Historic Saratoga Race Course 2017 Stakes Schedule

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – The 2017 meet at the historic Saratoga Race Course will again be highlighted by the Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney and the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, centerpieces for two of the biggest days in North American racing.

The 40-day meet, which includes 69 stakes worth $18.775 million in purses, will run from Friday, July 21, through Labor Day, Monday, September 4. After opening weekend, racing will be conducted six days a week, Wednesdays through Mondays.

On Saturday, August 5, the prestigious 1 1/8-mile Whitney, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 4 at Del Mar, will pair with the Grade 1, $500,000 Test for 3-year-old fillies, with the Grade 3, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya for fillies and mares going 1 1/2 miles over turf rounding out the graded stakes offerings on the first “must-see” card of the meet. Also on August 6 are two additional turf stakes: the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure at 1 1/16 miles and the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose for fillies and mares at 1 mile.

Joining the 148th running of the Mid-Summer Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, August 26 will be five other Grade 1 stakes on Travers Day: the $1 million Sword Dancer Invitational at 1 1/2 miles on the turf, the $500,000 Ballerina for filly and mare sprinters, the $600,000 Forego at 7 furlongs, the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (formerly known as the King’s Bishop) for 3-year-olds at 7 furlongs, and the $700,000 Personal Ensign for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles. Rounding out the blockbuster card is the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa for fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

The traditional local prep for the Travers, the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy, will be held on Saturday, July 29, joined by the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam, and the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green.

Travers Eve (Friday, August 25) will again feature the popular New York Breeders’ Showcase Day, highlighted by the $250,000 Albany for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles and the $150,000 West Point at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Opening Day (Friday, July 21) will kick off with a pair of graded stakes: the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies and the Grade 3, $150,000 Lake George for 3-year-old turf fillies. Continuing the juvenile dirt stakes tradition at the Spa are the Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford on Saturday, July 22; the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special on Sunday, August 13; and the Grade 1, $350,000 Hopeful on Monday, September 4; along with their sister races: the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on Saturday, August 12, and the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway on Saturday, September 2.

Grade 1 action commences with the $500,000 Diana for turf fillies and mares on Saturday, July 22, and the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on Sunday, July 23. Continuing the world-class offerings are the aforementioned Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, Whitney and Test; the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap at 1 mile over the turf on Saturday, August 12; the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on Saturday, August 19; and the Travers, Sword Dancer, Personal Ensign, Forego, Ballerina, and King’s Bishop on Saturday, August 26.

Closing weekend of the 149th meeting at Saratoga features the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward on Saturday, September 2, with the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress for 3-year-old fillies taking the spotlight on Sunday, September 3.

Stakes schedule for the 149th meet at Saratoga Race Course

DATE	RACE	PURSE		DISTANCE
Opening weekend
Fri., July. 21	G3 Schuylerville	$150,000	F2YO	6 furlongs
	G3 Lake George	$150,000	F3YO	1 1/16 (Turf)
Sat., July. 22	G1 Diana	$500,000	F&M 3&UP	1 1/8 (Turf)
	G3 Sanford	$150,000	2YO	6 furlongs
Sun., July 23	G1 Coaching Club American Oaks	$300,000	F3YO	1 1/8
Mon., July. 24	Caress	$200,000	F&M 4&UP	5 1/2 (Turf)
Week 2
Wed., July. 26	G2 Honorable Miss H.	$200,000	F&M 3&UP	6 furlongs
Th., July. 27	John Morrissey (NYB)	$100,000	3&UP	6 1/2 furlongs
Fri., July. 28	Curlin	$100,000	3YO	1 1/8
Sat., July. 29	G2 Jim Dandy	$600,000	3YO	1 1/8
	G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.	$350,000	3&UP	6 furlongs
	G2 Bowling Green	$250,000	4&UP	1 3/8 (Turf)
	G2 Amsterdam	$200,000	3YO	6 1/2 furlongs
Sun., July. 30	G3 Shuvee H.	$200,000	F&M 3&UP	1 1/8
Mon., July. 31	Coronation Cup	$100,000	F3YO	5 1/2 (Turf)
Week 3
Wed., Aug. 2	Shine Again	$100,000	F&M 3&UP	7 furlongs
Th., Aug. 3	G1 A. P. Smithwick Mem. (S’Chase)	$125,000	4&UP	2 1/16 (Turf)
	Birdstone	$100,000	3&UP	1 3/4
Fri., Aug. 4	G2 Nat’l Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame	$200,000	3YO	1 1/16 (Turf)
Sat., Aug. 5	G1 Whitney (BC)	$1,200,000	3&UP	1 1/8
	G1 Test	$500,000	F3YO	7 furlongs
	G3 Fasig-Tipton Waya	$200,000	F&M 3&UP	1 1/2 (Turf)
	Fasig-Tipton Lure	$100,000	4&UP	1 1/16 (Turf)
	Fasig-Tipton De La Rose	$100,000	F&M 4&UP	1 Mile (Turf)
Sun., Aug. 6	Troy H.	$250,000	3&UP	5 1/2 (T)
	Alydar	$100,000	4&UP	1 1/8
Mon., Aug. 7	NYSS Cab Calloway	$100,000	3YO	1 Mile (Turf)
Week 4
Wed., Aug. 9	Quick Call	$100,000	3YO	5 1/2 (Turf)
Th., Aug. 10	NYSS Statue of Liberty	$100,000	F3YO	1 Mile (Turf)
Fri., Aug. 11	Tale of the Cat	$100,000	3&UP	6 furlongs
Sat., Aug. 12	G1 Fourstardave H.	$500,000	3&UP	1 Mile (Turf)
	G2 Adirondack	$200,000	F2YO	6 1/2 furlongs
Sun., Aug. 13	G2 Saratoga Special	$200,000	2YO	6 1/2 furlongs
Mon., Aug. 14	Saratoga Dew (NYB)	$100,000	F&M 3&UP	1 1/8
Week 5
Wed., Aug. 16	Bolton Landing	$100,000	F2YO	5 1/2 (Turf)
Th., Aug. 17	Union Avenue (NYB)	$100,000	F&M 3&UP	6 1/2 furlongs
Fri., Aug. 18	Skidmore	$100,000	2YO	5 1/2 (Turf)
Sat., Aug. 19	G1 Alabama	$600,000	F3YO	1 1/4
	G2 Lake Placid	$300,000	F3YO	1 1/8 (Turf)
Sun., Aug. 20	Summer Colony	$100,000	F&M 3&UP	1 1/8
Mon., Aug. 21	Evan Shipman (NYB)	$100,000	3&UP	1 1/8
Week 6
Wed., Aug. 23	John’s Call	$100,000	3&UP	1 5/8 (Turf)
Th., Aug 24	Riskaverse	$100,000	F3YO	1 Mile (Turf)
	G1 New York Turf Writers Cup (S’Chase)	$150,000	4&UP	2 3/8 (Turf)
Fri., Aug. 25	Albany (NYB)	$250,000	3YO	1 1/8
	Fleet Indian (NYB)	$200,000	F3YO	1 1/8
	Funny Cide (NYB)	$200,000	2YO	6 1/2 furlongs
	Seeking the Ante (NYB)	$200,000	F2YO	6 1/2 furlongs
	West Point (NYB)	$150,000	3&UP	1 1/16 (Turf)
	Yaddo (NYB)	$150,000	F&M 3&UP	1 1/16 (Turf)
Sat., Aug. 26	G1 Travers	$1,250,000	3YO	1 1/4
	G1 Sword Dancer	$1,000,000	3&UP	1 1/2 (Turf)
	G1 Personal Ensign (BC)