SARATOGA SPRINGS — The first session of the Saints Baseball Camp was held last week, hosted by Saratoga Central Catholic varsity baseball head coach Alphonse Lambert and assistant coach Dale Long, Jr.
Current and former SCC players also assist with instruction in the camp, according to the camp’s registration form. The second session of the camp will be held August 7 to 10 at West Side Recreation Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day.
A rendering by KOMPAN of a 6,000-square foot playground at Veterans Memorial Park. Photo from Saratoga Springs Recreation Commission presentation.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Recreation and athletic facilities throughout Saratoga Springs are about to receive upgrades totaling north of $1 million.
The City will be undergoing improvements at a variety of recreational spaces, including a new skate park at East Side Recreation Park, a new “destination” playground at Veterans Memorial Park, and a new playground and bathrooms at Waterfront Park on Saratoga Lake.
The East Side Rec Skate Park originally opened in 1989, making it the oldest municipal skate park in New York, according to the city. Saratoga Springs Mayor Ron Kim said while the skate park has been well-utilized, it “needed those improvements.”
“The City had put this in their capital budget last year, so we wanted to move forward on it,” said Kim of the skatepark. “So that’s really exciting.”
The renovations cost roughly $446,000, according to a presentation on Rec Department projects by Administrative Director of Recreation John Hirliman. Approximately $70,000 was raised by local nonprofit group ON DECK Saratoga.
“I think it’ll be well-utilized,” said Kim.
Veterans Memorial Park, located near Geyser Elementary School, is also set to receive a major overhaul. The park will be equipped with nearly $870,000 worth of improvements, including a 6,000-square foot playground and a 2,300-square foot inclusive playground, the presentation states.
“John Hirliman’s idea, and the Rec Commission, was to really have a destination playground,” said Kim of the Veterans Memorial Park plans. “It’s really going to be an impressive sort of facility once it’s constructed. People will come throughout the city to come and enjoy it. So that’s really exciting.”
The playground renovations were designed and will be installed by KOMPAN, a manufacturer of commercial playground equipment based in Austin, Texas, their website states. Construction is set to begin in August, according to the presentation.
“This is a little more modular, in the sense that we’re really purchasing equipment that’s going to be constructed on-site,” Kim said. “It is going to be done fairly quickly, too.”
The main playground will include a pendulum swing, a giant custom mega tower, custom wave net, a net ‘fishing’ bridge, and spinners, the presentation states. The inclusive playground is set to include a wheelchair carousel, fully-inclusive ramp, dolphin spring toy, and a spinner.
A three-bay swing set will also be installed, including two standard seats, two infant bucket seats, and an inclusive basket. The upgrades also include an expanded clubhouse and renovated bathrooms.
“They’re also rehabbing bathrooms and some facilities out there, so there are some additional enhancements other than the playground,” Kim added.
The City has partnered with the Saratoga Springs Department of Public Works and the Saratoga Springs Friends of Recreation for the improvements, the presentation states. Construction at Veterans Memorial Park is expected to last approximately 60 days.
At Waterfront Park on Saratoga Lake, improvements include a new playground and bathrooms, and are estimated at roughly $150,000, excluding new fencing, benches, and signs. The bathrooms are estimated to cost $10,000, the presentation states.
Kim said the park is heavily utilized in the summer, and noted the goal of adding additional amenities to the space. He said funding for the park’s bathrooms were included in the City’s capital budget.
“This is probably the most-used park in a very concentrated time period,” said Kim. “The number of people there, particularly now that it’s hot, is pretty significant.”
The playground will be designed and installed by GameTime, a commercial playground company based in Fort Payne, Alabama, and is expected to begin in mid-fall, according to the presentation. Construction is expected to last roughly 30 days.
In addition, the Scott T. Johnson Rec Center is also set to receive upgrades in the form of a new multi-use court. The total cost, including paving, is estimated around $160,000, the presentation states. The court is designed and will be installed by KOMPAN, with construction set to begin in August and last roughly 15 days.
“They have a huge demand over there,” said Kim of the Johnson Rec Center, located at 15 Vanderbilt Ave.
The City is also currently seeking proposals for the development of a bike park on Weibel Ave near the city’s ice rinks.
“I think one of the things that we’d love to do is have that area serve as multi-sport,” said Kim of the Weibel Ave location.
