Gold Square’s Cyberknife never raced in New Jersey. The last time he went to the Garden State was when he raced in Churchill Downsabout 750 miles from Monmouth Park.
However, when Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” plays and the 3-year-old wins TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) $1 million on July 23, Cyberknife will be the winner. 1st place, who will have the most and most passionate interest from hometown fans in Oceanport, NJ, oval.
It was all because of Al Gold and a legion of loyal friends he had cultivated all his life.
For about 50 years, Gold, who owns and operates Gold Square, has attended races at Monmouth with people who share his passion for the sport. They all had equal joy from the many days they had spent at the Jersey Shore, laughing, sharing stories, handicaps, fighting, and dumping a chest of cash through the windows.
If he were alive, I’m sure Damon Runyon would love to spend a day at the track with Gold and his friends.
“I’ve spent 50 years going to Monmouth Park. It’s like a second home to me,” said 66-year-old Gold. “I lived in Jersey for the first 60 years of my life, and it would be nice to go back and see some friends and enjoy racing with them and family.”
Cyberknife wins Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park
Now living in Saratoga Springs, NY, where he has a house with two towers on it, and Florida, Gold is counting down the days to Haskell, as he has a solid chance of winning the biggest race. New Jersey. Cyberknife, who won the Arkansas Derby (G1) and made $996,000, is one of four class 1 winners in a projected field of six and possibly second or third pick after the possibility of being awarded. favourite Jack Christopher .
“I can’t think of a race where Al would rather win than Haskell,” said Ron Riccio, one of Gold’s longtime race friends and an attorney who argued the case before the Supreme Court. and including the Kentucky Derby. brought sports betting to New Jersey and the rest of the country. “Monmouth Park is home to his lifelong friends and his kids. It’s been a big house party for him. Win, lose or draw, it’s going to be an exciting day.” .”
Over the years, Gold can be found at Monmouth with Riccio and other friends such as Lou Filoso, Allie Squillate, and Tom Lucillante, a longtime New Jersey sportswriter and now media relations director at Monmouth. After successfully battling prostate cancer and naming his candidate Haskell after the surgical tool that saved his life, Gold is mindful of friends who won’t be at Monmouth on Thursday. Seven.
One of them was the late Bill Handleman, an award-winning journalist for the Asbury Park Press who had a fondness for races with few peers. Handelman, who received a media award honored by Monmouth, passed away in 2010 at the age of 62, but he still pops up in Gold’s mind during his race visits.
“Every time I walk in Racecourse SaratogaI think Bill is still walking in there with me,” Gold said.
The Terrible Driver was involved in many of the hundreds of race stories Gold could tell about the countless days he and his friends gathered at the racetrack. Some involve the days of huge paychecks, but the best memories involve laughter and jokes during times when what should have been a big betting spot had somehow gone awry.
One of them, in 2006, involved naming the Golden Horses Handleman and Handlewoman after Bill and his wife, Judy. As Handlewoman was about to launch a career for trainer Steve Asmussen, Gold received word from the warehouse that the girl was ready for a big effort and he passed that advice on to Handleman. When Handlewoman lived up to expectations and won with a 9-1 margin, Gold was ecstatic. Then he saw Handleman, a gambler who crossed the stars, muttering.
“Bill didn’t bet on the winning horse. He only bet on the correct horse and the three-pointed horse and ignored the horse (trained by Todd Pletcher), the favorite horse in the race and finished second. . He didn’t charge a ticket to the race,” said Gold. “I couldn’t help but laugh when he told me what he did.”
It is experiences like these that build an unbreakable bond between Gold and his friends.
“I have some friends that I talk to every day and we always talk about the horses,” said Gold, who is retired from a successful real estate business and has a stable of about 24 horses of various types. said the coach. “I look forward to seeing them in Saratoga and Monmouth and enjoying a day with them.”
Ricco says Gold’s friendly and generous nature over the years has been a key factor in keeping the group together for a long time.
Riccio said: “He is a close friend and loves to joke around at the racetrack and he has a generous spirit. He always wants to do the right thing.”
While Gold looks forward to being in Monmouth on Saturday with his wife, Hilary, and children Bryan and Danya and their families, he hopes the trip to New Jersey will be less eventful than what was supposed to be the arrival flight. Hot Springs for the Arkansas Derby, the only 1st place win in the course 804 starts and 158 wins under the Golden Square banner.
“I missed the race because of a problem with the plane,” Gold said. “I had arranged for a jet to take us there, and I hate flying. So I closed my eyes and fell asleep. I woke up to the sound of landing gears falling. I thought. that we were there. Turns out, there were mechanical problems and the pilot had to turn around. Everyone on the flight was as white as a ghost.”
After weathering a tumultuous adventure associated with the Arkansas Derby, Cyberknife’s start in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) is one of those moments that reflect the years of friendship between the group.
Cyberknife training hours at Churchill Downs
Gold chartered a private jet to fly to Louisville and brought about a dozen friends and family members on board and paid for their accommodation. It was a great four day trip, except for the race. After winning the Arkansas Derby in the previous game against coach Brad Cox, Cyberknife chased a brutal pace: 45.36 and exhausted when the field came to the final turn. He was 18th in field 20, 42 lengths short of victory Rich Strike .
“If he stays, who knows what will happen at the Kentucky Derby,” Gold said. “The fractions are very different from anything he’s done before, but at least (Florent Geroux) realized that and basically pulled him up when he had nothing left.”
The loss is disappointing, but it can’t detract from the weekend for everyone who shared Gold’s long-awaited debut in Run for the Roses.
“It was four great days, except for two minutes,” said Lucicci.
After winning the Kentucky Derby, Cox brought Cyberknife back in the June 12 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, and is the son of Gunman recovered with a determined attempt at a head-to-head duel with fellow Haskell candidate Howl time and won one shot after a tough fight in the 1/16 mile test.
“If he shows up and does his race, Cyberknife will be a player in Haskell,” Cox said. “He has a very useful prep in Winn. He only wins with his nose but it’s a good horse that he beats and that’s how (six lengths) back to the third horse (Rattle N Roll ), who wins the next bet. “
Cyberknife, bred by Ken and Sarah Ramsey from the mare of Awesome Flower, was Gold’s first horse with Cox. The two-time Eclipse Award winner would love nothing more than to give the owner a second 1st place win out of $400,000 purchased by Joe Hardoon, Gold’s racing director, at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Show Yearlings 2020.
“It was great to work with Al,” Cox said. “He’s amazing. He knows the game and watches it all the time. You’ll see him at the track every morning. He’s aware of what’s going on. He’s very good to deal with and take in. bad news as well as he does good news He is a super nice guy I’m really happy to get him a 1st grade I didn’t know he hadn’t won 1st grade before. It’s great to finally earn a point for him and possibly more Come. Hopefully it will be Haskell.”
If that happens, there will be lots of cheers and tears from Al Gold and his crew. And, of course, some unforgettable memories too. Whether it’s a Saturday with 1st grade money or a normal weekday, no day at the races is complete for a homecoming New Jersey lover without a memory to cherish.
