America’s Pastime Stables was formed by people in the baseball industry that also have a passion for horse racing. About 25 miles west of the Saratoga Race Course is Amsterdam, New York. During the months of June and July you will find the Amsterdam Mohawks playing there as the team is run by team president and America’s Pastime Stables managing partner Brian Spagnola. The Mohawks have called Amsterdam home for nearly 25 years, and there you will also find Keith Griffin, Megan Anagnostopulos and Jon Sargalis who are all affiliated with APS working for the team. The team is comprised of college baseball players from all over the country and it has become a summer destination for highly toughed baseball players as 21 have reached the majors and 3 were drafted in the first round over the past 5 years.
Gary Henderson is one of the college baseball coaches who sends his players to Amsterdam and has been at high level programs such as Kentucky, Mississippi State and now Utah where the team will soon be playing its home games at the newly constructed Charlie Monfort Field beginning in 2026.
Going back a year, Spagnola received a call from Henderson in 2024 asking for a silent auction item for the team’s fundraiser dinner. Not that anyone was expecting someone in Utah to bid on it, a VIP Day at the Saratoga Race Course was offered in the off chance someone would be interested. The next day, Spagnola received the call that someone was interested; Charlie Monfort, owner of the Colorado Rockies.
Monfort had a growing interest in horse racing and spent a day in Saratoga with us in 2024. Smokin’ Hot Kitty got us into the Winner’s Circle that day and Monfort even presented a trophy to the winner of a following race.
Following that experience, Monfort wanted to get in the game and get a horse from the start. Partnering with us and Jeff Bloom, we found a horse at the Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of Two-Year Olds in Training and found a two-year old Girvin colt out of Toni Ann’s Miracle by Hear No Evil.
The horse was named Rockies Balboa and giving to Eclipse Award winning trainer Dale Romans in Churchill Downs and then shipped to Saratoga.
Rockies Balboa made his debut in Monday’s first race on closing day at Saratoga and ran fifth in a 6-furlong Maiden Special Weight. Jockey Junior Alvarado, who was sporting the new Colorado Rockies inspired Monfort silks said once he gave him a break to catch his breath he reengaged and was impressed by his first effort. Trainer Dale Romans said this was a good experience for him and hopefully he’ll learn how to be a racehorse now.
With the Saratoga meet ending Rockies Balboa will ship over to Churchill Downs and continue training there.