SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) revealed the final numbers for the 2025 Saratoga Race Course Summer Meet after races concluded on Monday evening.
Over the 49 days of racing at Saratoga this summer, inclusive of the Belmont Stakes and July 4th racing festivals, wagering handle from all sources totaled more than $1 billion ($1,072,548,515) with paid attendance of 1,224,504.
All-sources handle for the 40-day summer meet was $791,129,471, including a record $49,651,341 of wagering on Whitney Day and $54,309,929 on Travers Day, the third-highest amount ever wagered on a single day in the history of the summer meet.
Saratoga Stats: 2025 vs. 2024
• All-sources handle: $791,129,471 vs. $803,806,964
• Average daily handle: $19,778,237 vs. $20,610,435
• Total on-track handle: $136,218,024 vs. $136,295,228
• Total paid attendance: 1,061,787 vs. 1,051,092
• Average daily paid attendance: 26,544 vs. 26,951
• Races off the turf: 33 vs. 45
• Total races: 420 (244 dirt and 176 turf) vs. 412 (257 dirt and 155 turf)
NYRA also announced the final tallies for the winningest trainers, jockeys, and owners during the 2025 summer meet.
Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher each posted 32 wins to share the H. Allen Jerkens training title at the 40-day meeting that ran from July 10 through September 1.
“It’s really rewarding because my friends and family are here,” said Brown, who is a Saratoga County native. “It’s one of the rare times of the year between July and August I get to catch up with people I don’t see the rest of the year. It’s a lot of work. It’s my busiest time of year but I also get to see a lot of people that are important to me.
Brown earned his fifth consecutive Spa training title, his eighth overall, and his 35th title at a NYRA meeting. He posted a record of 186-32-27-31 and earnings of $4,509,878 at the meet, good for a win rate of 17.20 percent and in-the-money percentage of 48.39 percent.
Pletcher won his 15th training title at the Saratoga meet and his first training title on the NYRA circuit since taking the 2021 Aqueduct fall meet. He posted a record of 131-32-20-18 and earnings of $3,450,915, good for a win rate of 24.43 percent and in-the-money percentage of 53.44.
Linda Rice finished third in the trainer’s standings with 24 wins.
Irad Ortiz, Jr. successfully defended his title as Saratoga’s leading rider for a fourth consecutive year, after registering 59 wins to best his brother and runner-up Jose Ortiz [55 wins] and third-place Flavien Prat [42 wins]. Ortiz, Jr. earned his seventh overall Angel Cordero, Jr. riding title after clinching additional titles in 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022-24.
Ortiz, Jr. did not ride the Spa’s Closing Day card on Sept. 1 after falling from Mindframe at the beginning of Sunday’s Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, where he escaped serious injury and was medically cleared to continue riding.
“After this, I feel great,” Ortiz, Jr., said, with a laugh.
“It’s an exciting place,” he added, regarding Saratoga. “I think it’s the best place to ride horses and the people show so much love every single day. They support the sport so much, so I can’t be happier to be here.”
Ortiz, Jr. completed the meet with a record of 286-59-56-44 and earnings of $5,341,609, good for a win rate of 20.63 percent and in-the-money rate of 55.59 percent.
Mike Repole’s Repole Stable earned the owners’ title with 14 wins, notching their first title at a NYRA meeting since taking the 2021 Aqueduct winter meet in a tie with Michael Dubb. Repole last won the owners’ title at Saratoga from 2010-12, and was New York’s leading owner in 2009.
Repole Stable completed the meet with a 61-14-11-8 record and $1,123,270 in earnings. Klaravich Stables finished second with 11 wins while Flying P Stable was third with nine wins.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Friends of Skidmore Athletics’ Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place during Homecoming and Family Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 18.
The 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees include:
Student-Athletes
Liz Catinella Casey ’11 – Women’s Field Hockey
Grant Copeland ’97 – Baseball
Gerard O’Shea ’12 – Men’s Basketball
Lindsey Phibbs ’02 – Riding
Admin/Staff
Bill Jones P’18, Athletics Administration
Team
2013-2014 Women’s Field Hockey Team
Team of Distinction
2012-2013 Women’s Tennis Team
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Skidmore College women’s volleyball team opened their 2025 season with a win and a pair of losses during the Joseph B. Dearing Classic on Aug. 30 and Sept. 2.
The first two games—played in Springfield, Massachusetts—resulted in a 3-1 loss to Springfield College and a 3-0 sweep against Keene State. Seniors Maya Stolarz and Jazlin Chen combined for 18 kills in the Keene State win as the Thoroughbreds hit .303 in the victory with 15 total blocks. At the end of the day, sophomore Marlowe McIntyre, who was making her collegiate debut, was selected to the All-Tournament Team.
