BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa native and Duke University softball standout Ana Gold was selected by the Blaze as the 9th overall pick in the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) college draft on Saturday night. The draft was broadcast on ESPNU.
The AUSL will feature four teams playing a 24-game season in a traditional format. The league’s commissioner is Kim Ng, the former general manager of the Miami Marlins and a former assistant general manager for the New York Yankees.
Gold’s college career at Duke includes a career slash line of .309/.412/.610. To those numbers, she’s added 49 homers, 7 triples, and 28 doubles for the Blue Devils since her freshman year in 2022. She’s also stolen 50 bases and totaled nearly 200 hits in a little more than 600 at bats.
At Ballston Spa High School, she was ranked the No. 39 prospect in the country (according to Extra Innings Softball), was named three times to the Suburban Council’s First Team, and was a two-time Second Team All-Stater.
The Blaze also selected Virginia Tech’s Emma Lemley and Florida Gator Korbe Otis in the draft.
Saratoga Springs City School District logo via the district.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into the Saratoga Springs School District on Tuesday for allegedly violating Title IX.
The inquiry came as a result of a letter sent to the department last month by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, whose congressional district includes parts of the Saratoga school district.
“The Trump Administration has been unrelenting in our effort to ensure that women and girls’ educational experiences are not marred by sex discrimination,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “It is a clear violation of federal civil rights law, and of women’s dignity, to allow males to participate in female-sports and occupy female-only intimate facilities. Women fought for decades to secure Title IX protections, only to have these protections subverted and betrayed by those who prioritize a distorted ideology over fairness, dignity, and safety.”
“After my strong public advocacy, I want to thank President Donald Trump and Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon for swiftly opening a formal investigation into the Saratoga Springs City School District for their failure to uphold Title IX protections for women and girls in sports,” Stefanik said. “The Saratoga Springs School Board’s resolution allowing biological males to participate in girls’ sports and access girls’ locker rooms is a blatant violation of federal law under Title IX and an affront to the progress generations of women have fought to achieve. I remain steadfast in my commitment to fighting for the rights and futures of our young women, and I am proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump in this important effort. Thank you to the local parents who brought this to my direct attention.”
A letter sent by McMahon to Saratoga’s Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Patton includes a request by the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights for information it said was required for the investigation, such as:
• The district’s narrative response to the allegation under investigation and all documents or records referenced in the narrative response;
• All written policies or procedures in effect in, or followed by, the district during the 2024-2025 school year regarding the participation of male student athletes on girls’ athletic teams and/or their access to girls’ locker rooms;
• A copy of the district’s policy describing the definition or meaning of the words “sex,” “gender,” and/or “gender identity”;
• Any documentation regarding inquiries, complaints, or requested revisions to the policies or procedures regarding male participation in girls’ athletic teams and/or their access to girls’ locker rooms;
• A list of the district’s sports teams for girls and separately for boys for the 2024-2025 school year;
• A copy of the district’s athletic team rosters for all interscholastic sports teams classified for girls or women, identifying on each such roster any participants who are male.
The impetus for Stefanik’s letter and the subsequent Education Department investigation was a resolution recently passed by the Saratoga school board titled “Affirming Our Support for Every Student.” The resolution, which did not change any existing school policies, states, among other things, that the Board of Education would:
• reaffirm its support for the district’s policy and regulation 0105 titled “Equity, Inclusivity, and Diversity in Education”;
• uphold New York State laws safeguarding vulnerable populations and not comply with directives that violate civil rights protections;
• affirm that every student has a right to an education regardless of immigration status, and that law enforcement officers may not question students on school property except under very specific conditions;
• respect students’ chosen names and pronouns while also ensuring their right to use facilities and participate in activities and sports consistent with their gender identity.
The resolution appeared to be a clear attempt to combat several Trump administration policies that threaten to rescind federal funds from educational institutions that don’t comply with the president’s executive orders. According to Saratoga School Board Vice President Tony Krackeler, $3.1 million of the district’s 2024-25 budget came from the federal government. All of those funds, Krackeler said, are only amendable by an act of Congress.
According to the district’s Physician Advisor Dr. Emanuel Cirenza, there has only been one instance of a transgender athlete in the district in the last 28 years.
