SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Dec. 22, the Saratoga Central Catholic Lady Saints basketball team came out on top with a 62 to 52 win against the Hartford Tanagers. The victory improved Spa Catholic’s season record to 5-1. Sophia Ryan had a team-high 19 points, followed by Addison Whitbeck’s 16.
Prior to their win against Hartford, the Lady Saints suffered their first loss of the season, 89 to 37, against Greenwich on Dec. 18. Ryan again had a team-high 19 points, while Whitbeck chipped in 7.
Meanwhile, Saratoga Catholic’s boys’ basketball squad fell to Greenwich, 58 to 44 on Dec. 19. For the Saints, David Redgrave netted 14 points and Thomas Zayac added 11. The team was 3-3 this season heading into their annual Christmas tournament. On Dec. 29, they regained a winning record, defeating Cambridge 75 to 68. In that contest, four Saints finished with double-digit scoring, including Redgrave (21), Jasyn Thompson (16), Kihl Kelly (12), and Bryce Peterson (11).
Art and Linda Kranick pose alongside student-athletes after being named the 2022 National High School Cross Country Coaches of the Year. Photo via the Saratoga Springs City School District.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Just two days before Christmas, USA Track & Field (USATF) banned former Saratoga Springs High School girls running coaches Art and Linda Kranick, rendering them “permanently ineligible” to coach.
USATF listed its reasons for the ban as emotional and physical misconduct.
The decision was announced nearly two months after the death of Art Kranick. Art and his wife Linda both officially retired from coaching in April.
The misconduct allegations against the Kranicks stem from a legal complaint filed in Oct. 2023. In that document, 1989 graduate Kristen (Gecewicz) Gunning said that the running program was “a toxic culture of control and abuse of middle and high school girls all in the name of winning.” 1999 graduate Lauren Hogan said that some aspects of the Kranick’s program “caused immense damage to me both mentally and physically.” An updated version of the legal complaint also included more than a dozen witnesses who made various claims against the cross-country and track program. The claims spanned from the 1980s to 2022.
Despite the allegations, the Kranicks never lost the support of the Saratoga Springs School District, which rehired them even after the abusive coaching claims. Many runners, students, parents, and other members of the community also defended the Kranicks in the wake of the legal complaint.
In an interview with Saratoga TODAY in Aug. 2024, Superintendent Dr. Michael Patton said he did not have any concerns about the Kranicks. “I’ve been here for seven years and have gotten to know the Kranicks very well,” Patton said. He added that, at the time, the Kranicks had met all of the athletic department’s expectations.
In a statement released by the district following the Kranicks’ retirement, school officials said the running coaches’ “impact on our athletics and the larger realm of cross-country and track and field is unparalleled, and their departure marks the end of an extraordinary era in our school’s history.”
Following the USTA’s decision, Linda Kranick told The Daily Gazette that she intended to appeal the ruling. “This is an attempt by a few individuals to tarnish our reputation using lies,” she told the Schenectady-based newspaper.
Junior Alvarado atop Sovereignty, winner of the 2025 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. Photo by Angelo Lieto, provided by NYRA.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) recently announced that the Saratoga Race Course will host 51 days of thoroughbred racing in 2026, highlighted by the five-day Belmont Stakes Festival and a 46-day summer meet that will include the July 4th Racing Festival, which was held at Saratoga for the first time in 2025.
“Each summer, Saratoga Race Course stands at the center of the racing world,” said David O’Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “The 2026 season will be particularly special as we celebrate the final Saratoga edition of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and honor America’s 250th anniversary at one of the country’s most historic sporting venues. While Saratoga has served as the ideal temporary host for the Belmont Stakes and July 4th festivals, we look forward to returning to the traditional 40-day summer racing schedule at Saratoga in 2027.”
To allow for the uninterrupted construction of a new and re-imagined Belmont Park, Saratoga will host the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival for the third and final time from June 3 through June 7. It will be highlighted by the 158th running of the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 6.
Following the conclusion of the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet, the NYRA circuit will return to Saratoga for a 46-day summer meet to open with the July 4th Racing Festival from July 3, through July 5.
