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See you there?
Photo of Golden Tempo by Sharon Wood of the Marketplace’s Wood Hill Gallery.
From the editor
Hey, Dispatchers.
Pour yourself a cup of ambition. It’s Travers week.
Last night, Dave at The Tracksider asked me for my pick for Saturday — I stayed on brand and said Cherie DeVaux. I reminded the guys (heyy, Vegas Al and Fred the Horse) what she’s meant to women in horse racing.
There’s something magnetic about a woman who figures out exactly who she is and then does it on purpose. I’ll always root for her.
So be ambitious. Be brave enough to try. And when you don’t like the road you’re walking, well, there’s always another one to pave.
— Abby
(RIP Dolly Parton.)
In this issue:
🏇 Cherie DeVaux on Barbie dolls
🍷 Free pour o’clock?
🐴 The new “go-to fundraiser of the summer”?
📩 Was this forwarded to you by a friend? Subscribe — and join the more than 6,000 of your neighbors who never miss a thing.
🀄 Mahjong is SOLD OUT. New dates — both for class and Open Play — coming soon! (Respond to this email for first dibs when I go live.)
🍽️ Speaking of making friends around a table…
Dinner Club signups for Sept. 9 are heating up! Take a short quiz, and be matched with 5 of your neighbors who can’t wait to meet you. Then bring your new friends to the nightcap/after-party to meet all the other tables. **Past attendees give the experience a 4.8 out of 5!!
HUGE thanks to our September Dinner Club sponsor, Helen Simpson of Keller Williams. Top luxury agent and Fast Agent Award Winner 🙌
🏇 TRAVERS SPECIAL
Women are definitely underrepresented in the sports of horse racing — breeding, sales, insurance, veterinarians — there’s a huge industry that makes up horse racing, and women are underrepresented in every part of it.
I grew up on the harness track, with seven brothers. So I’m a little bit tougher than somebody who grew up playing Barbies. That doesn’t mean that I’m better or I’m different. It just means that I wasn’t intimidated to come into this space.
All eyes on…
Trainer Cherie DeVaux has been in the international spotlight since winning the Kentucky Derby, but she told a packed audience at Tuesday’s Women + Wealth event that “pressure” isn’t a part of her “mental makeup.”
“I do have anxiety where I just want Saturday to be here,” she said. “We’ve put in a lot of time. It’s been fun, which isn’t always the case.”
Golden Tempo, however, seems to have changed during his time in the limelight.
“He’s so razor focused on what he’s doing right now, as opposed to this loaf of a horse [he] was a couple months ago,” she said. “He takes everything in and he’s paying attention.”
”It’s a very hard environment; you can’t show weakness,” said DeVaux. “I’m hoping that by doing something like I did, it becomes less intimidating.” (Photo by Seen in Saratoga)
🍷 TRACK FREEBIE CORNER
Red alert
Friday is National Red Wine day, and NYRA isn’t letting the holiday go unnoticed. Head to any bar where wine is served for 2-for-1 glasses of red. Not sure what you like? Josh Cellars will be handing out complimentary samples from noon to 4 p.m.
Fashionably stained teeth not your thing?
The Bulleit Woody will be handing out samples of Bulleit bourbon at the Backyard Bulleit Gazebo from noon to 4 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
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On Saturday, swing by the Jockey Silks Porch from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a free souvenir photo magnet with On The Spot Photos.
Official giveaway
Travers weekend wraps up with a Sunday giveaway: a Saratoga-themed pin.
THE RACES
Renegade, who finished second behind Golden Tempo in the Kentucky Derby and third behind GT and Commandment in the Belmont. He won the Jim Dandy. (Photo by Sharon Wood of the Marketplace’s Wood Hill Gallery)
🚨 For picks and other more hard-core track info (on the daily!), turn to our friends at the Tracksider. 🚨
Jockey Javier Castellano won his 6,000th race yesterday, but not without some drama. The last race of the day ended with his milestone triumph — and an inquiry. But in the end, all was well, and his friend Kendrick Carmouche greeted him in the Winner’s Circle with his official “6,000 wins” poster … Javier will pilot The Puma for the Travers.
Chad Brown has never won the Travers and is entering Sea Strike.
Reminder: Golden Tempo drew the same post position (9) that he drew for the Belmont … no Irad this year; Tyler Gaffalione will pilot Renegade … The controversial Paco Lopez will be aboard Baby Vino.
A filly named Usha will run in Saturday’s Ballerina. In recent weeks, The Spa has also seen Save Us Melania and Onebigbeautifulbill.
🐴 POLO FEVER
Polo is officially hot again, Dispatchers. Why is this on my mind? Because the TRF Polo Classic that went off Tuesday night is being predicted as next year’s “go-to fundraiser of the summer.” Picnics of Champagne and caviar? Of course. Whole lobsters? Now that’s impressive.
Most of the horses that played were Off Track Thoroughbreds, it was family friendly and casual but also the definition of “elevated.” (Bloomfield Farm goes until Sept. 6; the Saratoga Polo School stays in action until at least Sept. 24.)
📌 ICYMI…
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