Opening week at Saratoga Race Course was fraught with exhaustive heat and humidity.

But despite that and Thursday’s races being off turf the four day opening week at The Spa was a good one.

There was a beefy 18.3% increase in all-sources handle for the first four days of racing at Saratoga.

In addition, more total races were run and fewer races taken off the grass compared to the same time frame of the 2023 meet.

“The 2024 summer meet is off to a great start,” said Pat McKenna, vice president for communications at NYRA. “We thank the fans for making Saratoga Race Course the most exciting venue in sports.”

Attendance stayed reasonably steady with a 1.5% decrease, which should still be considered a strong number given the high temperatures and uncomfortable humidity track-goers dealt with each day.

Fortunately, with the track being dark on Monday and Tuesday (each week) the patrons, jockeys and equine athletes will avoid more 90-plus-degree temperatures forecasted for those two days.

The weather drops down into the 80s to begin Week two of the meet on Wednesday, this according to WNYT in Albany.

The greatest chance for rain this week will be Wednesday, which is forecast at 60%.

The Daily Racing Blog hopes the rain holds off long enough Wednesday to allow the first Steeple Chase of the 2024 meet.