To accommodate the 2026 calendar, Saratoga will then host a series of four-day racing weeks, Thursday through Sunday, from July 9 through July 26, prior to the resumption of the five-day racing week beginning July 29. The 2026 summer meet will conclude with a six-day closing week from Sept. 2 through Labor Day, Sept. 7.
With the new Belmont Park to re-open in September for live racing, 2026 will mark the final year of adjustments to the customary racing schedule at Saratoga. This period of transition began in 2024 when NYRA held a four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in Saratoga for the first time. In 2025, NYRA expanded the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival to five days and shifted the July 4th Racing Festival to the Spa, resulting in 49 days of live racing during the 2025 season.
In 2027, Belmont Park will once again host the Belmont Stakes and July 4th Racing Festivals, while Saratoga Race Course will revert to its traditional 40-day summer meet.
“We are excited to have one more opportunity to showcase our amazing community to the world by hosting the Belmont Stakes and July 4th Festivals,” said Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus. “To kick off the Belmont Festival, we will again host a Belmont on Broadway concert free for locals and visitors to our community, and the July 4th All American Celebration to add to the festivities at the track. These two festivals helped drive up revenue at local hotels, restaurants, bars, stores and shops throughout the area in 2025, and the same will be true as our historic run hosting these events concludes in 2026.”
For the 2026 calendar of live race dates, which is pending New York State Gaming Commission approval, visit www.nyra.com/inc/schedule/.
Skidmore College junior Hakeem Daphnis finished with a team-high three steals. Photo by Matt Milless/Skidmore Athletics.
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA — The Skidmore College men’s basketball team opened play at the Springhill Suites Guilford Holiday Classic with an 83-60 defeat to Concordia-Moorhead on Dec. 29.
The Thoroughbreds (4-4) came out firing, scoring 40 points on an efficient 15-of-28 shooting in a high-scoring first half, but couldn’t sustain the production as the Cobbers (8-2) strung together a decisive 27-7 run midway in the second half to turn a back-and-forth contest that featured eight lead changes and eight ties into a lopsided result.
“I thought for 20 minutes we competed hard and it looked like we might be okay coming off the layoff. But in the second half, we looked like a team that hasn’t played in 23 days,” said Head Coach Joe Burke. “That’s a good basketball team we lost to. They played a tough physical style just as you would expect, and I thought they wore on us. It was a great opportunity, but we just didn’t compete hard enough for the entire game. I’m confident we will learn from it and build on it.”
Siena University women’s basketball player Garrisen Freeman with two members of the Wesley Community. Photo by Super Source Media for Saratoga TODAY.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Members of the Siena University women’s basketball team visited the Wesley Community on Dec. 17 to “help spread joy this holiday season.” The players were accompanied by Head Coach Terry Primm and visited the senior living facility for an ice cream social event one day after the team’s final home game of 2025.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Casino Holdings LLC (SCH) announced on Dec. 22 that it was granted a gaming license by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
In March 2025, SCH announced that it had signed a framework agreement to develop and manage a Category 4 casino to open near the Nittany Mall in State College, Pennsylvania. That casino, named Happy Valley, is currently being built and is scheduled to open sometime around spring of this year. The casino is expected to include slot machines, table games, a full-service restaurant, and several quick-serve dining options.
“As a third-generation, family-run business with more than 80 years in the horse racing industry and 20 years in casino, hotel, and entertainment operations, we are extremely proud to receive our Pennsylvania gaming license,” said Sam Gerrity, CEO of SCH. “This milestone further expands our diversification within the gaming industry and reflects our long-standing commitment to operating best-in-class gaming facilities. Our strategy is centered on building strong relationships with our customers, team members, and the communities we serve.”
SCH now holds gaming licenses for non-tribal casinos in four states, including New York, Mississippi, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. The company owns and operates the Saratoga Casino Hotel in Saratoga Springs; Saratoga Casino Black Hawk in Black Hawk, Colorado; and Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel in Natchez, Mississippi.
Combined, SCH properties include approximately 175,000 square feet of casino gaming space with over 2,100 slot machines, table games, a poker room, and a sportsbook. SCH also offers multiple entertainment options including restaurants and bars, a harness track, two hotels, over 6,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, and a nightclub.