Kim mentioned that there have also been calls to add a third ice rink, saying the City is considering hiring a landscape architect to examine if the land on Weibel Ave could accommodate both an additional ice rink and the bike park.
“With hockey, I’m advocating that we take a look at whether or not the County would pitch in,” Kim said, noting that the Weibel rinks serve a large populace outside of the city. “There’s probably just as many Greenfield, Wilton people that are taking their kids over to skate.”
Kim credited the Recreation Commission for their work on the projects, saying it’s “very satisfying” to advance them further.
“John Hirliman, the rec director, and the Recreation Commission, have done a really good job in bringing these things forward,” Kim said. “Whether it’s the rec center, the hockey rink, our waterfront, it’s clear they’re important pieces to the services that the City provides. I’m really happy that it’s all coming together and we can address these things, because people utilize them.”
First race of opening day, 2023. Photo by Dom Napolitano, courtesy of NYRA.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 2023 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course is underway and will continue through Monday, September 4. Racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, apart from the final week, when the meet will conclude on Labor Day. Admission gates will open for live racing at 11 a.m. First post time is 1:10 p.m. (with exceptions for Whitney and Travers Days and closing weekend; Travers Day gates will open at 7 a.m.) The 2023 summer meet will feature the following events:
Week 2 Stake Races
*Mondays and Tuesdays = Dark Days. No racing.
Saratoga Live presents daily coverage of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit NYRA.com/SaratogaLive.
The first giveaway of the season is a Saratoga branded, 64-ounce, red and white cooler jug, presented by NYRA Bets.
Community Outreach Booth
As part of NYRA’s season-long commitment to spreading awareness of local non-profits, NYRA will again host one organization each day in the Community Outreach Booth, located adjacent to the Jockey Silks Room, inside Gate B. On Opening Day, NYRA will host Jewish War Veterans Post 36 – Saratoga Springs, a leading Veterans Service Organization that supports and advocates for all uniformed service members, veterans and their families.
Friday, July 21: Saratoga Bridges
Saturday, July 22: After the Fire
Sunday, July 23: Amplify Horse Racing
Wednesday, July 26: Ávila Independent Retirement Community
Thursday, July 27: Saratoga Springs Fire Department
Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage
The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live musical performances each afternoon of the season from popular local and regional bands. This year’s summer music stage is presented by Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor in Saratoga Springs.
Friday, July 21: Mark and Jill Blues
Saturday, July 22: IMI
Sunday, July 23: The Hawthornes
Wednesday, July 26: Bluebillies
Thursday, July 27: Fenimore Blues
HANDICAPPING SEMINAR AND MEET-AND-GREET
Every Sunday beginning July 23
Enjoy your Sunday at the races in the Spa’s newest hospitality venue, the climate-controlled Paddock Suite, learning betting strategies and tips from expert handicappers. Guests will also be treated to a meet-and-greet with Saratoga Race Course’s new track announcer Frank Mirahmadi, along with a rotating cast of on-track talent, personalities and VIPs. Tickets can be purchased through Fevo.
Berkshire Bank Family ZONE
Fans will enjoy 40 days of the Berkshire Bank Family Zone, an interactive play area for children located near Gate A, which will be supplemented by Berkshire Bank Family Sundays.
Berkshire Bank Family Sundays – Every Sunday:
The popular family-friendly weekly event features a wide variety of free activities, games, attractions and educational experiences from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Berkshire Bank Family Zone, located inside Gate A near the Saratoga Race Course Box Office. For July 23, the theme is Christmas in July and will feature a holiday DIY craft station, giant snow globe, carnival booth and photo opportunities with Santa Claus.
First Responders Day
Thursday, July 27
First Responders Day pays tribute to first responders with free general admission (proper ID required). Special events will include a Police K-9 infield show, performances by the New York State Trooper Pipes and Drums, and demonstrations by several first responder agencies.
SARATOGA LOW ROLLER CONTEST
Every Thursday And Sunday
Horseplayers can enjoy the Saratoga Low Roller Contest held exclusively on-track every Thursday and Sunday at Saratoga Race Course. Fans can pre-register on contest days outside the Miller Time Fourstardave Sports Bar. There is a $40 buy-in, of which $30 will go to the player’s bankroll and $10 to the prize pool. The winner will receive a Saratoga Low Roller championship T-shirt in addition to the cash prize.
