I Hope Yogi and Frank D are Right

[miff]

Tony,

Did my stint earlier in the meet. Contrary to most, I find the last week too quiet, kinda no buzz.For those of us who have been going to the Spa \"forever\" I find it just a little sad(still love it though). The former greatest race meet at the greatest summer venue has been raped and marginalized somewhat by the Clueless Clowns.Food and lodging in town has also become somewhat ridiculous for the average person.

They still call it Saratoga but it\'s quality has been severely diminished by too many cheap races in a meet that is now too long.Many racing outfits that run non stakes complaining about modest purses.Aqueduct slots will have to be the salvation for SPA and NY racing, it may overcome the ineptitude of the Clueless Clowns.

Good luck to all going,kill them!


Mike

[FrankD.]

Richie,

Some choices are better left in the hands of experts ! I\'ll defer the beer menu to you and I\'ll get to work on the pick 4 tonight. It\'s a good weekend for at least a meet changing score if not a life changing moment. We should invoke the Andy Beyer rule of allowing one to make a spectacle of themselves only if the winnings are at least 10 % of their annual income.

Chance of showers or scattered T-storms today after 3:00.
Friday & Saturday mid 80\'s, a bit humid.
Sunday and Monday aren\'t looking great, maybe not a wash out on Sunday but Monday will be toast for turf racing for sure.

Good luck,

Frank D.

[richiebee]

Mike:

I respect your opinions on the inner workings of NYRA and have two questions:

1)Once the slots money starts pouring in, will Resorts World have enough
influence to look at NYRA and make the necessary changes, ie make changes in
upper level management and modify the NY Bred program, which to me, more than
anything, has severely diluted the quality of NY racing?

2) Aqueduct is getting a major facelift; as was proved this Summer, the Spa
will always be popular no matter how diluted the racing is. Seems like Belmont
might be further neglected, which is a shame, just as it is a shame that the
Belmont facility has turf courses which allow 10 and 11 furlong races to be
run around 2, not 3 turns, yet the Clueless Clowns continue to write turf
races at 6 and 7 furlongs.

[miff]

Bee,

Resorts World could care less about racing and will not have any say in the racing side, that belongs strictly to NYRA.As stated before, a fairly serious look into revoking the current NYRA Franchise is underway, a long shot and what would replace it, more political stooges?

Resorts World \"bought\" entree into one of the most potential lucrative gambling markets in the world, New York.It is a matter of time before Resorts gets more than slots(table games, poker, roulette)which is in their big plan.Expect lawsuits if they open upstate to full blown Indian Casinos upstate which will dramatically reduce volume at Yonkers, Aqueduct.

Politicians are desperate for money,Cuomo seems on board and the time is ripe for Casinos in NY State.Genting/Resorts World) sitting in the drivers seat, so to speak, which is what they invested in,not racing.

Bee, you could write to smug NYRA re turf racing or anything else and get nowhere. NY Bred slow rat breeding program will suffer awhile with smaller foal crops but anticipated ballooning purses at NYRA sure to revive interest in slow rat breeding.

The NYRA attitude is that they are \"all knowing\" re NY racing in spite of it\'s demise under their stewardship.A small,literally,group have voice there and champion only their own personal agendas.

Maybe Bill Nader will leave Hongkong soon and get a shot at the top job at NYRA, it would be a huge improvement.His name has been advanced.

Agree SPA still incomparable for any racing degenerate like me,hope something saves it.


Mike

[TGJB]

Mike-- okay, I\'ll bite, I\'ve been meaning to ask you this for a while. Is ANYTHING, anywhere, better (or even as good) as it used to be?

[miff]

JB,

Don Pepe\'s on Lefferts Blvd(1/2 mile from Aqueduct)still after 25 years one of the best pure Italian joints in NY.Surely you\'ve been there, if not, I\'ll take you.

On racing, JB,NYRA knowingly diluted the quality of the SPA meet to squeeze the lemon as dry as possible.Trying to kill the goose that laid the golden egg,BRILLIANT!!

Also,since you asked, I still your prefer the hand written chicken scratch figures of old,although the current ancillary TG info is incomparable to anything out there.

Mike

[richiebee]

FrankD. Wrote: (on Thursday)
-------------------------------------------------------
> Richie,
>
  Chance of showers or scattered T-storms today
> after 3:00.
> Friday & Saturday mid 80\'s, a bit humid.
> Sunday and Monday aren\'t looking great, maybe not
> a wash out on Sunday but Monday will be toast for
> turf racing for sure.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Frank D.


So I get a text message from Frank at about 3:25 PM. I\'m thinking that he
knocked over the early P4 or a super super.

No. Frank is texting me to tell me that it just started raining at the Spa,
that he nailed the forecast.

Frank: what is the difference between \"scattered thunderstorms\" (Sat forecast)
and \"isolated thunderstorms\" (Sun forecast)? And the words \"some storms may be
severe\" in Saturday\'s forecast...

No worries Frank. No negative vibes. I keep repeating the words \"Fast and firm
Saturday\"