Doug Black

@andyserling @adamv26 And if you need perfect circumstances to win the Derby cavalry charge....

@adamv26 No. Anyone that didn't know how good he was under ideal circumstances wasn't paying attention. It remains to be seen what he can do under anything less than perfect setups. He's super talented.

Well, we already knew Fierceness was capable of brilliance under ideal circumstances.

@andyserling $455 million for that eyesore? Why do new racetracks need to look like bloated cruise ships? Why not take a cue from the popular throwback baseball stadiums? Why not look at -- oh I don't know -- SARATOGA, a beloved anachronism. The new Belmont is a tasteless waste of money.

I'm not exactly sure what would make some people happy, but while not surprised that there has been a great deal of hand wringing on Twitter, for the life of me I don't understand what isn't exciting about this. Change is hard, but this change is going to be great.

I only wish some ( all? ) of the people expressing outrage over the loss of their Belmont, for what looks to me like a very exciting step towards the future, had visited the old facility at a level that is 10% of their anger over the new plant.

@andyserling @depazracing Andy, unrelated, but is there any discussion about the planned length of the Belmont at Saratoga? IMO, in a nod to tradition, the race should be at least 1 5/16ths or 1 3/8ths. 1 1/4 erases the "Test of Champions" Belmont aura, don't you think?

Looking forward to Be Your Best finally getting a fair trip and winning Tuesday's American Oaks for @depazracing

@andyserling @pfaffer528 As do I!

@pfaffer528 So do I.

There won’t be a better moment than a horse owned by Steve Crist winning the inaugural running of the Harvey Pack. Just incredible. Harvey would have bet against him but would ( eventually ) have been happy nonetheless

@mig4450 How about a Harvey Pack Handicap??

I wonder when there will be an Angel Cordero stake or how about a Secretariat stake in NY?

@andyserling Andy, off topic, is there a Saratoga race named for Harvey Pack? If not, shouldn't there be?

Jackie’s Warrior ran well in defeat and is an exceptional horse. He met two very good horses in Cody’s Wish and Pipeline ( the lesser of the “line” horses ) and the latter put real pressure on him, which he hasn’t faced in his last few races.

@terrapinwill @ridgedalefarm @andyserling It's Chad Brown's world, we just live in it.

@ridgedalefarm @andyserling Year to date hovering near 35%….that’s kinda crazy for large sample

So anyone have any ideas what that was all about with American Lincoln?

@DRFLivingston @TheSirBarton Me too! After the Derby and Preakness losses, seeing Easy Goer's Belmont romp is the best racing moment I've seen in person.

@TheSirBarton 1.) Yes 2.) Easy Goer

If you were a horse racing fan or watching the sport in 1989, I have two questions for you: 1. Did you watch the 1989 Triple Crown races and the rivalry between Easy Goer and Sunday Silence? 2. Which horse did you root for?

@DRFLivingston @nmrhof I saw his 2 MassCap wins. Cigar trailored through Massachusetts escorted by a phalanx of state troopers and the races drew 25,000+, unheard of at Suffolk Downs. Talk about an exacta bet!

25 years ago today (8-17-96), I was honored to photograph eventual @nmrhof champions Cigar and Bill Mott at their 'Greentree' home adjacent to Saratoga Race Course. The shoot was for reference material for a Cigar statue for Gulfstream Park, being created by artist Cindy Wolf.

@DRFLivingston @Equinepilot1 Or just hang around at Siro's, that's beautiful too.

@Equinepilot1 It is an absolutely beautiful area if you don't just hang out at Siro's and such. Go to the spring houses, notice the historical carousel, walk through the expansive state park with its cool geyser, wander the battlefield (considered by many turning point of the Revolution)...

I don’t really know what the big deal is about Saratoga. Maybe because i am from NJ and the landscape is similar in parts. To me it’s a giant fishbowl. Town is 1 block long and how many times can you go to the same places. 🤷🏻. Its really a boring place after a week.

@andyserling Part of me is disheartened. To hell with Baffert, the Preakness, racing, the whole thing. Another part is waiting for all this to cool off, wash over, get half forgotten. After all, it's the only game in town.

Forgetting about all the distractions, isn’t the crazy story of this Preakness Mandaloun not entering given it’s pretty likely he is going to end up being the only horse eligible to win the Triple Crown?

@andyserling Andy S. & B. got the key to the Derby right: Medina's deceptively good SAD. He ran in SA's deep sand mid-track and almost beat Rock World on golden rail. I was all over Medina to win and e xacta, my 1st KD win since Funny Cide. Beyer's 1st KD win ever?

( 1 ) So I’m finally getting around to watching the Derby to check out some trips....here are a few thoughts. Essential Quality didn’t have a bad trip. He was a bit wide. He drew the 14 post and wasn’t a speed. What trip did people expect. He had no edge going in, ran his race...

“Why would somebody feel like he doesn’t deserve it? I don’t understand.” Supporters baffled as Barclay Tagg is overlooked for Hall of Fame bit.ly/3rL2Vys

@andyserling Ignorance knows no limits.

Poor Secretariat

@andyserling My picks that don't count consistently come in. Authentic was my paddock pick, he looked absoltely demonic as Baffert threw the saddle blanket on him. I knew right then he'd win. Course, this was Sunday, I DVR'd it.

Tiz the Law ran second in the Derby but apparently he didn't like the track. My head is about to explode.

@andyserling @TrakusRacing So was it 17 or wasn't it?

So, I’m assuming the time for the first quarter was not 17 and change? Let me check @TrakusRacing first before being sure

@mcap7 @HumanaryStew @andyserling Better than some? You kidding me? Gary Stevens in Seabiscuit was easily, by 10 lengths, the best movie acting I've ever seen by a pro athlete, most of whom, in front of a camera, are painfully, cringeworthily, bad.

Seabiscuit?

When horses get left up after these kinds of incidents what’s the point?

@andyserling Dk if The Recruit is underappreciated, but he was great. "Ya gotta give me one thing. I am one scary judge of talent."

Since it's Al Pacino's 80th birthday.....I nominate his performance in Donnie Brasco as maybe the most underappreciated of his career. He was sensational in that movie.

@DRFLivingston Camera artistry -- wow!

Longtime top Maryland sire TWO PUNCH, 21, at Northview Stallion Station 2004. Talk about lively! This guy definitely knew he was "the man." His paddock had extra rails to keep him from breaking through them when he banged his disapproval for passing stallions. He was worth it.