1981 Whitney Handicap - Fio Rito

[@samludu5916]

The starter's ability to hold on to Fio Rito after he broke through the gate was nothing short of heroic. He should have been identified later in the broadcast, maybe even given some of the winning purse later. I talked to him years later one morning when he was demonstrating how the starting gate worked to folks on the Saratoga backstretch tour. He was surprised that I knew he was. Kind of a folk hero.

[@richardk6196]

Fio Rito was my grandmother's favorite horse. She was not a big horse racing fan per se, but she did like his name and his color. She would have been 98 yesterday. Miss you Gram.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

Dang! Fio Riot is one of the rare horses to break through the gate and still win.

[@howardcampbell6796]

Joanie's Chief, taught me a lesson in the true north hndcp . Only closer in the field must have made up 25 lengths at 23-1

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

Winter's Tale and Ring of Light were tough horses who would often turn up in five-horse handicaps in the early double, to attract the OTB players and keep the short fields out of the pick-six.

[@WaltGekko]

Actually, the pick-six wasn't offered on a regular basis until 1985 as I remember. NYRA would on some weekdays card the feature as the opener, especially during the winter (even if it wasn't a short field) to get betting from the lunch crowds that used to pack the OTBs in Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn in particular.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

@@WaltGekko They had rules for it and it was usually Saturday I know that from 1980. And yes the handle on the early double was $500,000 versus $100-200k for the late double.

[@KayderossKid]

If I were those owners, I would have given that starter a huge tip or bought him dinner or something! He was being dragged down the track, but he saved their race for them!

[@qhsperson]

My thought exactly. Outstanding performance.

[@jameskinchen2148]

Ha ha, they gave me a $20 bill. I still feel cheated.

[@yipyappyyip]

What an amazing job by Fio Rito's assistant starter to hang on...

[@anthonygariti8079]

I know Hulet personally great friend and best jockey at Finger Lakes in those days always gave me gifts like racing goggles and signed autograph

[@pugskins]

Horse was all heart.

[@johnfurgele9962]

Good Old Finger Lakes----one of my faves!

[@JillynnStevens]

Check out that amazing jockey, Leslie Hulet!

[@chrislowe8589]

Brings back memories. Fio Rito and Funny Cide are the two best horses I ever saw in person.

[@lkmorgan1959]

Mike was so proud.

[@tomdimartino7361]

I watched this with Sam Ferraro sr. Mike Ferraro's father. We were both yelling all the way down the stretch. Mike is still training horses at a few tracks and is still a top rated trainer. This is Tommy DiMartino, Hi Mike and Mike jr and Markie. I hope you guys are doing well. I will try to get out to FLRT with Sammy this summer. Tommyd

[@WaltGekko]

This was actually the first year the Whitney was a Grade 1. Prior to 1981 it was a Grade 2.

[@WhiteCamry]

And without a helmet or flak vest!

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

I had $2.00 to win on Fio Rito at 9-1 in this race.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

Marshall Cassidy was a horrible track announcer.

[@howardcampbell6796]

I always thought that he would have been better suited to work in a funeral home. He just recently passed away . This is actually one of his best calls .

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

@@howardcampbell6796 i had to listen to him at OTB often without video in the early 1980s with large amounts of money on the line every half hour. He was maddening.

[@howardcampbell6796]

I worked on the track from 86 til early last year . Whenever I ran a winner I used to make sure that I taped it on " The Harvey Pack show " the worst ones I remember clearly . Sounded like someone was forcing him to make the calls. Luckily we had Tom Durkin and John Imbriale later on .

[@davidmitchell6997]

@@howardcampbell6796 Imbriale makes Marshall sound like Laurence Olivier.