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Saratoga Highlights: Week 6, 2024

by Pat McKenna, Mark Bardack

SARATOGA HIGHLIGHTS: WEEK #6

 Wednesday, August 14 – Sunday, August 18

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14

Jonathan Sheppard Steeplechase and Suzie O’Cain:

The Grade 1, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard kicks off week six at Saratoga Race Course. The 2 3/8-mile steeplechase handicap for older horses on the turf is the co-feature on the card with the $125,000 Suzie O’Cain, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for state-bred sophomore fillies.

Saratoga Live:

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit NYRA.com/SaratogaLive.

Adirondack Day:

Apples, cheese and cider donut samples will be among the featured items within the Taste NY Pavilion for Adirondack Day. Presented by the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council, fans will enjoy local products and attractions, including kayak and camping exhibits, offerings from Adirondack Pub and Brewery, re-enactors from Fort Ticonderoga and Adirondack-themed cornhole!

Free Scoops from Stewart’s Shops:

Stewart’s Shops will scoop free ice cream for fans from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., while supplies last. Complimentary scoops will be available across from the Josh Cellars Wine Grove on a first-come, first-served basis. Stewart’s Shops is the official retail partner for NYRA Bets Gift Cards, Post Parade programs and Saratoga season passes.

Saratoga Breakfast and Breeding Farm Tour:

NYRA’s Saratoga Breakfast and Breeding Farm Tours are offered every Wednesday through Saturday (excluding Aug. 24). Fans will enjoy a buffet breakfast during morning training at Saratoga before boarding a CDTA trolley to Song Hill Thoroughbreds on Wednesdays and Thursdays; Old Tavern Farm on Fridays; and Sugar Plum Farm on Saturdays. General admission to the races in the afternoon is included in the package. Tickets must be reserved in advance at NYRA.com.

Saratoga Happy Hour:

Fans age 21 and older can enjoy Happy Hour every racing day at the Miller Time Fourstardave Sports Bar from 4:30 p.m. to end of racing. Specials include two-for-one 12-ounce beers and half off select cocktails and glasses of wine.

Community Outreach Booth:

NYRA will host Catholic Charities of Albany, one of the largest, private, social service agencies in the region, helping an estimated 100,000 people each year in the fourteen counties of the Albany Diocese. Catholic Charities offers a wide spectrum of services, from addressing basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter; to more specialized needs such as mental health counseling, programs for low-income families, and disaster assistance.

Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage:

The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live musical performances each afternoon from popular local and regional bands. Franklin Micare Band will perform on the Purdy’s Stage to get the week started on Wednesday.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15

Rick Violette:

Thursday’s $125,000 Rick Violette, a 1 1/16-mile Mellon turf route for New York-bred sophomores, headlines the card at Saratoga Race Course. The Rick Violette is named for the late multiple graded stakes-winning trainer who served as President of the New York Thoroughbred Horseman's Association (NYTHA) and was a founding member of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA).

Thoroughbred Aftercare Day:

NYRA will partner with NYTHA and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) in hosting the fourth annual New York Thoroughbred Aftercare Day. The day will pay tribute to an array of organizations involved in finding new homes and careers for retired racehorses, and is designed to highlight the work of the New York State aftercare community.

Winemaker Joel Gott:

The founder of the eponymous wine will be at Saratoga to offer complimentary samples of his varietals outside the Jim Dandy Bar from 1:45 to 2:30 p.m. The Joel Gott wine tasting will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for fans 21 and older, while supplies last.

Tequila Tasting:

Fans 21 and older can enjoy complimentary tastings of the Casa Cosmo at the Casa Noble Clubhouse Bar, located on the second level of the Clubhouse from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., while supplies last.

Taste NY Pavilion:

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).

Community Outreach Booth:

On Thoroughbred Aftercare Day, NYRA will host Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, which rescues retired racehorses to facilitate therapeutic wellness by matching humans in need with horses that provide healing.

Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage:

The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live music from American Cafe.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16

Skidmore and Union Avenue:

Saratoga Springs will be prominently represented in Friday’s stakes action with the $150,000 Skidmore, a 5 1/2-furlong juvenile turf sprint, serving as the co-feature with the rescheduled $125,000 Union Avenue Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares going six furlongs.

Premium Giveaway #3: Saratoga Trucker Hat (Photo):

The third premium giveaway of the season is a red and white Saratoga Trucker hat. This one-size-fits-all cap features a white Saratoga logo embroidered on a red patch above a red brim, with a white mesh wrap around the back. The premium giveaway is free with paid admission, while supplies last.

