Opening Day Eve, All is S(well)tering

[richiebee]

It would not seem right if I -- and everyone else who has a certain migratory
instinct which kicks in late in July and certainly in August -- did not pause to
reflect on the opening of another Saratoga race meet.

Every meet opens with hopes for glory, a life changing score, or at least a
positive ledger at the end of the meet, maybe a wild night with a strange girl in
a hayloft of one of the private barns. Of course there are always the memories --
bailing out for the meet with a desperate last plunge on a $1500 claimer at the
harness track, the strange girl\'s husband punching your lights out the next
morning, the brawl with Yankee fans on the night of Thurman Munson\'s death,
saluting the great Affirmed on the day in 1979 when he was made an honorary
citizen of Saratoga Springs.

The last few years, while I have been working in Manhattan, I have kind of made it
a point (tradition probably too strong a word here) to take a short sweltering
subway ride the day before I leave for the Spa. The symbolism is rather obvious:
within a 24 hour period I will experience both the Hell of New York\'s nether
regions and horseplayer\'s heaven up at the Spa.

This year the subway ride will not be necessary, as the Manhattan heat has been
hellish enough without heading underground. Yesterday was particularly
rough, as temperatures topped out over 100. After a 14 hour workday and a two hour
\"Express\" bus ride home, I had the strange experience of seeing my 86 year old
mother in law modeling her swimsuit when I got home, her way of hinting that she
wanted to be taken to the beach this weekend.

Message to Frank D: Read in DRF that the water supply at the race track had high
levels of chlorine; suggest you drink only bottled beverages.

[FrankD.]

It\'s going to be a miserable opening day and I\'m actually debating going to the Tele Theater. However I will come to my senses by 11 or so and head up north I\'m sure.

Opening day is an event; a National Holiday of sorts up here and one of the least productive work days of the year. No doubt they will still draw in the vicinity of 20,000 fans despite 97 degrees and excessive humidity.

The new seminar spot is actually one of my old hang out areas but the comfort of the Carolina BBQ patio will be hard to duplicate. The 2nd floor Carousel area actually gets a nice cross breeze through it and Bill the bartender there has been a fixture for 30 plus years in the same spot. No Richie he doesn\'t serve water but I\'ve had a cold Heineken or 2 at that bar. Its a short trip down the escalator and to the right to get to the brew pub.

I\'m not planning on much betting today as your never sure how your horse will handle the excessive heat, more paddock and post parade appearance will be paid attention to. Maggie may be the key to today\'s wagers?

Good luck as the battle of 40 days and downtown nights begins,

Frank D.

[toppled]

Deleted-see post on Sar race 7

[Upper Nile]

I got in the car to head for the track, luggage in tow prepared to head directly from the track to the Albany airport for my 7:20 flight to LV. I got to the beverage center and turned around and went back home. It\'s just too damn hot. I know I\'d be miserable up at the track today, and unable to think straight. So next Thursday will be my first taste of the year from the big red spring.
Phil

[TGJB]

Richie-- word is NY state has declared that hayloft a historical site.

[moosepalm]

richiebee Wrote:
-----------------------------
> This year the subway ride will not be necessary,
> as the Manhattan heat has been
> hellish enough without heading underground.
> Yesterday was particularly
> rough, as temperatures topped out over 100.


I like John Oliver\'s line on the Daily Show:  \"The temperature here is one hundred and ball sweat.\"

I just got done with a three-day golf tournament for mediocrities.  Even in upstate New York, the heat and humidity are unbearable.  Not counting a number of bets I made over the years, playing in those conditions might be the dumbest thing I\'ve ever done in my life.

Richie, that was a nice prelude to the meet.  I look forward to seeing you, Frank D, Top, et al, if I can find you.  I get nosebleeds in those high elevations, and they probably won\'t let me bring my lucky chair up there.