Skip to main content

NYRA Announces Stakes Schedule for Summer Meet At Saratoga Race Course

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

Photo courtesy of NYRA.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has announced the stakes schedule for the 2023 summer meet at the historic Saratoga Race Course, which will include 71 stakes worth $20.8 million in total purses.

Highlighted by the 154th renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 26 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 5, the 40-day summer meet will open on Thursday, July 13 and continue through Monday, Sept. 4.

Following the four-day opening weekend, racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, apart from closing week, when the 2023 summer meet will conclude on Labor Day.

Saratoga Live, the acclaimed television show produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, will return for its eighth season to provide expansive on-site daily coverage of the summer meet to a nationwide audience on the networks of FOX Sports. 

Opening Day, Thursday, July 13, kicks off the season with the Grade 3, $175,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies with the following day to feature the $135,000 Wilton for sophomore fillies to be contested out of the Wilson Chute and the $150,000 Coronation Cup, a turf sprint for sophomore fillies.

Opening Weekend is highlighted by the first Grade 1 of the Saratoga season in the $500,000 Diana for turf fillies and mares on July 15. That day’s card will include the Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford for juveniles on dirt; and the Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso, formerly the Forbidden Apple, at one mile on turf for older horses.

Whitney Day on Saturday, August 5, provides a trio of Grade 1 events, led by the Whitney at 1 1/8 miles for older horses offering an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 4 at Santa Anita.

Completing the Grade 1s on Whitney Day will be the seven-furlong $500,000 Test for sophomore fillies and the $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational, at 1 3/16-miles on turf for sophomores. Whitney Day will also include the Grade 3, $300,000 Troy for older turf sprinters, and the restricted $135,000 Lure at 1 1/16-miles on turf for older horses.

The Travers Festival, which offers nine stakes including six Grade 1s from Wednesday, August 23 through Saturday, August 26, is headlined by the 154th edition of the 1 1/4-mile Travers on Saturday, August 26. 

The lucrative Travers Day card features five Grade 1 stakes and an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup to the winner of the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer [Turf] and Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap [Filly and Mare Sprint.]

The complete stakes schedule for the 2023 summer meet is available at www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/stakes-schedule.

Keeve Wins Bronze in Colombia

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

Nate Keeve (far right) earned a bronze medal at 100 kg in the Colombian Open on March 19 (Photo provided by Jason Morris Judo Center).

MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA — Nate Keeve from the Jason Morris Judo Center (JMJC) in Glenville took a 100 kg bronze medal at the Colombian Open on March 19. He earned 50 points and moved up to #98 in the world rankings, moving up seven spots. Keeve is still working his way back from ACL surgery a little over a year ago.

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School graduate and two-time Olympian Nick Delpopolo placed seventh at 81 kg for the JMJC. 

BHBL Rotary Club, Camp Stomping Ground, & Immersion PT Host ‘4 Season 4K’ Fun Run Events

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

MIDDLE GROVE — The second installment of the new fun run series, the 4 Season 4K, will take place on Saturday, April 1, at 10:00 a.m. at Camp Stomping Ground (3430 Boyhaven Rd, Middle Grove).

Community members, families and pets of all ages and abilities are welcome to run, walk or dance through the trails of Camp Stomping Ground. Megan James, owner of Immersion PT & coach of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake cross country & track teams, designed the fun run series as a way to inspire new runners, and foster appreciation for our natural spaces in a fun, family-friendly environment. 

“It will be spring in upstate New York, so we are hoping for a muddy run to kick off the season!” says James. 

Proceeds from the events will go to BH-BL Rotary Club, which supports many other local organizations and events, including Camp Stomping Ground, and Immersion PT’s “Team Teen” programming for young female athletes. 

The new trail will tour through Camp Stomping Ground’s infrastructure, existing trails and the neighboring NYS Forest. Participants should note that trail runs in some areas are ungroomed so caution and surefootedness are advised. The spring run will also highlight maple syrup-based creations for post-run snacking, local maple syrup for sale, and non-traditional prizes, including one for the muddiest runner & the person who brings the “biggest squad” to the run. There will be no time-based, age-group or overall placing awards at any of the events in this series. 

Tickets to the event can be purchased through:  campstompingground.org/4s4k 

Note: In the event of extreme weather or extenuating circumstances, the race will be postponed to Saturday, April 8 at 10 a.m.

Saratoga Unified Bowling Competes In Season-Culminating Event

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

 (Photo provided by Saratoga unified bowling coach Jeffrey Harrington)

The Saratoga Springs unified bowling team competed in the unified culminating event at Saratoga Strike Zone on March 9. The Blue Streaks placed fourth as a team. Bethlehem finished in first place, with Niskayuna in second and Columbia third.

BHBL Grad Martin Takes Seventh At Tashkent Grand Slam

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

Hannah Martin (in white) in the quarterfinal in Tashkent. 
(Photo provided)

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN — Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School graduate Hannah Martin took seventh place at the Tashkent Grand Slam, a main event on the International Judo Federation’s Judo Tour. 

Martin, from the Jason Morris Judo Center (JMJC) in Glenville, jumped 8 spots on the 63kg world ranking list up to #34. Hannah has only been back a little over a year since taking two years off to have a baby, and with this result qualifies for the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, May 7-13, 2023. 

The JMJC has now qualified a remarkable 37 athletes for the Worlds and are likely to qualify more for Doha.

Ballston Spa Athletes Set School Records At NYSPHSAA Indoor Championships

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.


Photos provided  by Garry Preece.

NEW YORK — A pair of athletes from Ballston Spa capped off strong indoor track seasons by setting school records at the NYSPHSAA Indoor Track Championships on March 4.

