SARATOGA SPRINGS — Toga Dynasty, a fourth-grade boys basketball team from Saratoga Springs, won the New York State of Mind tournament championship last weekend.
After going 2-1 in pool play, with wins over the Oswego Buccaneers (28-16) and Halfmoon’s Elevate Wolfpack (40-37), Toga Dynasty advanced to the championship game, where it defeated Elevate again, 38-34, to capture the title.
The tournament was held April 11-12 in Saratoga.
MALTA — A battle in New York’s Capital Region awaits the Super DIRTcar Series, as the quest for the 2026 championship begins at Albany-Saratoga Speedway.
The 61st season opener on Friday, April 17 will showcase the Beasts of the Northeast with a 61-lap feature paying $6,100-to-win. It’s also the 2026 championship season opener, giving one driver the chance to strike first on the road to the World of Outlaws World Finals.
Joining the Super DIRTcar Series are the track’s DIRTcar Sportsman and DIRTcar Pro Stock divisions.
Here’s a look at what to watch for at Albany-Saratoga:
• With the championship season kicking off on Friday, it also begins Mat Williamson’s quest for a third-straight title, and fourth title overall. Williamson has found plenty of success at Albany-Saratoga in the past, sweeping both Super DIRTcar Series stops in 2024, and earning three consecutive DIRTcar 358 Modified Series podiums. He finished sixth and eighth in the Series’ two appearances at Albany-Saratoga last season. A win by “Money Mat” on Friday will be his 39th career Series win, tying Bob McCreadie for seventh on the all-time wins list.
• The last time the series battled at Albany-Saratoga, it was 10-time series champion Matt Sheppard who stood in Victory Lane during Malta Massive Weekend. The Finger Lakes driver has two series victories at Albany-Saratoga over the past four seasons and has finished in the top five in three of his last four starts at the track. Overall, he’s earned three wins, 12 top-fives, and 13 top-tens. A win by “Super Matt” will be his 104th Series triumph, as he continues his chase of Brett Hearn at the top of the Series all-time wins list (141).
• Friday’s stop at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway marks the first venue the series visits in 2026, where several drivers race at their home track. Defending track champion Mike Mahaney, Felix Roy, Peter Britten, Jack Lehner, and Justin Stone each call Albany-Saratoga home on Friday nights and aim to score a victory in front of their hometown crowd. Lehner resides in Saratoga Springs and is a three-time feature winner at the 4/10-mile oval, reaching Victory Lane in 2024.
• Upset Special: Along with a stout group of Super DIRTcar Series regulars who race at Albany-Saratoga Speedway every Friday, there’s a group of regional drivers aiming to pull an upset victory, including last year’s event winner L.J. Lombardo. Former track champions Marc Johnson and Matt Delorenzo will also be aiming for the $6,100 prize on Friday, as they battle for their first career series victory.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) recently announced purse increases to overnight races at Saratoga Race Course, where purse levels will be raised by nearly 14 percent blended across all categories during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and throughout the 2026 summer meet.
NYRA has increased purses for open maiden special weights by a full 15 percent, from $100,000 to $115,000. In addition, first-level allowance events will be offered for $120,000 and second-level allowance races will be offered for $125,000. NYRA will also increase purses for the maiden allowance auction category to $90,000, a 12.5 percent increase.
The first 2026 Saratoga condition book will be released in June.
For additional information on overnight purse increases, visit www.nyra.com/saratoga/horsemen/.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Nevada Smith, Siena University’s new men’s head basketball coach, appears to be fond of the Spa City.
According to the Times Union, Smith lived in Saratoga Springs for a time while coaching in the NBA’s G League (Smith also lists Saratoga as his current location on his LinkedIn page). Smith and his wife Lindsay celebrated their wedding at both St. Mary’s Church in Ballston Spa and the Saratoga National Golf Club. A Jan. 2024 article about Smith on Paint Touches, a Marquette basketball website, stated that Smith would “eventually love to find a spot somewhere in Saratoga Springs, where he spends time in the offseason, getting to simply be dad and husband.”
Smith was recently appointed the 20th head coach in Siena men’s basketball history after the previous head coach, Gerry McNamara, left Siena for Syracuse University. Last month, McNamara led the Saints to their first NCAA Division 1 “March Madness” appearance in 16 years. The No. 16 seed Siena were ousted by the No. 1 Duke in the first round of the tournament.
