by Gordon Waterstone

What a gorgeous Saturday (Sept. 30) in the Bluegrass! High of 80 degrees and nary a cloud in the sky, and the forecast for next week looks to be just as nice with highs climbing to the mid-80s.

My great Lexington friend Chasity picked up a gig bartending at a tailgate party before the UK/Florida football game, so I dropped her off at Kroger Field at 8 a.m. on my way to Red Mile. There was already tons of traffic around the stadium, and this was four hours before the noon kickoff. Lexington’s middle name is “Traffic,” as it’s always the case; it made my usual 10-minute trip home about 45 minutes when I left Red Mile on Friday afternoon (Sept. 29).

Before I get to Saturday, let’s go back to Friday a sec. When I arrived for the races Friday, I stopped in the office to grab a program from Bessie. Eric Patalan and trophy gal Jenna Otten were both there, so I remarked that we were having a Michigan reunion. Of course, we talked football and the Lions win over the Packers Thursday night. Paul Fontaine then came in, but I had to wait a minute to speak to him as we paused for the playing of the National Anthem.

I went out to the box seats where I joined Nick Salvi, and Mike Vandeheede came by to join us. Terry Miller, who is a former NFL player, and Sam Bowie, a former NBA player and Kentucky basketball star, were both sitting nearby. So too was Joe Sbrocco, and I again told him how I think he is the luckiest guy in the business and when I grow up, I want to be like him.

I watched the first three races from the box and then went upstairs to see the judges. I had received a phone call from Ohio-based Communicators Hall of Famer Bob Roberts after he read the first Backstretch column where I noted PJ Cooksey was working in the judges’ stand, so he wanted me to be sure to send regards. Roberts said he did several stories years ago when Cooksey was one of River Downs’ leading jockeys.

I also wanted to see Hall of Famer Dave Magee, who is serving as a judge during these two weeks. Because of the glare from the sun into the room I couldn’t see who Magee was talking to, but I soon realized it was longtime Illinois-based race secretary Doc Narotsky. Narotsky’s daughter, Amy, married young whippersnapper Jay Hochstetler, so we talked about Hochstetler’s big win in the Dan Patch at Hoosier Park with Ponda Warrior. Right now, I give that win harness racing’s “Moment of the Year.”

I’ve known Magee a very long time, probably since he came to Hazel Park Raceway — where I was the publicity director — in 1992 to drive the Bob McIntosh-trained Artsplace in the $100,000 Nicole Hudock Memorial. Artsplace set a new track record of 1:52 with his victory, and I had a framed win photo on my office walls at Hazel Park and then The Horseman And Fair world.

“I don’t think I ever told you this,” Magee said to me. “But it was a different bike and down the stretch I moved around and almost fell out of it.”

The race was named in memory of Hudock, a longtime hostess in the Hazel Park dining room who was tragically murdered one night after the races. Magee, Narotsky and I reminisced a bit about how much money the hosts/hostesses in racetrack dining rooms used to make seating people in the old days.

When I made my way back down the precarious stairs from the roof, I saw Richard Stone and Dean Hoffman hanging out in the press box so I stopped and talked for a moment with two of the legends of the sport.

Now on to Saturday morning. After I fought my way through the football traffic to Red Mile (BTW, UK was an easy winner over Florida 33-14), I pulled into a parking spot near the track and Hall of Fame driver Tim Tetrick waved as he walked by. As always, I headed first to the breakfast tables, but I was disappointed to see everything empty. And I was hungry too!

So, I stalked Tetrick as he made his way to trainer Brian Brown’s barn. I asked him what he was doing at the track so early and he told me he would be training the star 2-year-old filly pacer Geocentric. It was obvious to see how much Tetrick loves Geocentric’s talents. Tetrick is actually the first person I told early in 2022 that I probably would be winding down my career in racing by the end of the year, and I remined him of that. He asked how this year went and I told him that while I wasn’t sure of the unknown, I am happy with the decisions made. As I was leaving the barn, trackman Greg Coon came by to say hello.

