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Author: Kacie Cotter-Harrigan

Saratoga Racing: Opening Weekend in the Books

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Winner's Circle.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — With Opening Weekend for Saratoga coming and going with less fanfare than usual, it comes as a surprise that NYRA saw a nine percent increase in total source income from last year’s Opening Weekend. While the lack of a live audience certainly hurt this number, it appears that Saratoga has done a good job allowing fans and competitors to still become immersed in the normal excitement and tradition that follows each Opening Weekend.

Fans lined the fences to the track this weekend to try and catch a glimpse of the horses despite New York’s call for no live audience. Their fiery passion for racing was only matched by the hot temperatures this weekend, reaching all the way up into the nineties during midday. As per Saratoga tradition, along with the weather comes races to match. There were plenty of hot races this weekend with 19-1 upsets and plenty of close Grade 1 and 2 races.

Many riders and trainers were feeling comfortable to be back at Saratoga. Seasoned horse trainer, Chad Brown, said regarding this notion of comfort, “NYRA has really done a good job… It feels very safe on the backside training in the morning. It’s well organized and I think it’s a very safe environment.” Being a native from Mechanicville, he’s well acquainted with the area but couldn’t help share his sentiments regarding the empty stadium mentioning, “It’s really nice to win this race but definitely a bittersweet day when this beautiful place is empty where I grew up… We’ll do the best we can and we’re grateful they’re running here. Hopefully, this is the only year we have to do this.”

Fans are taking every opportunity to get in on the action this season and one new way is through the ESPN 104.5, The Team radio broadcast. The broadcast will feature live coverage of the racing from Saratoga on the weekends starting at 1 p.m. These live broadcasts, presented by NYRA Bets, NYSCOPBA, and Bud Light, will be throughout the racing season and can be listened to via radio, online at 1045theteam.com, or by downloading 104.5, The Team app on mobile devices. 

When asked about the broadcast, NYRA Bets President Tony Allevato commented that, “we are excited to expand the opportunity for racing fans in the Capital Region to enjoy the audio simulcast of Saratoga Live this summer …Fans in the Capital Region will now have a trifecta of options to enjoy exciting thoroughbred action from Saratoga by watching on FOX Sports, streaming on NYRA Bets.com or listening on ESPN Radio.”

In addition to the radio broadcast, NYRA Bets is also looking to keep fans involved this season by promoting their official wagering app. For those looking to getting into horseplay, NYRA Bets is having a $200 promotional membership bonus with the code ESPN.

With Opening Weekend now in the books, racing at Saratoga will go into its usual schedule of racing Wednesdays through Sundays. Stay up-to-date with all things Saratoga by either catching the live TV broadcasts, tuning in to the radio broadcasts, or watching the streams online. For a complete broadcast schedule, check out the NYRA website at nyra.com/saratoga.

Starting Small Begins with Dreaming BIG

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Food.

Before Bob and I started Elihu Farm, we lived in New Scotland, self-employed writing about acid precipitation and climate change (before it became a ‘hot topic’). 

Eventually one of us said, “We should do something agricultural.” Soon we bought our Elihu Farm in Easton, named for Revolutionary Patriot, Elihu Gifford. Instead of raising vegetables and berries, the book left in our house, “Raising Sheep the Modern Way,” pushed us that way. We’ve raised sheep since 1987. And concentrate on lamb cuts, pastured eggs, and wool.

The way we started has made me curious about how other Saratoga Farmers’ Market vendors began.

Before we joined the Market, we met Marge and Dave Randles. Dave and his brother ran Randles dairy farm, founded in 1860 in Argyle. Dave explained, “Seventeen years ago, the price of milk was abysmal, so we thought of doing value-added products.” 

Making cheese was Dave’s first idea, at Argyle Cheese Farm. But “Marge is a visionary,” he said, “who thought about a variety of products.” 

They offer fantastic yogurt, award-winning cheese, cheese spreads, cultured buttermilk, smoothies, gelato, and more. Check out tzatziki sauce, new breads, doughnuts, and baked goods. 

When the Market needed a new coffee vendor, Beth Trattel, Something’s Brewing, at first shared a small space with Argyle Cheese Farmer. “The Market was a better fit than my coffee shop in Greenwich.” 

“About two years ago, I started coffee roasting.” with sustainable beans. “It’s like making wine, or cooking,” she said. “…more creative and flexible.”

Her Battenkill River Coffee has several varieties, and she blends her own teas, blueberry lavender this week. In addition, she makes lemonade, iced black tea, iced mocha, Italian cream soda.