Prior to the investigation, the resolution attracted national attention due to the popular conservative X account “Libs of TikTok,” and the Riley Gaines Center, which sent its Ambassador Kaitlynn Wheeler to an April 10 Saratoga school board meeting to protest the resolution.
Stefanik is reportedly considering a run for governor after her nomination for UN ambassador was withdrawn earlier this year.
Sidecap creators Adam Feldman, Dave Dolinsky, and Case Fell pose with a congratulatory certificate issued by Arrow Bank and the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Sidecap—a new canned cocktail created by local friends Adam Feldman, Dave Dolinsky, and Case Fell—was unveiled in a celebration at Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor last Friday afternoon.
The drink contains a custom small batch of Kru Coffee cold brew spiked with vodka and delivered in a Ninth Planet Beverage Solutions can.
“The foundation of Sidecap is really community,” Feldman said at the event. “It’s Saratoga owners, Saratoga coffee, Saratoga canning, Saratoga retail; that’s what we really believe in.”
“Sidecap isn’t for sitting still,” reads the hard cold brew’s product description. “It’s for the go-getters, the risk-takers, the ones who rally when everyone else taps out. Whether you’re post-hike, pre-game, or mid-pool party, this is your drink. Cold. Bold. Unapologetic.”
Sidecap is now available at Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor and other local retailers.
EAST GREENBUSH — Kevin Smith, an East Greenbush native whose MLB career culminated with a stint on the 2024 New York Yankees, has a new venture keeping him busy during retirement: a premium youth glove company called Kali Gloves.
Smith, a Columbia High School grad who also played with the Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics, co-founded Kali Gloves with Matt Talarico, the Yankees’ former director of speed and baserunning.
The idea for their new collaboration was born in the Yankees clubhouse, where players and staffers struggled to find a high-quality, customizable leather glove specifically designed for kids and little leaguers. Smith began taking matters, quite literally, into his own hands.
“We started to cut up gloves in the locker room,” Smith told Saratoga TODAY. “I was cutting up my own gloves trying to figure out a way to make them easier to close [and] have them fit little kids’ hands better…We took our experience of seeing kids always using the wrong glove, making it harder for them to be good at playing catch and play the game and have fun, and we paired it with as many innovations as we could to say, ‘Okay, this is the glove that I want my kid to have.’”
The key ingredient in the Kali Gloves recipe is Japanese kip leather, which is lighter and softer than traditional rawhide, but durable enough to hold its shape after years of wear, tear, and ground balls. It’s also easier to break in, and it does a better job molding itself to the smaller hands of young athletes.
According to Talarico, one unnamed MLB All-Star said he liked a Kali glove designed for Talarico’s daughter better than four custom gloves designed just for him. “He couldn’t believe there was a youth glove that felt like that,” Talarico said in a message posted to the Kali website.
This All-Star apparently wasn’t the only major leaguer to try out a Kali glove. Smith said that Yankees ace Max Fried recently wore one at Yankee Stadium.
“A lot of former players and coaches are buying it for their kids,” Smith said. “That was the best thing because they’ve been around the game for so long.”
The swanky-looking gloves are all 10.5 inches, an ideal size for kids learning baseball basics. They also feature elastic wrist laces that prevent slipping and sliding, elastic finger loops that ensure correct hand placement, and palm slits that help the gloves maintain their shape and performance over time. All told, the Kali glove distinguishes itself from both cheaper competitors and pricier custom gloves that can sometimes take up to a year to receive. (By contrast, a mint-colored Kali glove imported from Japan takes only 3-4 weeks to arrive.)
Smith said that designing and manufacturing these youth gloves began as a hobby, but soon blossomed into a booming business.
“We went through a bunch of prototypes that started catching on and a lot of people were interested in them, so we figured we’d make a few more, and it’s been really fun,” Smith said. “The long-term vision is to be a youth athletic company trying to make premium products for kids, ones that help them play the game and love the game better.”
It might not be long before Smith, who is settling into a post-playing career in Arizona, starts designing gloves for his own kids: an 18-month-old and a 7-month-old.
A young Kevin Smith, who grew up in the Capital Region as a New York Yankees fan before becoming a Yankee himself in 2024. Photo via Smith’s X account.
