An article in the Saratogian on private jet charters reports that privat jets ‘work miracles’ at getting leading jockeys and trainers to big races on time.
The aviation feats are the stuff of legend as they shuttle riders and horsemen from track to track throughout the country and all parts of the globe. Two years ago, Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey was in the third race at Saratoga, slated to race later that day in the $1 million Haskell at Monmouth Park. The plan was to fly Bailey from Saratoga County Airport to a facility adjacent to New Jersey's Monmouth Park, about an hour's air time away.
This month alone they've flown high-profile horsemen such as Shug McGaughey, Bill Mott and Todd Pletcher to major races outside Saratoga. Pletcher, for example, went to Chicago's $1 million Arlington Mile.
For trainers, to whom every second counts, private flights offer convenience, speed and a guarantee that they'll get where they're headed on time, not having to worry about cancellations, as sometimes occurs with regular commercial airlines. The price seems expensive, but to horse owners that want to protect their investments, it's worth every penny and the cost is divvied up when multiple clients share flight time.
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