SARATOGA SPRINGS — The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will host a Breeders’ Cup handicapping seminar and viewing party on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is free to attend and open to the public.
The program kicks off with the seminar, featuring Brien Bouyea and Michael Veitch, who will analyze the races, answer questions from the audience, and make predictions. Along with enjoying the racing action in the Hall of Fame theater, guests will have the opportunity to win prizes throughout the afternoon by correctly answering Breeders’ Cup trivia questions. Food will be available for purchase from Ted’s Fish Fry (from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.). Beer and wine will also be available for purchase, and water will be complimentary.
Tickets are not required for the event, but those who pre-register will receive a complimentary racing-themed poster. Pre-register here: https://1049a.blackbaudhosting.com/1049a/Breeders-Cup-Watch-Party
Spa Catholic 8th grade volleyball player Brooke Nucera earned 15 assists and 6 aces against Waterford-Halfmoon on Oct. 3. The performance helped the Saints earn one of 10 straight victories. Image via SCC Saints Athletics.
The Schuylerville varsity boys’ soccer team participates in a “pink game” against Glens Falls on Oct. 1. Photo via the Schuylerville Black Horses Varsity Club.
BLACK HORSES END REGULAR SEASON WITH 6-GAME WIN STREAK
The Schuylerville boys’ varsity soccer team ended their regular season with a bang, securing six straight wins to finish the year with an 8-4-2 overall record and an undefeated 8-0 league record, allowing them to enter the Foothills Council Tournament as the top seed.
On Oct. 3 against Amsterdam, Schuylerville nabbed a 4-1 win. Dean Barraclough led the Horses with 2 goals and an assist, while Colden Harrison scored and tallied an assist.
On Oct. 6, the Horses shut out Queensbury 2-0. Both of Schuylerville’s goals were scored in the second half as Brodie Janik and Thomas Tyler found the net, with William Brandt picking up an assist. The back line of Janik, Seth Frydel, Ryder Winchell, Shane Barraclough, and Hayden Peck played well for Schuylerville.
To close out the regular season, Schuylerville dominated Hudson Falls 8-0 on Oct. 8. In that contest, Marvin Aguilar recorded a hat trick and Dean Barraclough notched a brace and 2 assists.
Foothills Tournament action was scheduled to get underway on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
SENSATIONAL SAINTS EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 10
The Saratoga Central Catholic varsity volleyball team extended its win streak to 10 straight games last week after a 3-1 victory over Hoosic Valley. Prior to that contest, the Saints had back-to-back 3-0 shutout wins against Cambridge (on Oct. 6) and Waterford-Halfmoon (Oct. 3).
Standout 8th grader Brooke Nucera earned 15 assists and 6 aces against Waterford-Halfmoon, bringing her season total to 41 assists. Against Cambridge, Gia Roche had 9 kills and 5 aces, Andi Brown had 10 digs and 3 aces, and Emery Moser had 11 assists and 3 blocks for Spa Catholic.
The team also held its annual Pink Day on Oct. 14, hosting a match against Stillwater to help raise awareness for breast cancer.
B-SPA GIRLS SOCCER SQUAD IMPRESSES WITH 3 SHUTOUTS IN A ROW
The Ballston Spa girls’ varsity soccer team won three straight games this month, shutting out Columbia 3-0 on Oct. 11, Niskayuna 1-0 on Oct. 9, and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 3-0 on Oct. 7.
Against Columbia, the Scotties’ Haley Wiltsie earned 2 goals and Liv Wheaton chipped in the third; Leah Szmarz had the lone goal against Niskayuna; and Szmarz, Wiltsie, and Riley Froschauer each earned one goal apiece against Burnt Hills.
The team’s overall record stood at 9-4-1 prior to an Oct. 15 game against Averill Park.
SPA CATHOLIC GIRLS’ SOCCER RESULTS
The Saints girls’ varsity soccer team has had ups and downs this season, beginning sluggishly with 5 losses and a tie before then going on a hot streak with 4-straight victories in mid-to-late September. Since then, it’s been a mixed bag, with 4 losses and 2 wins.
On Oct. 3, the squad shut out Watervliet 2-0, with Alison Fuller scoring both goals for Spa Catholic. Goalie Grace Shaefer earned 6 saves. On Oct. 2, the team failed to score a goal, falling to Whitehall 1-0 in a double overtime contest. On Sept. 30, the Saints again couldn’t put points on the board, losing 3-0 to Corinth.