“I got to play in the big leagues and my wife traveled with me and we had a lot of fun but now we’re trying to grow a family, and the hotel life with two little kids wasn’t going to be ideal,” Smith said. “My family still lives in Albany [and] we’re in [Arizona] raising a family.”
Last season, Smith played in two games for the Yankees, the team he grew up idolizing as a youngster. “I was one of those kids watching [Derek] Jeter every night,” Smith told the YES Network’s Jack Curry during spring training.
Perhaps now, young New Yorkers watching the Bronx Bombers on TV will have better gloves to bring with them to the ballpark.
Stewart’s Chief Operation Officer Chad Kiesow toasts to the new Belmont Stakes-themed ice cream with Pat McKenna, Vice President of Communications for the New York Racing Association (NYRA). Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — After a quick bugle call in the parking lot of the recently renovated Stewart’s Shops at 402 Lake Avenue, the ice cream maker partnered with the New York Racing Association (NYRA) to unveil the “Bel-Mint Stakes,” a tribute version of Mint Cookie Crumble.
The Belmont-themed flavor will be available at Stewart’s counters for a limited time, from April 28 until June 8 (the final day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga).
“Stewart’s and Saratoga Race Course have worked closely for many years,” said Stewart’s Chief Operation Officer Chad Kiesow in a press release. “It is exciting to expand our partnership to celebrate the Belmont Stakes, an event that brings so many racing fans and so much energy to the community.”
Stewart’s is also offering a special $99 three-day general admission pass for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at participating store locations.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Last week, Druthers Brewing unveiled the latest can design for Saratoga Vibes, a light lager with hints of lemon and lime, available at Druthers locations and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). In an Instagram post, Druthers called the beer “a favorite seasonal tradition that hypes us all up.”
The can design by artist Jean Ellen Sotansky depicts a band with an impressive lightshow playing on the SPAC stage. The image may be inspired by Goose, a jam band that played at SPAC twice in 2024 and once in 2023.
Sotansky, a Saratoga local, is also responsible for large-scale murals at Druthers, Hattie’s, Osteria Danny, and Nashville of Saratoga.
The new can heralds the arrival of the SPAC spring/summer concert season, which kicks off this month.
Image via Saratoga Central Catholic Saints Athletics.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic varsity baseball team won the 36th annual Phil Waring Memorial Tournament last Saturday, defeating Duanesburg 7 to 3 in the first game and besting Fonda 10 to 0 in the second contest.
Hunter Fales was crowned Tournament MVP. Fales and Ronan Rowe both notched their 100th career hits in the game against Duanesburg.
In the first game, reliever Brian Selif pitched 3 scoreless innings for the Saints, striking out a whopping 8 batters. At the plate, Fales went 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, while Kihl Kelly was 2-for-2 with a triple.
In the second game, Luke Dejnozka took the mound for 5 innings, allowing only 2 hits and whiffing 6 batters. Fales, Kelly, and Jason Pescetti also smacked doubles at the plate.
Heading into two games this week against Hoosick Falls, the Saints were an undefeated 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in the Wasaren League standings.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — “A Star is Born” has been adapted for the screen four times, most recently in 2018 with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. The fifth adaptation might have to be set here in Saratoga Springs, where native daughter Katie Davis has solidified herself as a bona fide leading lady, thanks to the new Netflix documentary series “Race for the Crown,” which premiered on Tuesday.
The show, which chronicles the lead up to the Kentucky Derby, the Derby itself, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, explores both the downtown and iconic racecourse of Saratoga through the eyes of Davis, a female jockey who tosses out memorable one-liners such as: “If I didn’t become a jockey, I would’ve liked to have been on a SWAT team just to knock doors down.”
The fifth episode of the six-episode series introduces viewers to Davis while she plays with her kids at a family home in Saratoga. Throughout the penultimate and final episodes of “Race for the Crown,” Davis gushes about her hometown.
“I grew up here in Saratoga,” Davis proudly states. “It’s such a special place. My daddy bought this [house] in 1995. We all just come for the summer and camp out.”
Although Davis comes from a family of jockeys, the show spotlights her unique status as a woman in a male-dominated sport.
