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NYRA announces post times for 2022 meeting at Saratoga Race Course

by Pat McKenna

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced post times for the 2022 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course, which will feature 77 stakes worth $22.6 million in total purses. The summer meet will open Thursday, July 14, and conclude Monday, September 5.

The summer meet, which will offer at least one stakes race every live racing day, will be highlighted by the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 27 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 6.

With the exception of 12-race cards, Travers Day, Whitney Day and Closing Weekend, first post on live race days will be 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

The 153rd running of the Runhappy Travers highlights an action-packed August 27 card that includes five other graded stakes worth a total of $4.1 million.

The Runhappy Travers Day card will begin at 11:35 a.m. and also features the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer for older horses travelling 1 1/2 miles on turf in pursuit of a berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf; the Grade 1, $600,000 Personal Ensign for fillies and mares 4-and-up going nine furlongs; the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego at seven-furlongs for 4-year-olds and upward; and the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs. Rounding out the card is the Grade 2, $400,000 Ballston Spa for turf fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles.

Saratoga's first Grade 1 of 2022 is the $500,000 Diana for turf fillies and mares on Saturday, July 16. The card will offer a 1:05 p.m. first post and also includes the Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford, a six-furlong sprint for juveniles.

Whitney Day on August 6, which kicks off with a 12:35 p.m. first post, will feature three Grade 1 events, led by the Whitney at nine furlongs for older horses and offering an automatic berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Keeneland.

Whitney Day will also include the $500,000 Longines Test for sophomore fillies and the $1 million Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitational, the second jewel of the Caesars Turf Triple series for sophomore males. Also on tap is the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls for fillies and mares on turf, and the $135,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure.

Closing Weekend of the Saratoga meet will offer a 12:35 p.m. post time Saturday through Monday.

Saturday, September 3 will feature a pair of Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” events with the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup [Classic] at 10 furlongs for 3-year-olds and up, and the Grade 2, $600,000 Flower Bowl [Filly and Mare Turf], an 11-furlong turf test for older fillies and mares, to anchor a day that also includes the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress and the Grade 3, $200,000 Saranac.

The Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway for juvenile fillies features on the Sunday, September 4 card; and Closing Day on Labor Day, September 5 will offer the Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful for juveniles and Grade 3, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap on the turf for 3-year-olds and up.

For more information, please visit NYRA.com.