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WHAT'S HAPPENING WEEK #3 AT SARATOGA RACE COURSE

by Pat McKenna and Mark Bardack

WHAT: Week #3 of Saratoga Race Course
WHEN: Wednesday, August 3 - Monday, August 8, 2016
WHERE: Saratoga Race Course and nearby locations

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3

• Shine Again: The day's feature race is the $100,000 Shine Again for fillies and mares going seven furlongs.

• Military Appreciation Day: 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 and clubhouse admission for all United States military service members and veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service.All service members and veterans with ID will also receive a 10 percent discount at most on-track concession stands, NYRA merchandise stores and Shake Shack (does not apply to lottery, tobacco, alcohol, restaurant dining, group sales or Dunkin' Donuts). 

NYRA will welcome local service members and veterans to the winner's circle before each race on the day's card. The service members will represent the sacrifices of those who have defended the United States from World War II through the present era.Numerous generations of veterans and service members will gather in the winner's circle for the day's third race named in honor of Military Appreciation Day. Performers from the USO Show Troupe and local acapella group Racing City Chorus will entertain guests throughout the day. A number of activities will be available for guests at the Saratoga Pavilion throughout the afternoon, including a pull-up bar challenge with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. 

• Mornings at Saratoga: Fans are invited to enjoy breakfast 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. $17.95 for adults and $9.95 for kids 12 and under. Mornings at Saratoga also welcome fans to go behind the scenes with a free, guided backstretch tram tour. 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.

• Bets Squad:  A new addition this year, the Bets Squad is available daily to educate fans about the basics of wagering. The Bets Squad is stationed in gazebos located in the upper grandstand and outside the paddock entrance and is also available for consultation in the NYRA Bets Lounge on Saturdays. Fans can schedule private sessions with Bets Squad members either in-person or online at www.nyra.com/saratoga/visit/bets-squad.

• Saratoga LIVE: Fans can follow the action on Saratoga LIVE, the new racing program produced by NYRA TV, which is broadcast to an audience of more than 65 million viewers on Fox Sports 2 and MSG+ each day beginning at 4 p.m. and on Altitude Sports beginning at 3 p.m. MT. The program features a combination of racing coverage, analysis and feature items.

• Saratoga Season Perks: All season pass and season ticket plan holders will receive discounts at most on-track concession stands, NYRA merchandise stores and Shake Shack on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and the Artist's Village on Fridays. Discount does not apply to lottery, tobacco, alcohol, restaurant dining, group sales or Dunkin' Donuts. For a complete list of participating Saratoga Season Perks partners, visit SaratogaSeasonPerks.com. 

• Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host the Saratoga VFW, which is dedicated to aiding and supporting local veterans in need. 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4

• A.P. Smithwick Memorial: The day's card features the Grade 1, $125,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial for steeplechase horses and the $100,000 Quick Call for 3-year-olds on the turf.   

• 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 Department of Agriculture and Markets. Fans will be able to sample five varietals for $5 at the Saratoga Pavilion, presented by Time Warner Cable News, from noon to 5 p.m. 

• Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host theThoroughbred Retirement Foundation, the largest equine sanctuary in the world, devoted to the rescue, retirement, rehabilitation and retraining of thoroughbred horses that no longer can compete at the race track. 

• "At the Post Live: Serling on Saratoga": NYRA TV broadcast analyst and nationally recognized thoroughbred racing personality Andy Serling hosts this live broadcast on ESPN Radio 104.5 "The Team" at The Parting Glass in downtown Saratoga Springs from 8 to 9 p.m. At the Post Live is presented by NYRA Bets. 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5

• National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame: Saratoga's feature race is the Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame for 3-year-olds on the turf.

• 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 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 Community Outreach Booth will host theAkindale Thoroughbred Rescue, a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehab and retraining of thoroughbreds no longer able to race.  

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6

• Whitney Day: The Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney, one of North America's premier races, will top the card of a blockbuster day of racing that includes five stakes as part of the Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing. The winner of the prestigious race will be feted with a special custom-designed horse blanket made of Marylou Whitney pink roses and receive a sterling silver, three-handled chalice trophy adorned with the Whitney crest. The Whitney will pair with the Grade 1, $500,000 Test for 3-year-old fillies; the Grade 3, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya for turf fillies and mares; and two additional turf stakes for fillies and mares - the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure at 1 1/16 miles and the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose at a mile.

• Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing: The Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing will return to celebrate the rich partnership between NYRA and Fasig-Tipton as a prelude to Fasig-Tipton's annual Saratoga sales at the Humphrey S. Pavilion on August 8, 9, 13 and 14. The festival includes the "Best Turned Out Horse" award, during which Fasig-Tipton and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will recognize the hard work that goes into daily grooming with a special prize for the groom of the best-turned-out horse participating in the Whitney. The award will be presented to the winning groom in the winner's circle prior to the race. 

• NYRA Bets Lounge: Fans are invited to visit the NYRA Bets Lounge in the Saratoga Pavilion, presented by Time Warner Cable News. The NYRA Bets Lounge will offer handicapping tips and analysis from racing professionals and also features a full-service bar and Lifestyles clothing boutique. A handicapping seminar will occur from 11 a.m. to noon with Peter Fornatale, Mike Watchmaker, Travis Stone and Jonathon Kinchen. Guests can also get tips from NYRA's Gabby Gaudette at 1 p.m.

• Community Outreach Booth: The Community Outreach Booth will host theThoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, a non-profit organization that accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding.  

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7

• Alydar: The day's feature is the $100,000 Alydar for older horses on the dirt.   

• Taste NY: Food and Artisans: 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 is 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 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 Jewish War Veterans Post 36 Saratoga Springs, which is committed to preserving the Jewish American military legacy, protecting veteran rights, spreading Americanism and promoting community. 

MONDAY, AUGUST 8

• NYSS Cab Calloway: The day's feature is for 3-year-old New York-breds going one mile on the grass for a purse of $100,000.

• Berkshire Bank Family Mondays: Monday is highlighted by Berkshire Bank Family Mondays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Saratoga Pavilion, presented by Time Warner Cable News. 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 third Monday of the season is Chango Elementary School of Ballston Lake. 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 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding research, finding cures and ensuring access to treatments for blood cancer patients. 

All events and activities are subject to change at the discretion of the New York Racing Association.