SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The historic 148th meet at Saratoga Race Course will again be highlighted by the Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney and the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, the centerpieces of two of the biggest days in North American racing.
The 40-day meet, which includes 69 stakes worth $18.725 million in purses, will run from Friday, July 22, through Labor Day, Monday, September 5. After opening weekend, racing will be conducted six days a week, Wednesdays through Mondays.
On Saturday, August 6, the prestigious 1 1/8-mile Whitney will pair with the Grade 1, $500,000 Test for 3-year-old fillies, with the Grade 3, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya for turf fillies and mares going 1 1/2 miles rounding out the graded stakes offerings on the first “must-see” card of the meet. Also on August 6 are two additional turf stakes for fillies and mares: the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure at 1 1/16 miles and the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose at a mile.
Joining the 147th running of the Mid-Summer Derby for 3-year-olds on Saturday, August 27 will be five other Grade 1 stakes: the $1 million Longines Sword Dancer Invitational at 1 ½ miles on the turf, the $500,000 Ballerina for filly and mare sprinters, the $700,000 Priority One Jets Forego at seven furlongs, the $750,000 Ketel One King’s Bishop and the $750,000 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 Sa for turf fillies and mares.
The traditional local prep for the Travers, the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy, will be held on Saturday, July 30, 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 Handicap.
Travers Eve, Friday, August 26, 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 presented by Trustco Bank at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Opening Day, Friday, July 22 will kick off with a pair of graded stakes: the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies and the Grade 3, $200,000 Lake George for 3-year-old turf fillies. Continuing the traditional juvenile dirt stakes at the Spa are the Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford on Saturday, July 23; the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special on Sunday, August 14 and the Grade 1, $350,000 Hopeful on Monday, September 5, along with their sister races: the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on Saturday, August 13 and the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway on Saturday, September 3.
Grade 1 action commences with the $500,000 Diana for turf fillies and mares on Saturday, July 23, and the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on Sunday, July 24. Continuing the world-class offerings are the aforementioned Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, Whitney and Test; the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap at a mile on the turf on Saturday, August 13; Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on Saturday, August 20, and the Travers, Sword Dancer, Personal Ensign, Forego, Ballerina and King’s Bishop on Saturday, August 27.
Closing weekend features the Grade 1, $600,000 Woodward on Saturday, September 3, with the Grade 2, $300,000 for 3-year-old fillies taking the spotlight on Sunday, September 4.
The stakes schedule for the 148th meet at Saratoga Race Course:
| Friday July 22 |
G2 Lake George | $200,000 | F3YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| G3 Schuylerville | $150,000 | F2YO | 6 Furlongs (Dirt) | ||
| Saturday July 23 |
G3 Sanford | $150,000 | 2YO | 6 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| G1 Diana | $500,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Turf) | ||
| Sunday July 24 |
G1 Coaching Club American Oaks | $300,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | |
| Monday July 25 |
Lucky Coin | $100,000 | 4&UP | 5 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Wed. July 27 |
G2 Honorable Miss H. | $200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Thursday July 28 |
John Morrissey (NYB) | $100,000 | 3&UP | 6 1/2 (Dirt) | |
| Friday July 29 |
Curlin | $100,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | |
| Saturday July 30 |
G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. | $350,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| G2 Amsterdam | $200,000 | 3YO | 6 Furlongs (Dirt) | ||
| G2 Jim Dandy | $600,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | ||
| G2 Bowling Green H. | $250,000 | 4&UP | 1 3/8 (Turf) | ||
| Sunday July 31 |
G3 Shuvee H. | $200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | |
| Caress | $100,000 | F&M 4&UP | 5 1/2 (Turf) | ||
| Monday August 1 |
Coronation Cup | $100,000 | F3YO | 5 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Wed. August 3 |
