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Saratoga Summer Meet Stakes Schedule Revealed

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.


hoto via the New York Racing Association (NYRA).

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) recently announced the stakes schedule for the 2025 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, which will open Thursday, Jul. 10 and continue through Monday, Sept. 1. The 40-day summer meet will offer 18 Grade 1 races as part of 64 stakes worth more than $20 million in total purses. 

Following the four-day opening week, racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, apart from closing week, when the 2025 meet will conclude on Labor Day.

Some highlights of the schedule include:

  • The 156th Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on Aug. 23 
  • The Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Aug. 2
  • The Grade 1 FanDuel Fourstardave, which has been added to a Whitney Day card that will now include four Grade 1 events and six total stakes on Saturday, Aug. 2. (NYRA has also increased the purse of the Fourstardave by $250,000 to $750,000 for the one-mile turf tilt for older horses).
  • The Grade 1, $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial, a 2 3/8-mile steeplechase test on Jul. 23
  • The seven-furlong state-bred $150,000 Johnstone (previously run as the Johnstone Mile) for females 3-years-old and up on Wednesday, Jul. 30
  • The state-bred $150,000 John Morrissey on Thursday, Jul. 31 for ages 3-and-up. 
  • The Grade 2, $400,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, a one-mile turf test for sophomores, on Friday, Aug. 1.
  • The Grade 1, 12-furlong turf $750,000 Sword Dancer for older turf marathoners on Saturday, Aug. 9
  • The Grade 2, $500,000 [up from $400,000] Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational, a 1 3/16-mile grass route for sophomore fillies, also on Saturday, Aug. 9
  • The Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales at 1 1/4 miles for sophomore fillies on Saturday, Aug. 16
  • The Grade 1, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard Memorial, a 2 3/8-mile test for older steeplechasers, on Wednesday, Aug. 20
  • The final Saturday of the meet, Aug. 30, offers the Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway, a seven-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, along with the 11-furlong turf Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl for older fillies and mares
  • Sunday, Aug. 31 features the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 1 1/4-mile test for 3-year-olds and up
  • Closing Day (Monday, Sept. 1), is led by the seven-furlong Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful for juveniles 

For the complete Saratoga stakes schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/stakes-schedule/.

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