Saratoga 2024

Saratoga Race Course is a horse racing track located in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. It is one of the oldest sports facilities still operating in the country, having been founded in 1863. The Saratoga meeting runs from mid-July through Labor Day weekend every year.

Saratoga is home to some of the best stakes races in the country, as well as the best stakes schedule. Every single day of the meet features a top-class race, something no other track can boast. The Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes tops the meet, followed by the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, and Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. The Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer, Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby, Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign, Grade 1, $500,000 Forego, Grade 1, $500,000 Test, and Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave are just some of the other major races.

Saratoga, which is commonly known as The Spa, is also affectionately known as the “Graveyard of Champions” because some of the sport’s most notable upsets happened there. Man o’ War suffered his only career defeat at Saratoga in 1919, Secretariat lost the 1973 Whitney to Onion, Rachel Alexandra was defeated by Persistently in the 2010 Personal Ensign, and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah looked invincible until Keen Ice won the 2015 Travers Stakes.

Although most of the races at Saratoga are on the flat main turf or dirt course, there are several Steeplechase races that take place each year. In 2022, the Wilson Mile chute, a fixture long gone since 1972, was rebuilt for use during the races.