Springfield 3, Skidmore 1 (25–20, 23–25, 25–22, 25–18)
• Springfield opened with a 25–20 win in the first set behind five service aces.
• Skidmore answered in the second, rallying late to take a 25–23 win in a frame that featured 17 ties. Neither side scored more than points in a row.
• The Pride edged the third set 25–22 after scoring three in a row to get to 22 and pushing three more across despite Skidmore’s late push.
• Springfield closed the match with a 25–18 fourth set, aided by three more aces to finish with 12 on the day. The hosts scored eight out of the first 10 points in the fourth set.
• Stolarz led the Thoroughbreds with 10 kills and four blocks, one solo.
• Katy O’Connell added six kills and a team-high five block assists.
• Setter Catriona Hoelperl tallied 23 assists and 11 digs for her first double-double of the year.
• Libero Marlowe McIntyre posted a team-best 18 digs.
• Chloe Heitman chipped in seven kills, while Madison Manning had six and Angie Mozrall five.
• Skidmore hit .159 with 8.0 total blocks in the opener.
Skidmore 3, Keene State 0 (25–15, 25–20, 25–18)
• Skidmore surged to a 25–15 first-set win behind a combined seven early kills from Stolarz and Chen.
• The Thoroughbreds held off a mid-set Keene rally with a 10-2 run to take the second, 25–20, with O’Connell and Claire Sabo combining for four blocks.
• Skidmore sealed the sweep with a 25–18 third set after pulling away in the middle of the frame.
• Chen finished nearly perfect with nine kills on 13 swings (.692) without an error and three blocks.
• Stolarz also had nine kills with four total blocks.
• Natalie Pedersen chipped in six kills, while O’Connell and Sabo combined for eight blocks.
• Hoelperl steered the offense with 22 assists, and Emma Ferrigno added six helpers.
• McIntyre anchored the defense with 11 digs.
• Heitman contributed four kills to finish her collegiate debut with 11 on the afternoon.
• Skidmore hit .303 as a team while limiting Keene State to -.018 with a dominant 15.0 team blocks.
In their Sept. 2 contest, Skidmore pushed host Williams in each set but dropped a 3–0 decision (25–23, 25–20, 25–18) in the Ephs’ season opener Tuesday night at Chandler Athletic Center. First-year outside hitter Chloe Heitman led the Thoroughbreds with 10 kills, while senior middle Jazlin Chen added four kills and a match-best five blocks.
• Skidmore (1–2) opened strong, hitting .303 in the first set and erasing a 20–14 deficit behind Chen’s serving run of three aces in four points eventually propelling the Thoroughbreds to tie the score at 22. Williams (1–0) answered with a closing 3-1 stretch to claim the frame, then used a balanced attack to control the final two sets.
• Heitman tallied 10 kills on 30 swings (.200) to go with four digs and a block. She scored four of her points in the third set, including back-to-back kills that kept Skidmore within reach at 9–8.
• Chen finished with 11.5 points, including four solo blocks, and three aces.
• Setter Catriona Hoelperl dished out 19 assists, hit .500 with two kills, and chipped in seven digs. Classmate Emma Ferrigno added six assists and a kill.
• Maya Stolarz produced seven kills (.222), a block, and three digs, while Katy O’Connell supplied four kills and two solo blocks. Madison Manning collected four kills and 16 receptions with just one error, plus a service ace.
• Marlowe McIntyre anchored the defense with 13 digs, while Athena Braverman added six. Skidmore out-blocked Williams 8–5 but was out-aced 12–4.
• Williams’ Kate Lane and Chi Obi paced the Ephs with eight kills apiece. Lane added four aces, while setter Morgan Daetz handed out 24 assists. Libero Eve Kaplan totaled 13 digs.
The team will next host a busy weekend of home games during the Skidmore Classic on Sept. 5 and 6 at the Williamson Sports Center.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Two years ago, the Saratoga Central Catholic girl’s soccer team managed just one victory all season. Last year, the first of a rebuilding effort, they rocketed to eight wins, despite, at times, not having enough players to fill out a complete roster.
“I think it was a great accomplishment for the girls to turn it around like that, and it’s really a testament to them taking the systems we put in place and actually executing it,” said Head Coach Brian Venn.
Some of the Saints’ losses last season were close, winnable contests. They fell to Mekeel Christian Academy 2-1 and lost to Whitehall 3-2. Had those games gone slightly differently, Spa Catholic would’ve finished with a winning record.
The squad’s remarkable turnaround has attracted attention from just about everyone: interested players, student spectators, parents, and the community at large. When word went around that the Saints were serious about soccer, donations, attendance, and enthusiasm all shot up.
