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
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DATE
|
RACE
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PURSE
|
DISTANCE
|
|
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Opening weekend
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Fri., July. 21
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G3 Schuylerville
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$150,000
|
F2YO
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6 furlongs
|
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G3 Lake George
|
$150,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
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Sat., July. 22
|
G1 Diana
|
$500,000
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F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
|
G3 Sanford
|
$150,000
|
2YO
|
6 furlongs
|
|
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Sun., July 23
|
G1 Coaching Club American Oaks
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$300,000
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F3YO
|
1 1/8
|
|
Mon., July. 24
|
Caress
|
$200,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Week 2
|
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Wed., July. 26
|
G2 Honorable Miss H.
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$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
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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
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$600,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8
|
|
G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.
|
$350,000
|
3&UP
|
6 furlongs
|
|
|
G2 Bowling Green
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$250,000
|
4&UP
|
1 3/8 (Turf)
|
|
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G2 Amsterdam
|
$200,000
|
3YO
|
6 1/2 furlongs
|
|
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Sun., July. 30
|
G3 Shuvee H.
|
$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
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Mon., July. 31
|
Coronation Cup
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Week 3
|
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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
|
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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
|
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|
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)
|
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NYRA
