Saturday at Saratoga Race Course is the 97th edition of the Whitney Stakes.
The race is named in honor of the Queen of Saratoga– Marylou Whitney, who passed away July 19th of 2019, at the age of 93.
For seven decades, Mrs. Whitney was among the most successful owners in thoroughbred racing.
In 1958 she married Cornelius Vanderbilt Sonny Whitney, one of the founders of the National Museum of Racing, as well as Pan American Airlines.
In the 1970s’ the Whitney family helped convince NYRA to keep Saratoga Race Course open as a viable part of its racing calendar at a time when wagering and attendance sagged at the fabled venue.
Their efforts and long-term vision continue to reap benefits, as the Saratoga meet attracts more than one million fans annually.
Beyond racing, the Whitney’s made a huge impact in the Saratoga community.
In 1966 they founded the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, which continues to host world-class musical and dance performances to this day, helping turn Saratoga into a true summer destination for tourists.
Following C.V. Whitney’s death in 1992 at age 93, Mrs. Whitney opened her own stable, which garnered industry-wide acclaim.
Her Eton blue and brown silks quickly becoming synonymous with racing excellence.
In 2003, BIRD TOWN, trained by Nick Zito, made Whitney the first woman in 80 years to own and breed a Kentucky Oaks Winner.
Whitney and Zito continued to make history, when in 2004 BIRDSTONE Won the Belmont Stakes, ending the Triple Crown bid of SMARTY JONES and then went on to Win the Travers Stakes with BIRDSTONE.
In all, Marylou Whitney Stables earned nine Graded Stakes Victories and campaigned more than 190 Winners from 2000-2019.
An indelible part of Saratoga’s history, the Whitney legacy can be seen all over the City of Saratoga Springs– for example, in 2015 on famed Union Avenue outside of Congress Park Marylou gifted a statue of NATIVE DANCER that has become a landmark at the start of the street where the famed racetrack sits.
Also in 2015, NYRA enshrined Whitney in the Saratoga Walk of Fame, where the most legendary trainers, jockeys and owners in The Spa’s rich history are honored.
On August 2nd of 2019, two weeks after her passing, Marlou Whitney was enshrined into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
In the front row of that ceremony sat the other inductees, along with a empty seat, draped with a members only Hall of Fame jacket, and on the seat was a single (commissioned in her honor) signature Marylou Whitney Rose.
Suffice to say, Marylou’s passion for racing was only matched by her affection for Saratoga Springs and her support for the backstretch community.
Her love of the sport and Saratoga has impacted many people and continues to do so.
