It’s here. the track announcer will speak the familiar words “It is now post time” followed by “And they’re off” and the historic Spa’s racing season will be underway. 

There are few sporting venues that can compare to the beauty and charm of America’s greatest horse racing destination. Augusta, home of the Masters, along with Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, tributes to baseball’s glorious past may compare, but none can surpass it. 

It’s Summer in Saratoga. Adding to the mystique of “The Sport of Kings,” The Performing Arts Center will host some of the finest talent in the music world. Golf courses abound. Up the road from Union Avenue sits Saratoga National. A marvelous layout, it is as challenging as it is beautiful. The eighteen hole course in the Spa State Park is scenic and not as demanding as the afore mentioned. It makes for an enjoyable morning before heading over to the track. 

What can compare with walking down historic Union Avenue and the entrance to the racecourse. If one has the time, a visit to the National Museum of racing is a worthwhile stop on the way. The world of thoroughbred racing is on display. Here the horses, trainers and jockeys who surpassed their rivals in talent and fortitude are enshrined for eternity in Horse Racing’s Hall of Fame. Trophies won by America’s greatest stables abound in rooms befitting their importance. It is a must stop for the serious racing fan. For the novice and the vacationer who come to Saratoga, it can be a wonderful learning experience. Then it’s a short walk into the past. The enticement of the historic track awaits. The ghosts of Man o’ War, Secretariat and so many other great champions can be felt, as one strolls the beautiful grounds. 

 

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The main reason one comes here is to wager on the magnificent thoroughbreds that are bred to display speed and endurance over distances ranging from five furlongs to more than a mile and a half. 

At Saratoga you can expect the best of them to appear. They will strut their stuff in search of a visit to the winner’s circle. The best will compete in a stakes race schedule that is stacked with major events. The Whitney Stakes, The Alabama, and the coveted Travers Stakes lead the way. This years” Mid Summer Derby” may be one for the ages. If all goes well it’s a distinct probability that the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga winner will be entered in the race. How about that to ice the cake for one of America’s greatest horse races. The meet will be full of surprises. You can bet on that. It’s what makes horse racing such an interesting sport. You can also be rest assured that a champion in the making will make an appearance here. That has been a sure thing since racing began here in 1863. 

Get ready, the best is yet to come.

By arriving at Saratoga Race Course in early May, Danny Gargan has the opportunity to develop his younger horses for a possible brighter future.

One of the common characteristics of spring in Saratoga Springs is the opening of the Oklahoma Training Track and now the Saratoga Race Course main track in mid-April.

Each spring, trainers like Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher, Bill Mott and Christophe Clement bring a plethora of their horses to train and prepare for the Saratoga meet while occasionally racing downstate and other tracks.

Other trainers from downstate and outside of New York bring their smaller group of horses with the similar goal. However, Danny Gargan’s goal is different.

For Gargan, the opening of the training track and main track is more than a preparation for the annual Saratoga meet; it is also an opportunity for his younger horses develop into a possible brighter future.

“We are here to try to accomplish something more than a race meet,” Gargan said. “If we have a decent race meet, that’s fine. We are trying to get these young horses started. We are focused on younger horses developing into better [horses] down the road and in the future.”

Gargan has brought a stable to Saratoga just before the meet each year since 2013. Over the last 11 years, he has won several races that include Tax in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and R Free Roll in the Grade 3 Honor Miss.

Though, one horse helped Gargan make his decision of brining horses to Saratoga once the tracks opened for training: Dakota Gold.

Toward the end of the Saratoga 2021 meet, Dakota Gold won his debut in an off-the-turf race at Saratoga. Just a little over three weeks later, the New York-bred gelding won the Nownownow Stakes at Monmouth Park, then continued to stay at Saratoga through early November.

Since then, Dakota Gold continues to training at Saratoga during the spring, summer, and fall months before going to Florida for the winter. This training strategy appears to have positive impact on him by winning a pair of New York Stallion Stakes races as a 3-year-old and taking the Hudson Valley Stakes as a 4-year-old. He has also finished either second or third in five other listed stakes races.

Dornoch, winner of the Belmont Stakes here at Saratoga last month, can now be added to the list of Gargan’s horses who have followed that path to stakes-winning success.

In May 2023, Dornoch, as a 2-year-old, arrived to the Saratoga for training, which included 10 published workouts, before finishing second behind Seize the Grey in his first start. After Dornoch finished second in the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth, then winning his first race in October at Keeneland, Gargan brought him back to New York where he won the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct in December.

Even Gargan’s other stakes-winning 3-year-old Society Man started training here at Saratoga last year. While it took Society Man four races to win his first start in March at Aqueduct, the gelding came back with a respectable second-place finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial in April and a convincing victory in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs last month.

