BALLSTON SPA — The Saratoga County Career Center in conjunction with the Greater Capital Region Career Centers will hold the following free virtual career workshops:
June 20 at 11 am: Completing Job Applications. Statistics show approximately 50% of mid-sized companies and almost all large corporations use an applicant tracking system to screen candidates for job opportunities. Learn how to prepare your online application to get the most visibility from hiring managers. Facilitated by Warren and Washington.
June 21 at 10:30 am: Networking. Networking is your strategic tool for cultivating lasting relationships, fostering professional growth, and unlocking opportunities. Join us for an approachable journey to understanding networking. Facilitated by Warren and Albany.
June 25 at 11 am: Overcoming Barriers. Join an informal discussion about how to overcome potential stumbling blocks to finding a job. Whether you’re facing transportation needs, childcare needs, prior justice system involvement, inexperience, health concerns or more, this workshop will provide you with resources and strategies to help you meet your goals. Facilitated by Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie.
June 25 at 1:30 pm: Social Media. Your social media presence can make or break your ability to find a job. Learn how to use social media to your advantage in searching for a job and marketing yourself to land the job or career you’ve always wanted. Facilitated by Schenectady.
Registration is required for all workshops. Visit https://thejoblink.org/calendar/ to register or call the Saratoga County Career Center at (518) 884-4170 for more information.The workshops are offered as part of the Saratoga County Career Center’s WorkPays! workforce education campaign.
The Saratoga County Department of Workforce Development provides comprehensive training and employment services to residents through its Career Center and works with local businesses to attract and retain the local workforce.
WILTON — Town of Wilton Community Day will be held 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 22.
The event takes place at Wilton Recreation, located in Gavin Park 10 Lewis Drive, and will include food trucks, bounce houses, contests, beer & wine tasting, and live entertainment.
Taking place now is a presale of Brooks BBQ for $15 per dinner at Gavin Park or Town Hall. For more information, go to: https://townofwilton.com/.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Eleven unique gardens in Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa and Wilton are featured on the 29th annual Saratoga Soroptimist Secret Gardens Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 14.
Purchase $25 advance tickets at www.soroptimistsaratoga.org or at Northshire Bookstore, Cudney’s Cleaners, Faddegon’s Nursery or Adirondack Trust Co. branches.
Day-of tickets for $30 will be sold while supplies last from 9:30 a.m. to noon outside the Saratoga Springs Visitor Center, 297 Broadway.
Garden descriptions and suggested driving directions are provided with purchase. The tour supports programs and individuals benefiting women and girls, including Wellspring.
Seattle Slew.. One of the immortals who took the Belmont Stakes and later left his mark at the Spa..
The Belmont Stakes is without question one of America’s greatest horse races. It has gained its prestige for many reasons. Let’s take a look at them.
The race, although long associated with Belmont Park, had its origins prior to being held there. The race actually dates back to 1867. It made its debut at Jerome Park. The track was owned by August Belmont Sr, the agent for the Rothschild families holdings on this continent and Wall Street financier Leonard Jerome. Of note, Jerome also was one of the original co-owners of Saratoga racetrack. The first running of the race was at 1 5/8 miles and won by a three year old filly named Ruthless. She lived up to her name when she romped home against her male opponents in the Travers Stakes here later that summer.
The race was run at its present distance of 1 1/2 miles for a short time beginning in 1874. In the following years it was conducted at distances from 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 miles. With the closure of Jerome Park in 1890, the race found a new home at nearby Morris Park.
When the Westchester Racing Association opened the original version of Belmont Park in 1905, the race became a permanent fixture there. Some of the early winners include the likes of the great unbeaten champion Colin in 1907. Sir Barton entered the winner’s circle in 1919. He is considered to be the first winner of The Triple Crown, although that term did not originate until the 1930s. The one and only Man o’ War strutted his stuff a year later in 1920. America’s greatest racehorse walked home in spectacular fashion, eased up twenty lengths clear of the field.
