Tom Peat, who lives in Liverpool at the Village Mall Apartments, won a tidy sum by betting Kentucky Derby longshot I’ll Have Another across the board on May 5.
As tall as a tree and just as solid, Peat’s a hard-working dude who sports a well-trimmed moustache and sometimes can be seen biking on village streets. He planned to back the horse again when it ran in the Preakness on May 19, but Murphy’s Law interceded. Or maybe it was the sandman.
“I fell asleep,” Tommy told me last week. When you snooze, you lose.
He never made it to the Off Track Betting parlor that day. Too bad for Tom, because I’ll Have Another again nosed out Bodemeister to take the second leg of the fable Triple Crown.
“But I won’t fall asleep for the Belmont,” Pete promised. “I’ll put my money on I’ll Have Another again.” Tommy initially picked the Kentucky-bred colt because he liked its bibulous moniker, and now he likes the horse because of the way it runs.
A lot of Peat’s pals call him Kentucky Tom because he always roots for the Wildcats, but now he’s also a fan of wild horses.
Belmont Stakes’ star
The Belmont Stakes will attract the attention of the racing world this year as I’ll Have Another bids to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. Given his skill set and the 1 ½-mile length of this race, he may have the best chance of any contender in years. Eleven horses are scheduled to make the run on June 9 in Long Island.
The undisputed star of this year’s Belmont Stakes, I’ll Have Another closed strong to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. The Belmont’s distance should weed out the early speed long before the finish, which should benefit the favorite. Biggest questions will be his ability to win a race in which he doesn’t come off the pace and whether he has the stamina to run strongly in three grueling races in five weeks. Meanwhile, its rider, the young jockey Mario Guttierez, looks forward to crossing the finish line before any other contender.
I’ll Have Another’s currently listed as a 4-5 favorite, followed by Dullahan at 5-1 and Union Rags at 6-1.
Good luck, Tommy!
And don’t forget to set your alarm clock.
Aubrey fires up the grill
The new owners at Aubrey’s Sandwich Chef at 663 Old Liverpool Road – Jill and Gary Vincitore – look forward to a summer full of grilled sausages and salt potatoes. I stopped by the popular luncheon spot a few days ago and gobbled up a sweet and creamy chicken salad sub complemented by a cup of chicken and rice.
Now that the sun is shining, the Vincitores are firing up the outdoor grill where they’ll barbecue chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers and sausage served with peppers and onions. The chicken dinner’s a real deal at $7, as it includes a choice of boiled potatoes, mac or potato salad plus a can of soda.
Named after their daughter, Aubrey – who’s often on hand gracing the shop with her loveliness – the Sandwich Chef is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Customers can dine in, take out or get delivery; 935-2050.
Junior’s savory salad
Speaking of good eats, Nichols Supermarket assistant manager Mike Hennigan Jr. has been spending more time than usual in the store’s deli section. Earlier this month he created a new side-dish dubbed Junior’s Summer Bean Salad.
Mike’s creative concoction combines chick peas, kidney beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, and black beans along with chopped peppers, onions, tomatoes, dashes of feta, mozzarella and cheddar cheese and a dab of fresh Italian dressing made with tangy balsamic vinegar.
The end result is a savory salad perfect as a side dish to charcoal-grilled meats and seafood.
“The secret is the way the beans soak up the dressing,” Mike said.
He’s right. You hardly notice the dressing when you take a bite, but the beans are luscious – meaty and marinated – the accompanying veggies crisp and crunch and the bots of cheese soft and creamy. A little yin, a little yang and plenty of taste, all for $2.99 a half-pound.
Sports photos at LPL
My Eagle Newspapers colleague, photographer Herm Card, will show a variety of his sports images in a exhibition titled “A View from the Sidelines” to be displayed in the lobby at Liverpool Public Library beginning June 1.
Card is retired from two professions – teaching and umpiring.
