The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
Polo today looks to be the old-fashioned style. There will be no fixes or set results. You win and your in and if you do not it’s is going to get hot as you head East just a little earlier.
Polo like life and times is changing every year. I think it was maybe 6 years ago or may have been less when Memo was nearly hung for fixing a game and it did not hurt anyone. It just gave him a better position in the tournament. This summer I think at least 50% of the games were fixed or maybe more (in my opinion). However, I can assure you, I doubt there will be a fix from here on out as if you lode you are history and there is no more. Today’s games bring some good chances to see the players and teams go very hard. The fields are getting rough and this always makes the stripes more involved in the game, but it will be even for both teams.
The first game is between the two teams, who each have a title this Summer. ERG took the Silver Cup while Grant’s Farm took the America’s Cup. This is the big one and there is no more in 2011. I think this game will be running as long as the field holds up, then it may get a little rough as line changes become a key tool in all.
Game 2 is going to be on a very weak field and you have some very steady penalty shooters on both teams. It will likely come down to the one who has the hot stick today. Mansour and Piaget take the field at 3 PM. The weather looks to be picture perfect at about 70 degrees with a light breeze.
San Diego is in the action big time as well. It is the big day for Del Mar as well I think as the Pacfic Classic is also being run next door at the Del Mar Race Track. Expect huge crowds on both sides of I 5 and a wild time the Polo side. Polo has the guns of Fast –etta (Mariano Fassetta), the Brays and Cossio along with silent Chris Maloney and the Doctor (Gaston Von Wernich). They are in the Rossmore Cup presented by Fine Magazine. Expect a huge crowd ever Sunday and you always know there’s a party going ON where the Surf meets the Turf . Half way around the Planet it was Las Monjitas with an Astrada beating Ellerston with a couple of Pieres in Sotogrande in the Gold Cup. If Piaget wins today will bring about the Brothers of these two battling here in Santa Barbara Polo Club, but first they have to win today.
I doubt there is any Polo in New York today. I guess they would have tried to play yesterday as Irene plans on stopping things around the Big Apple for a day or two.
So grab your snacks and favorite sunscreen and head to a POLO GAME.
See ya