Saints Win Section 2 Class C Title (Photo by Aidan Clark)
The reigning baseball Class C State Champions, Saratoga Central Catholic, won the Section 2 Class C title on Wednesday, May 27. The Saints only needed seven innings to beat Maple Hill in a 2-0 shutout win.
Runs from captains Luke Dejnozka and Pierce Bryne secured the win as Bryne’s pitching held the Maple Hill batters to only 2 hits all game. Highlights from the game include a double play by Joey Lindner in the first inning to get runners out at second and first. Second baseman Sandy McDonald made a spectacular sliding play on a ground ball hit to shallow right field just in time to get the runner out at first base in the third inning.
The Saints improved their record to 20-3 on the season and will play Chapel Field Christian in the regional championship round on Saturday, June 6.
Head Coach, Alphonse Lambert, in his 38th season is looking to lead the Saints to back-to-back State Championships. When Coach Lambert was hired in 1988, he was the youngest high school baseball head coach in New York State history at 22-years-old. Prior to Coach Lambert’s tenure, Saratoga Central Catholic baseball had never won a playoff game.
Boasting a 75%-win percentage over his reign as head coach, Coach Lambert’s appointment changed the trajectory of the Saint’s baseball program.
In 2000, Coach Lambert led the Saints to the Class C final but fell short to Falconer High School that day. Last year Coach Lambert and the players etched their name in Saint’s baseball history, winning the 2025 Class C State Championship. After getting over the hump, can the Saints repeat the feat?
Galway varsity softball won its first Section 2 Class C title on Saturday, May 30, their first section title since 1988. The top-seeded Galway Golden Eagles prevailed against the number two ranked Greenwich Witches in a 10-7 win. The Golden Eagles got over the hump this year to end their championship drought after falling short to Stillwater last year in the championship game.
Courtney Smith had a standout performance with four RBIs and one home run. At the mound, Emma Menge allowed only two earned runs throughout the game.
Galway softball continues their run to the State Championship on Friday, June 5 at 4:30 p.m. against Ticonderoga at Plattsburgh High School. Ticonderoga is going into this game with a 17-1 record, and Galway a 19-3 record.
The 2025 Belmont Stakes field rounding the Clubhouse turn (Governor’s office/ NYRA)
This weekend marks the final act of a three-part series that will play out at Saratoga Race Course. When Belmont Park closed for a total rebuild in early 2024, Saratoga was chosen by the New York Racing Association to race the Belmont Stakes for a three-year period. The Triple Crown finale would then return to its new permanent home in 2027.
It was a monumental decision. When the original Belmont Park was first rebuilt in the 1960s, the race was held downstate at nearby Aqueduct Racetrack. At the time “The Big A” was at its zenith and one of the most important racetracks in the country. It was the obvious choice to conduct the race there.
“The times they are a changing.” Saratoga Race Course has since become a focal point of the American horse racing scene. At the same time Aqueduct has fallen on hard times. In fact, when Saratoga opens the gates for its summer meeting, the wrecking ball will bring the era of the once mighty Aqueduct to an end.
The Belmont Stakes is known as “The Test of Champions.” The final leg of the Triple Crown is traditionally raced at the grueling distance of 1 1/2 miles. This is after a significant share of the contenders have competed in both the Kentucky Derby and then the Preakness just three weeks prior.
The decision to conduct the race here at The Spa made it necessary to change the length of the race. The two tracks have distinctly different layouts. The only alternative was to race it at a lesser distance of 1 1/4 miles.
The city of Saratoga Springs welcomed the opportunity with open arms. The most famous and historic racetrack in the country was about to host one of the premier sporting events on the world stage.
From the first running here in 2024, it has surpassed all expectations. Approximately 50,000 fans attend the race. The track will be jam packed with spectators waiting for the main event. When the three-year-olds walk on to the track, Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti will perform his powerful rendition of “New York New York.” As they approach the gate, the crowd can hear a pin drop. Then the bell rings and a deafening roar will be heard throughout the old stands. In approximately two minutes, a new Belmont Stakes champion will take a bow in the winner’s circle. The owner will be presented with the stunning Belmont Stakes Trophy. After the ceremony, a scaled down version of the permanent trophy is then awarded to the winning owner, trainer, and jockey.