In 1926 the race was lengthened from 1 3/8 to its present distance of 1 1/2 miles. Belair Stables Gallant Fox became the second Triple Crown champion and the first to navigate the longer distance in 1930. Since then a Who’s Who of American racehorses have competed for the exquisite Belmont Stakes Trophy. Many have reached out to immortality in taking the race. The thirteen Triple Crown winners lead the way. Then there are the likes of Native Dancer, Nashua, Gallant Man, Sword Dancer, Damascus, Easy Goer, A.P. Indy and Point Given. They showed their mettle and tenacity in winning the “The Test of Champions.”
Belmont Park was rebuilt during the early 1960s. The makeover would close the venue for five years. During that period the race was moved to Aqueduct Racetrack.
This created a dilemma. At Belmont the circumference of the track is 1 1/2 miles. Aqueduct on the other hand is a 1 1/8 miles oval. The same can be said of Saratoga’s configuration. The NYRA top brass at the time made the decision to keep the race at its historic distance. This meant that the race would start close to the far turn leading into the stretch, and then once around the Aqueduct oval. For five years beginning in 1963 the plan, though not ideal, worked with no mishaps. Belmont re-opened in 1968.
There were no changes made to the race until the dreaded Covid 19 made its appearance in 2020. Like everything else the racing world was turned upside down. The race was run at a distance of 1 1/8 miles and complicating things further, preceded both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
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There was an eerie feeling on race day as patrons were not allowed to enter Belmont Park for the event.
Four years later Belmont Park finds itself being reconstructed for its second rebirth. “The Test of Champions” has the perfect temporary home here at Saratoga. This weekend all roads will lead to the Spa for a spectacular four days of racing loaded with an abundance of high caliber stakes races highlighted by the Belmont Stakes.
NYRA has decided to run the race at 1 1/4 miles, the same distance as the Kentucky Derby and the Travers Stakes.
These are different times than the five years that Aqueduct kept the race at its historic distance. Surely there are concerns that the start off of the turn may cause a mishap that would put the horses and jockeys in peril. The thought had crossed my mind that lengthening the race to 1 5/8 miles for the two years might have been a better remedy.
The race would start midway down the backstretch taking any problem on the turn out of play.
To get a definitive answer, I reached out to Ed Bowen, a prolific writer and historian with decades of familiarity with horse racing.
He answered it this way:
“I think the idea has some appeal, but there is a countering point in my mind. That is, since 1 1/2 miles is regarded today as such a test of stamina for a three- year- old in June that going even farther is worrisome as perhaps too much. All things are generalizations, whereas horses are individuals, of course, but as a point of stewardship of the well- being of the horses I think that going to 1 5/8 miles is a negative.
Enough has changed since the 19th Century phase when the Belmont WAS run at 1 5/ 8 miles that I don’t think that phase is a precedent easily applied today.”
There you have it. That being said, the race is still at a formidable distance. American racehorses are accustomed to the most important races being run at 1 1/4 miles. The lone exception is the Belmont Stakes. It is still a daunting task when considering the fact that these racehorses are stretched to their outer limits going serious distances three times in five weeks.
The time has come. Belmont at Saratoga is here. Saturday at approximately 6:30 PM the horses will prance on to the track. The crowd will go silent as the voice of Frank Sinatra belts out the Belmont theme song “ New York, New York.” Ten minutes later the contestants will enter the starting gate. They’re all in..and they’re off for the 156th running of the Belmont Stakes!
BALLSTON — The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors on May 21 approved funding to install a crosswalk at the intersection of Kingsley Road and Lake Hill Road in the Town of Ballston.
The resolution authorizes Saratoga County Department of Public Works (DPW) to contract with DLC Electric LLC for construction services associated with this crosswalk project connecting the only county-owned sidewalk with a town-owned sidewalk.
Saratoga County DPW will administer this project in partnership with the Town of Ballston. The Town of Ballston will pay $114,000 and the County will contribute $31,518 for the entire project.
The intersection is frequented by many Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake students.
“Addressing the intersection of Lakehill and Kingsley with a crosswalk and signals is a great step forward for safe pedestrian access in the hamlet of Burnt Hills,” said Superintendent of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central Schools Patrick M. McGrath, Jr. “Anyone trying to turn at this intersection recognizes that it has an awkward angle that makes it tricky. This intersection is highly traversed by students walking between schools or to commercial establishments on Route 50.”
