SARATOGA RACE COURSE, MONDAY, JULY 13, 2009:
Another good morning from Saratoga Springs!
The weather has been unseasonably cool here, even for Saratoga, and I breezed here on a very crisp, very early morning, going five furlongs in 1:01.38. I felt so good after my breeze that I showed off a bit in the walking ring, being a bit frisky…how very unlike me!
And speaking of Saratoga...
Since we're summering at The Spa (I just love saying that!), I admit to becoming more than a little curious as to why the training track here - the Oklahoma Training Track - has its name, and the fine folks at NYRA were kind enough to humor this girl's curiosity.
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Rumor has it that the story begins with a truly fascinating character, "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, or "Mr. Fitz" as he was often called, the legendary trainer of Gallant Fox, who won the 1930 Triple Crown, as well as his son, Omaha, who took the coveted Crown five years later. In addition to training the great Bold Ruler as well, Mr. Fitz was also the first trainer for the beloved Seabiscuit, before the struggling colt found a better fit with trainer Tom Smith.
Interestingly, the training track as we know it today was actually the original racetrack here at Saratoga, before the main track across the street was built; Sunny Jim was stabled on what is now known as the "Oklahoma" side when the original track was converted into the training track. According to backside lore, when someone asked Mr. Fitz where he had been stabled at Saratoga that year, he replied, "I'm so far out there, I'm all the way to Oklahoma," and apparently, the name stuck!
How fortunate I, and my fabulous team, have been to brush with such fascinating history here at The Spa. And speaking of brushing with history...
All of you at home have the unique chance to bid on the halter I wore during my workouts before winning the 2009 Preakness stakes at historic Pimlico Race Course in Maryland. This halter is the first of several items going up for auction by Barbara and Mr. Jackson, with proceeds to aid The V Foundation the very important quest in cancer research. I checked www.kj.com this morning where you can follow the five-month charity auction, and you have until 12 a.m. on July 26 to bid!
From our little corner of Saratoga, best wishes to all!
Saratoga Race Course, Thursday, Septmber 10, 2009
Saratoga Race Course, Friday, September 4, 2009
Saratoga Race Course, Monday, August 24, 2009
Saratoga Race Course, Friday, August 14, 2009
Saratoga Race Course, Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Saratoga Race Course, Monday, July 27, 2009
Saratoga Race Course, Monday, July 20, 2009
Saratoga Race Course, Monday, July 6, 2009
Saratoga Race Course, Monday, June 29, 2009
Belmont, Saturday, June 27, 2009
Belmont, Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Churchill Downs, Sunday, June 21, 2009
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