Sean's Blog

Off a Day or Two

Just trying to recalibrate and regroup after four hectic days at Saratoga. The Belmont Festival proved to be a success for all involved. NYRA, Saratoga, Belmont and The Special. Dornoch, Thorpedo Anna and all the other winners, too. It was definitely a whirlwind for The Special. Joe, Tom and I … Read More

Cup of Coffee: For CHuck

“For those that hadn’t heard I have been dealing with some unexpected, yet major health issues…For those that have reached out, I thank you sincerely as it means a lot.” That was a post from Chuck Simon, former trainer, backstretch stalwart and loyal reader of The Special, earlier in the … Read More

No Race

After a late night at The Special Saturday night and into Sunday morning, it was still dry at 2:30 in the morning. We had managed to dance around the rain for the first three days of the Belmont Stakes Festival at Saratoga. You can only dance for so long. By … Read More

Cup of coffee: Two Furlongs

Two Furlongs It started out as a feature. Talk to trainers and jockeys about the Belmont Stakes at 1 ½ miles at Belmont Park at the Belmont Stakes at 1 ¼ miles at Saratoga. Talk about horses who won there but would not have won here. And the ones who … Read More

Cup of Coffee: TIme

Time  I’ve reached that age.  “How’s your son? “How’s your dad?”  Those are the questions asked more often than any other as I get back on the racetrack beat this week.  A reader once said to me, “You don’t know us, but we know you. We know your wives, your … Read More

Cup of Coffee: Bonus Coverage

Cheryl Johnson stopped in front of the old feed store on East Avenue on a breezy, sunny Tuesday morning. “Hi guys. Welcome back.” The longtime Saratoga resident showed off a Saratoga giveaway baseball hat. Old school. Khaki and red. Well, she wasn’t showing off the hat, she was showing off … Read More

Saratoga

Settling into Saratoga. Spent one hour, 11 minutes and 23 seconds with D. Wayne Lukas this morning. Just the Hall of Fame trainer and I outside his tack room deep in the corner of the Oklahoma backside. And a Preakness winner and a lead pony. Lukas talked about everything from … Read More

SUnday baseball

Another park. Another parking lot. Another game. Another day. The rescheduled all-star game on a Sunday afternoon. Miles slides into his sliders, hauls his baseball bag over his shoulder and slams the backdoor. “Have fun.” “Thanks, Dad.” Miles walks toward the far corner of the park. Past the batting tee, … Read More

East

Sitting on a porch. Sun’s out. A gentle breeze. A bird or two chirp. An American flag wisps from a a flower box. For a moment of peace. We powered – muddled, crawled, limped – through yesterday. Old friends. Old faces. Another funeral, er, a celebration of life on a … Read More

Northern Lights

Back in the car for a trip north. To a celebration of life for F. Bruce Miller and then a trip to see my father and a trip to Saratoga next week. A lot of memories and emotions in the sidecar. Some good, some bad, some still confounding. Life, I … Read More