“We’ve got great support from our [athletics director]. We’ve got great student support. Our games were filled with students watching the young ladies play last year, which was awesome,” said Assistant Coach Tony Nucera. “We’re really proud of where we are. It doesn’t mean we’re exactly where we want to be, but we’re trending in the right direction. Our goal, when we did this together, was to sustain a program that for years to come would be available to the student athletes, and also have, eventually, a JV program and a modified program. That’s where we want to get it. It’ll take us a little while to get there, but it’s a lot of fun getting to where we are now.”
Along the path of this ambitious rebuild comes increased expectations for the 2025 season. The coaches are aiming for 11 wins, despite losing key contributors Sydney Caracci and Grace Venn, both of whom were senior team captains. But the Saints won’t go quietly into the night. Juniors Ava Brown and Allison Fuller, who Venn said last year were poised to become standouts, have indeed stepped into leadership roles. Both were named team captains for the 2025 season. Joining them is Addison Quail, a junior who led the team in assists last year and is back for her second stint as a captain.
“I feel confident leading the team,” Quail said. “It’s nice to see everyone coming together and working together to push through the season and win as many games as we can.”
“I think last year we had such a successful team and an organization that we’re starting, and I think that it showed all the younger kids that this has hope and we can do more with this,” Fuller said. “A lot of people tried out and made the team this year, and our numbers rose just because of last year with new coaches and our support by everyone in the school.”
The captains agreed that their biggest games of the regular season will be opening and closing contests against Mekeel Christian. The first is on Friday, Sept. 5, the second, Oct. 11. Mekeel and Spa Catholic have developed a healthy rivalry thanks to their close games last season, all three of which ended in Saints losses. But like many things with this team, all of that could soon change for the better.
2025 Saratoga Central Catholic Lady Saints Girls Varsity Soccer Roster
Allison Fuller (team captain): senior goalie/striker, #1
Grace Schaefer: junior goalie/striker, #2
Isabella Hutter: senior defense, #3
Anna Fitzpatrick: senior midfield, #5
Julia Dejnozka: sophomore forward/midfield, #6
Maggie Durfee: sophomore stopper, #9
Addison Quail (team captain): junior center midfield, #10
Sophia Ryan: junior midfield, #12
Ava Brown (team captain): senior sweeper, #15
Lily Guiden: junior forward, #19
Mekenna King: sophomore midfield, #21
Hannah Carter: sophomore midfield, #22
Emma Gilchrist: sophomore defense, #23
Lily Janic: sophomore midfield, #28
Luchiana Leon: senior defense, #30
Sophia Brunner: 8th grade striker, #31
Jill Venn: junior striker, #44
Sophia Klamp: freshman goalie, #50
Head Coach: Brian Venn
Assistant Coach: Tony Nucera
2025 Saratoga Central Catholic Lady Saints Girls Varsity Soccer Schedule
9/5 4:30 p.m. vs. Mekeel Christian at Maalwyck Park
9/9 4:30 p.m. vs. Berlin New Lebanon at Gavin Park
9/12 4:30 p.m. vs. Cambridge at Cambridge
9/13 12 p.m. vs. Whitehall Saturday at Gavin Park
9/18 4:30 p.m. vs. North Warren/Johnsburg at North Warren/Johnsburg
9/19 4:30 p.m. vs. Germantown at Gavin Park
9/22 5 p.m. vs. Watervliet at Gavin Park
9/26 4:30 p.m. vs. Gloversville at Gavin Park
9/29 4:30 p.m. vs. Corinth at Gavin Park
10/2 7:00 p.m. vs. Whitehall at Whitehall (night game)
10/3 7:00 p.m. vs. Watervliet at Watervliet (night game)
10/7 4:30 p.m. vs. North Warren/Johnsburg at Gavin Park (pink game)
10/9 4:30 p.m. vs. Corinth at Corinth
10/11 12 p.m. vs. Mekeel Christian at Gavin Park (Saturday/Senior Day)
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Siena University basketball head coaches Gerry McNamara and Terry Primm greeted fans and celebrated inside the Winner’s Circle at the Saratoga Race Course last Wednesday.
The fifth race of the day, dubbed “Siena Saints MarchOn!”, was named in honor of the coaches’ teams. McNamara and Primm also took time to sign autographs and pose for photos with hoops fans at the Jockey Silks Porch.
Prior to becoming a coach, McNamara was a crucial piece of the 2003 NCAA National Champion Syracuse team. This season will be his second as head coach of the Saints after a long stint as assistant coach for the Orange.
Primm ascended to lead the women’s program following three years as an assistant coach and quickly made an impact, leading the Saints to their third consecutive winning record and a berth in the WNIT.