I saw trainer Erv Miller for the first time in a while and congratulated him on having a nice year. He’s in the same barn as his brother, Andy Miller, and I walked over to see Team Miller’s assistant Ernie Hendry for a second. Hendry is a big Lions fan so we talked about the game — did I mention the Lions beat the Packers on Thursday? — and the chances of the team making the Super Bowl. Which in 2024 is in my “happy place” of Las Vegas. Of course, we are dreaming, but Hendry said if the Lions do somehow make it to the [Super Bowl] for the first time ever that he’d be going no matter the cost.

I circled back and saw Bob Stewart, so we chatted for a few and he gave me some football winners for the weekend. I told Stewart that I expect a money-back guarantee. I then walked all the way to the top, to the adjoining barns of Joe Holloway and Linda Toscano.

The Holloway barn was quiet — I didn’t even see Diane Lewis or Roxie — but Toscano had just come back to the barn with a horse. When I noted in the first Backstretch how nice the barns of Nancy Takter and Chris Ryder looked, I was remiss in not noting the same was true for the Toscano and Holloway barns.

Andy Cohen then arrived on the scene and gave me a big hug. Cohen flew in from his home in Denver yesterday, and he told me he was on the inaugural United Airlines non-step flight from Denver to Lexington. He said when the plane taxied on the runway after landing at Bluegrass Airport, they received the firehose sprays from both sides.

One thing very different this year is that for the first time since I arrived in Lexington in 1998 that I don’t have “Boss” Kathy [Parker] bossing me around (said with a laugh). She noted that to me when we were at Red Mile for the Kentucky Sires Stakes championship card, and I’ve really noticed it these past few mornings at the track as she hasn’t been calling, asking “Who are you seeing? What have you learned? What’s on tap for today?” We’ve talked a few times, but it’s been a normal conversation both with racing and non-racing things included.

What a great card of racing on Saturday! I picked up my friend Chasity on the way to the track for the standout card as she wanted to join me. I called starter Mike Moss to try and get her into the car for a ride but Moss said he was out at the sale and he told me to call Eric, who drives the car, or starter Coon. I called Eric and he came and picked up Chasity and myself prior to the fourth race. We got to see up-close-and-personal Sylvia Hanover’s 1:48.1 lifetime-best victory over Twin B Joe Fresh. What a treat to see those two filly pacers in action.

Also finding the winner’s circle on Saturday were star pacers Confederate (1:47.2) and Cannibal (1:47.4) and star trotter Tactical Approach (1:50.1). When we meet next in Tuesday’s (Oct. 3) Backstretch I’ll fill you in more on some Saturday happenings. And good luck to several drivers who had to jump into cars to make the 2 ½-hour drive to Hollywood Dayton for their card with four major stakes that evening.

Just so you know, the Stable of Memories, also known as the Round Barn adjacent to the track, will be open on race days during this meet. Opening at 2 p.m. each race day, there are new exhibits on the second floor of the building. Also, a collection of old sale catalogs will be available to purchase at a nominal fee. Don’t forget if you’re in Lexington that the Stable of Memories fundraiser is tonight (Oct. 1) from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $50 and include a barbeque dinner and music. You can buy tickets in advance at stableofmemories.square.site or stopping by Fennell’s tack shop next to the track.

I’m looking forward to the opening-night session of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale on Monday (Oct. 2) at Fasig-Tipton. Hip #1 has been marked an “out” so the sale will start with Hip #2. I tried to add up all the horses offered by my sponsors, Steve and Cindy Stewart’s Hunterton Sales Agency, but I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count. I’d need several more hands and feet to even be close.

Don’t forget that at noon on Tuesday, prior to the sale getting underway, there is a cocktail reception in the Kentucky Room with breedings to seven sires — Walner, Bulldog Hanover, Trixton, Tall Dark Stranger, Sweet Lou, Captain Crunch and Bettor’s Delight — auctioned off to benefit the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge. And gas is now dropping to $3.39-3.59.