Gargan believes that serene environment and excellent track maintenance from NYRA Executive Vice President of Operations and Capital Projects Glen Kozak and his staff has helped his horses remain relaxed and sound.

“It’s the tracks and facilities,” Gargan said. “It is peaceful. The horses are relaxed here. We have round pens. We can graze them. It is more like a farm setting. It gives the horses a chance to get not too wound up. Horses develop when they are not stressed. If you train at a racetrack all of the time, I feel like it is harder because they are stressed all of the time. This is a more laid-back environment that gives the horses the best chance to develop.”

“New York is lucky by having the best track man in the country,” Gargan added. “Glen Kozak is, by far, the best track man. He takes unbelievable care of all of these tracks. I give him a lot of credit to where we are. We are lucky to have him as our horses stay sound here. We are trying to get stakes horses every year, and this is how to do it.”

Gargan currently has 38 horses, which includes 14 2-year-olds, that he rotates between here and downstate. One of his 2-year-olds who has gained attention is Complexion, who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Jack Christopher.

After arriving at Saratoga in May while posting five solid workouts over the Oklahoma Training Track, Complexion came out with an impressive performance three weeks ago by winning her debut by 6½ lengths at Aqueduct. Based off that performance, Gargan entered her for the $175,000 Schuylerville Stakes on Opening Day.

“I like her a lot. I think she has some talent,” Gargan said. “I have a few [2-year-olds] who I like a lot, but it’s still early. I don’t have a big two-turn horse right now who could be a Dornoch. We don’t get horses like him every day, but we might have a couple of fillies of the caliber.”

Other horses who have been training at Saratoga for Gargan include New York-bred Ramblin’ Wreck (winner of last year’s Rick Violette Stakes) and Queen’s Martini (won debut at Saratoga last year).

“We are trying to get these young horses started,” he added. “We are trying to get them in the right direction down the road. We are trying to look at another Society Man and Dornoch for next year. That’s our goal. We have been coming here, we had multiple stakes horses. Let’s knock on wood and hope that keeps happening.”

 

“We are focused on younger horses developing into better [horses] down the road and in the future.”

Saratoga – to quote a song by Dolly Parton – “Here you come again”.  It seems like it was only yesterday that we were racing at Saratoga (or in this instance five weeks) but each year the Saratoga Race Course honors tradition but begins with high hopes and expectations for new excitement.  Saratoga Race Course is a paradox- constantly changing, yet timeless – living one foot in one 21st century and one in the 20th (and even adding a respectful nod to the 19th). 

However, this year is a little bit different. While it seems wildly inappropriate to suggest that the Belmont Stakes is an appetizer for other races, that observation seems appropriate this year. New York Racing Association spokesman Patrick McKenna expects that “the momentum out of an incredibly successful first Belmont Stakes at Saratoga” combined with more national television coverage on Fox than ever bodes well for the meet. While it remains to be seen whether the four-day meet surrounding the Belmont Stakes will whet or dampen the appetite of racing fans for the full meet, the particularly early start of July 11th may surprise some. The forty racing days run from July 11th through Labor Day on September 2nd.

Despite the high quality of racing at Saratoga, last year’s meet was marred by two high profile equine fatalities on marquee racing days. The memories of those tragedies have not fully faded with novice or veteran fans. It is therefore imperative that the sport improve equine and human safety to protect its social license to operate. The full-throated opposition and persistent largely unsuccessful legal challenges by the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association’s to the federal regulation implemented to improve safety under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 (“HISA”) is evidence that the magnitude of the problem is not fully appreciated by many in the industry. Whether or not HISA is the answer, maintaining the status quo is very literally gambling with the sport’s future. Let’s hope strides toward equine safety continue to be made whether under HISA or otherwise.

The current length of the meet and number of races run has inevitably led to a decline in overall racing quality and no less than top trainer Chad Brown has publicly bemoaned the number of “cheap races on the card.” Of course, this comes with the territory as there simply are not enough quality horses in enough different barns to card mostly allowance and stakes races. Those like me, who look back at the twenty-four day meets over four weeks with fondness, remember the ultra-high quality of the races every day during those times. But a limited number of races and limiting each trainer to no more than 40 stalls were the driving factor behind those cards. For better or worse neither of those conditions will return soon and there will be numerous races for lower priced horses and less grandiose connections to fill the cards.   

Attending the races live at Saratoga is an all-day event and adding to that experience are the unwavering efforts and hospitality offered by the NYRABets crew. Tina Nomikoudis and Donny Nelson for more than a dozen years have fine-tuned their efforts and improved on track amenities for NYRABets VIP bettors.  They include seats, Daily Racing Forms, special events and admission to the Curlin Room.  The NYRABets crew shows appreciation for bettor’s loyalty in numerous and sundry ways. With a membership growth effort underway this year, NYRABets will offer VIP status to any bettor meeting the criteria with other ADW providers who move to their platform. 

