2008 Saratoga Fact Sheet
|
WHAT: Saratoga Race Course’s 140th season. WHEN: 36 days. Wednesday, July 23 through Monday, September 1, Labor Day. No racing on Tuesdays. WHERE: Saratoga Race Course, Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. BROCHURE: Saratoga Race Course 2008 brochure FIRST RACE POST TIME: 1 p.m. Eastern. On Travers Day, Saturday, August 23, first race post is noon Eastern. Sunset Racing on Friday, July 25 and Friday, August 29, first race post is 2:45 p.m. ADMISSION: General admission is $3; Clubhouse admission is $5. Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Admission gates open at 11 a.m. on weekdays and 10:30 a.m. on weekends. On Travers Day, Saturday, August 23, gates open at 7 a.m. Travers Day admission is $5 general admission; $10 for Clubhouse. Reserved seating is sold separately. PARKING: Trackside parking is $10 and general parking is free. Handicapped parking is available at the Clubhouse and Grandstand entrances. Parking gates open at 7 a.m. on Travers Day, Saturday, August 23. NO BREAKFAST PARKING REFUNDS ON TRAVERS DAY, Saturday, August 23. There is also Preferred Parking for $5 on the corner of East Avenue and Union Avenue (not trackside). COOLERS: Coolers are permitted at Saratoga Race Course on the trackside apron, Top of the Stretch and the backyard area ONLY. No coolers will be allowed anywhere inside the building. ALL GLASS CONTAINERS ARE PROHIBITED. All coolers and any carry-in items are subject to inspection by NYRA Security. RESERVED SEATS: A limited number of Grandstand seats are on sale each morning of a race day at the Reserved Seat Office at Union Avenue Gate at 8 a.m. (7 a.m. on Travers Day, Saturday, August 23). These are limited to four per person on a cash-only basis. For more information on reserved seats, call 1 (800) 814-7846. No telephone orders are accepted. GROUP ACCOMMODATIONS: Special rates on dining packages for groups of 20 or more. Dining packages consist of admission, official track program, and buffet lunch (tax and gratuity included). For information on groups and availability on Saratoga’s air-conditioned Turf Trophy Suites, call 1 (888) 285-5961. ULTIMATE SARATOGA RACING PACKAGE: Two-nights stay at one of the area’s finest hotels, breakfast at the track, lunch “At the Rail” and dinner downtown, plus a backstretch tour and admission to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame all starting at one low price. Call 1 (800) 653-0231 or visit www.saratoga.org for more information.
NYRA REWARDS: Members will receive one point for every dollar wagered on NYRA races, and a half-point for every dollar wagered on a simulcast event. Points totaled at the end of each month are deposited into a member’s account based on monthly wagering volume. For example, a member who bets $4,000 (4,000 points) on NYRA races and $2,000 (1,000 points) on non-NYRA simulcast events in a single month would receive a $75 award deposited in his account. Bets may be placed through on-track self-service machines with a swipe of a membership card, or, for added convenience, through NYRA’s new improved player-friendly telephone wagering system. Fans may enroll by calling 1 (800) THE-NYRA, or by logging on to nyraracerewards.com
TOM DURKIN’S THIRD RACE CALL: Fans will get a chance to sit with track announcer Tom Durkin as he calls the day’s third race, and at the same time, get a spectacular view of Saratoga Race Course. Tickets are $100 with all proceeds going to the health programs administered by the Backstretch Employee Service Team (BEST). For reservations, call (516) 488-3434. ATTIRE: Box Seats: gentlemen are asked to wear suits or sports coats with slacks and shirts (ties are optional); women are asked to wear dresses, skirts or slack outfits. Absolutely no shorts or jeans. Turf Terrace business casual (no shorts or T-shirts). At the Rail, Paddock Pavilions and Clubhouse: Proper attire at management’s discretion. No short shorts, cut-offs or other abbreviated wear; no tank tops; Grandstand: Shoes and shirts are required at all times. 28th ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE: Sunday, July 20, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is free. Fans can familiarize themselves with the track and enjoy non-wagering, exhibition races. Concessions provided by local non-profit organizations. OPENING DAY: Wednesday, July 23. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.