Smith was formally introduced at a press conference on April 7 in the MVP Arena atrium. He mentioned his time living in Saratoga. He also mentioned marrying his wife in Ballston Spa eight years ago before being corrected (apparently, it was closer to nine years ago). “It’s gonna be nine,” he said at the presser, to laughter from the audience.
“My family and I could not be more excited to arrive in the Capital Region and become a part of the Siena community,” Smith said in a statement. “I am honored and humbled to be able to lead this program, and build upon the momentum created by Gerry McNamara, his staff, and the great players who have proudly worn the Siena jersey throughout the years.”
The 45-year-old Smith has more than 22 years of coaching experience on his resume, with stints at both the collegiate and professional levels. He previously served, for eight seasons, as a head coach in the G League and at the NCAA Division III level. He spent the past six seasons working on staff at both Marquette (2021-26) and Texas (2020-21).
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS — Clifton Park native Logan Ryan will be fighting for a cure, literally, in the annual Haymakers for Hope charity boxing event on Thursday, May 7 at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway.
Ryan and 29 other fighters will step into the ring to combat cancer and raise money for their main beneficiary, The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In preparation for fight night, each participating fighter was paired with a boxing gym and coach to guide them through the vigorous, four-month training cycle. All participants trained individually and within small groups, learning the fundamentals of the sport. The fights are sanctioned by USA Boxing and are scheduled to last for three two-minute rounds.
Ryan, a 27-year-old financial advisor, will face a to-be-determined opponent.
“Cancer has deeply impacted my family and so many people I love,” Ryan said on his fighter profile page. “Almost nine years ago, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, she has been cancer-free for eight years — a victory made possible by the incredible strides in cancer research. Her strength and resilience are a constant reminder of why this fight matters so much to me… This fight is about more than boxing. It’s about standing up, fighting back, and supporting those who need it most. Every punch thrown represents hope — for cures, for families, and for a future where fewer people have to bear the devastating effects of cancer.”
Haymakers for Hope is a nonprofit dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, care, and survivorship through organized charitable boxing events. Founded in 2010, Haymakers for Hope has helped raise nearly $42 million in its efforts to knock out cancer.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Tark’s Indoor Golf will close its Saratoga location after 18 years of business.
Owner Kent Tarkleson will be relocating the business to Michigan to be closer to family and help care for his aging mother.
Tarkleson had hoped to transfer the lease to a new owner so that Tark’s could continue operating in New York, but Tarkleson said that request was “unexpectedly denied,” resulting in the closure of the Saratoga location.
“For 18 years, Tark’s has been far more than a business,” Tarkleson said. “It has been a community built on conversations, shared moments, and the simple joy of spending time together around the game we all love. I’ve watched golfers grow, improve, and return season after season, but what has meant the most to me are the relationships that formed along the way.”
Customers with outstanding lesson packages or gift cards are asked to redeem them by April 20. Because the closing timeline moved quickly, customers are encouraged to schedule as soon as possible, as availability will become more limited during the final weeks.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Rowing Association is gearing up to host some regattas this spring. The races will take place on Fish Creek at the head of Saratoga Lake.
April 11: Cornell and Boston University – Men’s Race
April 18: New York State Collegiate Championships
April 25–26: Saratoga Invitational
May 1: Liberty League Collegiate Championships
May 9–10: New York State High School Scholastic Championships
Also scheduled for later this year is the annual Head of the Fish regatta on Oct. 24 and 25.
Volunteer signups are currently open for those interested in assisting with the regattas. Visit the new Saratoga Regattas Instagram account for additional info: www.instagram.com/sraregattas.
DAKAR, SENEGAL — Melissa Myers (30) and Ramon Hernandez Jr. (25), both from the Jason Morris Judo Center in Glenville, recently won medals at the Senegal Open, earning valuable points on the world ranking list.
Hernandez won a silver medal, making it all the way to the finals of 81kg, losing a thriller in overtime. Hernandez jumped 10 slots in the rankings, up to a career-high #85.
Myers won a bronze medal at 70kg to move up 5 spots in the rankings to a career-high #55.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Got a buckin’ bronco that you’re itching to ride? Grab the reins and mosey that boy on over to the Saratoga Springs School District’s annual Bike Rodeo on Thursday, May 7 (4:30-6:30 p.m.) at the East Side Recreation Field’s track and in-field off of Caroline Street—the rowdiest, rootinest, tootinest street of them all.
