Opening day is here! For the West Coast, it’s today at Del Mar and for here on the East Coast is Saratoga on Friday. Without a doubt, the best overall racing in the country and it doesn’t get any better than this.
Most often I will be concentrating on the upstate New York meet. It will be challenging as my free time has just recently been taken up by an important commitment that I just could not pass up, ( I know, WHAT was I thinking???) But I am good at muliti-tasking and there’ll be a lot of that going on. I will certainly spend a few days at the Spa, but it will be a Saturday or a Sunday. Not my favorite days, but this year it will have to be.
Meanwhile I will “live vicariously” through twitter, blogs, and texts from some of my lucky friends who will be there, and a glance now and then at the post parades via TVG, HRTV, Twin Spires TV,and this year , even NBC! Technology will keep me current, live, entertained, and enlightened. It’s not like standing at the Paddock fence, but it’s better than an “empty stall”.
The James Marvin, the first Stakes on opening day Friday looks like a good one. A full field of well matched sprinters and at first glance, I know I will be wagering on Here Comes Ben ( 5-1!) I have always liked this horse and he’s been good to me. The winner of the Grade 1 Forego at the Spa last year, I like that he has had a win over the track. He has also had a recent work over it. Another plus. He is a 7 furlong specialist winning 5 out of 7 at the distance. Lopresti is a good horseman and I also like that Ben is re-uniting with Alex Solis, who knows him well. Solis is coming off a nice Belmont meet. Not only that, he won the $600,000 Grade 2 Virginia Derby on Air Support for Shug Mc Gaughey last weekend with a very professional ride. He is getting live mounts for good outfits and I look for that momentum to continue for him.
So get tied on, and enjoy the next six weeks of the best racing in America.
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