Brooklyn Backstretch

In no particular order, racing bits that have recently amused me:
Day of the Kitten at Belmont on Friday afternoon—and race 4 had “hunch bets” written all over it for me: three Kitten’s Joy offspring (Raise the Kitty, Lisa’s Kitten, Jill’s Kitten) and an Afleet Alex filly. Unfortunately, they were all blown off the track by [...]

The folks at Backstretch Employee Service Team contacted me today to say that NYRA has donated 5,000 Curlin t-shirts to BEST for sale at the races today. Here’s hoping that all 5,000 sell for their low, low price of $5, netting BEST $25,000. BEST provides a variety of services, including medical and dental care, to [...]

Following yesterday’s little trip back to the 2004 Belmont, here’s what I recall about Belmont 2005.
I hit an early, well-paying (as I recall) exacta in the White Carnation when Judy Soda was DQ’d to second and Madonna Lily got the win.
And then the rest of the card is pretty much of a blur until the [...]

I think—dare I say it—that I may be in love.
I haven’t felt this way since 2004. Then, it was summer love: warm rains, summer breezes, cold beers and lemonade. Picnics, tank tops, flowers and trees in bloom.
It was July 29th, and his name was Afleet Alex.
Then, it was Saratoga; [...]