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Oklahoma Training Track to open April 17

by Pat McKenna, Mark Bardack

Reservations for popular dining areas available starting later this month

The Oklahoma Training Track at historic Saratoga Race Course will open for the 2023 season on Monday, April 17, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced today. The Oklahoma barn area will open to licensed trainers and staff beginning Saturday, April 15.

Prior to the start of the 2023 summer meet, the Whitney Viewing Stand, which overlooks the Oklahoma track, will be open to the public free of charge on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays beginning Friday, April 21 from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The Whitney Viewing Stand is accessible to pedestrians through Gate 21 on East Avenue, but fans are reminded that vehicles are not permitted on the property at this time.

Highlighted by the 154th edition of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 26 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 5, the 40-day summer meet will open on Thursday, July 13 and continue through Monday, September 4. Following the four-day opening weekend, racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, apart from closing week, when the 2023 summer meet will conclude on Labor Day.

Shortly after spring training gets underway, fans will be able to secure dining reservations for three of Saratoga’s most popular restaurants: The Turf Terrace, Club Terrace and The Porch. Reservations will be accepted beginning Friday, April 28 through Ticketmaster.com. All reservations include a non-refundable table seating charge and admission. Reservations will be subject to a $25 food and beverage minimum per person within the restaurants.

For more information about dining at Saratoga Race Course, visit nyra.com/saratoga/visit/dining

Beginning Thursday, April 20, fans will have the opportunity to reserve tables in the popular Miller Time Fourstardave Sports Bar and Pick Six Vodka Picnic Paddock. Two sets of flex plans are available for either venue:

·    Fans may reserve tables for 10 or more days, including Travers Day and Whitney Day;

·    Fans may also reserve tables for a minimum of seven days, not including Travers and Whitney.

Flex plans offer fans the first opportunity to select many of the season’s most popular days or the days that best fit their schedule. Flex Plans can be purchased through the NYRA Box Office by calling (844) NYRA-TIX.

The Miller Time Fourstardave Sports Bar – named in honor of the fan favorite, New York-bred Horse of the Year that won a race at Saratoga eight consecutive years between 1987 and 1994 – features more than 80 tables that accommodate between two and six guests. The sports bar atmosphere boasts an extensive selection of malt beverages, wines and spirits, popular food vendors and flat-screen televisions. There is a $10 food and beverage minimum per person.

The Pick Six Vodka Picnic Paddock features more than 100 picnic tables available for paid reservation. As the name of the hospitality area implies, each table accommodates six guests and offers a close-up view of the horses being saddled prior to each race.

Single-day reservations for the Miller Time Fourstardave Sports Bar and Pick Six Vodka Picnic Paddock will be available beginning Wednesday, May 17.

Fans can also currently purchase individual tables in the Mionetto Easy Goer, which is located above the Miller Time Fourstardave Sports Bar, and offers a casual dining atmosphere with room for large groups and amenities such as a 360-degree bar. Reservations can be made online at Ticketmaster.com.

For additional information, visit NYRA.com/Saratoga.