SARATOGA SPRINGS — When Donna Barton Brothers retired from horse racing in 1998, she was the second-winningest female jockey in the country by money earned. Since then, she’s become one of the sport’s most prominent advocates, using her talents as a broadcaster and reporter for NBC Sports to explain the complicated world of horse racing to the masses.

“We have a lot of language that is specific only to our sport,” Brothers told Saratoga TODAY, “and it doesn’t make people want to know more about our sport if we constantly use language that excludes them from understanding what we’re talking about.” 

On June 4, she’ll bring her explanatory skills to “Embrace the Belmont,” an event at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame that aims to teach the Saratoga community about its upcoming Triple Crown race. 

“I just wanted the people who are in town and the ones most affected by the Saratoga circus coming to town every year, to have an event for them,” Brothers said.

Fox Sports analysts Acacia Courtney Clement and Maggie Wolfendale will join Brothers at “Embrace the Belmont” and discuss all things Saratoga, which ranks as Brother’s second-favorite track in the country.

“Saratoga is such an iconic venue,” Brothers said. “When you walk in and look at that structure, you feel the 100 years plus of history ingrained in the wood.”

Brothers said that much like Keeneland in Louisville, Kentucky, people in the Saratoga paddock “still have a deep reverence for the sport.”

That reverence is part of the reason why Brothers said people in the horseracing industry are eagerly anticipating this year’s Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. But there are some aspects to this year’s race that insiders are less excited about, such as the New York Racing Association’s (NYRA) decision to run the event at a mile and a quarter instead of the traditional mile and a half.

Brothers also said that there’s been a push in the industry to change the Triple Crown schedule to make each race about a month apart, with the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, the Preakness on the first Saturday of June, and finally Belmont on the first Saturday in July. Brothers said NYRA has been resistant to these proposed changes.

“I think it was a little bit surprising that they were willing to change the distance so quickly without any sort of discussion with people in the industry, but yet they seem to have very little willingness to change the dates, the spacing, of the Triple Crown races,” Brothers said.

Nonetheless, Brothers said that the primary response among horseracing insiders to this year’s Belmont is excitement.

“We love the history of horse racing and we love that some things will never change. But it’s also fun to have a little bit of excitement and have things shaken up just a little bit here and there,” she said.

One organization that has shaken up the industry a bit is Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, organizers of the “Embrace the Belmont” event. Brothers visited the nonprofit’s facilities in March and came away impressed.

“They’re helping people who are marginalized in one way or another, and they’re treating those people in a proven, effective way,” Brothers said. “I think that kind of work is very important but also very underrated.”

Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga rescues retired racehorses and matches them with humans who can benefit from equine-assisted therapy. Some of those who benefit include both adults and children with mental illness, veterans, families, couples, and victims of domestic violence.

In support of the organization, Brothers will emcee “Embrace the Belmont” on Tuesday, June 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the National Museum of Horse Racing and Hall of Fame. To learn more about the event or to purchase a ticket, visit thsaratoga.org/events.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — When the Palladian-style Lake Avenue school building opened in 1924, no students crossing its entrance knew about the Great Depression or World War II or Beatlemania. 100 years later, the Saratoga Springs City School District is celebrating the history of Lake Ave Elementary with a bevy of proclamations and celebrations.

On April 30, Lake Avenue School Day was officially declared by a representative from Congressman Paul Tonko’s office, State Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, State Senator James Tedisco, and Mayor John Safford. The group gathered outside at the corner of Lake Ave. and Regent St. to issue their decrees.

“The history of this school is so long and so great,” said Mayor Safford. “It kind of reflects this wonderful little city that we call our own.”

After the city’s former high school burned down, the Lake Ave building replaced it. The first graduating class was in 1924, and the building remained the city’s high school until 1965. It was briefly transformed into a junior high until 1972, when it then became the elementary school that it remains today.

In celebration of 100 years, an open-house style community event will be held at the school on Saturday, May 4 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Attendees can peruse a historical exhibition, take a guided tour of the building, play two-square games, listen to live music, enjoy some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream or Nally coffee, and shop for limited edition centennial merchandise. The event will also feature food trucks, face painting, and a book fair. 

For more information about the festivities, visit www.lakeavepta.com/events/centennial.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — At an April 25 2024-2025 budget adoption meeting, the Saratoga Springs Board of Education discussed proposed cuts to the district’s transportation department.

