Author: Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will give its first 25 visitors a free, commemorative, packable museum blanket with paid admission on Monday, Jan. 19, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The museum will be open on the holiday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

The Museum, which is otherwise closed on Monday and Tuesday from January through May and Sept. 8 through December, will be open on the following Monday holidays in 2026: 

• Feb. 16, Presidents’ Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (featuring “The Forgotten Foundation: How Black Equestrians Helped Build American Thoroughbred Racing” lecture at 11 a.m.)

• May 26, Memorial Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

• Sept. 7, Labor Day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

• Oct. 12, Columbus Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Additional Monday giveaways and special programming on those dates will be announced soon.

MECHANICVILLE — The Saratoga Racers rang in the new year on the road, splitting a pair of contests on Jan. 3 and 11. The American Basketball Association (ABA) squad will wrap up its away series with two more games this weekend against the Hudson Valley Rivermen and Herkimer Originals, before returning home on Jan. 24.

On Jan. 3, against the Binghamton Bulldogs, Saratoga fell 127 to 109 in a game that featured 11 lead changes. It was the Racers’ second-straight loss, dropping their season record to 4-3. All three of the Racers’ losses this season have come at the hands of teams ranked in the top 20 of the ABA’s weekly power rankings.

John Ryals III collected 24 points to lead all Saratoga scorers. The Racers poured in buckets at will in the paint, shooting 38-65 from inside the arc and 9-26 (35%) from beyond the arc. Saratoga pressured the ball all game, collecting 17 steals. Tobias Holmes led his team with 3 swipes. Joey Harden led Saratoga with 7 rebounds. Holmes finished with 19 points, RJ Rosa added 13, and Isaiah Grandison and Luke Perez both netted 11.

On Jan. 11, the Racers fared better, beating the Boston Sharks 161 to 124. The victory improved Saratoga’s season record to 5-3. Donovan Williams scored 15 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out 13 assists, earning the first-ever triple-double in Racer’s history.

Holmes led all scorers with 39 points, and every other Racer who played in the contest finished with a double-digit scoring performance.

Saratoga controlled the game from the opening tip, never giving up the advantage. The lead reached a peak of 48 points at 106-58.

The Racers again scored at will in the paint. They went 48-77 from inside the arc. They controlled the glass, collecting 66 total rebounds, with Isaiah Grandison leading the team with 16 boards. Williams led his squad with 13 assists and 7 steals. Additional top scorers for Saratoga included Rosa (32 points), Wheelings (25), Cam Thomas (19), Grandison (18), Williams (15), and Perez (13).

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) recently mourned the loss of legendary trainer Leo O’Brien, who passed away on Jan. 8 at the age of 85 following a lengthy battle with Lewy Body Dementia.

O’Brien trained New York-bred millionaires Fourstardave, Fourstars Allstar, and Irish Linnet. Fourstardave was nicknamed “The Sultan of Saratoga” because he won at least one race at the Saratoga Race Course every year from 1987 to 1994. The Fourstardave sports bar at the track was named in the horse’s honor, as was the Grade 1 Fourstardave race run each summer at the Spa.

O’Brien and his late wife, Joan, raised two children together. Their daughter Leona worked in the NYRA press box from 1992-95 and is married to Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who is the all-time leading rider at Saratoga. 

The Irish-born O’Brien rose to prominence in the United States as a steeplechase jockey from 1964-76. When his riding career was cut short due to injury, he returned to Ireland to begin training steeplechase horses. He came back to the U.S. in 1981 with a solitary horse, Sports Reporter, who captured the International Gold Cup Steeplechase Handicap that September at Ligonier and, one month later, finished sixth in the Temple Gwathmey Steeplechase Handicap at Belmont Park. O’Brien would later make his name on the flat with the illustrious multiple graded stakes-winner Fourstardave.

Richard Migliore was the regular rider for Fourstardave’s last two seasons of racing and was aboard for his final score at Saratoga on July 24, 1994.

“My last win on Fourstardave was my favorite,” Migliore said. “It was the last hurrah, the last go-around, and there was so much pressure that day to keep the streak alive and go out a winner at Saratoga. The horse ended up being much the best that day, and I just had to keep him out of trouble. He was a special horse – how many horses will even race up there eight years in a row, let alone win eight years in a row?”

Upon his passing, Fourstardave was laid to rest at Clare Court on the Saratoga backstretch.

While Fourstardave enjoys legend status in Saratoga, his full-brother Fourstars Allstar would make history for O’Brien, becoming the first American-trained horse to win a European Classic by taking the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas in 1991 with future Hall of Famer Mike Smith at the helm.

O’Brien and his son-in-law Velazquez teamed up with a number of the venerable trainer’s top horses, including the multiple graded stakes-winner Irish Linnet, who won 19-of-62 starts for purse earnings in excess of $1.2 million.

According to Equibase statistics, O’Brien posted a record of 6,477-568-677-691 for purse earnings in excess of $27 million over his storied career.

In addition to his children Keith and Leona, he is survived by his grandchildren Lerina, Michael, Darby, Liam, Jacinta, Muireannm, and Jonjo.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in O’Brien’s name to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and/or the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy.

SPA CATHOLIC BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM RETURNS TO WINNING WAYS

After a tough three-game losing streak, the 6-4 Saratoga Central Catholic boys basketball team rebounded, earning three wins in their last four games.

On Dec. 29, the Saints snapped their losing streak with a 75 to 68 victory against Cambridge. The following day, they fell to Schuylerville by just one point, 53 to 52. In that close contest, Jasyn Thompson had 13 points, Thomas Zayac added 13, and Kihl Kelly chipped in 8. 