Updates about the crosswalk installation will be reported by the Saratoga County Facebook page.
SCHENECTADY — The Hume-Lind family and The Daily Gazette Board of Directors announced last week that they have agreed to the framework of a deal that will transition their 130-year ownership of the paper from the extended family to long-time Gazette publisher John DeAugustine of Saratoga Springs.
“As a family-owned newspaper since 1894, it gives the Hume-Lind family, the Board of Directors, and everyone at The Daily Gazette great comfort and pride knowing that we are passing the torch to a family that values the newspaper as much as we do,” said Gazette board chairwoman Elizabeth “Betsie” Hume-Lind, in a statement.
The sale of The Daily Gazette consummates a 12-year effort by the Hume-Lind family, The Daily Gazette board, and employees to strengthen, diversify, and grow the company. The family consists of fourth and fifth generation owners.
While the Gazette building will be sold, the newspaper will remain in Schenectady. All its historical documents and artifacts will be curated in a local repository. Additionally, The Daily Gazette board of directors will remain intact for the foreseeable future.
The Daily Gazette named John DeAugustine publisher in 2013 shortly after Betsie Hume-Lind became president. DeAugustine came to the Gazette from the Hearst Corporation and brought more than 25 years of newspaper industry experience to the paper.
Family-owned since 1894, the Daily Gazette is based in Schenectady and has more than 450,000 readers monthly for its print and online content.
Old Tavern Farm Tour; National Museum Of Racing And Hall Of Fame – 10:30 AM
Belmont Stakes Weekend Kickoff Party at The Mill on Round Lake – 11 AM till close
Spring Water Tours, Saratoga Spa State Park – 11am and 1pm
Belmont at Saratoga Poster Artist Greg Montgomery Meet & Greet at Impressions of Saratoga – 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Dark Horse Children’s Book Signing with Author Maddy Zanetti at The Dark Horse Mercantile – 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Hardy at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center – 6:45PM
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams (7 years in Levon Helm’s band, 8 years in Bob Dylan’s band) perform at Caffe Lena – 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 8
Belmont Stakes Day Saturday Morning Social at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame – 9 AM to 11 AM
Belmont Champagne Brunch: Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs – 9 AM to 1 PM
Meet Upset, The Miniature Dark Horse of Saratoga at The Dark Horse Mercantile – 11 AM to 1 PM
Local authors autograph copies of their books at Northshire Bookstore Saratoga: Syrl Kazlo – Chilled to the Dog Bone; Kelly Daugherty fellow contributors to The Grief Experience; James Dillon – Making Contact; Sandy Zelka – Blood Red Poppy, 2 pm to 4 pm.
156th running of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race CourseHorsin’ Around at UPH: Universal Preservation Hall – 4 PM to 8 PM
Belmont Stakes Viewing Party at Dance Fire Studio – 4 PM to 8 PM
Belmont Watch Party at The Bunker – 9 AM to 12 AM
Enchanted Equestrian Evening of Modern Songs at Skidmore College – 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams (7 years in Levon Helm’s band, 8 years in Bob Dylan’s band) return performance at Caffe Lena – 8 p.m.
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Sunday, June 9
Brunch with Commentator at Old Friends Cabin Creek – 10 AM to 1 PM
Opera Saratoga Gala at The Canfield Casino – 6 PM to 9 PM
For upcoming events featuring Home Made Theater, Caffe Lena, the N.Y. State Writer’s Institute and Opera Saratoga see Saratoga Today’s A&E section – pages 34, 35, 36.
For more information on weekend events visit: www.discoversaratoga.org.
A draft contract between the city of Saratoga Springs and the New York Racing Association stipulates the city provide NYRA with the following firefighting personnel and equipment for the 2024 Belmont Stakes: June 6 and June 9 – one engine with an officer and three firefighters each day for 7 hours a day at a cost of $2,588.81 per day; June 7 – one engine with an officer and three firefighters for 8 hours at a cost of $2,958.64; June 8 (Belmont Stakes race day) – one engine, hazmat truck, two officers and six firefighters for a 9-hour day with a cost of $6,656.94.
In total, NYRA is to pay the city $14,793.20 for the services.
