by Gary Stevens, Hall of Fame Jockey.
Here we are already midway through the Saratoga Race Course and Del Mar meetings, and things have been very exciting on more than the racing fronts. As always there are plenty of events and happenings going on after racing concludes.
There is never a shortage of fundraisers and charity events. At Del Mar there have been events to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund as well as the California Equine Retirement Foundation. Up in Saratoga, there are always plenty of the same type of events to benefit the PDJF as well as many retired racehorse foundations.
Del Mar has been fun as usual, but it is time for me to shift full attention to Saratoga as I will be there next week for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and NBC Sports Network coverage of weekends at Saratoga starting on August 11. The racing on both coasts has been top class, as always, and it doesn't figure to slow down with the Travers Stakes, Whiney Handicap, and Woodward Stakes, just to name a few, at Saratoga.
Summer Racing at Saratoga
In Del Mar, I will be looking forward to the Pacific Classic Stakes, Del Mar Debutante and the Futurity to name a few.
The crowds at both tracks have been exceptional and the trend we saw through the Triple Crown with a major upswing looks to be continuing towards our fall Breeders Cup World
Championships. We have already witnessed some awesome performances on both coasts by our stars of the future, the 2-year-olds.It will be exciting to see which ones will continue to develop and find their niche.
I am looking forward to my travels over the next several months, and the excitement of the second half of the year.
2011 Pacific Classic at Del Mar