As horse players increasingly rely upon advanced technology to handicap races, many find it disruptive to attend live.  One accommodation that a veteran and successful horse player has suggested to me would be the availability of small lockers for personal items.  That way the tools of handicapping could be left at the track overnight allowing fans to go out directly to experience Saratoga’s restaurants and nightlife. This is a suggestion that is worth pursuing either by the NYRA or a sharp entrepreneur. 

From a handicapping perspective remember Saratoga racing is as much about people and connections as it is about horses, just as old friends gather at the racetrack once a year, certain connections aim their best efforts for Saratoga. These include James Bond, David Donk, Horacio De Paz, John Terranova, Larry Johnson, Chester and Mary Broman, Barry K. Schwartz and Reeves Racing. Among the larger outfits, the aforementioned Chad Brown is rumored to have a particularly strong cast of two-years-olds this season, Linda Rice is expected to have entries at all levels and Todd Pletcher simply said to me “We are always excited for the Saratoga Meet.”

I started the column by quoting Dolly Parton and will end by quoting my grandmother – Gertrude Donavan Gotimer – an astute handicapper in her own right, who often said, “If you are lucky enough to be in Saratoga you are lucky enough!” 

Saratoga – timeless. 

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced post times and the lineup of attractions, entertainment and events for the 2024 summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course.

Highlighted by the 155th edition of the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on Saturday, August 24 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Saturday, August 3, Saratoga will open on Thursday, July 11 and run through Monday, September 2.

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

First post will be 1:10 p.m. EDT every day except Saturdays, when first post will be 12:35 p.m. DraftKings Travers Day will feature a special first post of 11:40 a.m.

Admission gates will open for live racing at 11 a.m. for all but DraftKings Travers Day when gates will open at 9 a.m.

Breakfast at Saratoga, driven by CDTA, will get underway daily at 7 a.m. through 9:30 a.m., excluding DraftKings Travers Day and Labor Day. Fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a buffet breakfast against the backdrop of morning training as well as claim the free picnic tables in the Rivers Casino Backyard.

The Ticketmaster Box Office at Saratoga Race Course will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Saturday, July 6 through Sunday, July 14. The box office, located at Gate A on Union Avenue, will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during all live racing days of the summer meet (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays).

The 2024 summer meet will feature the following events lineup:

opening weekend

Thursday, July 11 – Sunday, July 14

The 2024 Saratoga summer meet will get underway on Thursday, July 11 with the traditional running of the Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies, followed by the first Grade 1 of the season, the Diana, on Saturday, July 13. The four-day annual celebration will be highlighted by live musical entertainment.

 

week one stake races

*Mondays and Tuesdays = Dark Days. No racing.

FRIDAY, JULY 12

Coronation Cup: F3YO, 5 1/2 – Turf, Purse $150,000

The Wilton: F3YO, 1 Mile – Dirt, Purse $135,000

Saturday, july 13

GI Diana: F&M 4&UP, 1 1/8 – Turf, Purse $500,000

GIII Kelso: 4&UP, 1 Mile – Turf, Purse $175,000

GIII Sanford: 2YO, 6 Furlongs – Dirt, Purse $175,000

sunday, july 14

GIII Quick Call presented by

Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation:

3YO, 5 1/2 Furlongs – Turf, Purse $175,000

wednesday, july 17

GI A.P. Smithwick Memorial (Steeplechase):

4&UP, 2 3/8 – Turf, Purse $150,000

NYSSS Statue of Liberty Division (R):

F3YO, 1 Mile – Turf, Purse $150,000

thursday, july 18

NYSSS Cab Calloway Division (R):

3YO, 1 Mile – Turf, Purse $150,000

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.

Friday, July 12: Soul City Band
Saturday, July 13: 18 Strings of Trouble
Sunday, July 14: Dealt the Blues
Wednesday, July 17: Garland Nelson Band
Thursday, July 18: The Orion Kribs Band

TASTE NY PAVILION:

Every Thursday-Sunday
beginning July 11

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 beers, wines, spirits, cheese and chocolate (must be 21 and over to sample and purchase alcoholic beverages). Featured products hail from Montauk to the Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley to the Adirondacks as a showcase of the state’s robust food and beverage industry.