Shine Again | $100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Thursday August 4 |
G1 A. P. Smithwick ‘Chase | $125,000 | 4&UP | 2 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Quick Call | $100,000 | 3YO | 5 1/2 (Turf) | ||
| Friday August 5 |
G2 Hall of Fame | $200,000 | 3YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Saturday August 6 |
Fasig-Tipton De La Rose | $100,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 mile (T) | |
| Fasig-Tipton Lure | $100,000 | 4&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | ||
| G3 Fasig-Tipton Waya | $200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) | ||
| G1 Whitney | $1,250,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | ||
| G1 Test | $500,000 | F3YO | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | ||
| Sunday August 7 |
Alydar | $100,000 | 4&UP | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | |
| Monday August 8 |
NYSS Cab Calloway | $100,000 | 3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Wed. August 10 |
Birdstone | $100,000 | 3&UP | 1 3/4 (Dirt) | |
| Thursday August 11 |
NYSS Statue of Liberty | $100,000 | F3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Friday August 12 |
Tale of the Cat | $100,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Saturday August 13 |
G1 Fourstardave H. | $500,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| G2 Adirondack | $200,000 | F2YO | 6 1/2 (Dirt) | ||
| Sunday August 14 |
G2 Saratoga Special | $200,000 | 2YO | 6 1/2 (Dirt) | |
| Monday August 15 |
Saratoga Dew (NYB) | $100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | |
| Wed. August 17 |
Bolton Landing | $100,000 | F2YO | 5 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Thursday August 18 |
Union Avenue (NYB) | $100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 1/2 (Dirt) | |
| Friday August 19 |
Skidmore | $100,000 | 2YO | 5 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Saturday August 20 |
Troy | $100,000 | 3&UP | 5 1/2 (Turf) | |
| G1 Alabama | $600,000 | F3YO | 1 1/4 (Dirt) | ||
| Sunday August 21 |
G2 Lake Placid | $300,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 (Turf) | |
| Monday August 22 |
Summer Colony | $100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | |
| Wed. August 24 |
John’s Call | $100,000 | 3&UP | 1 5/8 (Turf) | |
| Thursday August 25 |
G1 NY Turf Writers ‘Chase | $150,000 | 4&UP | 2 3/8 (Turf) | |
| Riskaverse | $100,000 | F3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | ||
| Friday August 26 |
Albany (NYB) | $250,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | |
| Fleet Indian (NYB) | $200,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | ||
| Funny Cide (NYB) | $200,000 | 2YO | 6 1/2 (Dirt) | ||
| Seeking the Ante (NYB) | $200,000 | F2YO | 6 1/2 (Dirt) | ||
| Yaddo (NYB) | $150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | ||
| West Point presented by Trustco Bank | $150,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | ||
| Saturday August 27 |
G1 Longines Sword Dancer | $1,000,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) | |
| G1 Travers | $1,250,000 | 3YO | 1 1/4 (Dirt) | ||
| G1 Ballerina | $500,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | ||
| G2 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa |
$400,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | ||
| G1 Priority One Jets Forego | $700,000 | 3&UP | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | ||
| G1 Personal Ensign | $750,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | ||
| G1 Ketel One King’s Bishop | $500,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | ||
| Sunday August 28 |
Smart N Fancy | $100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 5 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Monday August 29 |
Better Talk Now | $100,000 | 3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Wed. August 31 |
G2 With Anticipation | $200,000 | 2YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Thursday Sept. 1 |
P. G. Johnson | $100,000 | F2YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Friday Sept. 2 |
Evan Shipman (NYB) | $100,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | |
| Saturday Sept. 3 |
G3 Glens Falls | $200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 3/8 (Turf) | |
| G3 Saranac | $300,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 (Turf) | ||
| G1 Woodward | $600,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Dirt) | ||
| G1 Spinaway | $350,000 | F2YO | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | ||
| Sunday Sept. 4 |
G2 Prioress | $300,000 | F3YO | 6 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Monday Sept. 5 |
G1 Hopeful | $350,000 | 2YO | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| G2 Bernard Baruch H. | $250,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | ||
NYRA
