There’s a bit of a twist in the New York racing schedule this fall. NYRA and crew always return downstate following the end of the Saratoga meet on Labor Day. But this year, instead of the usual fall meet at Belmont Park, racing will move to Aqueduct for a 28-day fall meet which will be referred to as Belmont at the Big A. A construction project … Continue reading Belmont At The Big A
With the Saratoga and Delmar summer meets behind us, racing fans from around the world will turn their attention to the Breeders’ Cup. Each racing season ends with just one finish line: the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. It’s the two-day, 14-race, year-end culmination that every horse, jockey, trainer and owner across the globe has in their sights. Where the world’s greatest come together to crown … Continue reading Breeders’ Cup Origins
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced that the all-sources wagering handle during the 2022 summer meet at Saratoga surged to a record $878,211,963. That WOW number eclipsed the previous record of $815,508,063, established last year, by 7.7 percent. The record setting 40-day meet generated average daily handle of $21,955,299, which is also the highest such figure in the history of Saratoga. On-track handle, which … Continue reading Toga 22′ By The Numbers
This is the time of year (in horse racing) when, as you reach a certain age, you realize just how difficult it is to keep time from slipping past us. Old friends reemerge while others disappear or pass away. Acquaintances become friends as mutual admiration takes hold. Saratoga has (seemingly), mastered at least the illusion that time, while still slipping away can do so at … Continue reading The Spa Is Over
Legendary may be a word that is over-used in the world of sports these days and horse racing is no exception. But when speaking about former track announcer Tom Durkin– legendary might very well be an understatement. On a recent rendition of Fox Sports Network Cart Talk with Jonathon Kinchen, we were all reminded just how special Mr. Durkin was to racing and is to … Continue reading The Legendary Tom Durkin
The Daily Racing Blog has, for the most part, felt that Labor Day is synonymous with the end of the Saratoga Summer. Monday is Labor Day– the last day, the last race, the last push as the horses drive down the home stretch. The last flash of the tote board, and knowing that MTP now stands for Months To Post. A lump is present in … Continue reading Enjoy The Final Days Of Saratoga
Alas, the summer at Saratoga is coming to an end. But we shan’t bid adieu before the famous Jockey Club Gold Cup kicks off the final weekend at The Spa. The road to the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic will make one final stop at Saratoga Race Course this Saturday, September 3rd, as some of the best male dirt horses in training will square off in the $1.25 … Continue reading Jockey Club Gold Cup
Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes drew a field of eight 3-year-olds that will face the 1 1/4-mile distance at Saratoga. Here’s a look at the field: 1. CYBERKNIFE [ML 7-2] Trainer: Brad Cox. Jockey: Florent Geroux. Has Won four out of his last five races with the only loss coming in the Kentucky Derby (G1) when he beat only two horses to the wire. Among his … Continue reading Who Wins The Travers?
Saratoga Race Course has a vivid history in all things horse racing. But perhaps The Spa is most well-known for this: it’s the racetrack where favorites lose and longshots score the biggest Victories of their lives. MAN O’ WAR and SECRETARIAT lost at Saratoga. A horse named JIM DANDY Won the 1930 Travers Stakes over that year’s Triple Crown Winner GALLANT FOX at amazing odds of 100-1. … Continue reading Travers Upsets
The historic $1.25 million dollar, Grade 1 Travers Stakes dates all the way back to 1864, which means it’s older than the any of the Triple Crown races. The 1 ¼-mile contest annually attracts some of the best 3-year-old Thoroughbreds in the country and is often referred to as the Mid-Summer Derby. The Travers can be a tricky race to handicap. Its rich purse and great prestige … Continue reading Travers Trends
