• Anticipation

  • By Claire Novak | August 3, 2009 2:36:49 PM PDT
First announcement in the press box this morning other than soup of the day (cream of mushroom), is the travel status of Chip Woolley. The Kentucky Derby-winning trainer, Mine That Bird in tow, is 200 miles away from Saratoga. Fourth race, we get another update. Forty miles to go. "Any sight of the black Stetson?" someone asks. It is drawing close to post time for the fifth when we trek on down to the barn. We cluster in little groups, pass the time by remembering other stakeouts. Kentuky Derby. Breeders' Cup. Waiting for great runners. "Every stakeout, you always eat and use the bathroom first," says Brian Smith, Daily News photographer. The minutes tick by. We talk about the horses. "Who's bigger, Mine That Bird or Rachel Alexandra?" "I'd like to see them standing next to each other," "If Rachel Alexandra doesn't run in the Travers, will you pick Mine That Bird?" At 3:15 p.m., the truck rolls around the corner. At 3:17 p.m., the Derby winner steps off the trailer. "Give us a minute to clean him up, folks. We'll have him right out to you," Woolley promises. A quick bath, a pause to pick straw from the tail, and shutters click as the seal-wet gelding attacks the Saratoga sod. "Looks like he's more interested in eating than in getting his picture taken," the trainer jokes. We get down to business. Quick interview. The gelding will take to the upstate oval tomorrow morning, 7:00 a.m. At the same time, Summer Bird will be shipping in from Monmouth. Rachel Alexandra got back from her Haskell score this morning. Quality Road takes the Amsterdam in fine comeback style. We're looking at one heck of a Travers field. Anticipation builds.

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