To celebrate a year of racing on the New York Racing Association (NYRA) circuit, the NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of trainers, owners, jockeys and racing personalities to share their reflections.
In June, trainer Miguel Clement earned his first Grade 1 victory a short time after the untimely passing of his father Christophe, the winner of more than 2,500 races and $184 million in purses. In the months since, the Clement family has supported each other to carry on with Miguel at the helm.
The 34-year-old trainer reflected on his first Grade 1 win, and stressed the importance of family, both personally and professionally.
NYRA’s interview with Clement has been edited for length.
Q: Your first stakes victory came this summer at Saratoga with Deterministic in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan, a race your father won three times with Forbidden Apple [2001], Gio Ponti [2009] and Winchester [2010]. What do you remember most about that experience?
Miguel Clement: Without a doubt, the Manhattan was meaningful as the stable’s first Grade 1 win, and Dad always loved that race. To get a big victory like that right after Dad [passed], it was tough emotionally, but it was needed.
There’s nothing like winning a big race at Saratoga. His three victories this year I think are enough to be considered for the Eclipse Award, but I am biased.
Q: As you reflect on this year, what are some other key milestones you and the team are proudest of?
MC: As everyone knows, it’s been a very challenging year. Dad played a big role in all our lives and had a larger-than-life personality. He is greatly missed, and fortunately the horses are running well, so they are a much-needed distraction. I thought we had a very strong season, and it’s really great they are running well. The stable needed it, the family needed it. The horses did more than their fair share.
Q: What role does family play in the stable’s success?
MC: My wife was there for me through all of it. My sister and my mom sacrificed everything to try to find Dad a cure, and my mother tried her best to be there at Saratoga this summer as many days as she could to show support for the stable. My sister redirected much of her work towards working on the finances of the stable so I could focus as much as I could on the horses. In that regard, my wife did the same.
My family is a very big deal, maybe more so for me than any other outfit. They protect me, they help me, and they don’t get any recognition. The family put me in this position and they support me. A lot of the outreach and affection went towards me and not them, but it hit them as bad as me. So much of the credit goes to them.
Q: What are some lessons or pieces of advice from your father that have stuck with you?
MC: That it’s a very humbling game. You try to be as consistent as possible, which is tough in this profession because you deal with so many ups and downs and a lot of volatility. You just try to work as hard as possible. If you have a strong work ethic, that takes care of a lot of it.
The Grinch and Santa Claus compete in an exhibition harness race on Dec. 14. Screenshot of the race via the Saratoga Casino Hotel.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — In an annual tradition that perhaps foretells whether this Christmas will be a jolly or mean one, Santa Claus and The Grinch aired their grievances with a feat of strength: a harness race at the Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The mile-long race on Dec. 14 circled several inches of packed snow. The Grinch opened up an early lead, bursting ahead of Claus at the start of the contest. Claus was stuck on the inside, trailing by about two-and-a-half lengths as the foes entered the backstretch. Santa kept his cool, biding his time for a comeback as children across Saratoga feared their presents might be stolen by a victorious Mean One. The anxiety heightened as The Grinch expanded his lead to three lengths. As the ill-tempered, pot-bellied Christmas ruiner passed the grandstands in the stretch, he seemed to be almost taunting those in attendance.
But then, The Grinch went wide on a turn, opening up space on the inside. Claus attempted to squeeze into the gap as if it was a chimney, but The Mean One kept him at bay. Still, St. Nick gained ground and cut his enemy’s lead to about two lengths. Sensing that his chance of victory was narrowing, Santa snapped the reins as he does every Christmas when beckoning his reindeer toward the heavens. With that, Santa’s horse came so close to the reclining Grinch that the Mean One could’ve kissed its nose.
But as they entered the final stretch, centuries of a milk-and-cookies diet seemed to slow down St. Nick. The mean Green One insulted Claus and all of polite society as he cruised across the finish line with a commanding four-length victory.
It was the second-straight year that The Grinch defeated Santa in Saratoga. In 2024, The Grinch won by an inch.
BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa School District’s Adult Fitness Program will start again in January 2026. Offerings will include soccer, basketball, self-defense, yoga, DanceFit, and aqua zumba. No experience is required to participate. Each program includes a 10-class session.
