Jerkens remembered at Saratoga

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There are new fences and signs up all over the place.

It’s been many years since they chalked and rechalked the winner’s circle right on the dirt of the Saratoga Race Course main track.

The Chief’s fedora is under glass, in a superfluous, slick, expensive-looking building behind the grandstand with a security guard who must have the second-most boring job on the grounds (the people guarding the reserved picnic table area win).

It doesn’t seem right, in many ways, but this is 2015, and things change. They always do.

Some of them.

In most other pockets and corners of this track, The Chief still breathes on Saratoga.

On Saturday, we were treated to a tribute day in honor of trainer H. Allen Jerkens, who died at the age of 85 on March 18 after a Hall of Fame career that touched seven decades.

Throughout the card, replays of the historic and memorable races won by his cavalcade of stars and not-so-stars played on the snazzy new video boards on the infield and on the hundreds of HD TVs. His friends and colleagues offered heartfelt testimony.

It was beautiful to behold.

Then his family gathered in the winner’s circle after the eighth race, including daughter Julie and sons Allen Jr., Jimmy and Steve. Allen Jr. spoke to the crowd, first doffing one of his dad’s fedoras, then choking back some Chief-like tears at the end.

As easy as it is to admire and celebrate the accomplishments of The Chief, I’ll always remember him as one of the few people I’ve ever met who was utterly devoid — perhaps incapable — of B.S.

The Chief showed that in a variety of ways.

And if you hang around the backside in the morning, or watch the races in the afternoon, phoniness usually gets exposed pretty quickly. I like to think that, somehow, in some small way, The Chief has a hand in that.

One of my favorite Chief stories came from trainer Todd Pletcher last year.

He recounted his 1989 “introduction,” when Pletcher was a young stud-to-be assistant to the original mega-trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. Lukas sent Pletcher to Jerkens’ barn to pick up a horse that one of Lukas’ clients had purchased privately.

It’s as hilarious as it is illuminating: “Actually, I vividly remember the first time I met him,” Pletcher said last summer with a laugh.

“I walked into his barn, and I had this image of Allen Jerkens, this legendary trainer. I kind of walked in, the shedrow was kind of a mess, so I walked down to the feed room, because I didn’t see anyone, and there was this man, in shorts and no shirt, sitting on a bucket, chopping carrots. I said, ‘Excuse me, uh, is Mr. Jerkens here?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, whaddaya want?’ ”

Trainer Chuck Simon, a Saratoga Springs native, is back for the first time in a long time with three horses for the meet, and barely recognizes the paddock.

He remembers when, well before they (rightfully) erected a fence around the saddling ring, a tipsy patron walked right up and started rubbing the hindquarters of one of Jerkens’ horses who was in the next race. Somehow, the person didn’t get a hoof through the chest.

“The Chief said, ‘God must be on the side of the drunks,’ ” Simon said.

“Perhaps, though, his favorite winner’s circle was that simple chalk circle behind us,” Allen Jr. told the crowd. “You may remember that, if you’re one of those veterans here at Saratoga.

“He loved that winner’s circle, perhaps because he was so proud of his charges coming down that stretch on top. For him, it was the ultimate thrill. Hopefully, over the years, he gave you a thrill, as well, and put a smile on your face as you went to the winner’s bet window.”

There’s a helplessness to nostalgia.

But it can be useful, too.

If a trainer gives an unknown jockey a chance, maybe it’s because that’s what The Chief would do.

If somebody lends a backstretch worker a few bucks for a meal, maybe it’s because that’s what The Chief would do.

The races he won are indelibly etched on Saratoga, but he lent a vitality to this place in so many other subtle, important ways.

“Our dad’s message to you would be this: Keep Saratoga thriving, vibrant, alive, as it is today,” Allen Jr. said.

“To keep Saratoga . . . well, Saratoga.”

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