During the first public comment period, Dean Musgrove, a bus dispatcher, spoke in opposition to the cuts. “It’s really going to do a lot of damage to our department and I don’t think you realize the extent of it,” Musgrove said.

Bob Cohan, a substitute bus driver, echoed Musgrove’s sentiments. “It’s one of the lowest paying school jobs for people, and why you go after us is beyond me,” he said.

A prior budget presentation on March 28 suggested that two full-time transportation department positions could be eliminated: a bus mechanic and a bus dispatcher. The district is not planning on cutting any driver positions.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Patton said there had been “significant sacrifices” this year in order to achieve a balanced budget. “We truly appreciate the feedback that we do receive from transportation,” he said. “Mr. Musgrove and I had several conversations.” 

Dr. Patton said he would meet with transportation staff next Tuesday and had regularly been in touch with the department’s director. Dr. Patton also said that other similarly-sized school districts had fewer dispatchers and routing specialists than Saratoga Springs.

During the second public comment period, Musgrove said that on the morning of April 25, two dispatchers and three mechanics had to drive school buses to cover for five drivers. In the afternoon, Musgrove said that two bus runs needed to be canceled despite three dispatchers, three mechanics, and the transportation department’s assistant director all pitching in to cover for bus drivers.

“I have a hard time understanding why $180,000 can’t be located to cover these two positions that you’re talking about cutting,” Musgrove said. “Even though they’re not technically driver positions, they are actually drivers.”

Education Board member Amanda Ellithorpe said she felt for the transportation department. 

“I’ve been there,” she said. “I get it. I didn’t like having to make the decision tonight.”

Now that the board has adopted the 2024-2025 budget, a budget hearing will take place on May 9, followed by a budget vote on May 21.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Mentoring program needs more volunteer mentors and is expanding its recruitment efforts.

Program Director Colleen Forneris said that her organization has attended a number of local events recently to help match more kids with potential mentors. Currently, the program has more kids than mentors. 

“They all absolutely benefit from having an extra adult in their life,” Forneris said. 

Mentees range in age from 7 to 17, and the majority of them are contending with challenging life circumstances that can range from problems in school to problems at home.

Mentors can serve as role models to these kids, giving them one-on-one support and granting them access to activities and events they otherwise wouldn’t experience. These activities can include hiking, going to the movies, exploring a museum, or bowling.

“The [mentors] that we have are absolutely fantastic and really have made a big difference in their kiddo’s life,” Forneris said.

Although mentors can come from many different walks of life, Forneris said they tend to fall into three categories: retirees looking for volunteer work, working professionals searching for a meaningful activity, and college students.

After filling out an application, prospective mentors meet with a Saratoga Mentoring representative to discuss their likes, dislikes, hobbies, and interests. That way, the mentor can be matched up with a kid who has similar preferences. This makes it easier for mentors and mentees to find activities they can do together.

Saratoga Mentoring expects a one-year commitment so that a connection can be built between mentor and mentee. On a weekly basis, most mentors spend anywhere from two to six hours with their kids. 

Forneris said that one unique benefit of the program is that Saratoga Mentoring can utilize other resources and charities to help mentees with other life problems, such as paying bills or buying groceries and clothes. 

To learn more about being a mentor or to fill out an application, visit saratogamentoring.org.

DELHI — The Skidmore College softball team walloped SUNY Delhi last week, taking both games of a two-game series on the road. The contests ended after only five innings, thanks to the mercy rule, which occurs when a team is ahead by eight or more runs after five innings of play. The dominant victories may provide a spark for the struggling Thoroughbreds.

Game One

Skidmore - 16
SUNY Delhi - 3

In the first game, four Thoroughbreds had triples and five had stolen bases. Three players had three hits: Grace O’Connell (3 RBI), Hailey Clarke (3 RBI), and Franchesca Casillas (2 RBI). Clarke, a freshman, was a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate and pitched all five innings, striking out four and allowing two runs. She earned her first win of the season.

Game Two

Skidmore - 12
SUNY Delhi - 0

In a shutout victory, O’Connell went 3 for 4 with a double and a triple, driving in two runs. Outfielder Bernie Berner and catcher Jessica Nachamie also went 3 for 4. On the whole, the team had 15 hits, scoring multiple runs in three of their five innings. On the mound, freshman Mallory Allen earned the victory, giving up only one hit. Allen’s ERA for the season is now an impressive 1.43.