Noticeable when walking the grounds are the well-dressed patrons. Tank tops and shorts take a breather on this special day. It’s a testimony to the respect that the race deserves and demands.
The Belmont Stakes Festival has evolved into a five-day extravaganza. The racing schedule is loaded with Stakes Races. Many of the top racehorses and jockeys in the country will compete for $11 million in purse money spread over the festival week. To the horse players it’s a dream come true. Their handicapping skills will be put to the ultimate test.
This year’s Belmont Stakes card features six grade one races. The Metropolitan Handicap tops the undercard. The mile race has a long and storied past as one of the elite events on the New York racing calendar dating back to 1891.
Saratoga has been blessed to have the Belmont Stakes take place here during the transitionary period. It’s bittersweet that the three-year run will be over early Saturday evening. It has been great for Saratoga, and NYRA has done a fantastic job presenting it to the racing public. On the other hand, it’s time for Belmont Park to bring its signature race back home and revert it to the proper distance of 1 1/2 miles.
It is worth mentioning that during World War Two, racing was suspended here at Saratoga. Due to wartime constraints, the Travers Stakes was contested at Belmont Park for three consecutive years beginning in 1943. That debt of gratitude has now been repaid with pleasure.
To have a world class sporting event take place in our own backyard is a remarkable happening. If you haven’t been to either of the first two runnings of the Belmont at Saratoga, the opportunity awaits this one final time. The race has an excellent field of contenders. The weather looks like it will cooperate. What more could you ask for?
It’s the last chance to take in the thrills and excitement that will accompany the final Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. When you hear Sal “The Voice” belt out this famous line from the Belmont Stakes theme song, “I want to be a part of it, New York New York,” you will be glad that you too are a part of it. It’s a memory that you will not soon forget. Hope to see you there.
The reigning Class AAA baseball champion, Saratoga Springs, defended their Section 2 title on Tuesday night, June 2. The series was tied going into game three, but a dominant performance from Shea Crotty on the mound allowed the Blue Streaks to outlast the Wolf Pack. Saratoga won 3-1 with Crotty only allowing 2 hits from the Colonie batters.
On Monday, June 1, Saratoga Springs Softball beat Shenendehowa to win the Section 2 Class AAA title. This is their third Section 2 title in five years. Saratoga came into this game as the fifth seed, ousting top seeded Shenendehowa 10-8. The Blue Streaks move onto the regional championship round, playing Cicero-North on Friday June 5, at Carrier Park.
The Saratoga Schools have pulled off a clean sweep as Saratoga Central Catholic, and Saratoga Springs baseball and softball have all won Section 2 titles.
Honored through the naming of Belmont Park and the Belmont Stakes, August Belmont was a titan of American racing in the 19th century.
August Belmont proved to be a most important benefactor to thoroughbred racing during an era in which the sport was at a crossroads in America. In the aftermath of the Civil War, racing and breeding was in a desperate struggle to find its footing when Belmont entered the picture. Throughout a critical time in the sport’s history, Belmont served the game with distinction as an owner, breeder, and influential leader, leaving behind a prominent legacy, and earning a spot in the Hall of Fame.
Contemporary racing fans recognize the family name, as both Belmont Park and the Belmont Stakes were branded in honor of the iconic 19th century sportsman. Belmont Park, originally built in 1905, will re-open in September after a three-year renovation project. Located in Elmont, on Long Island, Belmont Park will once again be the home of the Belmont Stakes in 2027, as the third jewel in Triple Crown series concludes its three-year run at Saratoga Race Course on June 6.
