.

To the other half of the team, Joe Boyle, as he closes in on 60 days, he may now really comprehend what he got himself into and I hope he sticks around.

Without Joe manning the Troy Record office, there would not be a daily Troy Record or Saratogian sports section. He too has been living it every day, putting together the ‘white’ daily sports pages as I occupy myself with the ‘Pink.’

To the gentlemen to my left, yes the Wise Owl is a male of the species, the handicappers a huge thanks.

Not only for getting their selections in on an earlier schedule than before, their e-mails of correction for my math or copy and paste errors have been kind and appreciated. It is a tough job to dedicate two to three hours or more a day to make selections for free. Think about the lack of pay, the time commitment and knowing your picks are public, not just stories of ‘I made a killing that day.’ Then ask yourself if you would be up to the task...

They welcomed my questions, my requests without hesitation. There is no prize, just bragging rights, which may not be determined until Monday’s final race.

Of course, no experience at the track is complete without at least one dressing down by one of the hard core NYRA red shirts, many of them retirees from the DMV or maybe too mean to even work there. Hopefully, I won’t make the same mistake again next year, as I have been duly corrected, emphatically.

To the NYRA media staff, thank you for everything you do to make life easier for the entire press corps above the finish line. Thanks for answering the ‘rookie questions’, they ‘who do I ask’ questions, the constant updates and the information that flowed to us throughout the meet.

Inside the press box, thanks to Tony ‘Ski’ Podlaski and Anthony ‘Drew’ Affrunti, two of the hardest working guys for the scribes sitting up top.

Also, in the press box there are rules, many of them unwritten, but known by the chosen few from non-other than the Obi Won Kenobi of the room, Mr. Tim Wilkin of the Times Union.

Tim is the one who shares the rules and more every day during the meet.

Tim is at the barns in the

morning and is someone who has never left the press box before me each night.

His advice, direction and a favor, or three, will never be forgotten and always appreciated.

One of the first rules, was Rule No. 4 ‘Take care of Pedro.’

Chef Pedro Anchundia is a presence daily in the press box to hand out hello’s, Diet Coke, water, recite the day’s menu, and ask you how your days is.

Let’s hope Pedro’s Funny Funds box is full enough to carry him through to another meet.

Tim’s other rule was new (No. 32): ‘Stan, if you bet $1 on a horse you didn’t really bet.’

My ticket with Catholic Boy win, place, show - says differently.

To say I was intimidated to be at the race course every day was an understatement. I was beyond out of my element. The only jerseys are the silks donned prior to the post parade, the roster is your daily program and after that, you need to have friends. For that I am very lucky. A text about ‘Wonder Gadot’ working the next morning from Brien or Tim, encouragement and rules from award-winning photographers Skip Dickstein and Eric Miller were much appreciated. A shout out to photographer Spencer Tulis has filled several of our Pink Sheet and daily photo pages, his eye for the subject and wealth of strategically placed equipment makes me envious and appreciative of his skill.

Thanks to former sports editor Nicole Russo, who just laughed at me knowing that I was in her domain and she was still ‘The Boss,’ gave me some hope.

Every jockey and trainer I interviewed couldn’t have been more helpful to a rookie reporter, all welcoming my questions and appreciative for the coverage about the sport or their athletes.

If you every want to start your day out right, go to the morning workouts and be ready for several hundred ‘good morning’ salutations from the exercise riders and handlers. There is never a bad morning during the wok outs.

To the athletes themselves, the horses.

I love animals, all animals great and small. To the 1,200-pound beauties who have competed in front of my eyes, paraded and practiced, your efforts are extraordinary and I thank you for letting me a part of it.

So here’s to hoping that I don’t suffer a sophomore slump next year at Saratoga Race Course and as my wife is tired of hearing: ‘The good lord willing and if Fish Creek doesn’t rise, I’ll be here again next year.’