2005 Saratoga Stakes Schedule

[DrugSalvastore]

I don't think a lot of people will care that NYRA has done away with the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga---but as someone who is interested in the history of the sport---I think this was a really stupid move by NYRA.

Last year NYRA cancelled the Saratoga Special and went with only two stakes for 2yo's on the Saratoga stake schedule--this year they decided to rename the Sanford Stakes (which has always been six furlongs) and call it the Saratoga Special (which has been 6.5 furlongs for as long as I remember.) Yet they will still run it on opening week at six furlongs.

The Sanford had a great history--it was the only race Man O' War ever lost, it's been won by horses like Regret, Secretariat, Affirmed, Tom Fool, etc. Last year Afleet Alex set a stakes record with a very nifty win in the Sanford. It's a race with a lot of history attached to it--whoever came up with the idea to rename the race is real shrewd.

[the little guy]

There is a reason for this. If you don't run a race for two consecutive years it loses its graded status. So, by alternating the Special and Sanford ( as well as probably the Schylerville and Adirondack ) they leave the option of bringing them both back without losing their gradings.

It should also be mentioned that the Hopeful and Spinaway are now being run on Travers weekend, as opposed ( I believe ) to Alabama weekend last year. This will allow maiden breakers from the first two weeks of the meet to make those races, as opposed to last year, where only the first week's maidens were given enough time.

I'm not defending the decision to remove one 2YO race for each sex, though I could easily argue both sides, and I am glad they made the change in dates for the Hopeful and Spinaway. At the very least they are saying the entire thing is a work in progress and it's hard to knock them for that.

Remember something else, it was a much different time when the horses you mentioned were racing, one where 2YOs started racing much earlier ( pre-BC ) and raced far more often. I think the changes are certainly fair reflections of the times.

[keilan]

Drugstore guy -- where ya been?

[Suff]

If I'm not mistaken they spead the purse money to bump up the Added stakes 15 grand each? And threw some more money into the NY Stallion Series purse's too.

If I remember the Press Release, . it was the NTRA threatening to reduce or eliminate the Graded Status, that was the impetus for change.

[DrugSalvastore]

There is a reason for this. If you don't run a race for two consecutive years it loses its graded status. So, by alternating the Special and Sanford ( as well as probably the Schylerville and Adirondack ) they leave the option of bringing them both back without losing their gradings.

It should also be mentioned that the Hopeful and Spinaway are now being run on Travers weekend, as opposed ( I believe ) to Alabama weekend last year. This will allow maiden breakers from the first two weeks of the meet to make those races, as opposed to last year, where only the first week's maidens were given enough time.

I'm not defending the decision to remove one 2YO race for each sex, though I could easily argue both sides, and I am glad they made the change in dates for the Hopeful and Spinaway. At the very least they are saying the entire thing is a work in progress and it's hard to knock them for that.

Remember something else, it was a much different time when the horses you mentioned were racing, one where 2YOs started racing much earlier ( pre-BC ) and raced far more often. I think the changes are certainly fair reflections of the times.

Obviously I realize that the game has changed in a big way over the years--and that the durabilty of the modern day race horse isn't nearly what it was in the past. Some, mainly Jerry Brown and now Bobby Frankel seem to think that the modern day horses have become much faster and more explosive all of a sudden--and that it is being obscured by the fact that the cushion in the tracks surface has increased, over the years, by an inch or inches depending on who you believe...and that the modern day dirt tracks are more sand-laced than clay-laced--thus making them faster surfaces on off track days and MUCH slower surfaces on fast track days.

That's all a pointless exercise anyway--Mineshaft isn't going to run against Dr. Fager anytime soon---but the sheet folks are pretty confident that the modern day horses would smoke the great oldies. LOL!--who knows I guess.

Anyway, It's nice to have someone as informed as Little Andy (who I'm sure has an inside-track with NYRA and knows many of the NYRA bigwigs) give me the explanation. In my opinion two Graded Stakes for 2yo colts is enough. Keep the Sanford and the Hopeful--do away with the Spa Special. That's how I would handle that.

It's nice to see that the NTRA has a Play Station 2 Video game set to come out in September---and the video game is said to have a lot of historic horses on it---this should delight Brown and Frankel---now they might be able to get that big showdown between Empire Maker and Citation on the video game. Empire Maker will be a square price no doubt! I have a feeling that Citation wins on the video game--unless the game allows dirty tactics and Bailey can send Arcaro over the rail. Count Fleet VS Congaree going 4 1/2 at Charles Town! I hope whoever made this video game has a sense of humor.

[JPinMaryland]

Bailey sending Arcaro over the rail? I think you have that backwards.