BREAKFAST AT SARATOGA: A long-standing tradition is to watch the morning workouts at Saratoga. A buffet breakfast is served every racing day from 7 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Admission to the breakfast is free, except on Travers Day, Saturday, August 23, and vehicles leaving the grounds before 10 a.m. get a parking refund. Morning visitors may also take a free tram tour of the Backstretch Area and watch the Paddock Show and Starting Gate Demonstration. There are no tram tours on Travers Day, Saturday, August 23 or Closing Day, Labor Day, Monday, September 1. The buffet is priced at $14.95 per person, $7.95 for children between the ages of 3 and 12. Race fans who wish to attend the afternoon’s races are charged admission upon re-entering the track. For more information, call Customer Service at (718) 641-4700; from July 23 – September 1, call (518) 584-6200. GIVEAWAYS: All giveaways are free with each paid admission, while supplies last.
Click here to view the 2008 giveaway items NOTE: Saratoga will again offer “spinner-free” service – a dedicated turnstile at the East Avenue admission gate specifically designed for patrons who wish to avoid the potentially lengthy lines on giveaway days. No coupons will be issued in this express lane which will be reserved for fans seeking fast admission to the grandstand. SPECIAL EVENTS 28th Annual Open House, Sunday, July 20: Get used to the track as Saratoga’s 140th season gets ready to run. From 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., familiarize yourself with all areas of the track, learn the new betting machines, enjoy handicapping seminars, view non-wagering events and savor local delicacies, plus enjoy an array of family activities. All proceeds benefit local non-profit associations. Hats Off to Saratoga Weekend, Friday, July 25 – Sunday, July 27: On Sunday, July 27, it’s the 17th annual Hat Contest with prizes awarded in three categories – Most Fashionable; Kreative Kids and Spirit of Saratoga. For Hat Contest information, call (518) 383-6183; beginning beginning July 23, call (518) 584-6200. Tradition Turns 140, Saturday, August 9: Celebrate Saratoga’s 140th season with an array of special events and activities to mark this milestone in the Spa’s history. Gentlemen’s Days at the Races, Saturday and Sunday, August 9-10: Male patrons can avail themselves of free hot shaves, hand and back massages, whisky and bourbon samplings, hand-rolled cigars and top jewelry and sports gear in a special tent in the backyard area. Sports Superfecta Day, Monday, August 11: Stars of the past and present from four sports -- the National Football League; NASCAR; Olympic bobsledding and Thoroughbred racing -- will be on hand to sign autographs for charity. National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Monday, August 4: Induction ceremony is at 10:30 a.m. at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion on East Avenue. The public is invited and admission is free as the Hall of Fame welcomes jockey Edgar Prado and Ismael “Milo” Valenzuela; trainer Carl Nafzger and the horses Inside Information, Manila and Ancient Title. Women’s Day at Saratoga, Wednesday, August 13: The ladies will dominate the day as Saratoga Race Course hosts the 3rd annual Women’s Day Expo. Women will have the opportunity to peruse products related to health and lifestyle in the backyard while the day’s feature race is the Adirondack for two-year-old fillies. Alabama/Sword Dancer Day, Saturday, August 16: One of the meet’s more popular days features the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama for three-year-old fillies at a mile and a quarter. Also on the card is the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational for three-year-olds and up at a mile and a half on the turf. 13th Annual Travers Festival, Saturday August 16 – Sunday, August 24: More than 40 fun-filled, charity-oriented events are planned at Saratoga Race Course and throughout the Capital District, including street festivals, live music, arts and crafts shows, golf tournaments, contests, galas and more. For more information on the Travers Festival events, call 1-800-526-8970; or visit www.saratoga.org.
