In the racing form/program within every entrants past performances there is always an indication of the types of races in which they participated. For many of the upper echelon of horses that means Graded Stakes races. For example, Travers Stakes (G1). But for those unfamiliar with the sport, the G1 probably doesn’t resonate. So, just what is a Graded Stakes race? In the U.S. a Graded Stakes … Continue reading Making The Grade
The 2025 Saratoga racing season crossed the wire on Monday. Total attendance was slightly up, but the overall wagering handle slightly was down from 2024. In total, the 40-day meet still drew more than 1 million in paid attendance and saw just under $800 million wagered. Here are some of the pertinent numbers for the regular summer meet of 2025: ATTENDANCE: The New York Racing … Continue reading Saratoga 2025 By The Numbers
The Daily Racing Blog has, for the most part, felt that Labor Day is synonymous with the end of the Saratoga Summer. So today- Labor Day, was 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 your throat, and a void in your heart … Continue reading The Spa Is Over
They are stationed at every racetrack you visit; you glance at them and understand they are a part of the horse racing province, but you don’t pay them much mind…unless there’s turmoil. While training or racing is being conducted on a racetrack, horsemen called outriders are employed to supervise the events and to help as necessary. They are available any time horses are on the racetrack, whether … Continue reading More Than An Escort
SECRETARIAT, arguably the greatest racehorse of all time, passed away in 1989. 36 years later the jockey of BIG RED– Ron Turcotte has moved into the big Winner’s Circle in-the-sky. One cannot celebrate the greatness that was SECRETARIAT without recognizing Turcotte as a vital member of that dynamic Triple Crown winning team. Watching replays of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes in 1973 it appears as if Turcotte was … Continue reading Ron & Red
Ron Turcotte, the legendary jockey who achieved fame and acclaim for his achievements with SECRETARIAT passed away on Friday. He was 84 years of age. Turcotte’s longtime representative Leonard Lusky said in a statement Friday; ‘Ron was a great jockey and an inspiration to so many, both within and outside the racing world.” Turcotte famously rode SECRETARIAT to the Triple Crown in 1973, sweeping the … Continue reading Rider Up
Saturday is the 156th edition of the Travers Stakes– the marquee race of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. The 1 ¼-mile Travers is the most important race in the 3-year-old male division aside from the Triple Crown series in the spring and summer. The Mid-Summer Derby often proves a crucial test for determining the 3-year-old Champion at year’s end. Here is a brief look … Continue reading Who Wins The Travers Stakes?
On Saturday Saratoga Race Course will present the 156th edition of the Travers Stakes. The $1.25 million-dollar Mid-Summer Derby is contested at 1 1/4 miles on the main track. Is SOVEREIGNTY poised for victory, or is an upset is in the offing? Here are five furlongs of historic trends that may help you discern the most likely winner of the Grade 1 Travers: 1. Deep Closers … Continue reading Travers Trends & Tendencies
Saturday is the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Also known as the Mid-Summer Derby it is by far the most popular day of the entire meet. Travers Day features five Grade 1, Stakes races, totaling over 5 million dollars in purses. For the uninitiated here is a brief Travers Stakes historic primer. THE NAME: The Saratoga Racing Association named the Travers Stakes for William R. Travers (one of the founders of America’s oldest … Continue reading Travers Stakes Basics
The inaugural Alabama Stakes was held in 1872. To this day it continues to be one of the most important races in the 3-year-old filly division. Here is a brief look at Saturday’s field: 1. MARGIE’S INTENTION [ML 8-1] Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer: Brad Cox. Since stretching out to a mile for her second race after an unplaced finish in her career sprint debut, she … Continue reading Who Wins The Alabama ?