Born in Alzey, Germany, on Dec. 8, 1813, Belmont was sent to America as a representative of the powerful Rothschild banking firm and arrived in New York City during the financial crisis known as the Panic of 1837. Backed by the Rothschilds, Belmont immediately opened an investment firm, August Belmont & Co. The business became a major personal success and stabilized the international financial interests of the German-based Rothschilds.
Belmont’s connections with the Rothschilds and his polished European style gained him acceptance into New York high society. He entered the political arena as consul-general for the old Austrian Empire in 1844, serving in that post until 1849 when his sympathies for Hungary led to his resignation. He then served as U.S. Minister to the Netherlands before becoming the Democratic National Committee’s chairman from 1860 through 1872. Using his considerable financial and political influence, Belmont quietly played an important role in helping the Union during the Civil War, working behind the scenes to keep England and France from providing any aid to the Confederacy.
Following the war, Belmont was introduced to thoroughbred racing by Leonard Jerome, a wealthy financier who was conceiving a grand racetrack in New York City. Jerome, who was known as “The King of Wall Street,” convinced Belmont to become one of the first incorporators of the American Jockey Club in February of 1866. The track, which was named Jerome Park, opened that fall with Belmont as its first president. Belmont became enamored with racing and sought more than an executive role. Desiring a closer connection to the sport, he won his first race as an owner, fittingly at Jerome Park, with Maid of Honor in October 1866. Belmont’s silks of maroon and scarlet sash quickly became among the most recognizable in the sport.
In 1867, Belmont began his breeding operation by purchasing several broodmares and around 1,000 acres on Long Island, near Babylon, about 35 miles from New York City. He named it Nursery Stud. Shortly after, Belmont purchased his first good horse, Glenelg, for $2,000. Glenelg was the best 3-year-old of 1869, winning the Travers Stakes at Saratoga, among others. That same year, at Jerome Park, Belmont’s colt Fenian won the third running of the Belmont Stakes.
Until his Nursery Stud foals began coming to the races, Belmont bought most of his good horses. In July 1870, he purchased Kingfisher, who had already won the Belmont and Travers that year. For his new owner, Kingfisher won the Annual and Champion stakes. That same year, Belmont was one of the six original founders of the Long Branch Racetrack in New Jersey, which was later renamed Monmouth Park.
Belmont was also partners in the successful Annieswood Stable with William Travers and John Hunter. The stable put the great racer Kentucky up for sale in October 1868. Belmont purchased him outright from his partners for $15,000 and stood him at Nursery Stud until the horse’s death in 1875. In 1872, Belmont’s filly Woodbine — who was sired by Kentucky — won the inaugural edition of the Alabama Stakes, as well as the Hunter Stakes and Monmouth Oaks.
In 1875, Belmont purchased the 3-year-old filly Olitipa and the 2-year-old filly Sultana for $10,000 from Hunter. Olitipa won the Alabama, Hunter, Ladies, and Maryland stakes that year, while Sultana won the Maryland, Ladies, and Hunter stakes in 1876. She also won the Travers that summer, beating some of the best 3-year-old colts. In 1877, for the third straight year, Belmont owned the top 3-year-old filly, Susquehanna, winner of the Alabama and Hunter.
Belmont reduced his role as an owner in the late 1870s but continued as a prominent figure in the sport as president of the American Jockey Club. By 1885, Belmont decided to make it a priority to rejuvenate his racing stable and breeding operation. His first move was purchasing a farm near Lexington, Kentucky, and importing 1888 Epsom Derby winner St. Blaise as a stallion for $100,000. Belmont bought additional broodmares and persuaded his former trainer, Jacob Pincus, to return from England and once again oversee his string of racers.
The stable returned to prominence by 1887, and Belmont was America’s leading owner and breeder in both 1888 and 1889. Belmont, however, died of pneumonia the following year at the age of 77. His estate was conservatively valued at $10 million. At the time, he owned America’s best 2-year-old colt, Potomac, and best 2-year-old filly, La Tosca. Both were sold at the auction of Belmont’s racing stock in late December of 1890. Following his death, the New York Times described Belmont as “the most influential man in American racing.”