“There’s not many women that ride Saratoga, so when the fans see a woman, they’re all like ‘yeah, this is awesome!,’” Davis says. “My arms are bigger than most men, but I’ve learned that it’s not about how strong you are, it’s more about finesse and connecting with horses.”
A montage of clips showing Davis riding at Saratoga is followed by scenes that demonstrate the everyday challenges of being a female jockey, such as when a parking attendant at the Pimlico Race Course won’t allow her to enter a jockeys-only parking lot.
Davis, with tears in her eyes, also speaks about being told by a former agent that she wouldn’t be able to make it as a jockey. Of course, that didn’t stop her from doing it anyway.
“If somebody says I can’t do something, watch me,” she says.
After an unsuccessful attempt to win the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico, Davis returns home to ride Union Trail during a race at the 2024 Belmont Stakes Festival. She wins in a runaway, prompting cheers from spectators as she enters the Saratoga winner’s circle.
“Man, just like riding in Saratoga alone, it’s like going to Yankee Stadium,” Davis says after the victory.
The show also follows Davis as she strolls downtown with her husband and kids during the Belmont on Broadway event.
“Saratoga, it’s such a family environment,” Davis says. “People are always friendly. So when I rode the first year here, I wanted to connect with the fans because that’s what’s important to me because they are our livelihood. They are going to keep us going in this industry.”
Netflix viewers are treated to shots of a crowded downtown, where Davis chats with and embraces friends and fans. A few b-roll shots show a Saratoga mounted police officer, the Adirondack Trust building, green Belmont banners affixed to lamp posts, and local shops like Uncommon Grounds and James and Sons Tobacconists.
“There are just a handful of towns in the world where their charm derives from the fact they are racing towns,” says racing broadcaster Nick Luck. “Newmarket in England, Deauville and Chantilly in France. In the United States, Lexington, Kentucky, and, of course, Saratoga. Even though the Belmont Stakes is not at its spiritual home, it is at a very important venue and one which will never give you a free pass.”
Almost the entire sixth episode is set in Saratoga, with particular focus on Jayson Werth, a former MLB star and co-owner of ‘24 Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch. Werth’s unexpected, Cinderella-story win at Belmont serves as the final emotional crescendo of the series.
Saratoga makes a couple cameo appearances in earlier episodes of the show as well. In episode one, trainer Todd Pletcher is seen at the Oklahoma Training Track, and billionaire horse owner Mike Repole chats with the Netflix crew as he walks around barns and offices in the backstretch.
All in all, “Race for the Crown” serves as a flattering advertisement for the Spa City.
A sign in Saratoga Springs celebrates the many achievements of the Blue Streaks’ cross country program during the Kranicks’ tenure. Photos via the Saratoga Springs City School District.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Art and Linda Kranick, the head coaches of the Saratoga Springs girls track and field program, retired last week, according to a statement released by the district.
“It is with a profound mixture of gratitude and sadness that I announce the retirement of our esteemed coaches, Art and Linda Kranick, who have dedicated their lives to the success and development of our distance running program since 1985,” the statement said. “Their impact on our athletics and the larger realm of cross-country and track and field is unparalleled, and their departure marks the end of an extraordinary era in our school’s history. As stated previously, this is due to a private medical situation, and we ask for your grace and empathy during this difficult time for Art and Linda.”
“As we celebrate their storied careers,” the statement continued, “we recognize the countless lives they have touched through their dedication, passion, and unwavering support. Art and Linda’s commitment to fostering teamwork, resilience, and a love for the sport will have a lasting influence on all who have had the privilege of learning from them. Since the inception of their coaching careers, Art and Linda have molded our distance program into the most successful in state history.”
In their nearly 40-year career, the husband-wife coaching duo garnered almost too many accolades to count.
The Blue Streaks girls cross country team was crowned state champions dozens of times throughout the Kranicks’ tenure, beginning in 1987 and culminating with another state title in 2023. For two years in a row (2020 and 2021), they were ranked the best team in the entire country. In 2004, the squad won the inaugural Nike Cross Nationals Team Championship. That ‘04 team, said MileSplit NY, is often considered one of the best cross country teams ever.
