SARATOGA SPRINGS — New York Racing Association (NYRA) President & CEO David O’Rourke heaped praise on Saratoga Springs at an Industry Influencers event on Wednesday morning hosted by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

O’Rourke said it was a “literal no-brainer” to host the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at the Saratoga Racecourse. “Saratoga has been an amazing partner for NYRA and horse racing period,” O’Rourke said. “In terms of Saratoga, since the 16 years I’ve been there, the growth has been phenomenal.” When asked how people outside New York are reacting to Belmont at Saratoga, O’Rourke replied that “everybody wants to be here.”

O’Rourke said that ticket sales for Belmont have “obviously gone well” and have attracted people from all over the country. He confirmed that Belmont would only be in Saratoga for two years: 2024 and 2025. In 2026, the new Belmont Park facilities on Long Island, which are currently under construction, should be ready to host racing events.

O’Rourke touched on a few other topics in his conversation with Chamber President Todd Shimkus, including NYRA’s partnership with television broadcaster Fox Sports. O’Rourke said that national coverage of horse racing at Saratoga would likely increase its emphasis on “the lifestyle aspect of Saratoga,” akin to coverage of Churchill Downs and Louisville during Kentucky Derby broadcasts. “That kind of allows us to really sell the whole package of Saratoga,” O’Rourke said. 

In terms of safety issues for the upcoming summer meet, O’Rourke said that NYRA was confident in the track surface last year and is still confident this year. He said the tracks are tested multiple times per day, and that there will be no change in their composition. “They are, every which way you could look at them, some of the best surfaces in the country,” he said. 

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be held at the Saratoga Racecourse from June 6 through June 9.  Belmont Stakes Day, on June 8, is sold out but some tickets are still available for the remaining three days. 

GALWAYS — Galway Central School District basketball player Chris Maher was named to the 2nd team of the 2023-2024 Western Athletic Conference Boys Basketball All-Stars in the Mohawk Division. Players named to the All-Star teams were selected by local coaches. 

SCHUYLERVILLE — The Schuylerville High School varsity cheerleading team competed in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s Competitive Cheerleading Championship in Binghamton earlier this month. The team ranked 7th in the state for Division 2 Large Varsity. Prior to the state competition, Schuylerville won its third consecutive Section 2 Class C Championship under Coach Charlene Becker.

BALLSTON SPA — As legendary (and fictional) dodgeball coach Patches O’Houlihan once said, “if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.” Luckily, no wrenches were thrown at the Ballston Spa Middle School’s 8th Grade Dodgeball Tournament. 

More than 115 students across 19 teams participated in the event. This year’s winner had the creative team name, “I Paused My Game To Be Here!”

TAMPA — Kevin Smith, a native of East Greenbush and a graduate of Columbia High School, grew up watching New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter on TV. Now, Smith may have a chance to play at Jeter’s position in the Bronx. 

“Every kid growing up in New York grows up watching the Yankees,” Smith told YES Network’s Jack Curry on Monday. “I was one of those kids watching Jeter every night.”

Smith has been with the Yankees throughout spring training in Tampa, but a recent injury suffered by Oswald Peraza has increased Smith’s odds of making the team as a backup shortstop. Smith is among a handful of infielders with major-league experience vying for the job. So far this spring, he’s gotten 20 at-bats, the seventh most of any Yankee. Last week, he hit an RBI single against the New York Mets.

Smith is primarily known for his defensive abilities, and has said he can play short, third, or second base. A 2022 Baseball America scouting report said that Smith’s “power and defensive skill set could allow him to stick around as a utility player.”

“I’m just trying to have the best spring that I can, have the best day and do the best work that I can, day in and day out, and let the chips fall where they may,” Smith told Curry.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Skidmore College baseball team opened its season with a pair of victories against St. Joseph’s University Brooklyn at the Verrazano Babe Ruth Field in Staten Island on March 3. 

The first game featured a three-run home run from Sam Kornet. Reliever Christian Giresi notched six strikeouts while earning the save. The Thoroughbreads finished with a 6-5 win. In game two, Skidmore dominated, 17-1. Freshman outfielder Owen Roy hit a grand slam in his collegiate debut. St. Joseph’s pitching was unruly throughout the contest, resulting in 12 walks and 7 hit-by-pitches. 

The team next headed south for the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Florida, where they lost both games of a double-header to Haverford College on March 10. The first game was a narrow 2-1 defeat, but Skidmore was blown out 20-6 in the second contest. 

On March 11, the Thoroughbreads eked out a razor-thin, extra-innings 10-9 victory against Wisconsin Lutheran. The game had a wild conclusion. With 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th, sophomore Eddie Galvo reached first base with a single, scrambled to second after a wild pitch, stole third, and then ran home for a walk-off win.

As of press time, Skidmore was 3-2 on the year. Sam Kornet had been stellar thus far, earning a 1.402 OPS across all five games. Jaden Torrado, a senior outfielder from the Bronx, was also off to a great start, with 2 doubles, a triple, and a 1.158 OPS. 

On the pitching front, senior Ameer Hasan has led the way with a 2.89 ERA in 9.1 innings. For his efforts, Hasan was named to the Liberty League Honor Roll.

