Winner of Belmont\'s first race yesterday - Nosupeforyou. Now that\'s funny. HP
Very funny HP & good to see there are still a few people left who have a sense of humor. Saw nunzio\'s & your posts re Monmouth & wish I had had some time to get an insight or 2 before I left Thurs. All in all, a very nice experience at a very underrated track, where inside speed & competitive nos are a potent combination on the main track. Haven\'t read all the intervening posts, but I think one of your earlier had Sar starting on 7/14, when the actual date is 7/24. In that regard, it took me 12 calls to secure a room for the 1st & somebody said sleepy week, so those of you who haven\'t made arrangements need to spring into action. After all, no matter what the room costs & no matter how you do on opening day, everyone can apparently look forward to a free drink on Phil after the races. Count me in.
Monmouth is fantastic. Probably my favorite besides Hialeah. What\'s interesting to me is that everyone comments on that speed bias, but I\'ve been there quite a few times where the track seemed to be playing square. I\'m not going to try to talk anybody out of the speed bias thing, and I\'ve looked at charts that indicated it was indeed valid, but I\'ve done well there ignoring it. I don\'t know if I\'ll make it down this year since my summer looks real busy with work, but I\'m going to sit down with my calendar and try to figure something out.
I\'m sure they\'re having a great year business-wise in the surrounding area. People in the Northeast are going to Jersey (try to get a room in Atlantic City) with a vengeance. Makes perfect sense in the summer when the weather\'s great and you can mix some beach time (or golf) with your gambling. With Vegas looking more like a summer camp every day, Jersey looks better all the time.
The real shame is that they closed that Atlantic City course. I loved going there after a day on the beach and then coming back to the Boardwalk to play blackjack. HP
One suggestion I have for anyone looking for rooms for Saratoga is to consider looking in places North or South of Saratoga like Glens Falls to the North or Clifton Park or even Albany to the south. Rates will be less and there should be more rooms available. Try Clifton Park its only 15 minutes from the track and there\'s 2 new hotels just about finished- I gotta believe the owners want completed for the racing season.
Unless something unplanned happens to me traveling back from Montreal early Wednesday morning, It\'s still a go for a round of drinks at the Siro\'s outside tent on me after the 9th. opening day for anyone with the days TG sheets and anyone from the TG office. I\'ll even buy Oats a drink if he answers my posts.
Phil Mandl
I think finding Phil at Siro\'s will be a bigger challenge than finding hotel rooms. Search the internet under \"Saratoga motels\", not hotels, and tons of things will pop up. And Phil, you are aware that a can of Miller Light goes for five bucks? Your Wednesday bar tab may be your biggest expense of the w/e.
Yeah, I know and I\'ll be ok for one round for TG folks.
If you\'re looking for a room and don\'t mind driving 20 minutes or so each way, the Hampton Inn in Latham isn\'t bad, and at $85 per day you\'ll have an extra $200 for the daily double every day. Be careful on the return voyage, as the police on Route 9 set up speeding and DUI traps during the meet.