Week #5 at Saratoga Race Course
by NYRA Press Office
Bolton Landing: The afternoon features a pair of stakes: the $100,000 Bolton Landing for 2-year-old fillies on the turf and the $100,000 Saratoga Dew for New York-bred fillies and mares.
Adirondacks Day: The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will celebrate Adirondacks Day at Saratoga Race Course which will highlight the unique history, culture and tourism attractions of the Adirondack region. Guests will have the opportunity to experience Adirondack life with a variety of activities held inside the Coca-Cola Saratoga Pavilion, including basket weaving, wood carving, colonial shoemaking, and balsam bag assembly. Adirondack Wildlife Refuge and Rehabilitation Center will showcase live animals native to the Adirondacks. Samples of fresh local farm food will be provided by Adirondack Harvest; Hidden Hollow Maple Farm; My Cup of Tea; and Nettle Meadow Farm. A variety of Adirondack organizations will be represented, including the Adirondack Experience; Adirondack Folk School; Fort Ticonderoga; Lake Placid Visitors Bureau; Museum on Blue Mountain Lake; Olympic Regional Development Authority; The Wild Center; and the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute.
NYRA Bets Late Pick 5: The multi-race wager covers the last five races of every card of live racing at Saratoga. It features a minimum single-ticket payout of $150,000 daily and $300,000 on Saturdays to NYRA Bets customers nationwide online and on-track in New York. The offer is only available to NYRA Bets customers.
NYRA Bets Promotions: New customers who sign up for NYRA Bets using the promo code "SPA" will receive a $200 new member bonus. Visit NYRABets.com for details.
Play the Trifecta in a selected stakes every day at Saratoga to earn a 10% bonus. Look for the stakes schedule on NYRABets.com.
Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host the Center for Disability Services, a not-for-profit organization that strives to help people with disabilities by supporting and empowering them to live healthy and enriched lives.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16
Union Avenue (NYB): The afternoon will feature the $100,000 Union Avenue for New York-bred fillies and mares.
Taste NY: Cider, Wine & Spirits: Taste NY: Cider, Wine & Spirits offers guests a selection of cider, wine and spirits available for sampling each Thursday of the meet in partnership with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Fans will be able to sample five varietals for $5 at the Coca-Cola Saratoga Pavilion from noon to 5 p.m.
Aperol Thursdays at The Post: Each Thursday, guests have the opportunity to sample Aperol Spritz cocktails at The Post Bar from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host K9s for Warriors, a non-profit organization which provides service canines to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
Skidmore: The $100,000 Skidmore for 2-year-olds on the turf is the feature on the afternoon.
Taste NY: Craft Beer: This weekly event offers guests a selection of New York craft beers available for sampling in partnership with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Fans will be able to sample five craft beers for $5 at the Coca-Cola Saratoga Pavilion from noon to 5 p.m.
The Last Race Showcase at The Stretch: NYRA invites fans who are in attendance to experience The Stretch for free from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Stretch is Saratoga's exclusive new hospitality area located in the Grandstand at the Top of the Stretch. There will be food and drink specials and live DJ entertainment. Fans can enjoy the new amenities at The Stretch, including a private bar, concessions, hi-def video screens and televisions, and dramatic views of the Stretch run.
Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host the Warren-Washington Association for Mental Health, which works to improve the quality of life for those affected by mental illness and to promote the awareness and importance of mental well-being in the community.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
Alabama: The nation's top 3-year-old fillies will compete in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama. The day's card also includes the Grade 2, $300,000 Lake Placid for 3-year-old fillies on the turf. Gates open at 10:30 a.m. with first post scheduled for 1 p.m.
Guests are strongly advised to allot additional time for arrival on Alabama Day due to enhanced screening. The morning schedule will be modified as follows: Breakfast at Saratoga, presented by the Capital District Transportation Authority, will be slightly abbreviated and will operate from 7 to 9 a.m. The final backstretch tram tour will depart at 8:30 a.m. All guests on track will be asked to depart the grounds by 9:30 a.m. in preparation for gates reopening at the traditional time of 10:30 a.m.
Lustgarten Foundation Day: Saratoga will honor the legacy of trainer Dominic Galluscio with a day to benefit the Lustgarten Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research. The day will feature an autograph session with various Saratoga trainers from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. near the paddock mutuel bay. Autographs will be available for a suggested $10 donation to benefit the Lustgarten Foundation.
Triple Crown Trophy Photo Op: NYRA invites fans to take their photo with the Triple Crown trophy at the Community Outreach Booth from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. with a suggested $5 donation to benefit the Lustgarten Foundation. Commissioned by NYRA on behalf of Triple Crown Productions and created by world-renowned sculptor Roberto Santo, the sterling silver and 14-karat gold Triple Crown trophy stands more than three feet tall and features semi-precious stones representing the colors of the three Triple Crown tracks - green, red and green - with a horse and jockey on top. Fans who share their photo on Facebook and Twitter using #TCTrophy and #Saratoga will be entered to win a 2018 premium Saratoga giveaway; a total of four winners will be selected at random.