Skidmore will have a busy schedule this week, playing a double-header against Rhode Island College on March 13, a game against Franklin and Marshall on the 14th, and two more games on the 15th against Wisconsin Lutheran and Ohio Wesleyan. The team will wrap up its trip to Florida against the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford on Saturday.

Skidmore’s first home game will be on Friday, March 22 against Bard College at the David Alexander Castle Diamond in Saratoga Springs.

Skidmore had been scheduled to begin their season on March 2 at Baruch College, but the game was canceled. Another scheduled game against SUNY Oneonta on March 6 was postponed.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will throw a birthday party for 1973 Triple Crown winner and Hall of Fame member Secretariat on Saturday, March 30. The celebration will include a screening of the Disney movie “Secretariat,” and mark the final day of the Museum’s exhibition “A Tremendous Machine: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown.”

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is included with the cost of regular Museum admission. Kids’ activities include a scavenger hunt, build-your-own trophy station, and birthday card design. Light refreshments and treats will be served.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On-sale ticket dates for the 2024 summer meet at the Saratoga Racecourse were announced by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) last week. NYRA also revealed the opening date for the Oklahoma Training Track.

On-Sale Dates for Track Tickets

Full-space group hospitality reservations are available beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13 for the following venues: 1863 Club, Paddock Suite, Surfside Party Deck at The Post, Stella Artois Spa Verandas, Mionetto Easy Goer, Big Red Spring, and Festival Tent.

Partial-space and individual table reservations will be available beginning March 27.

Additional tickets and hospitality offerings will go on sale the following dates:

March 20: Season admission passes; full-season reserved seating plans for the Clubhouse, Grandstand, and Cutwater Stretch

March 27: Partial-space and individual tables for the Rail at the 1863 Club, Mionetto Easy Goer, and Festival Tent

April 10: Partial meet plans for the Clubhouse, Grandstand, Cutwater Stretch, Miller Time Fourstardave Sports Bar, and Pick Six Vodka Picnic Paddock

April 25: Single-Day reservations for Clubhouse Box Seats and Clubhouse Dining (Turf Terrace, Porch, and Club Terrace)

May 2: Single-Day Reserved seats for the Clubhouse, Grandstand, and Cutwater Stretch

May 9: Single-Day reservations for the Miller Time Fourstardave Sports Bar, Pick Six Vodka Picnic Paddock, and Surfside Tailgate at the Turn

May 15: General Admission

Reservations may be made by phone at 844-NYRA-TIX, email at boxoffice@nyrainc.com, or online at NYRA.com/Saratoga. The summer meet at the Saratoga Racecourse will open on Thursday, July 11 and continue through Monday, Sept. 2.

Oklahoma Track Opening Next Month

The Oklahoma Training Track at the Saratoga Racecourse will open for the 2024 season on Thursday, April 18. The Oklahoma barn area will open to licensed trainers and staff beginning Monday, April 15. As preparations continue for the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the main track will open on Monday, May 6, about one month earlier than usual. 

Due to ongoing construction at Belmont Park on Long Island, NYRA will waive stall rental fees at Saratoga for the spring training season beginning May 6, provided all trainer accounts are current through the end of 2023.

For more information, please visit www.nyra.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Regional YMCA hopes to raise $450,000 in its 2024 Annual Campaign, which launched last week. 

“The Annual Campaign is the heartbeat of the YMCA,” said Scott Clark, Saratoga Regional YMCA CEO, in a statement. “Through this effort, volunteers and staff ensure we carry out the foundation of our mission, and that everyone has the opportunity to take a step toward a stronger and brighter future, regardless of income.”

So far, the SRYMCA has raised over $200,000, including $75,000 in donations from the Board of Directors and Staff. 

Those interested in donating can visit srymca.org/donate.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs High School softball team is in for a challenging season. The squad will be competing against the largest schools in the area, thanks to its new AAA classification. “It’s going to be very competitive across that AAA class,” said Coach Geoffrey Loiacono. “Our league,” Loiacono said, “is a grind, day in and day out. There are no guaranteed games across the board.”

Like any high school team, the Blue Streaks have their sights set on capturing a title. In 2022, they were Section 2 champions. But getting back to the top will not be easy. “You’ve got to play your best every day or you’re definitely going to get beat,” Loiacono said.

Luckily, some players from that championship team are back and ready to deliver. “Our senior class is very strong,” Loiacono said. Sarah Decker, Natalie Conroy, and Olivia Tetreault make up a group of seniors that have been playing at the varsity level for several years. “They’ve known that caliber of play,” Loiacono said.

The Blue Streaks finished 14-8 last season. They won 11 of their first 12 games, displaying serious firepower in a whopping 20-2 victory against the Schenectady Patriots in early April. But the team lost its steam in the second half of the year, losing competitive contests to Shenendehowa, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, and Liverpool.

“It’ll be an all-out team effort to get back to the championship game,” Loiacono said. Fans can get a glimpse of this year’s team during its first scrimmage game on March 18 against Schuylerville. The first regular season game will be on March 28, when the Blue Streaks face off against Columbia in a non-league game. 

For a full schedule, visit togasoftball.weebly.com/calendar.html.