Saratoga Open House

What makes Saratoga Racecourse so special? First, and obviously, it's the quality of the racing. But also important are the fans. With a daily average of well over twenty thousand a day, Saratoga harkens back to a time when horse-racing stood as one of America's favorite sports. And that fan support is emphasized each year at the Open House which is traditionally held on the Sunday prior to opening day.

This year was no exception as an estimated 20,000+ fans showed up for a simple day of fun at the track. There were only two races -- and no wagering -- but the crowd still filled the seats, both on the frontside and in the backyard.

The afternoon's activities included handicapping seminars, a race featuring local sports mascots, and games and shows for the kids.

There was a little bit of a departure from previous years when a more robust slate of training races was run. This year only two races were scheduled -- both were turf races with the condition "For horses which are eligible to run over the hurdles at Saratoga". In other words, they were steeplechase races without the jumps.

In the winner's circle after Race 2 was Original Cast from Augustin Stables and trainer Sanna Hendriks. The shadowy figure above in the race caller's booth was none other than NYRA's own Bill Nader who did a bang-up job as the guest caller -- watch out Tom Durkin!

The only change to the grounds that stood out was the new "buffer" fence around the paddock. Previously there was the one fence around the entire paddock which allowed fans to get up-close and personal with horses as they strode by. Now however the crowd is back behind a second fence another four feet or so...

After the Open House a quick check downtown showed that the city of Saratoga is geared up and ready to go. The sidewalk bistros were all crowded with diners. Minstrels accompanied the eating with their music. A horse-drawn carriage clip-clopped down Broadway.

And in Congress Park an appreciative audience made the most of a warm summer night by enjoying a band concert.

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