SARATOGA BREAKFAST AND BREEDING FARM TOUR:

Every Wednesday-Saturday and select Sundays, beginning July 12

The popular Saratoga Breakfast and Breeding Farm tours, which were first introduced in 2022, will be expanded this summer to meet growing demand. The program will be offered Wednesday through Saturday (excludes July 13, Aug. 24), plus select Sundays, beginning Friday, July 12 through Saturday, August 31. This year will feature newcomer Sugar Plum Farm to supplement incumbents Song Hill Thoroughbreds and Old Tavern Farm.
Fans will enjoy a buffet breakfast during morning training at Saratoga Race Course before boarding a CDTA trolley to that day’s breeding farm before returning to the Spa for the afternoon’s races.
Tickets must be reserved in advance at NYRA.com. Each tour accommodates up to 52 guests. Admission to Saratoga Race Course is included in the package.
BERKSHIRE BANK HORSE SENSE
Every Friday-Sunday
beginning July 12
Fans of all ages can pet a retired thoroughbred every Friday through Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. at Berkshire Bank Horse Sense. The educational exhibit also includes fun facts about the life and career of a thoroughbred. The family-friendly attraction is located inside Gate A and is presented by Berkshire Bank.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE RAIL OF THE 1863 CLUB
Every Sunday beginning July 14
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 $105 and include admission, a table seat for the day, brunch buffet, soft drinks, 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
HANDICAPPING SEMINAR AND MEET-AND-GREET
Every Sunday beginning July 14
Enjoy your Sunday at the races in the Paddock Suite, learning betting strategies and tips from expert handicappers. Tickets start at $75 and include admission, Post Parade program book and a table seat for the day within the climate-controlled, shared suite overlooking the historic saddling area. Fans will also be treated to a meet-and-greet with Saratoga Race Course’s track announcer Frank Mirahmadi. Tickets can be purchased online through Fevo.
FAMILY SUNDAYS AT THE FAMILY FUN ZONE
Every Sunday beginning July 14
Family Sundays will feature a wide variety of free family-friendly activities, games, attractions and educational activities each Sunday inside the Family

Zone, located near Gate A at the Top of the Stretch. Each week will feature a different theme, including Beach Day, Christmas in July, Day at the Zoo, Summer Olympics,
Carnival, the Wild, Wild West and NYRA mascot Gallop’s Birthday on August 18.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 2023 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course will continue through Monday, Sept. 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 Travers Days and closing weekend; Travers Day gates will open at 7 a.m. 

Week 8 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.

Friday, August 25 

G1 Personal Ensign: F&M 4&UP, 1 1/8 – Dirt, Purse $500,000

Smart N Fancy: F&M 4&UP, 5 1/2 Furlongs – Turf, Purse $150,000

Saturday, August 26

GI Ballerina (BC): F&M 3&UP, 7 Furlongs – Dirt, Purse $500,000

GI Forego: 4&UP, 7 Furlongs – Dirt, Purse $500,000

G1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial: 3YO, 7 Furlongs – Dirt, Purse $500,000

G1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer (BC): 3&UP, 1 1/2- Turf, Purse $750,000

G1 Travers: 3YO, 1 1/4 – Dirt, Purse $1,250,000

Sunday, August 27

Albany (NYB): 3YO, 1 1/8 – Dirt, Purse $250,000

Fleet Indian (NYB): F3YO, 1 1/8 – Dirt, Purse $200,000

Funny Cide (NYB) presented by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital:
2YO, 6 Furlongs- Dirt, Purse $200,000

Seeking the Ante (NYB): F2YO, 6 Furlongs- Dirt, Purse $200,000

West Point presented by Trustco Bank (NYB): 3&UP, 1 1/16- Turf, Purse $200,000

Yaddo Handicap (NYB): F&M 3&UP, 1 1/16- Turf, Purse $200,000 

Wednesday, August 30

P. G. Johnson: F2YO, 1 1/16 – Turf, Purse $150,000

Thursday, August 31

GIII With Anticipation: 2YO, 1 1/16 – Turf, Purse $175,000

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. 

Friday, August 25: Moreau Lake State Park and Grant Cottage

Saturday, August 26: Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T.)

Sunday, August 27: Old Friends at Cabin Creek Thoroughbred Retirement Farm

Wednesday, August 30: Saratoga Children’s Museum

Thursday, August 31: Center for Disability Services 

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, August 25: North and South Dakotas

Saturday, August 26: Big Medicine, ILL Funk

Sunday, August 27: The Soul City Band

Wednesday, August 30: Hot Vox Trio

Thursday, August 31: The Steve Candlen Band

Fan Appreciation Week

Wednesday, August 30 – Monday, September 4

Saratoga will be saying “Thank you, fans!” with special offers on tickets, food and beverage, and hospitality during the final week of the season.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

HANDICAPPING SEMINAR AND MEET-AND-GREET

Every Sunday

Spend a Sunday at the races learning betting strategies and tips from expert handicappers in the Spa’s newest hospitality venue, the climate-controlled Paddock Suite. Guests will also be treated to a meet-and-greet with Saratoga Race Course’s rotating cast of on-track talent. Tickets can be purchased through Fevo.

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.