SARATOGA FIELD HOCKEY FALLS TWICE
The Saratoga Springs field hockey team lost to Bethlehem Central 1-0 on Oct. 8 before falling to Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 5-0 on Oct. 10. Despite the pair of losses, the Blue Streaks had a 11-4 record heading into a Friday contest against Guilderland. The team also had a five-game win streak from Sept. 19 to Oct. 3.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 2025 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Mixed Sale, held Tuesday in Saratoga Springs, NY, established new records across the board. This year’s renewal set historical highwater marks for gross, average, median, and top price.
The gross for 206 sold was $6,150,000, a 57% increase over last year. The average rose 80% to $47,674 while the median rose 72% to $25,000. Two offerings eclipsed the previous sale record, and one tied the previous top price.
Showmethemagic (Hip 98) sold for $260,000 to Thorndale Farm to top the single-session sale. A stakes placed winner by Power Broker, Showmethemagic is represented by one foal of racing age, a two-year-old of this year. Believe in Magic (Not This Time) is a stakes placed winner at 2 with earnings of $45,180 to date. She carries a foal from the first crop of Cogburn on the same cross as her winning offspring. She has a yearling filly by Epicenter and a weanling colt by Golden Pal.
Twenty New York-bred weanlings sold for six figures or more, with four sold in excess of $200,000. Eight weanlings sold at or above that price point in 2024. Leading this year’s high-priced weanlings were:
• A colt by Yaupon (Hip 62), sold for $240,000 to Mahmud Mouni from the consignment of Sequel New York, agent. The bay colt is out of the winning Ghostzapper mare Owl Moon, dam of four winners to date, including stakes placed Blue Strike (Smart Strike). Hip 62 was bred in New York by Sequel Thoroughbreds & Milan Bloodstock.
• A colt by champion freshman sire and leading second-crop sire Vekoma (Hip 4), sold for $230,000 to En Fuego Stables from the consignment of Rhapsody Farm. The chestnut colt was bred in New York by Rhapsody Farm.
• A colt from the second crop of dual Breeders’ Cup winner Golden Pal (Hip 99) sold for $210,000 to Cherry Knoll Farm from the consignment of Garrencasey Sales, agent. The chestnut colt is out of the sales-topping Power Broker mare Showmethemagic and is a half-brother to Believe in Magic, a stakes-placed winner at 2 this year. Hip 99 was bred in New York by Ahlschwede Family & Dr. Scott Pierce.
• A filly by Vekoma (Hip 170) sold for $210,000 to MWG from the consignment of Gracie Bloodstock, agent. The chestnut filly is the second foal out of the 7-time winning Midshipman mare Bella Figura, herself a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Crimson Cat. Hip 170 was bred in New York by Highclere.
The Fall Sale’s success followed this summer’s two-night Saratoga Sale, which shattered previously established records for gross, average, and median, including topping gross sales of $100,000,000 for the first time in the sale’s history.
Photo from the 2023 Saratoga Springs fire and police Holiday Hockey Classic provided by Chris Stewart.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The annual Saratoga Springs Fire and Police Holiday Hockey Classic will return to the Weibel Ice Rink on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.
Admission to the game is the donation of a new, unwrapped toy to benefit the Franklin Community Center’s Holiday Assistance Program.
The program supports low-income families in Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County by providing gifts to children during the holidays. The program relies on generous donations from community members. The Holiday Hockey Classic offers members of the Saratoga Springs Fire Department and Saratoga Springs Police Department the chance to contribute by uniting the community for an evening of hockey in support of a meaningful cause.
Anyone who would like to contribute but cannot attend the hockey game can drop off toys at collection boxes stationed at the following Saratoga Springs locations until Nov. 14:
• Bread Basket Bakery, 65 Spring St
• Saratoga Springs Fire Department Station #1, 60 Lake Avenue
• Saratoga Springs Fire Department Station #2, 166 West Avenue
• Saratoga Springs Fire Department Station #3, 16 Henning Road
• Saratoga Springs Police Department, 5 Lake Avenue
Jaden Cheng finished tied for third at the Skidmore Fall Invitational last weekend. Photo via Skidmore Athletics.
GOLF TEAM FINISHES THIRD, PLAYERS WIN LIBERTY LEAGUE AWARDS
The Skidmore College golf team shot a third-round 286 on Sunday to finish third out of 17 teams at the Skidmore Fall Invitational at the Saratoga Spa State Park Course. The Thoroughbreds finished behind only Amherst and Trinity and were 10 strokes ahead of fourth-place NYU.
