It's been a while, 13 years, since I last clocked the Del Mar summer meet.
I clocked at Del Mar from 1992 to 2011, almost 20 years, before we ventured out east.
I have to say it has been a wild ride, thoroughly blessed to have tackled the summer at Saratoga from 2012 to 2021. Every year, except Covid year, 2020, I had a little cabin by the lake. What a treat.
Every morning spending 6 hours going back and forth from the Oklahoma to the main, main to Oklahoma, back to the main, and finally back to Oklahoma for turf works, everyday.
Del Mar is much more simpler, I sit my arse down and the horses come to me.
This [Thursday] morning I got back in my Del Mar saddle again.
I missed it.
Here is the funny part, some of the people I remember from my 20 years here, are still sitting in the same place. Clocker Andy, to my right, a quarter mile down, starting gate to my left, even Pepe, the valet guy, remembered me, giving me a warm handshake.
I am sure I will see Tom Quigley at the same corner every racing day, Frank Scatoni, running around doing his seminars at the top of the stretch, John Lies, working hard in the racing office and his 100 jobs. Hoover on the simulcast show, Trevor calling the races, Josh Rubinstein who used to work up in the press box as a young man, now heads the track, the only thing missing is my dark, longer hair, and dark beard, and much fitter version of moi.
I did have one character pop in my mind, Clocker Bob. He was a middle aged, child of the 60s, who may have done a few to many mushrooms in his youth. He ate parsley in the morning with fresh olive bread. A character, known for his cartoonish laughter.
"Reunited and it feels so good" Peaches and Herb would have been so proud. Well, I know I am taking the nostalgia a bit far.
Del Mar has a mystique few tracks have.
My first morning was uneventful, Peter Miller, who wears a blue pad, popped two horses right after the tractors had gone off, for the 2nd break, while Curvino was running away to be far in front I figured it out very fast who [trainer] that was (Miller), I padded myself on the back, for just a split second, I was back on the bike again, no training wheels needed.
There is a few new shooters, new faces, like Shaun Williams whom took over for Robertino Diodoro at Oaklawn, Kent Sweezey has a string here at this time and Michael McCarthy is becoming a force as he worked about 8 horses today and seemed to have wave after wave of gallopers.
I really believe I am much. more mature this time around and my time back east opened my eyes to racehorses. I am nowhere near the same analyst I was 13 years ago. I have added much more to my arsenal.
I experienced everything, I have learned and grown, I have already gone over and seen all the gates from Santa Anita to get an idea of what these maidens look and act like on the track. Brian Lauzurica and I, will be handling the clocking, and he will tell you himself, he 'ain't half bad'. I already have a database of all the horses that are shipping in from across the country, with markings, in addition to all that are already here.
I am also keeping a close eye on Saratoga, discuss every work and video that Mike Miakisz, Amy Kearns add to our database. I do half the card the maidens and stakes, Laz handles the others and he will tell you 'he's good!'
I even had Jason, our Churchill cameraman spend two days at Ellis Park and will be publishing gate works from Ellis from Sunday and Monday, as he was moonlighting there for Fan Duel.
I watch everything, It has to have a stamp of approval, you have seen it, the 'HR approved' logo.
I will be in Del Mar thru the summer meet, Keeneland for the fall, back to Del Mar fall meet and Breeders Cup.
We may have a big announcement of where we will spend the winter soon. Stay tuned for that.
I am fired up and ready to go. I can't wait for tomorrow morning and 5 am comes up mighty fast.