Taste NY Pavilion
Every Thursday – Sunday
New York-made food and beverages will be available for sample and purchase at the Taste NY Pavilion, located inside Gate A at the Top of the Stretch, where fans can enjoy New York craft beer, cider, wine, spirits, cheese, chocolate and gelato. This year marks a decade since the launch of the Taste NY program.
SARATOGA Breakfast and Breeding Farm Tours
Every Wednesday – Friday
Expanded for its second year, NYRA is continuing the Saratoga Breakfast and Breeding Farm Tour. Tours this year will be offered Wednesday through Friday throughout the meet. Wednesday tours will travel to Song Hill Thoroughbreds, while Thursday and Friday tours will visit Old Tavern Farm.
Guests will enjoy a buffet breakfast at Saratoga Race Course before taking a CDTA trolley to the designated farm, where they will participate in a 60- to 90-minute guided walking tour of a working thoroughbred breeding farm. Admission to the races in the afternoon is included in the package. Tickets, which are $85 for adults and $35 for children 12 and under, must be reserved in advance at NYRA.com.
SUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE RAIL OF THE 1863 CLUB
Every Sunday
Fans are invited to enjoy a brunch buffet while experiencing The Rail at the 1863 Club, the first-floor banquet space at the 1863 Club. Tickets start at $100 and include admission, a table seat for the day, brunch buffet, soft drinks, two mimosa or Bloody Mary drink tickets per person, Post Parade program book, tax and gratuity. Reservations are available by calling the NYRA Box Office at 844-NYRA-TIX or online at Ticketmaster.com.
Breakfast at Saratoga
Breakfast at Saratoga welcomes guests to enjoy a morning buffet at The Porch with a view of the thoroughbreds training on the main track. Breakfast is available every live racing day from 7 to 9:30 a.m., excluding Travers Day and Labor Day.
Fans can also go behind the scenes with a free, guided backstretch tram tour, driven by CDTA. Tram tours run from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and depart from the clubhouse entrance approximately every 15 minutes. Tours are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are 45 minutes in length. Tours are available every live racing day with the exception of Travers Day and Labor Day.
QUEENSBURY — The West Mountain School has been selected as a recipient of a grant from the Killington World Cup Foundation, the school announced in a press release.
The grant award will help fund the WMS Capital “Building For The Future” Campaign for the race building expansion at West Mountain slated to begin this summer, the release states. In all, the Killington World Cup Foundation awarded 31 grants totaling $270,000 to Northeast area nonprofits in nine states for the upcoming ski season.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A groundbreaking initiative to get all kids on bikes in Saratoga Springs has sparked the creation of PE-based programming in city elementary schools.
By removing financial barriers and providing children with access to bicycles at an early age, this project aims to foster a lifelong passion for athletics and cultivate a generation of individuals who embrace the joy of physical activity and all the associated health benefits.
Saratoga Shredders, a 501c3 organization whose mission is to empower kids by getting them on mountain bikes, coordinated the funding for fleets of balance bikes for each of the six Saratoga Springs elementary schools. Balance bikes do not have pedals, which allows kids to learn balance, steering, and motor skills and practice independence. These bikes will be used in the PE programs for all kindergartners and first graders in the district.
Both Caroline Street Elementary and Greenfield Elementary have successfully run their PE programs this past Spring, and the other four elementary schools will start their Learn 2 Ride PE program in the Fall.
The equipment donation per school (valued at $6,000 for each school) includes 24 balance bikes, 24 pedal conversion kits, 24 helmets, and a learn-to-ride PE curriculum for each school. The bike package comes with a pedal conversion kit so that when the child is balancing well, they can progress to a pedal bike without having to ever be on training wheels.
Saratoga Shredders coordinated fundraising for this initiative with over 30 individual families and PTOs at Caroline Street, Geyser Road, Greenfield, Lake Ave, and Division Street Elementary schools, raising about $40,000 in 4 months. For Geyser Elementary, Saratoga Shredders donated the entire $6,000 to the school.
“By bringing these bikes and a thoughtful, fun curriculum into the elementary schools, we remove any pre-existing obstacles and create opportunities for kids to learn skills that they’ll carry throughout their lives,” said Anna Laloë, Saratoga Shredder’s Founder and Executive Director. “We’ve seen the impact that access to mountain bike programming has had on girls in Saratoga Springs, and know that we can affect the entire district and generations of kids with this initiative.”