Jaden Cheng and Rudraksha Banerjee both shot 2-under 70s on Sunday. Cheng’s brought him under par for the tournament (74-71-70—215) to finish tied for third. The first-year birdied 10, 11, 14 and recorded par on 14 out of the other 15 holes for the 70. Banerjee (76-76-70—222) tied for 26th. His third round featured five birdies. As a team, Skidmore was second with 42 birdies for the tournament and fourth with 166 pars.
“We played solid this weekend and made a nice run today to finish third, which gives us great momentum into the offseason,” said Head Coach Tom Oppedisano. “Congrats to first-year Jaden Cheng on his third-place individual finish. And a huge thank you to Saratoga State Park Golf Course for being a great partner.”
Cheng was selected as the Liberty League Men’s Golf Rookie of the Week for the week ending Oct. 12. Patrick McLaughlin also earned Performer of the Week honors.
Skidmore’s golf team will return to play in the spring with five tournaments before the Liberty League Championship in late April.
TENNIS TEAM COMPLETES FALL SEASON
The Skidmore College men’s tennis team completed its fall schedule over the weekend as it hosted the Skidmore Open against several of the nation’s top teams at the McCaffery-Wagman Tennis and Wellness Center. Mahen Bitkuri had a first-round victory (7-5, 6-4) in the C Flight Singles draw against Swarthmore’s Nicholas Choo. The first-year player dropped his quarterfinal match despite forcing a first-set tiebreak.
Also in the C Flight, Nika Mori battled from a dropped opening set to force a third-set tiebreak against Nathan Jackson of Middlebury. Kyle Lundberg and Ege Topbas advanced to the semifinals of the Doubles C Flight thanks to a 6-4 win over their opponents from Denison.
The men’s tennis team will pick up its schedule in February for the beginning of its dual-match slate.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SQUAD WINS TWO
The Skidmore College volleyball team hit .410 as a unit while sticking St. Lawrence at 17 in all three sets in a sweep on the road over the Saints on Friday evening. Skidmore, now at 9-8 overall, improves 2-2 in the Liberty League at the halfway point of its conference schedule. First-year Chloe Heitman powered the Thoroughbreds. She finished with 12 kills on 23 swings (.391 percentage) with three aces, two blocks (one solo), and six digs. Maya Stolarz and Natalie Pedersen both had nine kills. Pedersen added a solo block, while Stolarz had three digs, a block, and an assist. With the victory, Skidmore has now defeated St. Lawrence in four consecutive seasons.
Prior to that win, the Thoroughbreds defeated Vermont State University Castleton in four sets (25-12, 20-25, 25-19, 25-13) on Oct. 7. Skidmore used kills from eight different players while hitting .219 as a team including a .407 mark in the decisive fourth set. Heitman led the way with 12 kills with four digs. Stolarz had nine kills to go with three blocks and three digs.
Up next, the volleyball squad will travel to William Smith on Saturday, Oct. 18.
“Ment (detail)” by Sayward Schoonmaker, pencil shavings and glue on paper, 2015. Image provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Schick Art Gallery at Skidmore College unveiled its latest exhibition, “Crux of the Matter,” on Oct. 15.
The exhibition features interdisciplinary work by Margo Mensing, a former professor of fiber arts at Skidmore, and Sayward Schoonmaker, an artist, writer, and former student of Mensing. “Crux of the Matter” will be on view until Nov. 9.
All exhibitions and events are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Universal Preservation Hall announced Monday a lineup of three performances, each bringing its own flavor of theatre, music, and immersive experience to the Great Hall.
• Adam Pascal & Anthony Rapp (7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9)
Broadway icons and “RENT” alums Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp unite on one stage in an intimate concert evening. They’ll deliver powerful duets and solo performances drawn from their careers in musical theatre and solo projects, all woven together with storytelling and reflections on their artistic journeys.
• Bingo Loco (7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31)
Flipping the traditional game of Bingo on its head into an 18+ three-hour-long interactive stage show complete with dance-offs, rave rounds, lip syncs, and more. Bingo Loco is part dance party, part bingo night, full of humor, prizes, and unexpected entertainment twists that keep participants on their toes.