In 1891, Belmont’s stallions, broodmares, yearlings, and weanlings were offered at auction. St. Blaise, America’s top sire in 1890, was purchased for $100,000. The 131 thoroughbreds at the two auctions sold for a total of $639,500, a new record for a dispersal of a racing stable and stud. Belmont’s son, August Belmont II, made several broodmare purchases at the sale to begin assembling stock for the second Nursery Stud, which went on to produce, among other legends, Man o’ War.
Belmont was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2018 as a Pillar of the Turf.
Despite calling many iconic races across his 43 year career, the former track announcer and broadcaster didn’t think his life was interesting enough to write a book. The impetus came from his students at Saratoga Central Catholic High School.
“I certainly didn’t want to write a book about me, because I’m not my favorite subject,” Durkin said. “I’m that person that gets up in the morning and the first thing I do is I look at the mirror and go, ‘oh God, not another day with you again,’ but these guys talked me into writing a book, and here we are.”
It was those students who surprised Durkin in the high school’s gym on June 3 to celebrate the release of his autobiography “A Life’s Calling: The Voice Behind the World’s Greatest Horse Races,” which was published in April.
Durkin has taught public speaking at the high school for the last three years. His students each gave a short speech thanking Durkin for teaching them over the last year. Each of his students received a copy of the book which Durkin signed after the assembly.
Durkin was caught completely by surprise and joked to reporters afterwords that it was a good thing that he had a good cardiologist. Upon entering the gym and seeing the assembled students, Durkin was handed a mic and gave a speech about the importance of education and how he got to where he is.
“When I was just a kid, I would go out to the racetrack in Chicago, and I’d stand at the finish line, and I wouldn’t look at the horses,” Durkin said. “I turned around and looked up at that guy way up in the sky that was calling the races, and I wanted to be that guy.”
He later wrote a letter to the announcer who told him to get his education and then he would be able to pursue his dream.
While the retired announcer only started teaching recently, the experience has made him wish he started right when he first retired. He said that teaching has been very gratifying and he’s been able to watch the students grow.
“I can see their progress from September here to June, and the trepidation that they had getting up in front of a small group of people, and it’s certainly a much more confident than they were,” Durkin said. “I hope that spills over into the rest of their lives.”
As for what surprised him the most about teaching high school students, Durkin said that he was surprised at how well rounded the students are. He said that their writing skills are terrific and that he’s learned as much from them as they’ve learned from him.
In addition to his praise from his students, Durkin also received praise from Saratoga Central Catholic Principal Christopher Signor.
“Tom is a great, great natural educator, brings an amazing energy to the school,” Signor said. “Kids love him.”
This summer at Siro’s guests will find a new addition to the menu, the “Golden Boy” burger for a mere 325 dollars. A Saratoga staple known for its upscale dining experience. The golden boy will be sure to attract patrons looking for an extravagant dining experience to commemorate their time at Saratoga Race Course.
The Golden Boy features a 16 oz A5 wagyu patty, topped with king crab mornay, and a gold flaked milk bread bun. New York State’s most expensive burger also comes with a side of truffle bacon jam tater tots.
Executive Chef, Noah Frese may be looking to make a splash with the Saratoga elites in his third season with Siros. Siros has built a reputation as the option for a luxury dining experience in Saratoga Spring throughout their 75-year history.
“Some days are meant to have an air of refinement and sophistication. Siro’s is here for you during those days” the website said.
It is not the most expensive burger sold in history, however, that record goes to Juicy Foods from Corvallis, Oregon. The burger weighed in at 777 lbs. and sold for 5,000 dollars back in 2011 according to Guiness World Records.
By seizing the day and giving it her all, Lois Celeste is creating a community hub that fosters connection for Saratoga’s seniors.
Lois Celeste doesn’t have a simple job description. On any given day, she’s chasing donor funding, managing 16 employees, coordinating hundreds of volunteers, and making sure the 250-plus people who walk through the doors of the Saratoga Senior Center feel like they belong there.
