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What's Happening Week #2 at Saratoga Race Course

by NYRA Press Office

WHAT:           Week #2 at Saratoga Race Course

WHEN:           Wednesday, July 25 - Monday, July 30, 2018

WHERE:        Saratoga Race Course and nearby locations

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25

Honorable Miss Handicap: The day's feature race is a Grade 2, $200,000 sprint for fillies and mares.

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. Fans who sign up for NYRA Bets using the promo code "SPA" will receive a $200 new member bonus. Visit NYRABets.com for details.

Season Passes: Season admission passes are available for purchase at NYRA.com and in-person at the NYRA Box Office at Saratoga Race Course, as well as at more than 150 Stewart's Shops locations throughout the Capital Region. The cost of a 2018 Grandstand season pass is $40; a Clubhouse season pass is $65. A season pass covers admission all 40 days of the meet, including Travers.

Military Appreciation Day presented by JDog: The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will pay tribute to the nation's service members and veterans during Military Appreciation Day at Saratoga Race Course. The day will feature free grandstand admission for all United States military service members and veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service. This year's event coincides with National Hire a Veteran Day, which aims to spread awareness and create a platform where employers and veterans can network. In recognition of the day, the Saratoga Springs-based employment agency Integrated Staffing will host an informational booth at the track for veterans seeking employment. The booth will be located at the Jockey Silks Room Porch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additionally, NYRA will welcome local service members and veterans to the winner's circle before numerous races on the day's card. Performers from the USO Show Troupe will greet guests at the Clubhouse entrance beginning at 11:15 a.m. and throughout the afternoon at the Coca-Cola Saratoga Pavilion. Military Day is presented in partnership with JDog, owned and operated by local military veterans and family members.

Breakfast at Saratoga, presented by CDTA: Fans are invited to enjoy Breakfast at Saratoga, presented by CDTA, on The Porch of the Clubhouse while the thoroughbreds train on the main track. Breakfast is held from 7 to 9:30 a.m. and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The morning buffet is $18.50 for adults and $10.25 for kids ages 12 and under. Mornings at Saratoga also welcome fans to go behind the scenes with a free, guided backstretch tram tour, courtesy of CDTA. Tram tours begin at 7:30 a.m. and depart from the clubhouse entrance approximately every 15 minutes through 9 a.m. Tours are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are 45 minutes in length. Breakfast and tours are available daily, except Travers Day, Saturday, August 25.

Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host Man O' War Project, the first university-led research trial to establish guidelines for the application of equine-assisted therapy for treating veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

THURSDAY, JULY 26

A.P. Smithwick Memorial and John Morrissey (NYB): Thursday's card includes two stakes: Grade 1, $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial (Steeplechase) and the $100,000 John Morrissey for New York-bred horses.

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.

Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host the Saratoga High School Fiddle Club, which gives students the opportunity to perform traditional tunes from several different cultures around the world. The club also helps classically-trained students discover another style of playing to enrich their overall musical abilities.

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.

FRIDAY, JULY 27

The Curlin: The $100,000 stakes for 3-year-olds going nine furlongs is a potential prep for the Travers.

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.

Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host North Country Wild Care, a non-profit organization that supports wildlife rehabilitators in Schenectady, Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Albany, Rensselaer, Montgomery, Fulton and Essex Counties.

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Fridays at The Post: Guests will be invited to sample bourbon cocktails starting at 6 p.m. and stay on-track after the day's final race to enjoy DJ set and dancing plus trivia to win special prizes from Woodford Reserve at The Post Bar.

SATURDAY, JULY 28

A Travers Day Preview: A quartet of graded stakes headlines one of the most highly anticipated Saturdays on the Saratoga calendar. The traditional local prep for the Travers, the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy, will be joined by the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Amsterdam.

NYRA Bets Seminar: Join handicappers Travis Stone and Marshall Gramm and bloodstock agent Liz Crow for a special seminar at the NYRA Bets Simulcast Center, located on the second floor of the Grandstand near The Stretch. The seminar begins at 11 a.m.

Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund Awareness Day: Saratoga Race Course will unite with racetracks across the country as part of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund (PDJF) Day Across America. Riders from the Saratoga jockey colony will sign autographs on the Jockey Silks Room Porch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with a suggested donation to PDJF. Fans will also have the opportunity to play arcade games against the jockeys from 1 to 3 p.m. to benefit PDJF.

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. Fashion Saturdays is sponsored by: Bumble B Boutique, Caroline and Main, Complexions Day Spa, EMBRACE THE RACE®, Lifestyles, Miss Scarlett Boutique, The National and TOGA Heritage.

Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host PDJF in honor of the day-long celebration at Saratoga Race Course. PDJF is a public charity which provides financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries.

Woodford Reserve and Jeff Brisbin 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. Guitarist Jeff Brisbin will play acoustic favorites from noon to 4 p.m.

Ketel One Saturdays at The Post: The fun will continue each Saturday of the season with the Ketel One Saturdays at The Post. Fans are invited to sample the new Ketel One Botanicals from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and enjoy music from a live DJ and dancing under the stars following the day's final race.

SUNDAY, JULY 29

Shuvee Handicap: Stakes action continues on Sunday with the Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee for fillies and mares.

Taste NY: Food and Artisans: Each Sunday of the season 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. Participating vendors include: George's Market and Nursery; IM2 Handmade Items; Liberty Ridge Farm; Michelle Lombard Glass Designs; Miss Scarlett Boutique; Nothing Bundt Cakes; and RAD Soap Co.

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.

Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host the Jewish War Veterans Post 36, which is located in Saratoga Springs and committed to preserving the Jewish American military legacy, protecting veterans' rights, and promoting community.

MONDAY, JULY 30

Coronation Cup: The day's feature is the $100,000 Coronation Cup for 3-year-old fillies.

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 Brown School in Schenectady. 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 daily.

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 the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health, development and well-being of children and their families. The cornerstone of their charity is the Ronald McDonald House, which provides a home away from home, free of charge, for families with children who are terminally ill or facing life-threatening challenges.

All events and activities are subject to change at the discretion of NYRA.