The SSCSD Athletic Department and their team of PE teachers are supportive of a K-12 bike PE program, for which Saratoga Shredders will begin fundraising this year. If you or your business would like to become a donor of the program, visit: saratogashredders.com/bikes-in-schools.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Booster Club will be hosting its twelfth fall season of youth field hockey beginning on Aug. 28 and ending on Oct 1.
The program is open to youths in grades third through sixth. No experience needed.
The program features practices working on fundamental skills and at least four play days with other area school club programs. The youth program brochure can be downloaded from the Booster Club’s website at Saratogafieldhockey.teampages.com.
Registration is now open. The cost is $120 for the fall season, which includes a team vest for new players. For more information please contact Jo-Anne Hostig, Saratoga head field hockey coach, at Togafieldhockey@gmail.com.
REXFORD — The Saratoga Bridges’ 20th Annual J. Michael Fitzgibbons Memorial Golf Classic will be held on Monday, July 31 at the Edison Club in Rexford.
The day will include a scramble format, lunch, BBQ luncheon, complimentary beverages courtesy of Saratoga Eagle and DeCrescente Distributing Company, a quarter zip pullover sponsored by Performance Industrial, Awards Ceremony, goodie bags from DeCrescente Distributing Company, contests, and a Golf Ball Air Cannon Launcher made possible by the LaChance State Farm agency.
A portion of the proceeds benefits the J. Michael Fitzgibbons Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was established to honor their long-time Board Member who passed away unexpectedly in 2005. Annually, one of their staff members is awarded an educational scholarship in Michael’s memory, as this fund encourages their staff to seek academic opportunities whereby they can elevate and enrich their own service delivery skills.
To register, sponsor, donate or volunteer, visit saratogabridges.org or contact Pamela Polacsek at ppolacsek@satratogabridges.org or 518-587-0723 ext. 1255.
Saratoga Catholic varsity softball head coach Abby Arceneaux (right) pictured during her time as head coach at The College of St. Rose with former player Savanna Livero-Tyler (left) (Photo provided by Abby Arceneaux).
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic softball program will be led by a familiar face to Capital Region softball fans.
Abby Arceneaux, former head coach at The College of St. Rose and standout player at Mechanicville High School and Union College, has been announced as the next head coach of the Saints’ varsity softball team.
Arceneaux’s partner, Shea Bromirski, is head coach of the Saratoga Catholic varsity boys basketball team, and Arceneaux said she thought the school would be “a good fit.”
“I love how Coach (Alphonse) Lambert runs (things) as an athletic director,” said Arceneaux. “I saw that with Shea, and how he supported him and the student-athletes. … It was all about finding a good fit. I knew how much Shea enjoyed coaching there, and I really liked the girls I had spoken with.”
Arceneaux served as head coach at St. Rose from 2014 to 2022. Prior to starting her coaching career, Arceneaux was a standout as a player at Mechanicville High School and Union College.
Arceneaux was twice named NYS Class C Player of the Year, and helped lead Mechanicville to three state championships. She finished her collegiate career as Union’s all-time leader in numerous categories, and has been inducted into the Mechanicville, Union College Athletics, and New York State Softball Halls of Fame, according to her bio on the St. Rose Athletics website.
She served as an assistant coach at Union and at Cornell University, and served as pitching coach at Siena College for three seasons prior to becoming head coach at St. Rose.
Now, after a year away, Arceneaux has returned to coaching. But while she took a year off, she was still involved in the game, helping assist her father, Don Arceneaux, and Mechanicville varsity coach Jim Kenyon coach a travel team.
“It was really nice, taking a step back and watching a lot of games,” Arceneaux said. “You’re so used to being on the field, so taking a step back made me really appreciate (it), and kind of changed my mindset. It kind of filled my tank back up.”
The Saints have a young team, with the entire squad set to return in 2024 after they competed without any seniors on the roster this spring.
Arceneaux said she has already begun working with several players on the team, and as a former college coach, said she is also looking forward to assisting players with the recruiting process.
“One thing I’m really excited to bring to the table is guidance on the recruiting process, from beginning to end,” Arceneaux said. “In talking with their parents, I’m like, ‘Ask me as many questions as you want.’”
