BackTrack: Going for a Stroll With Kent Hollingsworth

Typically Bloodhorse.com uses this space to post magazine race stories from the past that catch our eye, often in conjunction with topics being covered by Tom Hall in BloodHorse Daily. But in looking through old issues of the magazine this week, we came across this gem from Kent Hollingsworth from the Aug. 7, 1972 issue. Hollingsworth served as BloodHorse editor from 1963-1987. The story carried the headline "Strolling" and the topic is Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.—so forgive us for being a bit off in our timing—but the story is well worth sharing.

Strolling

Toward Union Avenue we strolled, through Congress Park, past the fountain at the spring—watch that, tastes like Alka-Seltzer—by Canfield's Casino where Freddy Hotsetter dropped $213,340 during three successive nights then went looking for Davy Johnson to match pennies at $1,000 a turn; where John (Bet-A-Million) Gates found action at both the dinner and faro tables.

But that was long ago. Up the slope, out of the park, down Union Avenue, to the track. The elms shade houses built before W. C. Whitney and Francis Hitchcock restored and crowned the Dowager Queen of Racing at the turn of the century. Skidmore College acquired most of these, years ago, used them until the new campus was built on the north end of town.

Now, many vacant, they stir memories as old houses will. They belong to the Saratoga of the United States Hotel, where the rope fire escape had been coiled so long in the corner of the room, a jackhammer was required to use it, and the room down the hall had modern, chain-pulling plumbing. 

And not so long ago, the concrete walks were brick, as recent as Middleground. He was a chestnut colt with ankles and Max Hirsch broke up the meeting with him; won easy early in the meeting, then came back in the last week and won by 10 on Tuesday; four days later Dave Gorman brought him down by six in the Hopeful; rabbit had him back in the tub 15 minutes later and Hirsch put him away for a year, brought him back to win the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, which is what Hopeful winners in good hands are supposed to do.

Earle Sande was training Clifford Mooers' horses that year, had Gordon Glisson under contract. Teddy Atkinson was out every morning with the Greentree sets; Eddie Arcaro was out every night with Ben Whitaker at Riley's. In the Schuylerville, Arcaro led all the way with Ogden Phipps' Striking, Atkinson coming up from ninth to get second money with Greentree's Sunday Evening.

Six afternoons later in the Spinaway, Atkinson took Sunday Evening wide on the last turn, and "under a very strong ride," wore down Striking and Arcaro in the final strides. Arcaro won the Saranac with Sun Bahram. Atkinson won the Saratoga Cup with Doubtless II. Arcaro won the Alabama with Adile. Atkinson won the Sanford with Detective.

Bill Boland was an apprentice rider then and his brother boxed in the weekly recreation program matches on the Horse Haven side of Union Avenue; Buddy Raines was a timer, prompting Alfred Vanderbilt to inquire whether he was using his selling or buying stopwatch.

Bill Winfrey had a grand filly for Vanderbilt, Bed o' Roses, and another just as good back in the barn, a Bull Lea filly named Next Move, out of Now What, out of That's That. Palestinian's "slight bow," which did not seem to bother him when he missed the Preakness by Capot's head and beat Olympia in the Jersey Stakes and Capot in the Empire City, prompted Hirsch Jacobs to retire Palestinian before August and bring in a replacement, 8-year-old Stymie; after a season at stud, Stymie was galloped at Saratoga, raced that fall and raised his record earnings to $918,485.

Ted Lewis was pulling them in and knocking them down at the Piping Rock. Frankie Parker was singing across the street before a lesser audience; he was losing at the races and it had been a long time since the Jack Benny show—but Arthur Godfrey picked him up that fall and a star was reborn.

Woody Stephens gave a leg up to Conn McCreary and watched him bring Royce Martin's Royal Dorimar from 11th place to win the Test Stakes. "She was by Our Boots, first good one I had; paid $10.80; run an entry at 'em, tough mare Tall Weeds to set it up for McCreary, and she hung on, finished second."

Preston Burch had a good Saratoga meeting, a habit he picked up from his father and passed in turn to his son Elliott; Burch saddled Mrs. Isabel Dodge Sloane's Greek Ship to win the Flash, her More Sun to win the U.S. Hotel and Saratoga Special—back when it was winner take all.

The sales lasted two weeks then, 404 yearlings averaging only $3,483. The sales pavilion had a roof but not walls, which was fortunate, for John Stanley was one of the great wall-bangers of all time. When the first of a dozen yearlings in his consignment, a full brother to Double Jay, was knocked down for $7,500, Stanley became more or less enraged and forthrightly stated his opinion of the sale, persons in attendance, sale officials, Saratoga, the weather, and other matters, all in a tone and vernacular usually reserved for a cow-kicking mare. This culminated in Humphrey Finney's announcement from the stand that Mr. Stanley was dissatisfied with the prices being bid for his yearlings and that he had decided to withdraw his consignment from the sale.

True, it was a buyer's market: George Widener bought champion Battlefield for $4,500; Jack Amiel paid $3,700 for Kentucky Derby winner Count Turf. Leading buyers at the sale were Sam Riddle and Johnny Clark, who spanned several eras of Saratoga.

Odd, the memories that are summoned, just walking down Union Avenue. It has an aura of old, but it is changing, as do all things. Since the old Broadway hotels were razed, the Reading Room was moved to George Bull's house at Union and Nelson. Walter Jeffords and C.V. Whitney caused a National Museum of Racing to be built across from the track parking lot entrance. Scotty's is still open for Sunday breakfast, and some of the barns John Morrissey used for the 1863 meeting at Horse Haven are filled again.

Yes, there is change in Saratoga, but it comes softly, and is worn gracefully.—K.H.