The Saratoga Race Course Gates open at 11 a.m. each day, including weekends, with the exception of Runhappy Travers Day, Saturday, August 28.
The 2021 Saratoga summer meet will include the following events and happenings:
WEEK 3 RACE SCHEDULE
Tune in to Talking Horses for in-depth analysis from handicapper Andy Serling and other guests.
FRIDAY, JULY 30
The day’s feature is the $120,000 Curlin for 3-year-olds on the dirt at nine furlongs and a potential prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers.
SATURDAY, JULY 31
Jim Dandy Day: A trio of graded stakes headlines the final Saturday in July as Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality is expected to lead a field of 3-year-olds in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga Race Course, the traditional prep for the Runhappy Travers. The star-studded card will also feature the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap and reigning champion sprinter Whitmore, the 8-year-old gelding who won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November. The Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green will be highlighted by multiple Grade 1-winning turf veteran Channel Maker.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 1
Sunday’s card will feature the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam for 3-year-old sprinters going six and half furlongs.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4
Features the NYSSS Statue of Liberty Division and the Shine Again.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5
Thursday’s card features the Birdstone.
FRIDAY, JULY 30
Volcan Tequila Summer Music Stage
The Volcan Tequila Summer Music Stage will host live music from Big Fez and the Surfmatics.
Piazza Italia: The Piazza Italia, located in the Saratoga Events Pavilion, near Gate A, will host live music featuring Nick Collucio.
Fans may enjoy authentic Italian food and beverages at the Piazza Italia every day of the Saratoga meet, including sandwiches on Focaccia with Italian meats and cheeses, Fratelli Beretta cold cuts, Monti Trentini cheeses, Italian Bindi Gelato, Tiramisu and Peroni Beer.
SATURDAY, JULY 31
PDJF Awareness Day
Saratoga Race Course will unite with racetracks across the country with autograph signings and photo opportunities as part of PDJF Day Across America. Riders from the Saratoga jockey colony will sign autographs on the Jockey Silks Room Porch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with a suggested donation to PDJF.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Display
Fans will have the opportunity to check out the new all-electric 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, which will be on display near the Clubhouse escalator throughout the afternoon, courtesy of Upstate Ford Dealer Group.
Cooperstown Distillery, Chandon Garden Spritz and Ketel One Tastings
Fans will be invited to enjoy a trio of complimentary tasting events: the first tasting features the Saratoga Revolutionary Rum Runner from Cooperstown Distillery, the award-winning producer of distinguished whiskeys and other handcrafted spirits, at the Jim Dandy Bar from noon to 4 p.m. The second tasting will feature samples of the Chandon Garden Spritz at the Travers Bar from 1 to 3 p.m. And rounding out the afternoon will be samples of the Ketel One Botanicals Grapefruit & Rose Botanical Spritz cocktail from award-winning Ketel One family made vodka at the Ketel One Clubhouse Bar from 3 to 5 p.m. Must be at least 21 years old; while supplies last.
Volcan Tequila Tasting and Summer Music Stage
The Volcan Tequila Summer Music Stage will host live music from Nite Train with Thomasina Winslow.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 1
Brunch at The Rail at the 1863 Club
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 are $85 and include the buffet, soft drinks and Post Parade program book. Reservations are available by calling the NYRA Box Office at 844-NYRA-TIX or online at NYRA.com/1863Club.
Berkshire Bank Family Sundays
The popular kid-oriented weekly event will feature a wide variety of free family-friendly activities, games, attractions and educational activities each Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Berkshire Bank Family Zone, located inside Gate A near the Saratoga Race Course Box Office.
Volcan Tequila Summer Music Stage
The Volcan Tequila Summer Music Stage will host live music from The Rodeo Barons.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5
FABULOUS FILLIES DAY
Saratoga Race Course will honor local breast cancer survivors while supporting To Life!, a Capital Region non-profit organization which provides personalized breast cancer education and support services.
