There are certain thoroughbred race horses that always battle back.  They dig in down the home stretch, and find a reserve of power that propels them across the wire.

The type of  animal that continually reminds us of the exhilaration that comes from giving everything, pushing to, and possibly beyond limitation.  These beautiful stallions sate our hunger for something that was once perhaps grand and noble in our lives.

No American racetrack exemplifies this more, while offering a beautiful stage for the majestic animals to showcase their talent(s) than the Racetrack at Saratoga.

The track, as well as the town itself have a sense of place which begets a wonderful nostalgic state of mind.

It’s easy to imagine folks in the 19th century sitting on a wrap-around porch of one of the grand Victorian houses sipping on a highball prior to sashaying down Union Avenue to the race course to watch EXTERMINATOR run.

Legendary sports scribe Red Smith once wrote (50 plus years ago) on how to get to Saratoga from New York City;  “You drive 175 miles north, turn left on Union Avenue, and travel back 100 years.”  That quote still has legs…four to be exact.

Saratoga first opened for racing on August 3rd, 1863.  The meet begins this year on July 11th, which will mark the 156th year in which Saratoga remains ‘The Summer Place To Be’.

The Spa is near and dear to the Daily Racing Blog,  so with only three weeks until opening day, (but who’s counting?) we’ll continue to write about the track, its history, and this years meet.  So stick around, it’s going to be a great summer.