Recently in Mark Your Calendar!!! Category

I've written about visionary artist, Brian T. Fox, in a previous column here on Saratoga.com.  I know Brian as both a friend and as an artist.  I first met him four years ago, at an event for the Jackie Robinson Foundation.  He'd painted the late legend, and was present to show his work to a throng of admirers of the great athlete--including Mrs. Robinson, herself.

In the four years since then, I've been privy to the inner workings of the artist's brain and soul.  I get to see his paintings before they're finished, and consider it an honour and privilege to see the process, first-hand.

On Wednesday, August 26th, we'll have the opportunity to thank the good hearts of the Columbia-Greene Humane Society (henceforth, CGHS) for all the work they do, day-in and day-out, year after year.

But the work for which we who love horses are most grateful is their tremendous work on behalf of the nearly 200+ horses who were neglected, sick and starving on Ernie Paragallo's farm in Climax, New York. 

Unless you've lived under a rock for the last half-year, you know the story.  Paraneck Stables, the racing arm of Paragallo's dysfunctional empire, has a farm in Upstate New York.  On this farm lived Thoroughbreds who somehow fell through the cracks.  How an 1,nearly 200-pound animal can fall through the cracks is beyond me.  How over nearly 200 of them can go unnoticed is absolutely unfathomable.  Somewhere along the line, "benign neglect" was replaced with "intentional, passive-aggressive murder attempt."

And so the CGHS stepped in in April, and confiscated the horses whose lives were endangered.  All were treated, pro bono, by a man I am dubbing, Saint Jerry--Dr. Jerry Bilinski, the equine veterinarian who could not let these horses suffer when he had the tools, knowledge and compassion to help.   Ronald L. Perez, Jr. (Ron Perez),  the dedicated and compassionate Director and Investigator of the CGHS, would not tolerate these actions:  his team of Board members, volunteers, staff and enforcement officers snatched the horses and got them to Dr. Bilinski for Phase I of their rescue.

The next step, that of adopting them out once they were healthy enough to be weaned from medical attention, is in process even as I write this.

This piece is not intended to be a downer, in any way.  Inasmuch as I have very strong feelings about the events, I am neither the judge nor the jury.  I needed to provide background so that you can know what good has been done so far, and that you may realize that more help is needed in order to assure that each of these horses are loved and safe.

If I were Gio Ponti, I'd run like a lunatic, too.  Straight toward the finish line--if the impossibly handsome and gifted Nicholas Bachalard was standing next to the pole.

;)

Gio Ponti is rockin' the races: his win in the Arlington Million was a beautiful thing to see.  Watching from the Saratoga backstretch TVs (at the proverbial Lemonade Stand), we cheered as the crazy-good, two-millionaire grandson of my beloved Alydar blasted across the finish line first.  I'd love to meet him in person.  It's not for nothing that Gio Ponti is the top turf horse in the United States--he's earned his chops, and has a great team guiding his career.

I also wouldn't mind meeting Bachalard, Clement's gifted, intuitive and much-beloved Assistant Trainer.  Many people admire and respect Bachalard, for myriad reasons.  My friend, Beverly Sinclair, wants to make sure that the Fabulous Frenchman (my term, not Beverly's!) has a GREAT birthday.

So...if you see Nicholas Bachalard on Tuesday, August 25th--please wish him a ridiculously Happy Birthday.  Let him know that he's appreciated--and that this sport, horses and humans, alike--are better for his presence and commitment.

Happy Birthday, Nicholas Bachalard--God bless you, and continue to gift you with compassion, insight and wisdom as your career grows to accommodate your tremendous talent.

:)

It is a supreme joy to be able to report that on Wednesday, August 19th, Saratoga Race Course will host the fourth annual Women's Day to honor the gender that is the majority of the fanbase of Thoroughbred racing.  The event it co-sponsored by NYRA (New York Racing Association) and B95.5 (Albany Broadcasting).   Enthusiastic moral support is offered by Saratoga Publishing (Saratoga TODAY newspaper; The Saratoga Experience magazine) and www.Saratoga.com.

2009 is the first year that the event will offer the Racing Vocations table, a booth womaned by females of all stripes who work in and around the magnificent sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.  Jockeys, trainers, farriers, veterinarians, owners, grooms, hotwalkers, exercise riders, pari-mutuel tellers, writers, artists and administrators of the female kind are invited come together to speak one-on-one with women and girls about the joys, frustrations and victories of their jobs.  Horsewomen, Sara Dunham of All Play Stable, Kate O'Brien Veitch, Nina Miskiewicz and Ronnie Betor; Artist, Rumara Jewett; and Jockey, Maylan Studart are just a few of those who are expected to spend time at the booth and meet girls and women who drop by...

If you've wondered who takes loving care of the people who give such wonderful care to the horses on a racetrack--wonder no more.  The souls, bodies and minds of thousands of backstretch workers are under the guardian angelship of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America.  No facet of life is overlooked by the team of the RTCA--and no soul or body goes without, if the Chaplains and their teams have anything to say about it.

The RTCA was founded in 1971 to provide abundantly for the spiritual, emotional, social, educational and physical needs of those hard-working individuals whose daily life and work begins at ungodly hours and goes until late at night.  The horse training life is a constant, day-in and day-out.  So is the work of the good souls at the Race Track Chaplaincy--especially our team who works at Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct.  Angels never sleep...

If it takes a village to rear a child, surely it takes that same village--dedicated, loving hearts and abundant resources--to help that child grow to be an adult who fully participates in the life of the community.  This is not always an easy assignment:  Life Happens, as they say--and when Life takes a turn, and a child is in need--CAPTAIN is there.

Every year, like most Saratogians and all true racing fanatics, I start counting the days--oh, starting the day after Labor Day--'til the next Opening Day at Saratoga.  This year's meet opens on July 29th...which is 35 days from today, to be exact.

But that countdown doesn't include the three days prior to the meet's opening--and that day, that of the NYRA Open House--is just as important, in my heart.  Why?  Because the Open House is NYRA's way to extend a big, friendly "Welcome!"  to everyone who's in town.  Once the meet starts, locals will have to share our Race Course with thousands of visitors from places with exotic-sounding names like "Bayshore," "Bayonne" and "Bahrain"--but on July 26th, before the tourists check into their hotels, the beautiful, historic track is all ours, compliments of the New York Racing Association.
(Photo above compliments of NYRA--New York Racing Association)