She’s been doing it since 2010, when she became the Saratoga Senior Center’s Executive Director. She makes it look easy — which is exactly the kind of thing that takes time to master.
“Just try it once,” Lois says to anyone on the fence about stopping by.
Built for This
Lois grew up in Mechanicville, NY, and graduated from SUNY Cortland with a BA degree in Sociology and a minor in Criminal Justice. She spent her early career in human services, and as a probation officer. Then, she founded Saratoga County’s Domestic Violence Advocacy Program. “It was a pivotal piece,” she said. “I went from the micro to the macro level — and I just loved it.”
Since the beginning of her career, her mission has always remained the same: find the gap in services, build the bridge, and get people the help they need.
Lois has an intuitive understanding of how to grow an organization, something that is evident by looking at all the Senior Center has become today. Founded in 1955, the Saratoga Senior Center was previously anchored at 5 Williams Street in downtown Saratoga Springs for decades. In 2023, they relocated to 290 West Avenue, a significantly larger space adjacent to the Saratoga Regional YMCA.
Now, there is room for everything Lois has been building, including a plethora of programs, trips, and activities. Among the Saratoga Senior Center’s support services, there is a volunteer match program, transportation assistance, and food assistance. They offer caregiver support, as well as a palliative care program for the seriously ill.
Last year, the Saratoga Senior Center celebrated its 70th anniversary by raising awareness around the issues associated with aging. Acknowledging the vital role the Saratoga Senior Center plays in supporting our community’s older adults culminated with an August luncheon where professional golfer Dottie Pepper and the editor of Golf Digest, Max Adler, helped honor sportscaster Jim Nantz for his commitment to fighting Alzheimer’s disease and for the establishment of the Nantz National Alzheimer’s Center in Houston, TX.
Creating More Than Just a Place to Go
Often, Lois compares the Saratoga Senior Center to a college campus: both are places of transition, reinvention, and unexpected possibility. Love matches have been made, and people find their footing again. At the Saratoga Senior Center, they find a home, and community.
The stakes are high. Seventy percent of the Saratoga Senior Center’s members are women — many of whom are widowed, have relocated to the area, or are simply looking to connect with others.
“Sometimes, this is the only place they talk to someone in a day,” said Lois. “Sometimes, it takes everything for them just to come in.”
Lois’ responses to the challenges have been both practical and personal. Everyone has always enjoyed the Center’s pool tables, but now, poker nights have been added, and a new sports calendar is being rolled out.
With a Purpose That Drives Her
Ask Lois when she plans to retire and she’ll give you an honest answer: she doesn’t know. She’s not sure she wants to.
“I want to be purposeful in what I do,” she says. “And, at this point in life, I can’t imagine not working.”
“The one thing that is free in life is our ability to be nice. So, if you can afford it – sponsor, volunteer, help a neighbor. You never know what the next day may bring.”
Above all, Lois considers her four children her greatest accomplishment. She loves to travel and recently joined her oldest son and his girlfriend on a transformative trip to Thailand. The family also celebrated another of her son’s weddings in Italy this year.
Sadly, late last year, Lois lost both her parents within a month of each other. Along with her grief however, came renewed clarity.
“Tomorrow is promised to no one,” she said. “The one thing that is free in life is our ability to be nice. So, if you can afford it — sponsor, volunteer, help a neighbor. You never know what the next day may bring.”
By wielding jewelry’s rare power to speak volumes, Kimberly Adams Russell guides the next generation into the future.
In 1922, along with the glamorous rise of the “Roaring Twenties” came Frank Adams Jewelers, a small watch repair shop that today, has evolved into a premier luxury jewelry and timepiece retailer. It is CEO Kimberly Adams Russell’s family legacy.