Mark Bascom and Lindsay Fisk planted Owl Wood Farm in Salem five years ago. They heard owls in woods at a leased farm and their current farm.

They studied environmental science at two colleges, including sustainable agriculture. Lindsay explained, “We started working on farms during summers, and took various apprenticeships after college.”

After the apprenticeships, they decided to raise Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, herbs, and strawberries. Lindsay said, “It’s a grassroots alternative to the National Organic Program, and we do it so we can be third-party verified.” At Farmers’ Market, salad greens are the most popular.

Saratoga Farmers’ Market runs at Wilton Mall 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletter: www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

FM IcedMocha

You are Gnocchi Listening

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Food.

Hello my Foodie Friends!

Being Italian and Irish, both my daughter and I love her mom’s homemade sauce as part of the many Italian heirloom dishes made in our household.  Among the most popular food that people associate with Italian cuisine, and sort of a staple in most Italian restaurants in the United States, are gnocchi [nyoh-ki]. These tiny dough dumplings most typically are made of semolina, parmesan cheese, flour, eggs, salt, and potatoes. But before we proceed right to how to make gnocchi, here are some factoids about these delectable dumplings you might want to know: According to historians, the earliest recorded mention of gnocchi was in the 14th century. Mention of them was discovered in Italian cooking manuscripts of that time period. There are many theories as to where gnocchi came from and how they were invented. One theory is that much like the origin stories of many traditional Italian dishes, these dumplings have Middle Eastern origins. The story is that as the Roman Empire expanded their territory, soldiers conquering lands in the Middle East discovered gnocchi, or its earliest predecessor anyway, along the way and liked them so much that they brought the recipe for them back to Italy. On the other hand, some historians also believe that gnocchi have been in existence in northern Italy as far back as the 12th century.

At Compliments to the Chef, we carry gnocchi boards to assist with making homemade gnocchi. The Gnocchi Board easily forms pasta dough into authentic Italian gnocchi. The ones we carry are made in Italy from natural beechwood; easy-grip handle maintains the perfect angle and keeps board steady for easier use.  The board has ridges that help shape pasta and add texture which will hold more sauce; works nicely as a cavatelli maker, too.  The gnocchi board forms a more consistent shape than using a fork; won’t flatten delicate dough; same size pieces cook more evenly and make more attractive presentation. The board is easy to use and clean; wipe with a dry cloth or brush. Once you make your gnocchi, you can add it to whatever your favorite sauce is. Be creative and have fun creating some unique combinations. 

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, located at 33 Railroad Place to assist you with finding the cool tools to help with your culinary creations. Remember; “Life happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & PaulaJRrec

Saratoga Racing: Off Track Betting, Online Streaming, Merchandise, and More

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Winner's Circle.

SARATOGA SPRINGS ­— The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has worked closely with the City of Saratoga over the past couple weeks to set up Saratoga for another year of horse racing. However, with the threat of the Coronavirus still looming about they are going to be switching to a more virtual approach to racing this year. While fans won’t be able to get the full in-person experience of a day out to the races, the NYRA is still looking to offer them a way to partake in the quintessential Saratoga summer experience.

While broadcasting the races on live television and online is nothing new for Saratoga racing, the NYRA is promoting their “Saratoga Live” broadcast nationwide for all racing fans to watch. These broadcasts can be viewed on Fox Sports 2 and MSG+ from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. or on FS Regionals from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on all racing days. Be aware that with the uniqueness of this racing season, all times and dates are subject to change. Be sure to check the NYRA Website for more information on broadcast times and channels as to not miss out on the best races this season.

One of the main appeals for fans and newcomers alike is betting on the races. The amount of upsets and the thrill of close stake races definitely backs up the nickname of the Saratoga Race Course, “Graveyard of Champions.”  Off-Track Betting (OTB) is becoming more popular with the absences of on course betting. The thrill of betting on horses, whether it be letting it ride on long odds, taking the safe bet, or just choosing the horse with the best name is an experience that is many horse racing fans enjoy. There are many different OTB sites across the capital region that make it easy to stop in and place bets on your favorite horses. Also, there is OTB Mobile Wagering so people can place horse bets easy. The ease of using a mobile app to bet, as well as the constant access to race results makes it a popular way for people to partake in Saratoga Racings main appeal.

