Crist Blog With Steven Crist

Waiting for Hanna

2008-09-06T16:49:46Z

Bet early if not often today at Belmont: They're going to try to run 10 races between 1 p.m. and 4:53 p.m., shaving about six minutes... Read More......(read more)

Back to Belmont

2008-09-05T20:31:49Z

Vineyard Haven's 1:23.40 in the Hopeful got a Beyer Speed Figure of 84 and Midshipman's 1:23.35 in the Del Mar Futurity received an 85... Read More......(read more)

Day 36: 9/1/08

2008-09-01T16:07:49Z

Today's fourth race is officially listed as the "Lue Donville Stakes." Who's Lue Donville? A typo for the local hamlet of Loudonville, that's who. Read More......(read more)

Day 35: 8/31/08

2008-08-31T19:32:44Z

After waiting three months for his first winner, Benzel waited only another two hours for his second, as Walkabout Winner... Read More......(read more)

Day 34: 8/30/08

2008-08-30T18:32:45Z

Delta Sea, an 8-year-old NY-bred gelding by Sea Hero (before the 1993 Derby and Travers winner was moved to Turkey), has now won 12 of 66 career starts... Read More......(read more)

Day 33: 8/29/08

2008-08-29T20:00:36Z

Cocoa Beach couldn't have fit the "nonwinners of a graded sweepstakes over a mile in 2008" conditions more snugly... Read More......(read more)

Day 32: 8/28/08

2008-08-28T15:42:38Z

Why is a maiden race with seven first-time starters being run as the 9th of 10 other than as a craven attempt to create a carryover? Read More......(read more)

Day 31: 8/27/08

2008-08-27T19:09:56Z

Horseplaying and a fuzzy head make a bad cocktail, but I did most of the work late last night and haven't had any pharmacologically-induced new insights I'm going to regret... Read More......(read more)

Dark Day 5: Breather

2008-08-26T22:05:00Z

If we do get our first double-carryover of Saratoga '08, Thursday's card includes the only steeplechase of the meeting that's part of the pick-6... Read More......(read more)

Day 30: 8/25/08

2008-08-25T17:50:04Z

Mott's record at this meet, and the reaction to it in comparison to Pletcher's 2007 meet, says more about our expectations and prejudices than..... Read More......(read more)

Day 29: 8/24/08

2008-08-24T19:49:28Z

BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Made it back from Spa City in 3:15:00.01 or so, and qwik-capped the card just enough to play this very difficult carryover... Read More......(read more)

Day 28: 8/23/08

2008-08-23T17:00:06Z

Between the spectacularly good card and perfect weather, both of which were in short supply during much of the meeting, business should boom today... Read More......(read more)

Day 27: 8/22/08

2008-08-22T19:45:16Z

I found it a tough card to make my usual sort of multiple zigzag-tickets play, due to too many mains and not enough backups... Read More......(read more)

Day 26: 8/21/08

2008-08-21T17:54:23Z

Just watched poor old My Cousin Matt trail at every call. Here's hoping someone will give him a a good home and a happy retirement.... Read More......(read more)

Day 25: 8/20/08

2008-08-20T19:02:57Z

Jerkens and Zito have seen enough Travers to know that this is a good year to take a shot with any 3-year-old who's eating well... Read More......(read more)