Travers, Whitney Days highlight 2018 Saratoga meet | NYRA
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Jan 11, 2018
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Travers, Whitney Days highlight 2018 Saratoga meet

by Heather Pettinger



The 2018 meet at historic Saratoga Race Course will again be highlighted by the Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney and the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, the centerpieces of two of the biggest days in North American racing.

The 40-day meet, which includes 69 stakes worth $18.8 million in purses, will run from Friday, July 20, through Labor Day, Monday, September 3. After opening weekend, racing will be conducted six days a week, Wednesdays through Mondays.

On Saturday, August 4, the prestigious 1 1/8-mile Whitney will pair with the Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Test for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs. A trio of turf stakes on Whitney Day round out the offerings on the first "must-see" card of the meet: the Grade 3, $200,000 Waya for fillies and mares going 1 1/2 miles; the $100,000 Lure at 1 1/16 miles and the $100,000 De La Rose for fillies and mares at a mile.

Joining the 149th running of the Mid-Summer Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, August 25 will be five other Grade 1 stakes on Travers Day: the $1 million Sword Dancer Invitational at 1 ½ miles on the turf, the $500,000 Ballerina for filly and mare sprinters, the $600,000 Forego at seven furlongs, the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, formerly known as the King's Bishop, for sophomores going seven furlongs, and the $700,000 Personal Ensign for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles. Rounding out the blockbuster card is the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa for turf fillies and mares.

The traditional local prep for the Travers, the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy, will be held on Saturday, July 28, and is joined by the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap for older sprinters, the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green at 1 3/8 miles on the grass, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Amsterdam for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs.

Travers Eve, Friday, August 24, will again feature the popular New York Showcase Day, highlighted by the $250,000 Albany for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles and the $200,000 Funny Cide for budding New York-bred stars.

Opening Day, Friday, July 20 will kick off with a pair of graded stakes: the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies and the Grade 3, $150,000 Lake George for 3-year-old turf fillies. Continuing the juvenile dirt stakes tradition at the Spa are the Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford on Saturday, July 21; the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, presented by Miller Lite, on Sunday, August 12 and the Grade 1, $350,000 Hopeful on Monday, September 3, along with their sister races: the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on Saturday, August 11 and the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway on Saturday, September 1.

Grade 1 action commences with the $500,000 Diana for turf fillies and mares on Saturday, July 21, and the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on Sunday, July 22. Continuing the world-class offerings are the aforementioned Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, Whitney and Test; the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap at a mile on the turf on Saturday, August 11; and the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on Saturday, August 18, in addition to the Travers, Sword Dancer, Personal Ensign, Forego, Ballerina and King's Bishop on Saturday, August 25.

Closing weekend of the 2018 Saratoga meet features the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward on Saturday, September 1, with the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress for 3-year-old fillies taking the spotlight on Sunday, September 2. On Closing Day, the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap on the turf joins the Hopeful on Monday, September 3, to bring down the curtain on the 150th meeting at Saratoga.

THE NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION
2018 SARATOGA STAKES SCHEDULE
Opening weekend

DATE

RACE

GR.

PURSE

AGE

DISTANCE

Fri., July. 20

Schuylerville

III

$150,000

F2YO

6 Furlongs

Lake George

III

$150,000

F3YO

1 1/16 (Turf)

Sat., July. 21

Diana

I

$500,000

F&M 3&UP

1 1/8 (Turf)

Sanford

III

$150,000

2YO

6 Furlongs

Sun., July 22

Coaching Club American Oaks

I

$300,000

F3YO

1 1/8

Mon., July. 23

Caress

 

$200,000

F&M 4&UP

5 1/2 (Turf)

Week 2

DATE

RACE

GR.

PURSE

AGE

DISTANCE

Wed., July. 25

Honorable Miss Hdcp.

II

$200,000

F&M 3&UP

6 Furlongs

Thurs., July. 26

A. P. Smithwick Mem. (S'Chase)

I

$150,000

4&UP

2 1/16 (Turf)

John Morrissey (NYB)

 

$100,000

3&UP

6 1/2 Furlongs

Fri., July. 27

Curlin

 

$100,000

3YO

1  1/8

Sat., July. 28

Jim Dandy

II

$600,000

3YO

1 1/8

Alfred G. Vanderbilt Hdcp.

I

$350,000

3&UP

6 Furlongs

Bowling Green

II

$250,000

4&UP

1 3/8 (Turf)

Amsterdam

III

$200,000

3YO

6 1/2 Furlongs

Sun., July. 29

Shuvee Hdcp.

III

$200,000

F&M 3&UP

1 1/8

Mon., July. 30

Coronation Cup

 

$100,000

F3YO

5 1/2 (Turf)

Week 3

DATE

RACE

GR.