However, NYRA isn’t just looking to simulate the racing experience, but are also looking to highlight local non-profit organizations in the Saratoga County area as part of Community Outreach. While racing is center stage during any visit to the track, the booths setup also help to contribute the atmosphere and helps to give back to the local community for being so supportive of the race course. This year, NYRA will be featuring these non-profit organizations on their websites community tab. In statement by NYRA’s President and CEO, Dave O’Rourke, “We encourage fans to visit our website throughout the season to learn more about the impact these organizations have on our community.”

Also, to go along with this unique season, NYRA and the City of Saratoga Springs are joining with two local non-profit organizations in a joint initiative to fundraise for the community through the sale of Saratoga Race Course face masks. This announcement comes after their original launch of the masks in mid-June which quickly sold out. The masks come in packs of three featuring different designs: a white mask with a red Saratoga logo, a blue mask with a red logo, and a red mask with a white logo. Fans that want get some of this limited time merchandise should act fast and preorder on the NYRA webpage before they sell out again.

With the first few days of racing underway, be sure not to miss out on any of the action and know that NYRA is doing their best to keep things fresh and new this season. For any scheduling or event news, be sure to check out the NYRA webpage for Saratoga at nyra.com/saratoga.

Lerman Comes Back to the Spa 35th Season for his Lambholm Horses

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Winner's Circle.

Roy Lerman is not one for reflection, but he does have a unique career to reflect upon.

This will be the 35th season at Saratoga as the owner, trainer, and breeder of Lambholm. Initially, Lerman planned to stay at the former Hobeau Farm in Florida for the summer due to the uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, when Belmont Park started racing at the beginning of June and the Florida weather started getting warmer, he decided to bring a small group of horses to New York.

“I had made no plans of coming up here because I didn’t know what was going on,” Lerman said. “I was planning to stay on the farm in Florida for the 2-year-olds still in training. Once [the track] said they were going to run, we decided to come up here. It wasn’t a good alternative to stay in Florida because we are 300 miles from Gulfstream Park. Plus, it’s brutally hot down there.”

Lerman has brought just 12 horses to his well-manicured private stable, which is a few hundred yards from the main track. Besides the improving 3-year-old Joyous Times, he has seven 2-year-olds who are still in training, including East Wing (by Soldat, winner the 2010 With Anticipation Stakes) and Private Code (by Honor Code, winner of the 2015 Whitney Stakes). Although, Lerman indicated those young horses may still need time.

“None of these 2-year-olds are ready to run yet,” he said. “I never push them along, but if they get ready, then they are ready. They have been training and breezing regularly in Florida. Now, it’s time to start increasing their speed.”

Each day since coming to Saratoga in mid-June, Lerman noticed that the area is not quite the same – especially around the track – as everyone is trying to be safe.

“You don’t get a sense of excitement or anticipation here,” he said. “I see a couple of guys who are here. There is no socializing. Saratoga is not the same. People can go to a restaurant, but I haven’t. I don’t want to be paranoid, but I also want to be safe.”

Lerman even had similar experiences when he was racing horses in Florida and more recently at Belmont.

“Nothing is the same,” he said. “When I was racing at Tampa, I knew it wasn’t the same. That’s a nice small facility that can hold 5,000 people, but no one was there. It was like virtual racing. When I was at Belmont a couple of weeks ago, it was bizarre. I came in, checked the horse in the barn, saddled the horse in the paddock, watched the race, got in my car, and drove back.”

Horse racing was not Lerman’s first career. He started as a lawyer for the Department of Labor and a private practice after graduating from Syracuse University and Georgetown Law School. At the same time, he had an interest in horse racing as he slowly made a career of buying a farm to develop and race horses in the mid-Atlantic region.

“It was a long slow process,” he said. “I had farms in Virginia. The principle reason I kept the practice going was for my son. If he ever wanted to become a lawyer, that would make his life easier. I wanted to leave possibilities for him.”

Today, his son Ethan is an assistant judge and has a general practice firm in Missoula, Mont., which also focuses on equine and racing issues. Even Lerman continues to be an occasional consultant on legal matters.

“I still have people who call me about cases in which I can tell them about as a lawyer,” he said. “I will tell them that not every lawyer is the same just like not every doctor is the same. There are different qualities and specialties. It happens all the time. We review the case with them. I am only a consultant in that sense.”

Lerman also indicated there are some similarities in being a lawyer and a trainer, especially since it takes time to develop a case – or a horse.