• “Finnegan’s Farewell” (7:30 p.m. March 12-15; 2 p.m. March 14-15)
An all-new musical comedy from the co-creator of “Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding!” While the cast searches for the missing body of departed U.S. postal worker Paddy Finnegan, be ready to eat, drink, and dance to the music of The Dublineers, and watch Irish dancing champions, The Riverkids, strut their stuff on the floor. The evening combines Irish dancing, music, singing, and playful improvisation as mourners become part of the spectacle.
Tickets for all three shows are now on sale through the Box Office at Proctors in person, via phone at (518) 346-6204, or online by visiting atuph.org.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) recently announced the return of its popular “Sounds of the Season” holiday series from Dec. 12–14, featuring the acclaimed Irish ensemble Danú, rising jazz sensation Stella Cole, and, as previously announced, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performing Bach’s Complete Brandenburg Concertos.
“Each December, ‘Sounds of the Season’ brings together extraordinary artists and our Saratoga community in celebration,” said Elizabeth Sobol, CEO of SPAC, in a news release. “From Irish holiday traditions to Bach’s masterworks and the Great American Songbook, the series highlights music’s timeless power to connect us. This year, we are especially thrilled to extend that celebration into Zankel Music Center at Skidmore while our Spa Little Theater undergoes renovation.”
Kicking off the series on Dec. 12 is Danú with “An Emerald Isle Christmas,” following their sold-out “Sounds of the Season” appearance in 2022. Hailing from historic County Waterford, Danú delivers a mix of ancient Irish music with a fresh, original repertoire. For over two decades, their musicians (praised by The New York Times for performances ranging “from fierce fiddle reels to pensive ballads”) have toured globally, performing on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki, and vocals in both Gaelic and English. Featuring celebrated vocalist Nell Ní Chróinín and the vibrant flair of Irish step-dancers, Danú will bring the traditions of Ireland to the festive season.
Highlighting the series on Dec. 14 is the SPAC debut of rising jazz sensation and viral star Stella Cole. With a voice that bridges generations, Cole has cultivated over 1.7 million social media followers through her fresh interpretations of timeless songs by iconic artists, including Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Nat “King” Cole. Her performance will feature her upcoming single “Merry Christmas, Darling,” along with her interpretation of beloved holiday selections from her EP “Snow!” highlighted by a duet with Tony Award-winner and “Glee” TV star Darren Criss.
Previously announced, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will present Johann Sebastian Bach’s six Brandenburg Concertos in their entirety on Dec. 13. A holiday tradition at Lincoln Center, the Brandenburgs are described by The New Yorker as “joyous, effervescent, and yes, festive.”
The announcement marks the continuation of SPAC’s expansion into year-round programming. The events will all be held in the Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall in Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College while the Spa Little Theater undergoes renovations. Tickets are already available for purchase for members (tiered by level) and will go on sale on Oct. 20 for the general public. Visit spac.org for additional details.
SCHENECTADY — Proctors Collaborative recently announced that it will transition to the software Tessitura, a nonprofit customer relationship management platform, beginning Jan. 12, 2026.
Tessitura unifies ticketing, fundraising, memberships, education programs, and analytics into one system used by hundreds of arts and cultural institutions worldwide. The new platform will impact the Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra, Universal Preservation Hall, and Opera Saratoga. For the organizations, staff will use Tessitura to manage patron data, process tickets, run reports, and send communications. For patrons, the transition should result in a smoother online experience to manage accounts, purchase tickets, access benefits, and more.
“This change is about putting our patrons first,” said Philip Morris, CEO of Proctors Collaborative, in a news release. “Tessitura stood out as the most intuitive, secure, and adaptable platform for the arts, and it will allow us to provide a more seamless experience for our audiences.”
Patrons with existing accounts will see their tickets and information automatically transferred to Tessitura in January. Only minimal action will be required, such as resetting passwords and, in some cases, updating stored payment information.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Arts District (SSADI) will present Art for Good, a fundraiser to support local nonprofits, on Oct. 25 at the Elks Lodge (69 Beekman Street) between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Contributed art works by local artists will be sold for whatever people offer. Proceeds will be given to the Franklin Community Center, the Frederick Allen Elks Lodge, and SSADI. The project is spearheaded by ceramic artists Nancy Niefield and Rebecca Cigal. There will also be entertainment and free art lessons at Living Resources across the Street at 70 Beekman Street.
For more information, visit SaratogaArtDistrict.com.
