The return of the Backstretch with Gordon column is a tradition similar to the swallows returning to Capistrano. Oh, and the price of gas in Lexington is around $3.50.

by Gordon Waterstone

With all respect to Emerson, Lake and Palmer, “Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.”

I know some of you probably thought you’d heard the last from me as I’ve had a pretty quiet year, but here I am back for yet another year of Backstretch With Gordon from Red Mile in gorgeous Lexington, KY.

I continue to bounce around as much as a pickleball, and here I am this year in the pages of Harness Racing Update. After many, many years at The Horseman And Fair World and the last two with the U.S. Trotting Association, year 21 — yes, year 21 — of Backstretch With Gordon has now bounced to HRU.

Much thanks have to go to my longtime sponsor, Steve and Cindy Stewart’s Hunterton Farm and Hunterton Sales Agency, for continuing to support me. I am grateful that several publications reached out to me about Backstretch — some good offers, some not-so-good offers — so thanks also have to go to my agents Nick Salvi and Amy Hollar for advising me to sign with HRU. Thank you, Dave Briggs.

Getting what y’all want out of the way early, when Backstretch started back in 2003, the price of gas was around $1.50-1.60 a gallon. On Tuesday (Sept. 26), as I made my way to Red Mile on a picture-perfect morning in the Bluegrass, the price for a gallon of gas was between $3.45-3.59. A couple of days ago, using my Kroger points, I knocked a dollar off a gallon, so I paid $2.49.

The six days of major stakes racing gets underway on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 28), and of course, after not having rained in Lexington since Aug. 25, the track could come up sloppy. The forecast calls for rain Wednesday night into Thursday, but they can’t tell us how long it could go into the day. At least temperatures will stay warm as highs this first week of racing are predicted for the low 80s.

Red Mile looks a little bit different this year as a new paddock has been built, taking up a far part of the parking lot that was behind “The Deck” and “The Tree of Knowledge.” Also, sports betting got underway on Sept. 7, so make sure you stop in and see what a nice job was done in the sportsbook. Although you enter through the casino door, the area is actually the first floor of the Red Mile clubhouse. Announcer Gabe Prewitt — who is now the track’s VP of racing operations — did a great job working with Caesars to make the place look great. And by the way, the clubhouse has also received an overhaul since last year and it looks great, too.

There were a lot of hellos as I walked around the backstretch on Tuesday (Sept. 26). My first stop — of course — was to the breakfast tables where today’s food was provided by my sponsors, Hunterton Farm. I grabbed a bagel and then got some ribbing from Chris Tully and Nick Salvi, who were sitting on The Deck, for not having enough cream cheese on my bagel.

Eric Patalan was sitting nearby and I saw he was wearing a Detroit Tigers hat. As a fellow Michigander I walked over to ask Patalan why he wasn’t wearing a Lions hat as they are this year’s “in team,” but I saw that he had on a Lions shirt. I talked a little football with Patalan, who is at Red Mile with horses from the Anthony MacDonald barn.

Jim Stocker, who worked forever for Hall of Fame trainer Bob McIntosh, but is now in the barn of trainer Anthony Beaton, stopped to say hello on his way to the license office. Well wishes have to go to McIntosh, who is on the mend after a recent fall.

Speaking of falls, Myron Bell has made his way back to the track after falling and breaking a hip a few weeks ago. Bell looks to be recovering really nicely, no doubt in part to the support of his wife Stephanie.

I stopped for a second in the judges’ office to say hello to PJ Cooksey, and Jim Campbell came in. I apologized to Campbell for not calling to congratulate him on his recent Hall of Fame election. Campbell asked me about the Dan Patch Awards dinner in Orlando, and I told him the shindig is on Feb. 25 at Rosen Centre on International Drive.

Linda Toscano went by me on the way to the track so I congratulated her on her recent wins in the Little Brown Jug and Jugette. I texted congrats to driver Scott Zeron on both victories but I was remiss in reaching out to Toscano.

Speaking of Toscano, husband Brad McNinch also said hello as he was heading back to his barn. Carter Pinske was heading to the track so I asked him where the boss was — referring to his wife Makenna — and he said she should be right behind. I turned around and there was Makenna so I said hello to her as well.

I also walked by the stables of Nancy Takter and Chris Ryder, and both conditioners did a great job sprucing up the area. I saw Takter and assistant Josert Fonseca, and I was able to see up close Hambletonian champ Tactical Approach and a horse that is my 2024 Hambletonian choice: Karl. Karl is four-for-four in his young career — including the Kentucky Sires Stakes championship — and will aim for his fifth in a row on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 28) in race 12, a division of the Bluegrass for 2-year-old male trotters. I told driver Yannick Gingras that Karl was my Hambletonian pick already for next year and he told me that next August is a long way off, but Karl is a nice trotter who is still learning and picking up experience with every start. As much as I know Gingras loves coming to Lexington every year, I’m sure this year is different for he and his wife, Vicki, as their son Jaiden, is a freshman at the University of Kentucky.

I then made my way to say hello to Bob Stewart where we always talk about the late John Cashman as has been my first-day tradition, and Ernie Hendry came past so we chatted a second. I did the same with Dr. Andy Roberts and Charlie Norris.

Alas, Stewart wasn’t at his barn, so I called him. He apologized that he wasn’t around, but that he had to leave to pick up a horse at a nearby farm. I told him I’d see him over the next couple days for sure. Joe Holloway came by on his golf cart, so he stopped for a second and I congratulated him with his wins last Friday night at Hoosier Park with Newsroom and Blue Pacific.

If you are planning on coming to the Red Mile for the first week of racing, remember it’s a 1 p.m. post on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And remember that traffic could be heavy on Saturday (Sept. 30) as the UK football team takes on Florida at noon.

While Sunday is an off day for racing, the Stable of Memories fundraiser will be held that night. And then the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale at Fasig-Tipton gets underway at 7 p.m. on Monday night (Oct. 2). The sale moves to 1 p.m. sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, before the last session at 7 p.m. on Friday night.

Don’t forget that at noon on Tuesday (Oct 3), 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.

Racing then returns at 1 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the latter closing-day card of course highlighted by the contesting of the Kentucky Futurity.

I am looking forward to all the action in Lexington this year, but it certainly won’t be the same without the late Dave Brower, who thrived here in the Bluegrass. By now we — meaning, Brower, Salvi and Prewitt — would have likely gotten together two or three times upon his arrival after working Little Brown Jug week in Delaware, OH.

So, after walking 2.1 miles Tuesday morning at Red Mile, I’ll be back with you in Friday’s HRU and then a third Backstretch on Sunday. Thanks again to Steve and Cindy Stewart for their sponsorship. And thanks to Dave Briggs for reaching out to get me on board for a 21st year of Backstretch With Gordon.