“The development of a race horse is not too dissimilar of the evolution of a case,” he said. “It takes a long time to get to the end of a civil case and a complex criminal case. You can’t jump over any step in a legal case. It’s the same thing with racehorses. If you skip over a step, you might get away with it, but not often.”

Since saddling his first horse at Shenandoah Downs in West Virginia in February 1978, Lerman has seen his fair share of winners. This includes his first stakes winner with Lava in the 1982 Capital City Handicap at Penn National, back-to-back victories with Dance Mask in his first trip to Saratoga in 1985 and winning the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap in 2016 with Evidently.

Lerman has also bred, raised, and sold many horses, including 1996 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup, whose auction bid was never met for $29,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale in May 1993. George B. Ridder eventually purchased Alphabet Soup privately before the late-developing horse won five other graded stakes races in California.

Lerman knew Alphabet Soup had a lot of potential as a 2-year-old, which was confirmed by two of his exercise riders on the farm: Kim Keppick and Olympian medalist Karen O’Connor, the spouse of Olympian gold medalist David O’Connor.

“I knew something about him,” Lerman said. “However, these two riders were excellent. Kim and Karen rode this horse with a couple of other girls in Virginia. They loved this horse. That opened my eyes to the horse.”

Alphabet Soup, who was also a sire at McMahon Thoroughbreds in Saratoga from 2011-2013, has been retired from breeding since 2015 and stands at Old Friends Farm in Kentucky.

As for Lerman, he plans to stay in this business as long as he can. However, one thing Lerman does not regret is his career decision from being a lawyer to owner, trainer and breeder.

“It’s beats spending a career in the labor department as an attorney,” he said.

We’re Scaling Mountains

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Food.

Hello my Foodie Friends!

We are living during difficult times because of the coronavirus pandemic. Those challenges can affect us both physically and emotionally. 

Staying active during the COVID-19 pandemic is important for both our physical and mental well-being. During our recent times of social distancing, increased outdoor activity has been a positive trend; especially taking advantage of the beautiful Adirondack area we are part of. 

Lace up your shoes and get on the trail. Whether running, biking, or simply taking a scenic stroll through the woods, this activity is safe and provides a wealth of health benefits. Chances are that your eating habits have changed a lot in the past few weeks. Along with the focus on our physical activity is our dietary approach to being home. Rather than downing chips—chocolate or potato—it is possible to look at this time at home as an opportunity to adopt or even improve healthy eating habits. Making healthier food choices can help with improving the quality of your diet.  However, regulating the size of food portions is a simple process that can help with weight loss or avoiding weight gain. Weighing out food before it is eaten is a convenient method of controlling portion sizes and is something you can easily do at home with basic kitchen equipment. A digital kitchen scale can help with measuring. 

A pointer to assist with weighing:

Weigh out the desired portion size. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a standard portion for most meats and fish is 3 ounces. Look for portion size information on packages and use online resources such as MyPyramid.gov to learn about the recommended portion size of other foods. Weigh the food before it has been washed or cooked. Place the plate of food on the scale. The calibrated scale will measure the weight of the food only. Remove or add more of the foods until you reach the required portion. You can remove the plate as many times as you like provided that you do not press the tally button for a second time. For Food Safety reasons, you need to wash the plate thoroughly with hot water and detergent between weighing different foods. 

We are cooking more at home now. Cooking puts you in control of the ingredients that end up in your meal. Many of us are really experiencing the joys of eating together with family regularly. Stop by  Compliments to the Chef, your neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs to select a digital scale to assist with weighing ounces, pounds, fluid ounces, grams, and milliliters. As we continue to scale the mountain during this time, use a scale at home to help you with your dietary and food management approach. Kitchen scales make cooking and baking much easier. Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & PaulaREARDON SalmonPotatoSalad

Farmers’ Market Programs Make Food Accessible

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Food.

Connecting our community with locally produced food is a priority of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. While this connection supports the local economy, it also ensures that people of all economic levels have access to fresh, locally-sourced food.

With this purpose, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has partnered with the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), FreshConnect program, and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program for WIC participants and Seniors (FMNP). 

“These programs are vital for providing our community with food while also supporting the livelihood of farmers and producers,” says Emily Meagher, the market’s administrator. “We are proud to offer these ongoing programs that encourage our community to shop local and eat healthily.”

At the farmers’ market, SNAP participants and veterans, service members, and their immediate families may use their Benefit card at the market information tent on Wednesdays and Saturdays where market staff can exchange EBT money for farmers’ market EBT coins. These coins never expire and may be spent directly with farmers’ market vendors. Vendors are not able to give cash change for purchases; however, they will make up any difference in product.

