Claiming tales ch.2

Old Yorkville Farm

My friends Joe, Paddy, Sal and myself grew up in the same neighborhood in New York City (born from 1954 – 1958).  We were all avid horseplayers, and began attending the Belmont Stakes every year, beginning in 1987 when Bet Twice stopped Alysheba’s Triple Crown attempt. Another friend, Kevin, though not really a racing fan also always came with us. There’s a few good stories about those Belmont trips, but I digress.

Joe, Paddy, Sal and myself were members of October Moon – Joe and Paddy original members, Sal and I joined later.  Together, we were a minority group and therefore had minimal input in claiming choices, race entries, etc.  So, in November of 1996 we decided that we would start a separate stable which we could control.  The new partnership were the 4 October Mooners, our friend Kevin, Joe’s sister Mae, my mother Mary, and the trainer (Dom Galluscio).  The name Old Yorkville came from that neighborhood we grew up in (the Yorkville section of the Upper East side); it no longer was like the days we remembered, hence the Old.

We started with a $2,000 stake per member. Fearlessly (or stupidly), we jumped right in and claimed Memories of Linda for $16k.  How we would pay for future expenses was a concern.  Memories of Linda was a stretch running sprinter; his best distance was 7 furlongs.  The winter meet in New York is run on the inner dirt track at Aqueduct, where all sprints are 6 furlong affairs. Memories was a notoriously bad actor in the starting gate; at 6 furlongs he needed an alert start to have a good chance.

Of course, in his first race for us, he got left at the gate and finished sixth in a $20k claimer.  Boy, were we panicked and second guessing ourselves.  Not to worry, said the trainer.  He entered another claimer ($15k), broke alertly and ran away from them in the stretch by 6½ lengths for Old Yorkville’s maiden win.  Dom had spoken to the starting gate personnel, and asked that Memories be loaded as late as possible to minimize his antics. We were off and running.

Memories was doing so well, we wheeled him right back just 5 days later, and won a $20k claimer on New Year’s Day 1997.  What a crowded winners’ photo that one was; all the partners, their children, and friends were there, as opposed to his previous win when Paddy and his wife were the only ones in attendance.

Next out, Memories ran a decent fourth in a 25k claimer.  Memories was a New York bred, and the premier winter sprint stakes for state-breds is the Holly Hughes Handicap, run in February. We decided to take a shot.  Memories broke a bit slow, but flew through the stretch to get the place behind the 8 lengths runaway winner Stalwart Member. One of the also-rans was Thepromonroe; more history with Thepromonroe and the Hollie Hughes to follow in later chapters.

After a rest, we then entered Memories in a $30k claimer at 7 furlongs on the main track at the Big A on April 3. He won going away.  When they’re going good, you run them.  Next up, 7 furlongs in a $40k claimer on April 13; he splashed home in front, alone in the winner’s photo.  Memories was claimed from us by the top trainer at the meet, Gaspar Moschera.

So all in all, a great start for Old Yorkville Farm. Seven races, 4 wins, a stakes placing, a fourth and a sixth. Claimed one horse for $16k, claimed away from us for $40k. I should mention that Mike Luzzi was aboard for all those starts, and thanks and kudos to him for all his great rides.

This seems like a good place to pause, so until the next chapter in the Old Yorkville Farm story, happy racing and may all your entries be winning ones.