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What's Happening 2016 Opening Weekend at Saratoga Race Course

by Pat Mckenna; Mark Bardack

 THURSDAY, JULY 21

• "At the Post Live: Serling on Saratoga": NYRA TV broadcast analyst and nationally recognized thoroughbred racing personality Andy Serling will host the first in a series of weekly live broadcasts on ESPN Radio 104.5 "The Team" at The Parting Glass in downtown Saratoga Springs from 8 to 9 p.m. Serling will offer weekly tips, discuss behind the scenes information about Saratoga Race Course and interact with special guests including Hall of Fame trainers and jockeys, leading racing personalities, notable industry figures and celebrity horse racing fans. Special guests for the first show of the season include owner Sol Kumin (Lady Eli and Exaggerator); trainer Christophe Clement (Tonalist and Governor Malibu); jockey Julien Leparoux (Tepin); and racing analyst Gabby Gaudet. The weekly broadcasts are free and open to the public. 

FRIDAY, JULY 22

• Opening Day: The 2016 season at Saratoga Race Course gets underway with gates opening at 11 a.m. Opening Day will kick off with a pair of graded stakes: Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies and the Grade 2, $200,000 Lake George for 3-year-old turf fillies. First race post time is 1 p.m.

• Reserved Seats & Hospitality: A limited number of reserved seats are available opening weekend; as are bookings for select hospitality offerings, including the At the Rail Pavilion and Luxury Suites. Reserved seats are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com. Reservations for the At the Rail and Luxury Suites may be made through the NYRA Box Office by phone at (844) NYRA-TIX. Ticket sales and reservations are based on availability; all will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Scratch-Off Ticket: All fans in attendance on Opening Day will receive a free scratch-off ticket with paid admission. Fans will have an opportunity to win a variety of prizes, including $100 betting vouchers and NYRA merchandise, as well as vouchers for concessions, program books, general admission and parking.

• Bets Squad: Opening Day will feature the debut of the Bets Squad, a group of individuals available to educate fans on various aspects of wagering, including how to read a program book and use a self-service betting terminal. The Bets Squad will be stationed in gazebos located in the upper grandstand and outside the paddock entrance throughout the meet, and will also be available for consultation in the NYRA Bets Lounge on Saturdays. Fans can schedule private sessions with Bets Squad members. 

• Taste NY: Craft Beer: Opening Day welcomes the return of the highly popular Taste NY which offers guests a selection of New York craft beers available for sampling each Friday of the meet in partnership with the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets. Fans will be able to sample five craft beers for $5 at the Saratoga Pavilion, presented by Time Warner Cable News, from noon to 5 p.m.

• Community Outreach Booth: The New York Racing Association will host the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) at the Community Outreach Booth on Opening Day, in honor of the performing art venue's 50th anniversary season. Located next to the Jockey Silks Room and across from the Saratoga Walk of Fame. the Community Outreach Booth provides one non-profit organization per day with an exclusive opportunity to interact with the thousands of guests who visit Saratoga Race Course, share information about its work and host fundraising initiatives.

• Hats Off to Saratoga Festival: The annual festival invites fans to celebrate the return of the thoroughbreds with free music and entertainment along Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs from 7 to 11 p.m. The event is presented by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and the New York Racing Association. 

SATURDAY, JULY 23

• Diana and Sanford: Saturday's highlights include the Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford for juveniles and the first Grade 1 of the meet, the $500,000 Diana for turf fillies and mares.

• NYRA Bets Lounge: Fans are invited to visit the all-new NYRA Bets Lounge, located within the Saratoga Pavilion, presented by Time Warner Cable News. The NYRA Bets Lounge will offer handicapping tips and analysis from racing professionals and also feature a champagne bar and Lifestyles clothing boutique.

• Low Roller Challenge: Saturday will feature the Low Roller Challenge, presented by NYRA Bets, 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 10:30 a.m. at the NYRA Bets Lounge in the Saratoga Pavilion, presented by Time Warner Cable News. 

• Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host the SADS Foundation, a non-profit organization established to inform the public on the effects of untreated and/or undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmias. 

• Hats Off to Saratoga Festival: The second night of theopening weekend festival will again feature nearly a dozen bands in downtown Saratoga Springs from 7 to 11 p.m. to provide fans with a memorable night of free music and entertainment.

SUNDAY, JULY 24

•      Coaching Club American Oaks: Sunday marks the appearance of reigning Juvenile Filly Eclipse champion Songbird in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.  

•        Saratoga Baseball Cap Giveaway: Fans will have the opportunity to take home the first premium giveaway of the 2016 season: a Saratoga baseball cap, presented by Saratoga Casino Hotel, free with paid admission, while supplies last. For the first time, all season ticket plan and season pass holderswill be guaranteed to receive the giveaway if they redeem the item by 3 p.m. Season pass and season ticket plan holders will be required to utilize the line designated for them at each entry gate.  

•     25th Annual Saratoga Hat Contest, presented by Hatsational by DEI:Hundreds of contestants will don creative and fashionable millinery to compete in what has become a staple of opening weekend at Saratoga Race Course. Registration begins at noon under the grandstand for three categories: Kreative Kids, Fashionably Saratoga and Uniquely Saratoga. Hats will be judged after the second, third and fourth races on the track apron with the contestants vying for a variety of prizes, including a $100 Hatsational by DEI gift card.

• Taste NY: Food and Artisans: Returning for the 2016 summer meet, Taste NY: Food & Artisans is a lively on-track market filled with vendors featuring products made exclusively in New York State. Products include jams, baked goods and hand-crafted soap, amongst other items. The market will be held each Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Saratoga Pavilion, presented by Time Warner Cable News. 

• Low Roller Challenge: Sunday will include the return of the Low Roller Challenge, presented by NYRA Bets, 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 10:30 a.m. near the Fourstardave Sports Bar

•   Community Outreach Booth: The NYRA Community Outreach Booth will host the Saratoga Springs Figure Skating Club, one of the largest skating clubs in the Capital Region which has been promoting the sport recreationally and competitively for more than 30 years. 

MONDAY, JULY 25

• Berkshire Bank Family Mondays: Monday will be highlighted by the return of Berkshire Bank Family Mondays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Saratoga Pavilion. 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. The beneficiary of the first Monday of the season is Brown School in Schenectady. Berkshire Bank Family Mondays is presented with support from Pediatric Dental Group of New York. 

• Low Roller Challenge: Monday will include the continuation of the Low Roller Challenge, presented by NYRA Bets, 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 the Albany Police Athletic League (PAL), an organization located in the heart of Albany focused on bringing law enforcement and the youth community together.