In 2005, the boys team also won the Nike Cross Nationals, making Saratoga the first-ever team to win the title in both genders. As recently as 2022, the Kranicks were named the National High School Cross Country Coaches of the Year. Notable Blue Streak cross country stars in years past have included two-time Foot Locker National Champion Erin Davis and 2018 NCAA First Team All-American Aidan Tooker.
In recent years, the Kranicks had come under scrutiny for alleged instances of abusive coaching, which were detailed in a legal complaint filed in October 2023. In that document, 1989 graduate Kristen (Gecewicz) Gunning said that the running program was “a toxic culture of control and abuse of middle and high school girls all in the name of winning.” 1999 graduate Lauren Hogan said that some aspects of the Kranicks’ program “caused immense damage to me both mentally and physically.” An updated version of the legal complaint also included more than a dozen witnesses who made various claims against the cross-country and track program. The claims spanned from the 1980s to 2022.
Art and Linda Kranick pose alongside student-athletes after being named the 2022 National High School Cross Country Coaches of the Year.
Despite the allegations, the Kranicks never lost the support of the Saratoga Springs School District, which rehired them even after the abusive coaching claims. Many runners, students, parents, and other members of the community also defended the Kranicks following the legal complaint.
At a school board meeting in March 2024, standout varsity runner Emily Bush said, “As much as I love this sport, I can tell you all confidently that I would not be doing it if I felt like I was in an abusive environment. The skills I’ve gained are invaluable and I can’t stress that enough.”
At that meeting, five parents of current or former Saratoga runners also expressed support for the Kranicks’ program. One of them criticized local media outlets for only highlighting negative aspects of the program. Another, Carl Strock, said he sympathized “with those who thought the program was extreme. I thought it was too. You don’t get to be national champions by taking it easy, by having a lot of days off. You get to be national champions by pushing yourself and by others pushing you.”
In August 2024, Superintendent Dr. Michael Patton told Saratoga TODAY that he did not have any concerns about the Kranicks moving forward. “I’ve been here for seven years and have gotten to know the Kranicks very well,” Patton said. He added that, in the past year, the Kranicks had met all of the athletic department’s expectations.
A report published in March 2024 by the Harris Beach law firm seemed to question the district’s decision to rehire the Kranicks. But the report also noted that there were a number of people who praised the Kranicks “for their successes and positive contributions.”
Following a national title victory in 2022, then-senior runner McKinley Wheeler said that “it really meant a lot” to be a part of the Blue Streaks team. “All the effort and work Mr. and Mrs. Kranick put into this program, and our training, and our success, is just really moving,” she said. “They’re really great coaches, and just overall great people. Going through these years, and being able to go to these meets and experience what we did, I’m just really grateful.”
The Kranicks have been tentatively replaced by Tom Reilly as the girls head coach, with Shane Cassidy acting as his assistant.
Kim Ng of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League presents Ballston Spa native Ana Gold with a “golden ticket” for the league’s upcoming inaugural draft on May 3. Photo via the Duke University softball team.
BALLSTON SPA — Ana Gold, a Ballston Spa native and senior infielder on the Duke University softball team, recently earned a “golden ticket” from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), a new professional organization launching in June.
The golden tickets are being awarded to some of the top college players in the country prior to the inaugural AUSL College Draft, which will air on Saturday, May 3 at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
The AUSL will feature four teams playing a 24-game season in a traditional format. The league’s advisors include Kim Ng, the former general manager of the Miami Marlins and a former assistant general manager for the New York Yankees.
Gold’s college career at Duke has been wildly successful. As of Monday, her career slash line was .309/.412/.610. She’s smacked 49 homers, 7 triples, and 28 doubles for the Blue Devils since her freshman year in 2022. She’s also stolen 50 bases and totaled nearly 200 hits in a little more than 600 at bats.
Last season, she set a number of Duke softball records, including smashing two grand slams in one game and knocking in 8 runs in a single game. She also set the program’s all-time career home run record.
At Ballston Spa High School, she was ranked the No. 39 prospect in the country (according to Extra Innings Softball), was named three times to the Suburban Council’s First Team, and was a two-time Second Team All-Stater. She batted .411 with 12 home runs and 33 RBI as a freshman before improving to .418 with nine home runs and 34 RBI as a sophomore.
Gold’s older brother Luke was an All-ACC baseball infielder at Boston College before being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers.