After the pair of wins, Skidmore improved to 5-18 on the season.

Last week, O’Connell was also named to the Liberty League’s Honor Roll thanks to an eight-game hitting streak. During the previous week, she was 9 for 16 with 3 RBI, 4 stolen bases, and one dinger.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Hang on to your hats (or helmets), some buckin’ broncos (or bikes) are headed to town. 

On May 9, at the East Side Recreation Park, the Saratoga Springs City School District is hosting a Bike Rodeo event that will include mechanics on site for minor repairs, a helmet fitting station, a bike safety station, games, a bike obstacle course, and a physical education teacher race. The district will also have its bike fleet available for those who don’t own their own bike.

Last year, said Lake Avenue Elementary physical education teacher Jake Zanetti, about 200 kids attended the rodeo. But he and the district are hoping even more will come galloping in this year.

“This has been a very big year as far as the Saratoga School District and bikes go,” Zanetti said. “We’re actually the first school district in the entire country to have a comprehensive, K-12 bike program in our schools.”

The Bikes in Schools program, launched earlier this month by Saratoga Shredders, is designed to enhance the physical education curriculum by integrating cycling into the daily activities of students across the district’s six elementary schools. 

The program is one of several recent bike-related happenings in Saratoga. Last weekend, Biketoga had its first monthly Slow Roll in Congress Park.

“We have a great biking community here,” Zanetti said. “It’s really becoming a more and more bike-friendly community as far as adding bike lanes around the city.”

Zanetti cited the new Graphite Range Community Forest in Wilton as one of several recent examples of the area offering more trails for bikers. 

“Saratoga the city is just a great place to get from point A to point B on a bike,” Zanetti said.

This year’s Bike Rodeo will take place on Thursday, May 9, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the East Side Recreation Park’s track and in-field off Caroline Street. The rodeo will be followed by Bike-to-School Day on Friday, May 17.

BALLSTON SPA — Spa Academy, a unique program that allows Ballston Spa High School students to study in a college environment and earn college credits, is being “paused” for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, according to Superintendent Gianleo Duca.

For the last three years, Hudson Valley Community College’s North campus in Malta hosted the academy. But due to its expansion and increased enrollment, the college can no longer accommodate the program. Duca said he was notified of this in late February.

“The Spa Academy program takes up some pretty prime real estate at a really good time spot for college classes,” Duca said at an April 17 Ballston Spa Central School District Board of Education meeting. Duca said he hoped to restart the program in the Fall of 2025.

The district searched for an alternate site to house the program, but couldn’t secure one in time for the 24-25 school year.

While the district continues its search for a new site, current Spa Academy juniors will be able to finish their high school careers on the Hudson Valley campus, where they can take both high school and college classes. Current freshmen and sophomores (about 30 students total) will come back to Ballston Spa High School until a new academy site can be secured.

“It’s an unfortunate situation,” Duca said, “but I do think we’re going to be able to relaunch Spa Academy for Fall 2025.”

Hailed as a “new and innovative high school model” upon its launch in 2021, Spa Academy students can earn a high school Regents diploma while simultaneously enrolling in courses that give them college credits. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — At an April 18 Board of Education meeting, two Saratoga Springs City School District transportation department employees questioned proposed budget cuts that could eliminate two full-time positions in their department.

Dean Musgrove, a dispatcher, expressed his concerns during a public comment period, saying that he spoke on behalf of other transportation workers. “We’re very concerned about the situation that we’re in right now,” he said. “The cuts proposed are going to make things significantly worse.”

In a prior education board meeting on March 28, a budget presentation suggested that two full-time department positions could be eliminated: a bus mechanic and a bus dispatcher. 

Musgrove said his department was “at the end of our proverbial rope” and said fellow transportation workers in the audience were there to ask for the board’s help. 

David Gonzalez, a first-shift dispatcher who works with Musgrove, said he understood that “cuts have to happen, but we are putting safety at risk with cutting a mechanic, cutting a backup dispatcher.”

“I think these decisions need to be reconsidered,” Gonzalez said. “There are other options.”

Saratoga Springs, along with many other school districts nationwide, has struggled in recent years to hire bus drivers and maintain all of its bus routes.