Kimberly grew up in the business. In 1990, she officially joined her father, David Adams, at their 58 N. Pearl Street store in downtown Albany, NY, after graduating from Ithaca College with a BA degree in communications. While in college, Kimberly met her husband, Jeff, and the couple married in 1991. In the decade to follow, Kimberly became a mother of three, with compounding responsibilities and failing health.
In 1995, they moved to their Stuyvesant Plaza store. Seven years later, while the store was undergoing renovations), Kimberly felt physically and mentally exhausted. One morning in 2002, she couldn’t walk, and she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).
It was devastating news, but the diagnosis afforded her the opportunity to pro-actively manage her symptoms, which provided some relief, she said. When Kimberly reached out for help, a wonderfully optimistic, supportive group of people encouraged her to get up and get going again. In addition to healing her own life, Kimberly joined the MS advocacy community, lifting up others through her experiences. “There is a light after a diagnosis, and I can help share that,” she said.
Today, Kimberly enjoys peace, quiet, and being with her Bernadoodle, Bailey. She also practices yoga a couple times a week, to find peace of mind and improve her body’s flexibility at the same time, she said.
Growing with Grace
As a Malta resident for more than 30 years, Kimberly was excited to open a Frank Adams Jewelers satellite store in Saratoga.
From 2008-2014, Frank Adams Jewelers, at 18 Division Street in Saratoga Springs, was a successful addition to the family business. “I felt very connected to the community. I met and formed relationships with clients that I still have today,” said Kimberly, “but I like being on the sales floor, waiting on clients, and having a personal relationship with others. I want to be the person out front and that’s difficult to do in two different locations,” she said.
Whether she was at home or at work, people were saying to her, “I feel like I never see you anymore.” Kimberly felt like she was missing out on what she cherished most – meaningful connections – so something had to give, she said.
Continuing a Century of Benevolence
Putting all her energy into Frank Adams Jewelers’ legacy culminated with their momentous centennial anniversary in 2022, To celebrate the community that has supported them, Frank Adams Jewelers highlighted 100 Acts of Giving.
During the event, each team member contributed to something they felt connected to in a collaborative approach that amplified their actions. Today, Frank Adams Jewelers is home to a number of legacy team members that have been with the company for 20-30 years, something that Kimberly said she’s grateful for, but that can sometimes be intimidating for new employees.
“There’s a lot of banter back and forth, and advice being shared – whether it’s wanted or unwanted. We are each other’s family and support each other through everything. I tell people when they are first joining us that it can take a few years to connect, but it really is a family here, so once you do, you are part of that family and there’s no turning back,” she said.
Laying a Precious Foundation
In 2024, Frank Adams Jewelers made a monumental move, opening a new, glamourous 7500sq.ft. store at 144 Wolf Road in Colonie. Twice the size of their previous location, this sparkling space features a beautiful coffee bar and a fireplace lounge.
“Here, we have the freedom to show people a really exceptional experience. This is a destination and a place where they can comfortably stay longer,” said Kimberly, who has passed along the family’s knack for providing superior service to her children.
When Kimberly’s son, Jeffrey was little, and she brought him to work, it was stressful to watch him kick a ball around the store, Kimberly remembers. She never expected he would embrace the business in the way he has since returning to the store after graduating with an MBA in Business from Quinnipiac University, she said. But, since 2024, Jeffrey has been Frank Adams Jewelers’ COO, and Kimberly’s right-hand man. Her twin girls are now working at the family business, as well, completing sales and assisting with its social media.
This family’s synergy is evident, even in the everyday jewelry they wear. Kimberly is partial to bold, feminine pieces in yellow gold that carry symbolic significance. She often wears a goddess medallion, and for Mother’s Day last year, Jeffrey gave her a pendent engraved with the word “Maa!!” (something that he often shouts across the showroom when he wants to get her attention). Kimberly and her daughters also all have matching bracelets bearing the phrase, “I Love You, More.” This is jewelry that (despite their own advice to others) they never take off.
“Here, we have the freedom to show people a really exceptional experience. This is a destination and a place where they can comfortably stay longer,”