Arceneaux said she is excited to be “an asset” to the student-athletes in the recruitment process. Bromirski will also be working with Arceneaux as an assistant coach, she said.
“And not just for the softball girls, too. I understand that a lot of the softball players play multiple sports,” said Arceneaux. “Whatever they want to do at the next level, if any of them do, I’m going to be there to help them.”
Arceneaux said she has begun working to set up optional workouts for the program, and said the team’s goal is “to get better each day in practice.”
“If we’re going to get better each day in practice, we’re going to win more games,” said Arceneaux. “There’s a few seniors, I want to give them the best senior year that they can possibly have, while really building up the seventh and eighth-grade girls and all the returners for the varsity team.”
“As coaches, I’m confident that we’re going to give them the tools, the knowledge, and the skills, and help them get better, to do that,” Arceneaux added. “And they want it. The bunch that I’ve talked to, they want to win. They believe that we have a core that can really bring us there. Our goal is to win, but just be better. Every day, get better.”
McGregor Links Country Club. Photo by Dylan Mcglynn.
WILTON — The historic McGregor Links Country Club has seen several improvements and additions in recent years, adding a driving range, expanding its pro shop, and establishing or bringing back events.
Head Golf Professional Michael Decker, who joined McGregor in 2021 after three years as the assistant professional at Shaker Ridge Country Club in Albany, said the course offers “a little something for everybody.”
Since arriving at McGregor, Decker has taken ownership of the pro shop, established and grown a large PGA Junior League, and overseen the introduction and return of numerous events.
Decker said he had heard “nothing but great things” about McGregor prior to accepting the job.
“I think it went through a little stretch where it was a little rocky, so my goal when I took the job was to come in, do whatever I can with the new owner, Joe Kehn, and help turn the place around,” Decker said.
While McGregor is a country club, Decker emphasized that it is not fully private. McGregor is open to the public Mondays all day; 10 a.m. and later Tuesday through Friday; noon and later on Saturdays and Sundays, Decker said.
“It’s semi-private, so it’s open to the public,” said Decker. “We are limited at certain times. … But we absolutely are open to the public.”
Decker said one of his major efforts since taking the job has been to build McGregor’s Junior League program. Last year, the program featured 89 kids, Decker said, noting he was awarded the ‘Gamechanger Award’ from the PGA for having the largest junior league in PGA’s Northeastern New York section.
This year, McGregor’s junior program has 100 kids, Decker said. He said running the program is “extremely rewarding,” noting he feels part of his job as a PGA professional is to grow the game.
“I spend a lot of time doing that, and to watch a place that didn’t have any PGA Junior League three years ago to now having the biggest one in the entire section, and one of the biggest in the country, is actually amazing,” Decker said. “It’s something that I definitely pride myself on, and look to keep growing year after year.”
The Junior League is open to the public, allowing all kids under age 15 to participate regardless of prior experience. The program offers six practices and six matches at McGregor Links, according to the course’s website.
“We shut down the front nine of the course,” said Decker. “We’ll have 150-plus people out there any given PGA Junior League match, with the parents following the kids, riding in the fairways, having some drinks and food. It’s a sight to see.”
The club hosts a ‘Links Together’ program on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well, which Decker described as “a summer camp for kids.”
“They get to use the pool, they get to learn a little golf, they can do arts and crafts, they can learn pickleball,” Decker said. “That’s awesome. … We’re using basically all the facilities that we have here.”
In addition to a new driving range, McGregor features a pool, six pickleball courts, and a tennis court, all of which have been recently renovated, Decker said.
Decker has also taken over ownership of McGregor’s pro shop, he said, and was awarded 2021 Merchandiser of the Year by Northeastern New York PGA for his efforts.
The shop offers a wide variety of products, with Decker saying golfers can find “anything you can really think of,” including major brands of golf clubs, balls, footwear, clothing, as well as other equipment such as range-finders and ball markers.
McGregor Links also works with the on-site restaurant, Hills and Hollows, to host a variety of events, including Nine and Dine events and Cigar and Bourbon Nights, and private events such as bachelor parties.
Decker has additionally helped reintroduce events such as the McGregor Links Invitational, a two-day event featuring two-person teams. This year’s Invitational is scheduled for July 28-29, according to McGregor’s website.