PURSE

AGE

DISTANCE

Wed., Aug. 1

Shine Again

 

$100,000

F&M 3&UP

7 Furlongs

Thurs., Aug. 2

Birdstone

 

$100,000

3&UP

1 3/4

Fri., Aug. 3

Nat’l Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame

II

$200,000

3YO

1 1/16 (Turf)

Sat., Aug. 4

Whitney

I

$1,200,000

3&UP

1 1/8

Longines Test

I

$500,000

F3YO

7 Furlongs

Waya

III

$200,000

F&M 3&UP

1 1/2 (Turf)

Lure

 

$100,000

4&UP

1  1/16 (Turf)

De La Rose

 

$100,000

F&M 4&UP

1 Mile (Turf)

Sun., Aug. 5

Troy

III

$200,000

3&UP

5 1/2 (T)

Alydar

 

$100,000

4&UP

1 1/8

Mon., Aug. 6

NYSS Cab Calloway

 

$100,000

3YO

1 Mile (Turf)

Week 4

DATE

RACE

GR.

PURSE

AGE

DISTANCE

Wed., Aug. 8

Quick Call

 

$100,000

3YO

5 1/2 (Turf)

Thurs., Aug. 9

NYSS Statue of Liberty

 

$100,000

F3YO

1 Mile (Turf)

Fri., Aug. 10

Tale of the Cat

 

$100,000

3&UP

6 Furlongs

Sat., Aug. 11

Fourstardave Hdcp.

I

$500,000

3&UP

1 Mile (Turf)

Adirondack

II

$200,000

F2YO

6 1/2 Furlongs

Sun., Aug. 12

Saratoga Special, presented by Miller Lite

II

$200,000

2YO

6 1/2 Furlongs

Mon., Aug. 13

Saratoga Dew (NYB)

 

$100,000

F&M 3&UP

1 1/8

Week 5

DATE

RACE

GR.

PURSE

AGE

DISTANCE

Wed., Aug. 15

Bolton Landing

 

$100,000

F2YO

5 1/2 (Turf)

Thurs., Aug. 16

Union Avenue (NYB)

 

$100,000

F&M 3&UP

6 1/2 Furlongs

Fri., Aug. 17

Skidmore

 

$100,000

2YO

5 1/2 (Turf)

Sat., Aug. 18

Alabama

I

$600,000

F3YO

1 1/4

Lake Placid

II

$300,000

F3YO

1 1/8 (Turf)

Sun., Aug. 19

Summer Colony

 

$100,000

F&M 3&UP

1 1/8

Mon., Aug. 20

Evan Shipman (NYB)

 

$100,000

3&UP

1 1/8

Week 6

DATE

RACE

GR.

PURSE

AGE

DISTANCE

Wed., Aug. 22

John's Call

 

$100,000

3&UP

1 5/8 (Turf)

Thurs., Aug 23

Riskaverse

 

$100,000

F3YO

1 Mile (Turf)

New York Turf Writers Cup (S'chase)

I

$150,000

4&UP

2 3/8 (Turf)

Fri., Aug. 24

Albany (NYB)

 

$250,000

3YO

1 1/8

Fleet Indian (NYB)

 

$200,000

F3YO

1 1/8

Funny Cide (NYB)

 

$200,000

2YO

6 1/2 Furlongs

Seeking the Ante (NYB)

 

$200,000

F2YO

6 1/2 Furlongs

West Point (NYB), pres. by Trustco Bank

 

$150,000

3&UP

1 1/16 (Turf)

Yaddo (NYB)

 

$150,000

F&M 3&UP

1 1/16 (Turf)

Sat., Aug. 25

Travers

I

$1,250,000

3YO

1 1/4

Sword Dancer

I

$1,000,000

3&UP

1 1/2 (Turf)

Personal Ensign

I

$700,000

F&M 3&UP

1 1/8

Forego

I

$600,000

3&UP

7 Furlongs

Ballerina

I

$500,000

F&M 3&UP

7 Furlongs

H. Allen Jerkens Memorial

I

$500,000

3YO

7 Furlongs

Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa

II

$400,000

F&M 3&UP

1 1/16 (Turf)

Sun., Aug. 26

Smart N Fancy

 

$100,000

F&M 3&UP

5 1/2 (Turf)

Mon., Aug. 27

Better Talk Now

 

$100,000

3YO

1 Mile (Turf)

Closing week

DATE

RACE

GR.

PURSE

AGE

DISTANCE

Wed., Aug. 29

With Anticipation

III

$150,000

2YO

1  1/16 (Turf)

Thurs., Aug. 30

P. G. Johnson

 

$100,000

F2YO

1  1/16 (Turf)

Fri., Aug. 31

Lucky Coin

 

$100,000

4&UP

5 1/2 (Turf)

Sat., Sept. 1

The Woodward

I

$750,000

3&UP

1 1/8

Spinaway

I

$350,000

F2YO

7 Furlongs

Saranac

III

$300,000

3YO

1 1/8 (Turf)

Glens Falls

II

$250,000

F&M 3&UP

1 3/8 (Turf)

Sun., Sept. 2

Prioress 

II

$250,000

F3YO

6 Furlongs

Mon., Sept. 3

Hopeful

I

$350,000

2YO

7 Furlongs

Bernard Baruch Hdcp.

II

$250,000

3&UP

1  1/16 (Turf)


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