What’s Happening At Saratoga Race Course – Week 3

 
Contact Dan Silver; Mark Bardack | August 1, 2011 Email Bookmark and Share
 



 
   
   

WHAT:           Week #3 of Saratoga Race Course
                                                     
WHEN:           Tuesday, August 2 – Tuesday, August 9, 2011

WHERE:        Saratoga Race Course and various locations in Saratoga Springs

 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 2

  • Paul Roberts Lecture Series: Author and thoroughbred race track historian Paul Roberts will present the second installment of a three-part lecture series that examines historic race courses and their architectural development over the last few centuries. Sponsored by The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and hosted by the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, the lecture series will continue on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. at the Saratoga Arts Center with the Eight Wonders of the Racing World: Here & Abroad. The lecturewill take attendees on a historical journey through Paris, Sydney, Buenos Aires and beyond. Roberts will also discuss how buildings tell the social, political, and economic story of thoroughbred racing through time. Roberts, a director of London-based property and planning consultancy Turnberry Consulting, recently coauthored The Spa: Saratoga’s Legendary Race Course, which examines the architectural evolution of Saratoga Race Course from its 1847 beginnings to the present.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3

  • Mid-Summer St. Patrick’s Day, presented by Bailey’s: Saratoga Race Course will bring horse racing fans a little extra luck during the third annual Mid-Summer St. Patrick's Day, presented by Bailey’s. All fans who wear green will receive free grandstand admission. The day-long celebration of Irish culture and heritage will feature traditional Irish food and drink as well as Irish music, dance and entertainment. Fans will be encouraged to dress up their picnic displays in the backyard with Saint Patrick’s Day-themed décor for the chance to win a number of prizes, including gift baskets from Bailey’s. Patrons will also have a chance to win a six-night trip to Ireland, courtesy of Celtic Tours and Aer Lingus.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4

  • “Beat the Bugler” Handicapping Contest: Three fans will receive their very own “call to the post” with the chance to challenge Sam the Bugler in the “Beat the Bugler” celebrity handicapping contest. The three randomly selected fans will each receive a $500 fictitious bankroll to wager as they please on races six through eight. The fan with the highest bankroll after the eighth race will receive a $1,000 cash grand prize. The second and third place contestants will receive $500 and $250, respectively. Additionally, each of the participants will have their wagers stacked up against Sam’s selections to see whose picks come out on top. Prizes will automatically be doubled if the fan beats the bugler. Racing fans can enter for a chance to “Beat the Bugler” before 2 p.m. at the Grandstand and Clubhouse Information Booths and at The Post. Entry is limited to the first 10,000 patrons; one entry per person. Three fans will be chosen to compete against Sammy following the third race. Winners must be present to participate and will need to report to the Grandstand Information Booth on the first floor by 3 p.m. to solidify their spot in the tournament. Participants must be 18 years old and over to play.
  • Jockey Autograph Book Thursdays with Hannaford Supermarkets: Racing fans will have their pens ready for the return of the popular Jockey Autograph Book. Sponsored by Hannaford Supermarkets, the Jockey Books will be distributed randomly to fans each Thursday of the meet at the Saratoga Style vendor tent (near the NYRA store outside the Clubhouse) where Hannaford will feature interactive games, prizes and other giveaways for track patrons. The colorful, 20-page book features a full page for each of the top 12 leading jockeys, listed by number of wins at Saratoga in 2010 along with photos and fun facts for each. The autograph books will be available at Hannaford’s on-track location with a voluntary contribution to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).

 

  • $100,000 Guaranteed Thursday Pick 6: As part of a series of three different guaranteed wagers for the 2011 meet, NYRA will, for the second year in a row, offer a $100,000 Guaranteed Thursday Pick 6. This is a $2 minimum wager in which the bettor must correctly select the winners of six consecutive races.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5

  • Rivalry Day: Saratoga Race Course will celebrate one of the oldest rivalries in sports – New York vs. Boston – with the inaugural Rivalry Day. All fans wearing New York or Boston gear will receive $2 off grandstand admission. Former New York Yankees center fielder Mickey “Mick the Quick” Rivers and Boston Red Sox pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd will headline the day’s activities with an autograph signing session from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Jockey Silks Room. Fans can peruse a sports card and memorabilia display, and enter to win team merchandise, game tickets and prizes. A time-honored baseball tradition will be adapted for the track with an interactive rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” after the seventh race – thoroughbred racing’s version of the seventh-inning stretch. Fans are invited to stay after the races to enjoy the opener of the three-game series featuring New York and Boston. First pitch is scheduled for just after 7 p.m. and will be supplemented by a post-racing game party at The Post. The evening will feature a mix of food and drinks, and the latest installment of the rivalry on large screen television sets. Shake Shack, Blue Smoke, Box Frites and The Bar at The Post will remain open during the game.

Saturday, AUGUST 6

  • Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing: The third annual Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing will return to celebrate the rich partnership between racing and yearling sales with a variety of special events. The Festival of Racing is part of the lead up to Fasig-Tipton’s pair of yearling auctions at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs. The annual festival includes the return of the “Best Turned Out Filly” contest, during which a roving photographer will seek out fabulously dressed ladies at the track from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Families will have the chance to take part in the fun with the Fasig-Tipton Graduate Trail Scavenger Hunt, which is free to enter and will be conducted during the races. Maps and entry forms will be available in the Post Parade program and at the Clubhouse and Grandstand customer service desks. Completed maps must be submitted by the fifth race. The winner will be determined through a random drawing of all correctly completed entries.