Kids with bicycles can get everything checked out before Bike-to-School Day on May 15. Mechanics will be on site for minor maintenance. The rodeo will include a helmet-fitting station, bike safety stations, games, a bike obstacle course, and a relay race contest. All kids participating in the event can fill out a raffle ticket for a chance to win a new kids’ bike from Trek Saratoga Bicycles (up to $350 value).
Registration tables will be at the Caroline Street side of the park entrance. Parents should plan to accompany their kids for the duration of the event. Participating cowboys and cowgirls should wear their helmets (a limited supply of helmets will also be donated when in need). Parking may be limited, so plan to bike over, or check for excess parking at the Caroline Street School and St. Clement’s School.
Those interested in volunteering to help out at the rodeo can do so at the link below.
“The more volunteers we get, the smoother the event runs, and we’re hoping to make this year’s rodeo the best ever,” said Lake Avenue Physical Education Teacher Jake Zanetti.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) and the Chester Racecourse in England recently announced a new partnership connecting the Boodles May Festival at Chester with the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.
Chester Racecourse, established in 1539 during the reign of King Henry VIII, is the oldest operational racing venue in the world. Home to the Boodles May Festival along with the Ladbrokes Chester Cup, Boodles Chester Vase and Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks, Chester Racecourse welcomes more than 330,000 racegoers annually across 15 days of live racing.
Saratoga Race Course, named one of the world’s great sporting venues by Sports Illustrated, held its first summer meet in 1863 just one month after the Battle of Gettysburg. Since that first four-day gathering, the annual summer meet has grown to become the most prestigious and important race meet in North America.
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 Wednesday, June 3, through Sunday, June 7.
“This is an exciting partnership connecting two of the sport’s most revered and historic venues, which can only expand interest in these important races,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA SVP of Racing & Operations. “We thank our friends at Chester Racecourse and look forward to a fantastic summer at Saratoga.”
The agreement provides the winner of the 13-furlong [2,692 meters] Group 3, £140,000 Ormonde on Thursday, 7 May at Chester Racecourse with an automatic berth, including entry and starting fees, into the 2-mile [3,219 meters] Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup on June 4 at Saratoga.
The Belmont Gold Cup, which has been won by European shippers in six of the last eight runnings, has served as a ‘Golden Ticket’ qualifier for the Group 1, AUD$8.4 million Lexus Melbourne Cup in each of the last two years.
In addition, the about 10-furlong [2,076 meters] Group 2, £130,000 Huxley on Friday, May 8 at Chester Racecourse will provide a fees-paid automatic berth into the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World Casino Manhattan at 1 3/16-miles [1,911 meters] on Belmont Stakes Day June 6 at Saratoga.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with the New York Racing Association on this exciting new initiative,” said Patrick Chesters, racing director for Chester Racecourse. “Bringing together two of the most historic venues in racing creates a fantastic opportunity to strengthen international connections within racing and showcase the quality of our racing programme at Chester.”
“The Ladbrokes Ormonde Stakes and the Huxley Stakes have long been important middle-distance contests in the early part of the season, and this partnership enhances their international significance,” Chesters continued. “To offer guaranteed entry into races of the calibre of the Belmont Gold Cup and the Manhattan Stakes, with the added incentive of travel support, gives owners and trainers a very real and attractive opportunity to campaign horses on the global stage. The potential pathway from the Ormonde through to Belmont is particularly exciting. We will certainly be hoping to tempt some great horses to the Roodee that might have a future trip to America on their radars.”
Connections abound between horses that have raced at both Chester and on the NYRA circuit.
Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has won the Ormonde a record seven times, including the last two editions with Point Lonsdale [2024] and Illinois [2025]. O’Brien is also a four-time winner of the Huxley, taking the 2017 edition with Deauville, who captured the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational the previous year at Belmont Park.
Last year’s Huxley victor was the Andrew Balding-conditioned The Foxes, who closed to finish second in the 2023 Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational.
The three-day Boodles May Festival at Chester will start with Trials Day, on Wednesday, May 6, followed by the glitz and glamour of Ladies Day on Thursday, May 7, and Ladbrokes Chester Cup Day on Friday, May 8.
The five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga, which spans Wednesday, June 3 through Sunday, June 7, will offer 25 stakes races worth $11.075 million in purses and is headlined by the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 6.
The Boodles May Festival takes place at Chester 6–8 May, attracting leading owners, trainers and jockeys. The meeting regularly serves as a springboard for horses targeting major domestic and international summer targets. Tickets and hospitality are available to purchase from the Chester Racecourse website, and its three days can be viewed live on ITV.