On Jan. 3, Spa Catholic bested Corinth, 79 to 51. Thompson led his squad with 20 points, Kingston Davis had 15, and Kelly put 12 more on the board for Saratoga.

On Jan. 9, the Saints defeated Tamarac, 63 to 58. For Spa Catholic, David Redgrave Jr. netted 19 points, Bryce Peterson added 13, and Thompson contributed 8 points along with a whopping 8 blocks.

LADY SAINTS SNAP LOSING STREAK

The Saratoga Central Catholic girl’s basketball team has also struggled recently, falling in four-straight games before stopping the bleeding with a Jan. 12 win against Waterford-Halfmoon, 47 to 35. In that game, sharpshooter Sophia Ryan had a game-high 24 points, and Addison Whitbeck added 16 for the Saints.

On Jan. 8, Tamarac defeated Spa Catholic 67 to 59. Ryan had a stunning 34 points and Whitbeck netted 24.

In a 47 to 41 loss against Granville on Dec. 30, Ryan scored 23 and Whitbeck added 6 for the Lady Saints.

With their latest win against Waterford-Halfmoon, Spa Catholic improved their season record to 6-5.

“DANGEROUS” DANNY DACEY CROWNED WRESTLER OF THE WEEK

“Dangerous” Danny Dacey earned Week 3’s Division 1 “Wrestler of the Week” honors from the Friends of Section 2 Wrestling.

Dacey recently won a gold medal at the Windsor Christmas Tournament on Dec. 29., placed 2nd at the Saratoga Invitational on Jan. 3, and pinned three competitors at the Lee Van Slyke Memorial Duals on Dec. 20.

SCHUYLERVILLE COACHES EARN ACCOLADES

Schuylerville High School varsity football coach John Bowen was recently named the Times Union Small School Coach of the Year, following the conclusion of the 2025 season. Bowen guided the Black Horses to a Section 2 championship and an 11–1 overall record, with the season ending in the state semifinals. Coming off a historic prior year for the program, Bowen made it clear early on that this team would not live in the shadow of the past.

“We’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge some of the blueprint from last year, but we put that behind us and focused on moving forward,” said Bowen. “We weren’t going to spend time looking in the rearview mirror. This was their team—their narrative to write, their chapter in the book of Schuylerville football. The seniors did an unbelievable job owning that.”

Schuylerville High School varsity girl’s soccer head coach Paul Rogan also recently received an honor: 2025 Class B Section 2 Coach of the Year. Under Coach Rogan’s leadership, the team advanced to the Section 2 Class B championship game for the first time in program history, finishing the season as sectional runners-up with a 12-4-3 win-loss-tie record. The milestone appearance marked a breakthrough year and highlighted the team’s growth, resilience, and competitive spirit. Rogan credited the success to his players and staff.

“Being named Coach of the Year is a testament to the skill and dedication of the wonderful players on the team, as well as the efforts of coaches Wian, Gallagher, and Letzring, and the athletic department,” said Rogan. “Coaching the Schuylerville varsity soccer team continues to be one of the great joys of my life. This year’s team embraced the challenge of a highly competitive schedule, never backed down from anyone, and always brought their very best effort. Their determination and heart defined our season. I look forward to next year’s team building on the successes of this year’s group.”

SKIDMORE HOCKEY EVENS OUT SEASON RECORD

Coleman Jenkins scored the game winner with 4:02 remaining as Matthew Franzoi scored twice for the Skidmore College men’s hockey team in a 4-2 victory over visiting Plattsburgh State last Saturday night. Skidmore (6-6-2, 3-3-1 SUNYAC) scored the contest’s first two goals and overcame two quick Plattsburgh goals to tie it up for the win. Franzoi, a senior, opened the scoring at 12:22 of the first period and added his second goal of the night at 5:44 of the second to give the Thoroughbreds a 2-0 lead. Jenkins netted the game-winning goal with 4:02 remaining in the third period, finishing a feed from Shane Baker and Jack Bartfield.

Skidmore outshot the Cardinals 37-23, including a 28-15 advantage through two periods. Both teams went scoreless on the power play while also both scoring shorthanded goals. Skidmore surrendered just one shot across its two penalty kills.

Up next, Skidmore is back at home to host Potsdam (Jan. 16) and Canton (Jan. 17) at the Saratoga City Rink.

SKIDMORE WOMEN’S B-BALL TEAM SCORES FIRST LEAGUE VICTORY

The Skidmore College women’s basketball team led from start to finish in a 65-49 Liberty League road victory over William Smith College last Friday night. Skidmore (3-7, 1-2 Liberty League) controlled the lead for 38.5 of the game’s 40 minutes (96 percent) and faced just one deficit in the evening (3-2). Madison Meyer paced the Thoroughbreds with 16 points to go along with six rebounds and two steals. Claudia Schneider chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Ruby Krop and Stella Criniti each scored eight points for Skidmore. Krop also posted a game-high eight rebounds and four blocks.

The Thoroughbreds held decisive edges in points off turnovers (25-9), second-chance points (20-4), and bench scoring (25-8). Skidmore limited the Herons to single digit scoring in both the first and second quarters, building a commanding 32-17 halftime advantage. The Thoroughbreds outscored WSC 22-6 in the paint during the opening half. Skidmore extended the margin with a 15-2 run spanning nearly eight minutes, highlighted by a stretch of nine unanswered points. A Criniti 3-pointer in the final minute of the third quarter pushed Skidmore’s lead to a game-high 20 at 51-31. The Thoroughbreds again led by 20 in the fourth before a late William Smith push set the 65-49 final.

Skidmore has now won 10 straight meetings against William Smith, with the Herons’ last victory in the series coming in 2019.