The day at Saratoga Race track where I felt the electricity run right through my body. [View all]

[shockey80]

I have been going to Saratoga Race track for over 35 years. It has wonderful fair like atmosphere.

I have seen some of the greatest horses, greatest races in the history of horse racing. On this day I witnessed, heard something, that I have never witnessed, heard, before or since.

It was 2009, Woodward Stakes day. The Woodward is a race for the best boys in the country. In this Woodward a female was attempting to beat the boys. Her name was Rachel Alexander. On this day a legend would be born.

Rachel was a speed horse who could carry her speed a long way. She liked to take the lead, catch me if you can. I knew this was going to be a tough race for Rachel. The race was a mile and an eighth long. I thought she could win IF she could take the lead and slow the pace down, If no one challenged her for the lead. Even the greatest speed horses can be beat if they go too fast at the beginning and middle of the race. They can tire coming down the stretch.

I always sit on the lawn behind the grandstand. For this race I stood on a bench in front of the grand stand. There was a decent size crowd, but not near the size crowd you see on travers day.

The race starts, Rachel goes for the lead and a couple of horses quickly challenged her for the lead, not good news for Rachel. I looked towards the tote board to see what the fractions were. The first fraction, quarter pole, came up. They were going way too fast.

Second fraction, half pole, was slower than the first fraction but still too fast.

Rachel held the lead coming into the stretch. When she hit the stretch, she dug in. The closers in the race made their move and they were gaining on Rachel quickly. She was tiring, she ran too fast at the beginning of the race. One of the closers Macho Again, was gaining on Rachel with every stride. Then it happened, A noise came from the grandstand I never heard before. It was not a normal roar from a crowd.

When this noise hit me from behind the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I felt something go through me. For a second or two I stopped watching the race. I looked behind me and said out loud, What the hell was that?

I turned back to the race. Macho Again was still gaining, inching closer, Rachel kept fighting and hung on to win the race by a head.

As I walked back to me seat I was still confused, shocked by what I heard. What the hell was that? Then I figured it out. I saw women crying everywhere.

What I heard that day was, thousands of women screaming like someone was beating their own daughters. It was amazing.

Go to youtube and type in 2009 Woodward States. The call of the race by the announcer is one of the great calls in racing history.