EBT coins may be used to purchase EBT allowable foods including fruit and vegetables, bread and baked goods, meat, fish, and poultry, dairy products, honey and maple products, and value-added foods like soup mixes, sauces, and jams and jellies. Herb plants and plants that produce food may also be purchased with EBT coins. 

In addition to participating in the SNAP program, the farmers’ market also offers FreshConnect coupons. For every $5 a customer spends with their EBT benefits, they will receive a $2 FreshConnect coupon to spend at the farmers’ market. 

Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (WIC and Senior) coupons may also be used to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the farmers’ market. FMNP senior coupons are given to individuals age 60+ who are living on a limited income. The Saratoga County Office for the Aging will be handing out booklets of 5, $4.00 FMNP coupons (limit one per person) to eligible seniors on Monday, July 27, 2-5 p.m., at the Clifton Park Farmers’ Market and Wednesday, August 5, 3-5 p.m., at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. No proof of income or identification is needed; individuals simply sign a paper attesting that they are over the age of 60 and their income is under the limit.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

FM Kebabs

Reopening Saratoga County’s Economy

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Business.

On May 12, Preston Allen, the Chair of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors announced the creation of a Saratoga County Reopening Advisory Committee chaired by Waterford Supervisor Jack Lawler.

In addition to Supervisor Lawler, the advisory group includes: Cathi Duncan, Director of Saratoga County Public Health Services; Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo; Town Supervisors Ed Kinowski, of Stillwater; Eric Connolly, of the Town of Ballston; Tom Richardson, of Mechanicville; Kevin Tollisen, of Halfmoon; Dan Pemrick, of Greenfield; and City of Saratoga Springs Supervisor Matt Veitch; as well as Charles Wait, of The Adirondack Trust Company; Gary Dake, of Stewart’s Shops; and myself, Todd Shimkus, of the Saratoga County Chamber.

This Advisory Group was tasked with working with Saratoga County Administrator, Spencer Hellwig, who was himself named to the region’s control group, to help navigate the complicated process of reopening Saratoga County’s economy. 

The Advisory Group has met once a week for the last 9 weeks. Each meeting includes a report on the work of the regional control group as it has sought to clarify the details for local businesses and officials as we’ve progressed to our phase 4 reopening. The advisory board also receives updates on how Saratoga County is doing in terms of the key health metrics by which our communities are being judged in order to reopen our economy. We also have a weekly update from Sheriff Zurlo relative to compliance issues arising from calls to New York State’s various hotlines to report potential issues.

The first action taken by the Advisory Board was to set up a new page on Saratoga County’s website at www.reopeningsaratogacounty.com. This website is a one-stop shop for local employers to get the latest information about the phased reopening of our economy. In less than 6 weeks, the site has registered more than 35,000 views. Every day, the site is updated as daily directives from the Governor’s office are announced.

Saratoga County also has an online COVID 19 Dashboard. This is updated every day and includes the latest local information about: confirmed cases; deaths; active cases; recovered cases; and hospitalization. This site also includes confirmed cases by municipality as well as confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths by age. 

Led by Supervisors Matt Veitch and Ed Kinowski, the Advisory Board is exploring how Saratoga County can continue to help local employers with personal protective equipment. 

Supervisor Eric Connolly worked with Sheriff Zurlo and myself to create a video which allowed the Sheriff to talk about the most common complaints his office is receiving. As you might guess, most complaints are about the wearing or not wearing of masks. This video can be viewed at www.reopeningsaratogacounty.com. 

At the recommendation of the Saratoga County Reopening Committee, the Board of Supervisors voted 17 to 6 to authorize an expenditure of $50,000 out of the $1 million COVID 19 budget to promote Saratoga County’s Reopening within the Capital and Hudson Valley regions.

The Saratoga County Chamber was asked to create and manage this campaign. We agreed to do so at no cost to the County so that every dollar spent will help to attract visitors and customers to our locally owned businesses as they do everything they can to survive this pandemic. 

This ad campaign will reach hundreds of thousands of people via social media, digital marketing and television advertising. 

We’re inviting people to “Feel the Freedom” in Saratoga County. 

Every week now, the reopening advisory board is being updated on this campaign and its reach. We’re monitoring data to see what impacts reopening our local economy is having on public health.

We’re confident that this type of public-private partnership will help us to reopen our economy safely and that we are Stronger Together.