Monthly Archives: December 2008

Wednesday morning quick picks from the road

A few random thoughts from New Orleans: While in Lexington, I stopped at Keeneland, open for the winter for simulcasting, to watch the Gravesend on Saturday. It’s quite a busy place in the winter; in addition to simulcasting, at least … Continue reading

Brooklyn Backstretch | | | 8 Comments

Back to Old Friends

I’m glad that even the folks who work at Old Friends admit that they’ve got favorites among their dozens of retirees; in a recent message announcing the death of Ruhlmann, Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen wrote: I really … Continue reading

, , , , , | | 10 Comments

Road trip to the Kentucky Horse Park

I’ve rarely met a highway I didn’t like, and thus, with Christmas festivities behind me (we had a terrific holiday in the Backstretch household, including Christmas Eve dinner two tables away from Eli Manning, perhaps my best ever celeb sighting), … Continue reading

, , , , | | 5 Comments

Gravesend

The Gravesend Bay racetrack, under the supervision of Phil and Mike Dwyer’s Brooklyn Jockey Club, operated in Brooklyn from 1885 – 1910, its race dates alternating with those of the Sheepshead Bay track. The rise of anti-gambling legislation in New … Continue reading

Brooklyn Backstretch | , | | - 1 Comment

Merry Christmas to all…

…from Brooklyn Backstretch. “Racing this Christmas Greeting to you!” by Karin Vollkommer

Brooklyn Backstretch | | | 3 Comments

My Christmas wish list

A mix of the global and the local, in no particular order, and with an explicit belief in Christmas miracles… …for the glory of the old races—the Suburban, the Brooklyn, the Triple Tiara—to somehow return. …for Saratoga Russell to come … Continue reading

Brooklyn Backstretch | | | 8 Comments

Monday morning quick picks

Oh, how I miss Aqueduct! I can understand why folks think it would be good for New York racing to take a few months off in the winter, though the economic ramifications would, I think, be pretty significant at both … Continue reading

Brooklyn Backstretch | | | 4 Comments

Where we find our racing news

Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance colleague Patrick Patten at Handride reminded us once again this week that he’s not a big fan of Equidaily. He argued that it makes no sense for readers to rely on one site for racing news, and … Continue reading

Brooklyn Backstretch | | | 15 Comments

Still shopping?

You’ve been inundated with racing holiday gift suggestions: last week I talked about movies: Lost in the Fog by John Corey, who offers Brooklyn Backstretch readers a discount (here’s what I wrote about the movie when I saw it last … Continue reading

, , , | | 3 Comments

Christmas comes early at Anna House

On Saturday afternoon, the Belmont Child Care Association held its seventh annual holiday party for the children of Anna House. Scheduled to begin at 1 pm, the party started a little early to accommodate the hundreds of children and families … Continue reading

| | 4 Comments