THE 139th TRAVERS presented by Shadwell Farm, Saturday, August 23: The biggest race day of the season features the “Mid-Summer Derby,” the Grade 1, $1 million Travers for three-year-olds at a mile and a quarter. Also on the day is the Grade 1, $250,000 NetJets King’s Bishop for three-year-olds at seven furlongs; the Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap for three-year-olds and up at nine furlongs on the turf; and the Grade 3, $100,000-added Victory Ride for three-year-old fillies at six furlongs. Gates open at 7 a.m. First race post is noon. Proud to be an American Day, Wednesday, August 27: America’s racetrack will showcase its red, white and blue spirit as Saratoga Race Course pays tribute to the men and women protecting our country. Veterans and active members of the military receive free grandstand admission. FINAL STRETCH WEEKEND, Friday, August 29 – Labor Day, Monday, September 1: Final Stretch Weekend gets off to an early start this season as the Spa hosts the wedding of a lifetime with Saratoga’s Race to the Altar, followed by Sunset Racing and Margaritaville Day on Friday (2:45 p.m. first post). The Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward, formerly run at Belmont Park, now helps Saratoga Race Course close out the season. The nine-furlong Woodward will be joined by the Grade 1, $250,000 Forego Handicap on Saturday, August 30th. On Sunday, August 31st, fans will get a free Saratoga Cooler Bag with each paid admission, while supplies last, and will watch the Grade 1, $250,000 Spinaway for two-year-old fillies at seven furlongs and the Grade 3, $100,000-added Saranac for three-year-olds at a mile and three-sixteenths on the turf. Kids and their families can enjoy pony rides, caricatures, games, face painting, clowns, and giant inflatables as part of the Family Fun Fest to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region, Inc. The meet closes on Labor Day, Monday, September 1st with the Grade 1, $250,000 Hopeful for two-year-olds at seven furlongs and the Grade 3, $100,000-added Glens Falls Handicap for fillies and mares at 11 furlongs on the turf. Labor Day Bar-B-Que near the At the Rail Pavilion. Special family-priced packages are available, including Clubhouse Admission, track program, BBQ lunch and tax. To order tickets by phone, call 1-888-285-5961. Discounts on Luxury Suite seating. TRACK FACTS MAIN TRACK: 1 1/8-mile oval with seven-furlong chute; 4 percent banking on the turns; distance from final turn to the finish line is 1,144 feet. TURF COURSES: The Mellon (Outer) Turf Course is a one-mile (plus 98 feet) oval; 4 percent banking on the turns; distance from final turn to the finish line is 1,144 feet; The Inner Turf Course is a seven-furlong (plus 304 feet) oval; 4 percent banking on the turns; distance from final turn to finish is 1,164 feet. OKLAHOMA TRAINING TRACK: One-mile oval with a quarter-mile chute; 2 percent banking on the turns; distance from final turn to the finish line is 990 feet. OKLAHOMA TURF COURSE: Seven-furlong oval; 2 percent banking on the turns; distance from final turn to the finish line is 1,024 feet. OKLAHOMA STEEPLECHASE COURSE: Six-furlong oval, five fences. CLARE COURT TRAINING TRACK: Half-mile oval; 1.5 percent banking on the turns. STEEPLECHASE: Thursdays will be Steeplechase Thursdays. The Grade 2, $75,000-added A.P. Smithwick will be run on Thursday, August 7. On Thursday, August 28, the feature will be the Grade 1, $150,000-added New York Turf Writers Steeplechase for older horses at two and three-eighths miles, which will be run as the eighth race on the card.
From New York Metropolitan Area: New York Thruway (I-87) to Exit 24 at Albany; then the Adirondack Northway (I-87) to Exit 14. From Western New York: New York Thruway (I-90) to Exit 28 at Fultonville; to Johnstown and Route 29E to Saratoga Springs; or Exit 27 to Amsterdam, Route 30 N to Route 67 E to Ballston Spa and Route 50 to Saratoga Springs. From Upstate and Canada: Northway (I-87) to Exit 14. From Massachusetts and Connecticut: Massachusetts Turnpike to New York Thruway (I-90) then Adirondack Northway (I-87) to Exit 14. From Vermont and New Hampshire: Route 40 to Schuylerville and Route 29 to Saratoga Springs. By Train: Amtrak offers an all-inclusive package to Saratoga every Saturday and Sunday throughout the meet. The package includes round-trip rail on Amtrak, transfers, Clubhouse Admission to Saratoga Race Course and official track program. For a list of departure cities, prices and reservations, call 1-800-USA-RAIL and refer to the Saratoga Race Course Special. Daily service is also available. Overnight packages are available in Saratoga Springs by calling Empress Travel at 1-800-653-0231. SWITCHBOARD: Until July 20 (718) 641-4700; From July 22 – September 1, (518) 584-6200. ON-LINE: NYRA.com |
|||||