NYRA Bets Seminar: Join Pete Fornatale and the Daily Racing Form's Dave Grening and Mike Welsch at the NYRA Bets Simulcast Center for a handicapping seminar to discuss their picks for the day. Find them on the second floor of the grandstand near The Stretch. The seminar begins at 11 a.m.
Paint & Sip: Guests will be able to enjoy a beverage while they craft their own masterpiece on the grounds of Saratoga Race Course. The Paint & Sip event includes admission to the Whitney Suite, art supplies, snacks and a race day program. Those interested can purchase tickets by calling the NYRA Box Office at (844) NYRA-TIX.
Fashion Saturdays: Designed to showcase the tradition of style in thoroughbred racing, Fashion Saturdays will feature women's and men's apparel and accessories from local retailers, as well as a selection of home décor, spa care and jewelry items at the Coca-Cola Saratoga Pavilion from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Woodford Reserve at the Jim Dandy Bar: Guests are invited to the Jim Dandy Bar to sample Woodford Reserve Saratoga Personal Selection, crafted exclusively for racing fans at the Spa, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Ketel One Saturdays at The Post: The fun will continue with Ketel One Saturdays at The Post. Fans are invited to sample the new Ketel One Botanicals from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
The Last Race Showcase at The Stretch: NYRA invites fans who are in attendance to experience The Stretch for free from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Stretch is Saratoga's exclusive new hospitality area located in the Grandstand at the Top of the Stretch. There will be food and drink specials and live DJ entertainment. Fans can enjoy the new amenities at The Stretch, including a private bar, concessions, hi-def video screens and televisions, and dramatic views of the Stretch run.
Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host the Lustgarten Foundation.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19
Summer Colony: The afternoon will feature the $100,000 Summer Colony for fillies and mares.
SaraYoga: Racing fans will be able to enjoy the tranquility of SaraYoga, a one-hour yoga session, which includes brunch, a complimentary mimosa or Bloody Mary, admission and gratuity. The yoga session will begin at 8 a.m. and yoga mat rentals will be available. Those interested can purchase tickets by calling the NYRA Box Office at (844) NYRA-TIX.
Boozy Brunch: Fans are invited to "suite hop" at the Saratoga luxury suites while enjoying a three-hour brunch buffet which includes admission to the luxury suites, three alcoholic beverages and an afternoon of thoroughbred racing. Tickets are available for $75 by calling the NYRA Box Office at (844) NYRA-TIX.
Low Roller Challenge: Sunday will include the Low Roller Challenge which allows aspiring handicappers the opportunity to experience the thrill of tournament play for $40, with $30 going towards live bankroll and $10 to the prize pool. Registration begins at 11 a.m. near the Fourstardave Sports Bar.
Taste NY: Food and Artisans: Each Sunday will welcome guests to a lively on-track market of numerous food and artisan vendors featuring products made exclusively in New York State. The market will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Coca-Cola Saratoga Pavilion.
Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host After The Fire, a non-profit organization that aids families throughout Saratoga County facing challenges following a fire at home.
MONDAY, AUGUST 20
Evan Shipman (NYB): The $100,000 Evan Shipman for New York-breds is the feature on the afternoon.
Sweatshirt Blanket Giveaway presented by the Upstate Ford Dealers: Racing fans will take home a colorful sweatshirt blanket featuring an image of historic Saratoga Race Course. All premium Saratoga giveaways are free with paid admission, while supplies last. Saratoga season pass or season ticket plan holders are guaranteed to receive a giveaway item based on the following guidelines: Season pass or season ticket holders must be present at Saratoga Race Course on the day of the giveaway; enter through the designated season ticket holder lines; and redeem the giveaway by no later than 3 p.m. Redemptions will begin when gates open to the general public at 11 a.m.
Berkshire Bank Family Mondays: Monday will be highlighted by Berkshire Bank Family Mondays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Coca-Cola Saratoga Pavilion. Free Jockey Autograph Books are available for children while supplies last. All kid-friendly games and activities, including the opportunity to pet a retired thoroughbred, are free of charge, with the exception of one designated activity which carries a suggested donation to benefit a local school or PTA. This week's beneficiary is Saddlewood Elementary School in South Colonie. Berkshire Bank Family Mondays takes place just across from the Berkshire Bank Family Zone, an interactive play area featuring games, attractions, an Adirondack-style chair and Berkshire Bank charging station. The Berkshire Bank Family Zone is open every day of racing during the Saratoga season.
Low Roller Challenge: Monday will include the continuation of the Low Roller Challenge which allows aspiring handicappers the opportunity to experience the thrill of tournament play for $40, with $30 going towards live bankroll and $10 to the prize pool. Registration begins at 11 a.m. near the Fourstardave Sports Bar.
Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host Diamond Dogs Baseball, a not-for-profit corporation based in Catskill, NY, which provides a youth travel baseball program to local children.
All events and activities are subject to change at the discretion of NYRA.