News & notes

 "Blame it on the rain that was falling....."--Milli Vanilli, 1989.

A recently formed Federal authority tasked to regulate horse racing unveiled its findings on Monday, and found that it wasn't just training regimen that killed 14 horses at Saratoga last year, but, well, I've already spoiled it, it was rain and wet track conditions.

Of the 14 deaths, one horse died in his barn in a non-racing or training casualty. 11 others had suffered injuries to the fetlock joint, and had been administered corticisteroid injections in the affected area within 30 days of a race.

Perhaps, unsurprisingly, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) weighed in, and called for racing at Saratoga to be suspended until the track eliminates any and all causes of horse deaths. Kind of hard to do with the Belmont Stakes coming up in June.

Maybe going back to old school training can help. Maybe.

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Albany has MVP Arena & the Capital Center, with the ancient, acoustically challenged Washington Avenue Armory just up the hill.

Schenectady will soon have the Mohawk Harbor Arena.

Plans to build the downtown arena, situated a mile from Proctor's Theatre, have been approved. The new building will be the new home for Union College hockey, and likely will also take over the annual Mohawks high school tournament during Christmas break. The arena will be a multi-purpose facility, just like MVP Arena.

Contrast this with Hudson Valley Community College evicting their own hockey team and that of next door neighbor LaSalle, all because college president Roger Ramsammy took some bad advice.

Troy, it's your move.

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Skidmore came up short of winning the Liberty League women's basketball title on Sunday, losing to Vassar, 44-32. Skidmore, RPI, & Union, all members of the league, don't get the same kind of press as Siena, UAlbany, or St. Rose, but with the latter closing in May, that could change.

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Monday's high school scoreboard:

Men's basketball:

Class C semi-finals:

Duanesburg 50, Berne-Knox-Westerlo 43. The Eagles will play on without their star, Jeffrey Mulhern, out for the season with a knee injury.

Maple Hill 54, Hoosic Valley 47.

The Eagles & Wildcats will meet Friday at 5 pm

Class B semi-finals:

Stillwater 57, Fonda-Fultonville 33. Stillwater awaits the winner of tonight's Mechanicville-Schuylerville game, with the finals set for Friday at 6:45 pm.

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Here's something for Bill Arsenault at the Albany Times-Union.

In his senior season at George Washington, Brett Young (Albany Academy/Siena/Virginia Commonwealth) has appeared in 3 games, and is hitting .333 with 3 RBI. Young didn't play in the Colonials' 16-3 pasting of Bryant on Sunday. The current homestand concludes today a 1-off against UMBC of the America East Conference. Speaking of which, UAlbany will visit the Colonials on Friday.to begin a weekend series. Here's hoping Brett sees action against the Great Danes.