Betting Basics with Matthew DeSantis:

NYRA Bets Content Producer and Handicapper Matthew DeSantis will teach betting basics during Breakfast at Saratoga to give fans their best shot at walking away a winner. Classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at The Porch.

Berkshire Bank Horse Sense:

Fans can pet a retired thoroughbred every Friday through Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. at Berkshire Bank Horse Sense. The family-friendly attraction is located inside Gate A and is presented by Berkshire Bank.

Tasting Trifecta:

Fans can enjoy complimentary samples of Cayman Jack Canned Cocktails and White Claw Hard Seltzer at the Boston Beer and White Claw Gazebos, respectively. Less than a furlong away outside the Jim Dandy Bar, presented by Great Jones Distilling Co., fans can sample the Bushmills Belfast Derby. Available to those 21 and older from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., while supplies last.

Saratoga Race Course Runs on Dunkin’:

Fans can enjoy samples of Dunkin’ Refreshers and SPARKD’ Energy by Dunkin’ outside Gates B and C beginning at 3:30 p.m. Complimentary Dunkin’ cards will also be distributed to guests departing the track, while supplies last.

Community Outreach Booth:

NYRA will host Saratoga Center for the Family, which educates, empowers and strengthens communities to reduce the effects of abuse, trauma and family dysfunction.

Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage:

The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live music from Rodeo Barons.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17

FIRST POST: 12:35 P.M.

Alabama and Lake Placid:

The Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, presented by Keeneland Sales, headlines Saturday’s card. The contest is the meet’s premier stakes for sophomore fillies at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles on the main track. Also featured is the Grade 2, $200,000 Lake Placid, presented by Caesars Sportsbook, for sophomore fillies on the turf at 1 1/16 miles.

FOX Saratoga Saturday:

Live broadcast coverage of Alabama Day from Saratoga Race Course returns to FOX from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Lustgarten Day:

NYRA will honor the legacy of longtime trainer Dominic Galluscio with a day to benefit the Lustgarten Foundation, whose mission is to advance research related to the diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of pancreatic cancer. The day will feature a trainer autograph session from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Jockey Silks Porch with suggested donations to benefit the Lustgarten Foundation. A popular and respected figure among his peers, Galluscio passed away in 2014 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Community Outreach Booth:

NYRA will host the Lustgarten Foundation at the Community Outreach Booth.

Surfside and Pick Six Samplings:

Surfside Canned Cocktails will be available for sampling outside the Jim Dandy Bar in addition to tastings of the Pick Six Vodka Lemonade at the Pick Six Gazebo in the backyard. Available to those 21 and older from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., while supplies last.

Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage:

The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will feature live music from Big Medicine.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18

Bolton Landing and Evan Shipman:

The racing week wraps up with the $150,000 Bolton Landing for juvenile fillies, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint on grass, as the co-feature with the rescheduled $125,000 Evan Shipman Handicap for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up traveling one-mile.

Special Sunday Savings:

Fans can take advantage of special Sunday ticket offers available for purchase at NYRA.com/Deals including the following:

$15 Sunday Saver Pass, valid for general admission for each of the three remaining Sundays. Standard daily admission is $10 on race day for a savings of up to 50 percent.

$99 Sunday Saver Family 4-Pack, which includes four grandstand reserved seats, four admissions, four Post Parade programs and $40 in loaded value that may be redeemed at select on-track concessions.

$44 Surfside Sunday 4-Pack, which includes four general admission tickets and four Surfside canned cocktails; or the $84 Surfside Sunday 4-Pack, which includes four grandstand reserved seats and four Surfside canned cocktails. This package is available to fans 21 years of age and older.

Sunday Brunch at The Rail at the 1863 Club:

Fans are invited to enjoy a brunch buffet in The Rail at the 1863 Club, the first-floor banquet space. 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.

Sunday Introduction to Handicapping and Meet-and-Greet:

Enjoy your Sunday 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 track announcer Frank Mirahmadi. Tickets can be purchased online through Fevo.

Family Sundays at the Family Zone:

The popular family-friendly weekly event includes a wide variety of free activities, games, attractions and educational experiences from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Family Zone, located inside Gate A near the Saratoga Box Office. This week’s theme is Saratoga Race Course mascot Gallop’s Birthday Party.

Community Outreach Booth:

Disabled American Veterans – Saratoga will close out the week at the Community Outreach Booth. Disabled American Veterans helps to transform the lives of veterans by advocating for access to the healthcare, disability, employment, education and financial benefits they have earned, and giving ill and injured veterans the opportunity to live with respect and dignity.

Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage:

The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live music from Alta Havana.

All events and activities are subject to change at the discretion of NYRA.