“I brought that back probably for the first time in 10 years, and we’re starting to grow that again, which is great to show off the course, show off all the stuff that Joe Kehn and his staff have done out on the course,” said Decker.
Decker, a native of Pine Bush, said he initially accepted the job after recognizing McGregor as “an opportunity.”
“The potential of it that I saw, I mean, you’re in Saratoga, you’ve got one of the best golf courses around, and you’ve got a new owner (Joe Kehn) who loves the place more than anyone and is putting money into it,” said Decker. “I saw that as an opportunity. I liked the sounds of that, and wanted to grow with McGregor.”
Saratoga Race Course, 2022. Photo by Amira Chichakly, courtesy of NYRA.
Saratoga Race Course opens its 2023 season on Wednesday July 13.
The opening comes amid news of both renewal of the sport with state-sponsored financing for a rebuilding of Belmont Park and threats to the existence of the sport from a rash of fatalities at numerous high-profile North American thoroughbred racetracks. Draped over these seemingly contradictory developments is the new enhanced federal oversight of the sport under the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (“HIWU”). The HIWU was recently established in 2022 by Drug Free Sport International (“DFSI”) to administer the rules and enforcement mechanisms of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (“HISA”) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (“ADMC”) Program.
It’s a mouthful and if it sounds confusing – that’s because it is. Suffice it to say, the testing and enforcement of the prohibitions on the use of banned or controlled substances in race horses has recently become much stricter under federal oversight. Fans can expect to see many more reported violations and concomitant trainer suspensions. This oversight is an effort to protect the integrity of the sport and health and safety of its participants – both equine and human.
The National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (“HBPA”), despite lengthy mission and position statements, is waging a pitched legal battle against this Congressionally created oversight by challenging the authority of the new program in litigation in numerous places. While the details are too many to enumerate here it is fair to say the HBPA is fighting tooth and nail against the federal regulation as currently constituted. There are many who fear the combination of high-profile equine fatalities and the leading horseman’s group resisting further regulation is jeopardizing the sport’s social license to exist. Meanwhile, this enhanced testing has begun and with it a recent spate of trainer suspensions across the country. For bettors and fans whether this will impact who wins on the racetrack provides yet another uncertainty to the daily handicapping puzzle.
On the racetrack rather than the courtroom, the 2023 Saratoga meet begins without an obvious racing star among this year’s three-year-old division. Lacking star power, in some ways, makes the meet’s traditional marquee event – the Travers Stakes on August 26th more important than usual. A matchup between Kentucky Derby winner Mage and Belmont winner Arcangelo in the Travers is a possibility should each maintain their form through the summer and one can expect new stars to emerge from the 40 race cards to come.
The racing at the spa is always instrumental in determining divisional championships with established runners and newly emerging stars shining on the bright stage of Saratoga. The Whitney Stakes on August 5 highlights the best older horses, as does the Jockey Club Gold Cup later in the meet on September 2 and two-year-olds are unveiled throughout the meet. As usual there will a generous amount of turf racing in all divisions.
This writer has always believed the Saratoga race meet to be as much about people as it is about horses and there are certain trainers that shine most brightly at this time of year and deserve extra attention at the betting windows. Among the trainers to whom bettors and fans should give extra consideration are H. James Bond; David Donk; John Terranova; Danny Gargan; and Carlos Martin. Trainer Keri Brion is expected to dominate the traditional steeplechase events run on certain weekdays. Of the larger barns expect Bill Mott trainees to have a big meet – including an unraced two-year-old half-brother to Cody’s Wish named Hunt Ball.
One change that fans will see this year is one admission for the full run of the grounds. Ending more than a century of delineation between the grandstand and clubhouse facilities, all attendees this year will be able to freely move through the building availing themselves of all concessions and restrooms. The iridescent hand stamps historically needed for movement from the grandstand to the clubhouse will be destined for antiquity.
As mentioned earlier in this article, New York State has approved credit support for funding of a $455 million renewal of Belmont Park. The duration of the project will affect the Saratoga meets in 2024 and 2025 with the possibility of the Belmont Stakes being run at an abbreviated three-day meet in June 2025.
This year’s Saratoga meet runs from Wednesday July 13 through Labor Day September 4. Racing will be conducted five days per week with Mondays and Tuesdays being dark (except Labor Day). Admission is $10 on the day of admission discounted to $7 if purchased in advance.