SEASON-LONG DAILY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES:
LOW ROLLER HANDICAPPING CONTESTS
Thursdays & Sundays
Thursday and Sundays at Saratoga pit yourself against your Saratoga peers on-track with the Low Roller Handicapping Contests. Buy-In: $40 ($30 bankroll/$10 prize pool) Contest ends with second to last race at Saratoga. How to Enter: Visit the Low Roller booth outside Fourstardave before the first race.
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 complemented by the return of Berkshire Bank Family Sundays. The popular weekly festival will include free games, attractions and educational activities each Sunday of the season inside the Berkshire Bank Family Zone.
BREAKFAST AT SARATOGA
Tram tour of our famous and historic stable area (weather permitting). The first tram leaves the main Clubhouse entrance at approximately 7:30 a.m. with additional trams leaving approximately every 15 minutes. The last tour departs at around 9 a.m. The Tour is available every race day (there is no breakfast on Runhappy Travers Day, Saturday, August 28). Driven by the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA). Enjoy a morning buffet on The Clubhouse Porch while the thoroughbreds train on the main track. Breakfast is held daily from 7 to 9:30 a.m. and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations are accepted for breakfast dining. $20 for adults and $12 for kids under 12.
SARATOGA FASHION DAYS
Fashion Saturdays, which was previously held once each week, will expand to a 40-day series of pop-up boutiques featuring stylish clothing, accessories and jewelry for women and men. The Saratoga Fashion Days’ boutiques will be located in the following areas: Lifestyles of Saratoga across from the Jockey Silks Room Porch; Miss Scarlett, Saratoga Rocks and the Winning Silks Collection near The Stretch; and Bumble B Boutique near the paddock mutuels building (weekends only).
VOLCAN TEQUILA SUMMER MUSIC STAGE
Fans will enjoy live music performances each afternoon of the season from popular local and regional bands at the Volcan Tequila Summer Music Stage. Strolling entertainment from Saratoga mainstays Reggie’s Red Hot Feetwarmers and the Red Hot Dancers, amongst other acts, will also be a regular feature.
SARATOGA WALKING TOURS
History, highlights, unique architecture, and landscapes at Saratoga Race Course. Approximately 45 minutes. Daily Walking Tours bring the more than 150 years of history within Saratoga Race Course to life. Ever wonder why we ring a bell at 17 minutes to post or why there is a canoe in the lake in the infield? Take a guided tour to get to know The Spa! Tours are scheduled at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. each racing day and costs $3 per person or $10 for a family. For more information on our tours, please contact our Guest Services Department at 518-584-6200 ext. 4433.
SARATOGA WALK OF FAME
In 2013, NYRA began recognizing prominent thoroughbred industry owners, trainers and jockeys who have left a significant mark on Saratoga with a commemorative plaque and iconic red Saratoga jacket presented on the eve of the Travers Stakes, Saratoga’s signature race and the nation’s oldest major stakes race for 3-year-olds.
BETS SQUAD: LEARN. BET. WIN.
The Bets Squad is your one-stop-shop to learn how to bet! Learn the different types of bets, how to place a bet, how to read a program, how to use a self-service betting terminal, and how to sign up to bet from your phone on and off-track with NYRA Bets. NYRA Bets allows you to securely deposit electronically and play great racing from Saratoga to Del Mar and across the world online and from anywhere, anytime. The Bets Squad is open daily and can be found at the following locations:
• Outside Clubhouse Exchange
• Under Clubhouse after entering Clubhouse exchange
• Grandstand
• Backyard, close to the Red Spring
• The Stretch (for ticketed guests)
• 1863 Club Lobby (for ticketed guests)
Fans will not be required to provide proof of vaccination for admission to Saratoga Race Course. Non-vaccinated individuals will be required to wear a facial covering during their day at Saratoga Race Course, in accordance with federal CDC guidance. NYRA reserves the right to amend admission protocols based on updates and adjustments by New York State.
The 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses highlighted by the 152nd renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on Aug. 28 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Aug. 7, as the anchors of two of the most prestigious racing days in North America. Racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, with the exception of the final week, when the meet will conclude on Labor Day.
For more information about Saratoga Race Course, visit www.NYRA.com/Saratoga.
