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
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
Saturdays feature event at Saratoga is the 145th running of the Alabama Stakes. The prestigious Stakes race for 3-year-old fillies is one of the oldest races for females in the United States. The inaugural Alabama took place in 1872- that race Won by WOODBINE, a horse owned by August Belmont. The race itself was not precisely named in honor of the great state of Alabama; rather, it was named after … Continue reading Sweet Home Alabama…Stakes
The Grade 1, $750,000 dollar Sword Dancer is Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. The race is a win-and-you’re-in qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf November 1st at Del Mar. Here is a brief look at the field of nine runners: 1. EL CORDOBES [ML 4-1] Trainer: Charlie Appleby. Jockey: Flavien Prat. This is his first trip to America. The 4-year-old won a Group 2 at Newmarket … Continue reading Who Wins The Sword Dancer?
The 2025 Travers Stakes at Saratoga is Saturday, August 23rd. The Grade 1 race for three-year-olds is the highlight of the Saratoga summer meet and has aptly been dubbed the Mid-Summer Derby. Travers Day is a marathon of Grade 1 Stakes races (5) with purses totaling over 20 million dollars. The first race of the day is scheduled for 11:40 with the Travers set to … Continue reading Travers, Grade 1 Coffee