Isaiah Hannah finished third in the 55-meter hurdles at the indoor championships, with his time of 7.50 seconds setting a new Ballston Spa school record. Hannah advanced to the Nike Indoor Nationals over the weekend, placing eighth in both the 55-meter hurdles (7.66) and the 60-meter hurdles (8.17).

Ballston Spa head coach Garry Preece said Hannah got off to a great start at the state meet, noting the senior is “one of the hardest-working kids” he has coached.

“He’s just constantly lifting, trying to get stronger, working on his starts,” said Preece. “That race, he attacked it. … It was very impressive.”

Harriet Healey placed seventh in the 300-meter (40.31), also setting her own school record. Preece said it was great to see Healey reach a podium after competing on the Section 2 Intersectional relay team at the 2022 state meet.

Healey’s personal record in the 300-meter entering this season was 42.29 seconds, according to results posted on athletic.net. Preece said Healey cut her time down to 41.52 seconds at a meet in Boston earlier this year before setting the school record at the state meet.

“She ran in Boston this year, she ran 41.52. It was almost a whole second faster than the year before, her previous PR,” Preece said. “Then, all of a sudden, she ran a 40.31 at the state meet, she ran another second faster. She’s crushing it this year with getting that time down.”

Preece said it was a successful indoor season, noting that in addition to the record-setting efforts of Hannah and Healey, the teams had strong seasons as a whole.

“We had our banquet (March 8), and I mentioned, if you go to MileSplit and you look at our team, you see PR after PR,” said Preece. “And we have such a young team. The girls have a very, very young team, and so do the boys.”

The Scotties’ boys and girls teams saw several highlights throughout the winter, including a sweep at the Viking Games at Hudson Valley Community College on Jan. 15. Preece said it was the first time both teams had won the invitational.

“It was a huge year,” Preece said. “There were a lot of great accomplishments.”

Dust Off Your Wood Racquets: Second Chance Sports Hosting Wood Racquet-Only Day

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Second Chance Sports is having a wood racquet-only day on July 1. The event started in 1990 in Saratoga Springs.

All who play will receive a special Saratoga gift and food all day, with prizes to the winner and runner-ups in all divisions.

A beginner division is included. Games will be doubles play, with no ad scoring, to help move along play. Funds will go toward disabled sports programs through Second Chance Sports and The Learning League.

There are a limited number of players. Sign up begins this week, and is first come, first serve. The event will be held July 1, with July 8 as a rain date. To sign up, call Bill at (518) 226-5888.

Ballston Spa’s Cole Evans Wins Boys Giant Slalom State Title

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

Ballston Spa’s Cole Evans (left) and coach Mitch Huff (right) pictured after Evans won the 2023 NYSPHSAA State Championship in the boys giant slalom (Photo provided by Mitch Huff)

CANANDAIGUA — There’s a first time for everything, and Cole Evans’ first skiing victory couldn’t have come at a better time.

Evans, a junior at Ballston Spa, won the NYSPHSAA State Championship in the boys giant slalom event, posting a time of 2:14.10 across two runs at Bristol Mountain in Canandaigua. Evans said it was his first-ever race victory.

“I’ve had a number of podiums, but never a win,” said Evans. “I was pretty surprised, honestly.”

Ballston Spa head coach Mitch Huff said it is “gratifying” to see the team’s athletes have success. Evans was first coached by Huff after he began competing in ski races at Gore Mountain at a young age.

“That’s the whole purpose of why we do it, is to see these kids have success within the high school races,” said Huff. “That’s what it’s all about for us.”

Entering states off a strong regular season, Evans said he was hoping to finish in the top 10 in both the giant slalom and the slalom events. 

“Obviously I’m very competitive, but I wasn’t going to be hard on myself at all,” said Evans. “Kind of just go out, have fun, see how I do.”

Evans started in 55th place out of 64 skiers, and his first run came in at 1:08.25, the top time for opening runs. Evans said his mindset for the runs was to “hold on and stay alive.”

“It was a pretty intense course, both with the weather conditions making the snow a little bit choppy, and just the length of the course being longer than any of the regular season courses that we were doing,” Evans said. “But there’s not a lot going on in your head while you’re going, you’re just kind of blacked out, going on ‘go’ mode.”

Huff, who was assisting other Section 2 skiers, said he did not actually get to see either of Evans’ runs, instead hearing of his early lead from another coach.

“As I get the athlete in his skis, (the coach) goes, ‘Hey Mitch, do you have Live-Timing?’, which is the app that you have for results,” said Huff. “I radioed, ‘No, I’m putting so-and-so in their boots,’ and he says, ‘Well, Cole just won the first run.’”

Evans’ second run was even quicker than his first, finishing with a time of 1:05.85. With a combined time of 2:14.10, Evans beat out Queensbury’s Hudson Montgomery (2:14.94) for the giant slalom state championship. Evans also finished 10th in the slalom.

Evans said “it feels good” to be recognized, noting that he is not only receiving congratulations from his school and classmates, but that it is also helping highlight the sport of skiing.

“I’ve had a lot of classmates congratulate me, my school has recognized me,” said Evans. “It feels good for the sport in general, which doesn’t get a lot of attention.”

Huff, along with other district parents, helped revive the Ballston Spa skiing program in recent years. The program had success in the past, with the girls alpine ski team (combined with Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) winning back-to-back state titles in 2011 and 2012.

“It’s been a pleasant surprise to see how many kids have shown interest in it,” said Huff, who noted he is in his eighth season as the team’s coach. “It’s very gratifying for me to see those kids progress, and have success.”

Evans said he found the balance and team aspect of the high school team to be a great fit.

“Throughout the whole season, the guys on the team are my closest friends, really, because we’re in the weight room every day,” said Evans. “We’re just spending a lot of time together, so you build the social relationship while you’re doing the sport. I think it’s really good.”