The Return of Big Sandy

After six months racing at Aqueduct, a place despised by 100% of the scribes that cover the sport for the daily newspapers the racing operations move to Belmont. The meet opens up with a lot of interesting notes; reduced base wagers, the return of the train to the track, and the annual stakes shuffle.

Pick four? Can barely pick one!

The base wager for the pick four is now fifty cents with the start of the spring/summer meet. Anything that can bring more players into a lucrative wager is always a positive thing. The dime superfectas are a staple at the NYRA racetracks since its inception in 2007 and the Gulfstream dime pick six built up a pool of five million on the mandatory pay out day at its most recent meet. The low base wagers are a wonder for the bankroll for any horseplayer, they offer the chance for a big score for a low risk.

Offering the pick four wager at fifty cents gives one a chance to include more runners in one race as back up if a race is a skull buster. A pick four that is 4x4x4x4 would cost $256 a year ago will now be half of that. The downside to this is that a single longshot does not inflate the payoffs for the wager like it used to. The best strategy for this new base of the wager is playing some combinations more than other combinations, ensuring that you are paid a fair price for your opinion.

Use it or lose it

The LIRR is restoring daily service back to its Belmont branch; you’re welcome. More than likely this train will see an automatic increase in commuters due to the OTB branches not being open. Instead of the regulars going to the 38th & Broadway OTB parlor they will likely be walking four blocks to Penn Station to catch the early double.

Deeper than the fact that racing fans have their own rail service returning is the fact that getting the MTA to return defunct or abandoned service is really hard to do. The subway out to Aqueduct was at one point run by the Long Island Railroad. The NYC Transit Authority bought the whole line in 1955 and they only kept the trains in service from Aqueduct out to Rockaway as part of the A train. The line used to start at Rego Park and if they kept that around today there would be no need for the Air Train.

Pletcher will probably win those two races

The Matron and Belmont Futurity are back on the schedule in a new spot on the Independence Day weekend. It has been reduced to six furlongs and will go up against the Churchill juvenile races to be run on that same weekend. Both of the Belmont counterparts will probably draw five and Pletcher will have three in each race, one of which will probably be 1/10 and lose.

The Peter Pan is back as well and in its customary place on the weekend between the Derby and the Preakness. The stakes races on the NY circuit has been shifted around a lot in recent memory, the Withers was not run last weekend and in its place was the Jerome. The Bed O’Roses will be at Belmont for another year after spending decades at Aqueduct. The Gazelle was at Aqueduct last year after spending years at Belmont as a last run to the Breeders’ Cup. The changes to the stakes schedule reflects more on how little trainers and owners want to run their horses now as opposed to forty years ago when there was a big race every weekend on the NY circuit.

The Retro Files: Belmont LIRR Station, 2010

Only four days away from the opening of the spring/summer meet at Belmont highlighted by many important stakes races, including the Metropolitan Handicap and the Belmont Stakes. The MTA website has no posted regular LIRR train schedule for the meet, meaning that they will likely have only two days of commuter trains stopping at big sandy (the day before the Belmont Stakes and the day of). With the closure of NYC Off Track Betting, this will surely drive up the attendance of Belmont with people having to visit the track to bet the races if they do not have a NYRA rewards account.

When the MTA stopped service out to the racetrack it was due to low ridership and it being a money losing route due to the first reason. Now that the Off Track Betting locations are no longer open the ridership for this train branch would surely increase. The bus service NYRA offered from certain branch locations to Aqueduct and it looked like it did well in getting fans to the track. Aqueduct saw an increase of double the amount of fans that went through the turnstiles from the 2009-2010 winter meet.

Belmont Park September 17th Trip report

Spent a rare Wednesday at Belmont. It was a beautiful late summer afternoon. A welcome nip is spicing the air. Took a nice long ride down on the 7th ave IRT and the LIRR. Started the trip in the Bronx.











225 Street #1 Subway where the trip began










Penn Station platform for the train to Belmont, train was at 2% passenger capacity. The LIRR could have subbed a minibus instead of an 8 car transit behemoth for the trip Penn-Belmont.








The desolate ramp leading to the LIRR station at Belmont after the finale.

NYRA is doing to everything they can to promote Curlin. Posters all over the track along with emails and websites dedicated to his run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Race Notes

Race 1
I was in the paddock for this race. John's Jean is a fractious filly. She refused to be saddled and almost held up the post
parade. When the groom and valet finally had her ready to go she spooked,
reared and flipped. Her skull absorbed much the impact of her crash into the ground, it was
ugly. John's Jean walked away but keep this in mind next time she runs. The
winner from Maryland Ocala Gator was an absolute steal at 4-1. The
trainer sent up his hottest blond groom and I knew this
one was a go as soon as looked at her last race. Gator is a runner.

Race 3

Goldsville had a horror trip. Trapped on the rail and lost all momentum at the top of lane. Surprised this one was not on the pace. Jeffrey Sanchez strikes his first blow.

Race 6
Spoke to a pair of California tourists on the LIRR inbound to Belmont. We
spoke about how safe the Spa was compared to Del Mar with nil
breakdowns on the Spa main track compared to five at Del Mar. After the sixth race I felt like I jinxed it. Poor Cape Cod Escape could not escape her fate and died on the track today at the top of the lane. I felt so bad for her.

Race 7
Jeffrey Sanchez strikes again. Alyssa Givonna was full of run on the rail for 3/8ths of a mile but Sanchez could not work his way out of the switch. This mare needs a trip, she seems generous.

Race 8
The winner of this race Blitzen Too is going places. Future NYB
stakes winner. Tractable and powerful in the lane, she is a very nice filly.

Race 9
Do not bet anyone out of this race unless they drop in class to the
bottom. All ten of them had the reverse lights on in the lane.


A few low quality pics from my mobile phone.











Barclay Tagg saddling Daring Dreamer race 1











Eibar Coa mounting Wonderwho'sbest before the 6th race












The game and honest Peleliu has her picture taken after winning race 6. Jorge Chavez was up Randi Persaud is the trainer for Calabrese Partners Racing Stable.