 

  • Whitney Day: The nation’s top older horses face off in Saratoga’s 84th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap. The blockbuster day of racing will also include the Grade 1, $250,000 Test, a sprint for three-year-old fillies. Both races will be shown on VERSUS from 5 to 6 p.m., marking the third of eight “Summer at Saratoga” programs broadcast nationally by the NBC Sports Group.
  • Guaranteed Saturday Pick 4: NYRA offers a $500,000 Guaranteed Late Pick 4 Saturdays during the Saratoga meet. This marks the third consecutive year that NYRA has offered a $500,000 guarantee on the Saturday Late Pick 4, a 50-cent minimum wager in which the bettor must correctly pick the winners of four consecutive races.

 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7

  • Galloping Grapes: A New York Wine Event: Wine aficionados and thoroughbred fans will come together for the second annual “Galloping Grapes: A New York Wine Event” at Saratoga Race Course from noon to 6 p.m. The event will showcase wineries from across New York State. Guests are invited to take in a day of first-class wine and racing as they sip and sample their way around a designated section of the backyard. The first 500 guests will receive a commemorative Saratoga Race Course wine glass with their paid admission. Advance tickets are available for $20; tickets will be available day of the event on track for $25. Advance tickets may be purchased at http://gallopinggrapes.eventbrite.com/. Tickets to the Galloping Grapes wine festival are purchased separately from the cost of admission to Saratoga Race Course. All proceeds benefit the Times Union Hope Fund and the Times Union Classroom Enrichment Program.
  • New Owners Luncheon: NYRA will continue its “New Owners Luncheon” series at Saratoga Race Course for those interested in learning more about thoroughbred ownership. The day-long, comprehensive introduction to thoroughbred ownership will begin at 8 a.m. and include presentations by Graham Motion, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom; Dale Romans, trainer of Preakness winner Shackleford, and owner Cot Campbell, president of Dogwood Stables, which campaigned 1996’s top 2-year-old filly, Storm Song. Also in attendance will be Barry Irwin, the founder and CEO of Team Valor International, owner of Animal Kingdom, as well as celebrity owner and world-renowned chef Bobby Flay. The event will be hosted by former jockey and current NYRA television analyst Richard Migliore and emceed by NYRA consultant and co-host Thomas Gallo. In addition to the in-depth discussions on horse ownership, guests will receive a barn tour, partake of multiple visits to the saddling area prior to the races, have opportunities to meet Saratoga’s leading jockeys, trainers, and owners throughout the day, and participate in a Winner’s Circle trophy presentation. Registration will be limited to 30 attendees with a registration fee of $95, which includes the famous Saratoga breakfast on the porch, a full day at the races in an air conditioned luxury suite which includes a full buffet lunch, and giveaways. Registration details for the “Owners’ Luncheon” will be available at www.nyra.com/newowners or by calling Horseman’s Relations at Belmont Park 516.488.6000.

 

  • Special National Anthem Performance: NYRA Controller Jelena Alonso will sing the National Anthem before the races start at approximately 11:38 a.m. She has performed in theaters across the United States and Europe in musicals including West Side Story, Evita, Fiddler on the Roof and Phantom of the Opera. Alonso has also been singing the national anthem for the New York Islanders on Long Island since 1993. She also performed on Belmont Stakes Day.
  • Alfred G. Vanderbilt and Honorable Miss: The Grade 1, $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt for older sprinters celebrates its 26th running on an afternoon that will also feature the Grade 2, $150,000 Honorable Miss Handicap sprint for fillies and mares. Both races will be shown on VERSUS from 5 to 6 p.m., marking the fourth of eight “Summer at Saratoga” programs broadcast nationally by the NBC Sports Group.

 

MONDAY, AUGUST 8

  • Dunkin’ Donuts Mondays: Throughout the 2011 meet, Dunkin’ Donuts customers and racing fans will receive a number of extra perks on Mondays. All fans who present their Dunkin’ Donuts rechargeable card at the track admission gates on Mondays will receive $2 off the price of grandstand admission. Dunkin’ Donuts will also offer Saratoga Race Course-themed rechargeable cards at nearly 200 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants throughout the Capital Region as well as in Central New York, including Syracuse and Utica; the Berkshires and western Vermont. The Dunkin’ Donuts Cards, available for the first time in 2011, feature an image of the venerable Saratoga clubhouse and grandstand.
  • Sixth Annual Chaplaincy Breakfast: NYRA will host the sixth annual Chaplaincy Breakfast at Saratoga Race Course from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Held at the At The Rail Pavilion, the annual breakfast will feature guest speaker Elliot Walden, president and CEO of WinStar Farm, and an exclusive trunk show of the newest equestrian line from Peacock Alley Fine Linens. Tickets are available for $75; all proceeds benefit the Race Track Chaplaincy of America – New York Division. To purchase tickets or for more information, please call Nancy Kelly at 518-226-0609.

 

  • Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sales: Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion on East Avenue, 7 p.m. By reservation only.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9

    • Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sales: Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion on East Avenue, 7 p.m. By reservation only.