Question for New England 'cappers

[Doc]

I was reading the web site of the New England HBPA and it mentioned that "condolences go out to the family of Al Borosh." I'm assuming it's because Borosh died - does anyone know about this? He used to ship from New England to Monmouth and had quite a few winners, also ran a horse in the Preakness one year. He was quite a character, always talked about fishing. Any info would be appreciated.

Doc

[Bathless]

Doc, from NEHBPA notes of 6/1:

Condolences go out to the family of Mr. Swartz, as well as to the families of Joseph Bertolino, Al Borosh, Michael Catalano, Sr., Elizabeth (Barry) Donovan, Michel Lapensee, Michael LaChappelle, Barbara Smith, and Loius Tasso, Sr., all members of the New England racing community who have recently passed away

You jogged my memory on Borosh. If I remember right, Borosh taught me that New England classified allowance races were (at the time) a lot classier than the MTH betting crowd gave them credit for. He always got our attention when he shipped one in. And didn't Bertolino have the Monarch Stable horses for a good while? They were a pretty big outfit once.

Reminds me of a few other characters from that time (early/mid 90s): Gene Lotti, a very friendly guy who went back and forth from training horses to the auto body business. Had one very fast filly who ran 2nd to Safely Kept at Garden State. I swear Gene didn't own a pair of socks -- at least I never saw him wearing any. And he had a real loon for a buddy, Ron Gaffney, also a trainer. He specialized in turf horses. Didn't win many, but when he did, he'd blow up the tote.

And then there was Big Dave Monaci, not a very pleasant character. Even when he wasn't running any, Dave would hang near the tunnel all afternoon and bet with both hands. He'd be wearing coveralls big enough to cover the Shea Stadium infield, scaring the women and small children, and sometimes me. Dave also had a nice sprinter back then -- Robyn Dancer, I think.

I also noticed Keith Sirota is MIA. He once worked for Goldberg, didn't he? Don't know if he stayed in FLA or is out of the game. And whenever I think of Safely Kept, I think of trainer Paul Maxwell, who beat Safely Kept in her only start at MTH and her only try at 2 turns. He did it with a very nice filly named Toffeefee, a Grade 1 winner (Test Stakes?). When Toffeefee had to be put down, her owner, a guy named Mike Collins from Morristown, was so devastated he left the game. Maxwell disappeared for a while, too, but he's been back running at CRC for some time. I'll never forget how the crowd gave it to Rick Wilson that day as he headed back to the jock's room. I still think that, at that moment, Wilson, who also had a reputation for being rather unpleasant, was the single angriest man I have ever seen.

[Bathless]

Did a search on Toffeefee. Biggest win I could find was her victory over Safely Kept in the G3 Monmouth Park BC. So much for memory....

[Suff]

I'm friendly with Dave Deroin, who's been at Suffolk for nearly 50 years. He just got off the NEHPBA board of Directors recently. I'm going to ask him what the poop is and get back to the thread. David and I drove up to the ROCK on Belmont day

. I'm hesistant to call him and ask about a "dead guy".........,,, you know what I mean? I'll see him soon and get some information from him more diplomatically.

Also because I want to find out about another guy mentioned in your post.
Joseph Bertolino. Who I believe was with Monarch Stables, and very plugged to the Dandy's. Comes from big money, and so on and so on.... I was at Suffolk last week, and I heard whispers that he committed suicide in February.

Might take me a week or two, but I'll get a street update and post it up.

[Bathless]

Ron Cartwright, a very good trainer on the Maryland circuit, is conspicuous by his absence.

Does anyone know what the skinny is?

[Loosehorse]

Bathless,
Both Paul Maxwell and Ron Gaffney still have stalls at Calder.
Keith Shirota is a long story, that I don't want to get into. The horses were put in the wife's name, but I'm not 100% what the deal is now.

Russ Cash, as an agent for Savin farm, (Petelaine Stables) sold Toffeefee to Paul when she was a 2yo.

Did you know another New England trainer Joe Catanese?

[Bathless]

Loosehorse,

I suspect I know what Keith's issue is. It's something he's been dealing with for a long time and you're right not to get into it publicly. I knew Keith back when he was working horses in the AM and selling the Form afternoons at MTH, and he's a pretty good guy.

I know of Catanese only by name.

[Suff]

I was reading the web site of the New England HBPA and it mentioned that "condolences go out to the family of Al Borosh." I'm assuming it's because Borosh died - does anyone know about this? He used to ship from New England to Monmouth and had quite a few winners, also ran a horse in the Preakness one year. He was quite a character, always talked about fishing. Any info would be appreciated.

Doc

Al was diagnosed with Cancer in Late 2005. Before he could/would address that, he died of a massive heart attack on Feb 13th 2006..

N'er a bad word said about the man in these parts.

[bigbobsports]

Hi I just wanted to update on Dave Monaci's sprinter. The monster he had that was a beast at 6 furlongs was Deputy Shaw with Jose Ferrer up and his other beast at 7 furlongs was Count On Romeo.Those two hores were his best with Subordinated Debt also getting mentioned for distance and getting hurt before he was going to the Kentucky Derby in the year 1991.

[breeze]

For a minute I thought Suff was back. :/

[affirmedny]

Doc, from NEHBPA notes of 6/1:


And then there was Big Dave Monaci, not a very pleasant character. Even when he wasn't running any, Dave would hang near the tunnel all afternoon and bet with both hands. He'd be wearing coveralls big enough to cover the Shea Stadium infield, scaring the women and small children, and sometimes me. Dave also had a nice sprinter back then -- Robyn Dancer, I think.
.

I know I've seen Monaci at the Meadowlands within the past year. I don't know if he's there everyday but he's still the same size

[aliancia]

Monaci's on the other side. He died just short of a year ago at age 53.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mycentraljersey/obituary.aspx?n=david-monaci&pid=149399853

[affirmedny]

Monaci's on the other side. He died just short of a year ago at age 53.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mycentraljersey/obituary.aspx?n=david-monaci&pid=149399853

Wow, it must have been right before that that I saw him. RIP big guy

[bigbobsports]

The fatman aka Dave Monaci NEVER EVER trained Robyn Dancer. The best is only few people knew that even though Dave was a trainer of some 35 horses or so in the late '80's, he NEVER EVER would touch a horse other then maybe in the paddock to adjust something and lift the jock if his man Billy wasn't at that track that day. Dave was scared of horses period and didn't want anybody to know. I had to go in the stall at Saratoga and grab the horse by the halter so Dave could stick the needle in the neck.They didn't call him bigboy for nothing. Sometimes I thought he was a racehorse because he ate more then a horse.