Pre-registration is required for all programs, and fees are due prior to the start of each course. Due to safety regulations, aqua zumba registration will close at 25 participants.
If interested in learning more about the adult fitness programs or to register, visit www.bscsd.org. Registration forms can be dropped off in person and/or mailed to:
BSCSD
c/o Office of Community Relations and Program Support
Saratoga Racers guard Juwan Malone in a Dec. 7 game against the Herkimer Originals in Mechanicville. Malone has emerged as one of Saratoga’s top scoring threats this season. Photo via the Saratoga Racers.
MECHANICVILLE — The Saratoga Racers entered their sophomore season with new ownership and a new home court, ready to capitalize on their 13-7 inaugural year that ended in the American Basketball Association’s (ABA) playoff semifinals.
On Dec. 7, the Racers put on a show at Mechanicville’s Riverside Center. It was their second regular season contest played at their new home base. In that game against the Herkimer Originals, whom the Racers previously defeated by just one point on Nov. 9, new standouts emerged amongst a roster populated with familiar faces.
Saratoga entered the contest 3-1, having won three straight after a season-opening loss to the New England Lightning in Rhode Island on Nov. 2. The first two stanzas were evenly matched, with the score tied 64 to 64 as the decisive second half began.
In a nod to the Saratoga Race Course, the third quarter started with a “call to post” bugle sound effect—and they were off. Guard Juwan Malone impressed early, draining a three before grabbing a quick steal and easy layup. His teammates followed suit, pressuring Herkimer relentlessly on defense and racking up a series of interceptions and quick buckets. The points soon piled on, with Saratoga taking an 84 to 71 lead with 8 minutes remaining in the quarter.
The Racers moved the ball efficiently on offense, creating open looks for practically everyone donning one of the team’s redesigned minimalist, red-and-white uniforms. With a healthy double-digit lead deep in the third quarter, Saratoga slowed down the game’s pace before erupting with two triples to end the stanza. After three, it was Racers 109, Herkimer 92. (Seemingly in a celebratory mood, a couple Racers danced to “Cotton-Eyed Joe” on the sideline prior to the fourth quarter).
In the final quarter, Saratoga steamrolled the opposition with a pretty swish from beyond the arc by forward John Ryals, who was one of the top scorers on last year’s squad. But Herkimer didn’t relent, narrowing the lead to just 8 points with around 9 minutes left in the game. Saratoga countered by doing what they did well throughout the contest: draining triples and forcing turnovers.
RJ Rosa, another returning standout, had a series of big moments in the closing minutes. Both last season and against Herkimer, Rosa consistently demonstrated high basketball IQ, making smart plays and getting open looks at the basket. Malone joined with Rosa to help seal the deal in the game’s final moments, hitting a big three-pointer to grow Saratoga’s lead back up to 13 points. As Herkimer scrambled for a last-minute comeback, Rosa and company remained disciplined, keeping Toga on top to secure a 147-136 victory. The win was Saratoga’s fourth in a row.
Malone led all Racers with 29 points, though six of his teammates finished with double digits: Donavan Williams (22), Rosa (21), Ryals (20), Cam Thomas (15), Isaiah Grandison (13) and Tyler Mithell (10). Forward Joey Harden led his squad in both rebounds (12) and assists (6). Rosa added 4 steals.
Malone, who has also played for the Albany Patroons, has emerged as one of Saratoga’s most lethal offensive weapons this season. In the Racers’ first game against Herkimer in November, he racked up 27 points. The team has also been bolstered by impressive offensive outputs from Tobias Holmes, Harden, and Rosa.
Collectively, Saratoga has excelled from beyond the arc, shooting 17 for 32 (53%) in the first game against Herkimer and hitting 19 of 44 triples (43%) against the Vermont Coyotes on Nov. 23.
The Racers will return to the Riverside Center in Mechanicville on Jan. 24, which will be the first of six straight games played at home.
Prior to the start of this season, former Racers owner Keith Harrington sold the team to an ownership group led by Frank Polsinello, a Mechanicville native who relocated the team from its former home court at Saratoga Central Catholic.