The Siena men’s team will launch their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) schedule on Dec. 5 at the MVP Arena in Albany. The women’s team is set to begin their regular season on Nov. 4 at the UHY Center in Loudonville.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Jim Nantz, a CBS sportscaster famous for his coverage of The Masters and multiple Super Bowls, was named the Saratoga Senior Center’s Man of the Year during an event co-hosted by hometown hero Dottie Pepper at the Fasig-Tipton Pavilion last Thursday. Nantz was celebrated for his impactful work in Alzheimer’s advocacy.
Pepper is a 1983 graduate of Saratoga Springs High School and member of the Blue Streak Hall of Fame. She won 17 championships on the LPGA Tour before joining CBS’ golf broadcasting team.
In a nearly hour-long chat at Fasig-Tipton, Nantz hit upon a number of topics, including his philanthropic work, his distinguished career, and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Here are some highlights from his remarks
Dottie Pepper
“Dottie, you are such a shining star in my life… I just treasure the chance to work with you.”
His signature catchphrase, “Hello, friends”
“I was just trying to send a message to my father who was declining by the day, suffering from Alzheimer’s. When I left his bedside… I just said, ‘Dad, when I’m on the air this weekend, I’m looking at the camera and I’m going to say ‘Hello, friends’ and when I say that, I want you to know I’m thinking of you in that very moment… At the end of the day, I got a call from a colleague at CBS who said, ‘I watched you on the opening say ‘Hello, friends,’ what was the story there?’ I filled him in… He said, that sounded like you. You should do that again tomorrow. So I’ve done it every show since. My dad lost the battle in 2008. I still say it.”
His life and career
“Zelig, this old Woody Allen movie where he drops himself in all these incredible historical moments and scenes, or Forrest Gump, the same kind of thing – I feel like that’s my life… How did I end up on the victory platform, giving away the Lombardi Trophy and calling the Super Bowl? I’ve been broadcasting on nine of them. All I know is that it goes back to passion, obsession. I make a declaration, ‘This is what I’m going to do,’ and gratefully, blessedly, a lot of it, most of it, feels like it’s come true.”
His work as a broadcaster
“I’m into the story of the people. I like to find out what’s in their heart… What is it about them? Why should we root for them? I’m not a scoop guy. I’ll leave the scoops to the guys in the studio. I’m not trying to dig any dirt. I don’t even, I don’t want to know. I want to find the good side of people and cover the game.”
Bills quarterback Josh Allen
“One of the greatest human beings I’ve met… He’s on a very short list of people that I’m just blown away by how they handle themselves around people and the acts of goodness they do… He makes everyone in Buffalo feel special, never turns anyone away.”
Alzheimer’s
“There is such a rush of positive energy and momentum in the fight against Alzheimer’s. It’s remarkable. The last three years have been a rocketship. Things are happening.”
“When I got all-in on the fight for Alzheimer’s, I mean that is going to be the greatest win of all. That’s just the way I’ve lived my life, trying to figure out what it is I want to do, and do everything within my power to make it happen.”
The Saratoga Senior Center
“Thank you for what you do, all of you that support this thing with your time, checking up on people, checking up on your fellow citizens and residents, making sure that their lives are staying on track and they feel important, that they don’t feel the loneliness that far too many seniors in this country feel. It’s wonderful to know that when I think of Saratoga now… I’m going to think about the community and what is happening at the senior center.”
QUEENSBURY — On Aug. 22 at the Hiland Park Country Club in Queensbury, the Saratoga Central Catholic girls golf team defeated Queensbury, 106 to 113.
For the Saints, Maddison Norton shot a 47 and was crowned a medalist. Lilly Norton shot a 59,
Eva Nucera 60, and Lauryn Duell 68.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A whopping 11 baseball players from Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa were recently named to the 2025 NYSSWA All-State teams, including Saratoga Catholic’s Hunter Fales, who was named the Class C Player of the Year.
Fales was a senior last season who was part of the state championship-winning Saints. He was team captain and played catcher, outfield, and second base. He will attend St. John Fisher University.
Other Saints named to All-State teams included senior Ronan Rowe and pitcher Pierce Byrne (both first team), junior outfielder Kihl Kelly (third team), sophomore catcher and third baseman Brian Selig (fourth team), and senior utility player Ryan Gillis (fifth team).
In Class AAA, three Blue Streak juniors (who were also crowned state champs last season) earned All-State honors: outfielder Alex Landau (first team), catcher Brady Mills (second team), and shortstop Raul Rodriguez (fourth team).
In Class AA, Ballston Spa junior pitcher Jameson Hotaling made the second team, and senior shortstop James Haughton was named to the third team.
For the first time in Saratoga’s history, the Blue Streaks and Saints both won state titles in their respective classes last season. They were honored with a downtown parade and were recognized prior to games at Yankee Stadium.
