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Our recap of the action on- and off-track to give you a flavor of the premiere race meet in America

Saratoga Racing Season 2003

Week Five

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Week One ** Week Two ** Week Three ** Week Four ** Week Five ** Week Six

Wed 8/20

Hard to believe, but even at beautiful Saratoga some folks spend the day plopped down in front of the TVs in the Carousel area of the grandstand.

Left, jocks Jean-Luc Samyn and Mike Luzzi walk to the paddock prior to the 7th race. Right, Pat Day, on his way back to jocks room after a race, stops to pose for a photo with baby and Dad.

Wed 8/20
Attendance: 21557
Weather: Warm and sunny.
Highlights: *** Traffic Chief, owned by NYRA bigwig Barry Schwartz, scores in the $150K Albany for state-breds.
*** Jockey Jean-Luc Samyn falls off his mount, Vinthea, in the 7th race when the horse clips heels and stumbles slightly. The rider breaks his leg and is sidelined for the remainder of the meet.

Thurs 8/21

On hot afternoons the horses get a quick on-track shower after being unsaddled near the winner's circle.

Thurs 8/21
Attendance: 19281
Weather: Nice.
Highlights:

Fri 8/22

Left, the ESPN anchor position on the clubhouse turn. Right, the view from the clubhouse turn back towards the grandstand.

Left, Wild Spirit in the paddock prior to the G1 Personal Ensign. Right, upset winner Passing Shot getting her picture taken after the race.

The 'silverware' awaits the winner of the Personal Ensign. Allen Jerkens talks with ESPN's Jeannine Edwards.

Fri 8/22
Attendance: 23254
Weather: Sunny and hot despite TV forecast of showers.
Highlights: *** Apprentice Pablo Fragoso continues to impress, bringing in 46-1 outsider Arjay's Flag in the day's opener.
*** The Giant Killer Allen Jerkens does it again, winning the G1 Personal Ensign with 11-1 Passing Shot. At the top of the lane Jerry Bailey shot up the rail with Frankel's 1-5 fave Wild Spirit and looked home free, but Santos got Passing Shot back in gear late and nailed the favorite on the wire for the upset.

Sat 8/23

A record crowd (non-giveaway day) of 66,122 partied the day away. The backyard was wall-to-wall revelers.

An artist captures on canvas the excitement in the Saratoga paddock. Right, Valid Video and Joe Bravo in paddock prior to capturing the G1 King's Bishop.

Bobby Frankel and Jerry Bailey await the arrival of Peace Rules. And then it's 'Rider's up!'

Left, Pat Day and Ten Most Wanted. Right, Edgar Prado and Sky Mesa.

A crush of press in the winner's circle following the Travers. Right, winning trainer Wally Dollase is interviewed after the Travers for ESPN.

Exiting the winner's circle: Pop-artist Leroy Neiman, NY governor George Pataki.

And after a record crowd departs, there's plenty of refuse to clean up!

Left, a local TV crew wraps up their Travers day coverage. Right, the large crowd creates a traffic backup on Union Avenue outside of the track for an hour or so after the races conclude.

Sat 8/23
Attendance: 66122 -- Saratoga record for a non-giveaway day.
Weather: Gorgeous.
Highlights: *** Country Romance wins the $75K Victory Ride at 10-1.
*** Bill Mott's Stylish takes the G3 $200K Ballston Spa at 8-1.
*** Trademark follows up Bernard Baruch win first week of meet with a nice score in G2 $200K Fourstardave.
*** Wally Dollase ships Ten Most Wanted in from SoCal and wins the G1 $1 mil Travers, repeating the feat he scored with the horse's father, Deputy Commander, in 1997. Favored Peace Rules and Jim Dandy winner Strong Hope hung on for second and third respectively after duelling through some serious fractions early. Sky Mesa disappointed, finishing last in the field of six.
*** The last race on the extended 12-race card goes off at 7:05 pm EDT.

Sun 8/24

Some folks like the clubhouse. Some like the backyard. Then there's this gang -- those sitting in Sections X and Y and the very end of the grandstand, and the right-next-door picnic area, aptly named the 'Top of the Stretch'.

Left, Allen Jerkens sent out Shine Again in search of her third win in the G1 Ballerina. But it was Richard Migliore and Harmony Lodge (right) pulling the upset.

Sun 8/24
Attendance: 27205.
Weather: Nice.
Highlights: *** In one of the guttsiest performances of the meet Richard Migliore squeezed every ounce of talent out of Harmony Lodge and she just held on to nose the closing Shine Again in the G1 $250K Ballerina. Shine Again was trying to win this stake for the third straight year. Instead it was another Spa score for red-hot trainer Todd Pletcher.

Mon 8/25

From the There's Something You Don't See Everyday Dept.: A woman in the Saratoga paddock wearing a rubber dress!

Sixty Seconds scored in the G3 Glens Falls for trainer Clement and jock Santos.

Mon 8/25
Attendance: 17352
Weather: Warm. Overcast early, sunny later on.
Highlights: *** G1 winner Evening Attire scores in the 7th race, a $58K alw.
*** Trainer Christophe Clement entered three in the G3 $100K Glens Falls and took the top prize with Sixty Seconds. Jock Joses Santos gave the winner a top-notch ride, getting the nod right on the wire. It was his last ride at Saratoga for 2003. He went on a suspension the next day.

Week One ** Week Two ** Week Three ** Week Four ** Week Five ** Week Six

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