Saratoga is the summer place to be! Join us for a multitude of special events during the summer meet.
The Saratoga tradition of premium giveaways will continue in 2024 with four giveaway days during the meet!
The first giveaway of the season is a 40-ounce, white drink tumbler adorned with the traditional red Saratoga logo. It features high-quality construction for maximum cold retention, a screw-on cap for easy filling and cleaning and a reusable straw for smooth sipping on a hot summer day. The Saratoga Tumbler will be available on the second Friday of the summer meet.
Fans with paid admission on each giveaway day will receive a coupon for the giveaway, while supplies last. Season ticket and season pass holders are not guaranteed a giveaway. Fans must present their coupon at the giveaway station on track (near the Big Red Spring) to receive the complimentary item.
Fans will have an opportunity to meet returning members of the 2014 Union College Hockey Men’s championship team in recognition of the 10-year anniversary of their historic national title. The Division I Men’s national championship trophy will also be on display as players and staff from the Schenectady, N.Y.-based college gather for a championship reunion at Saratoga.
First Responders Day will pay tribute to all first responders with free admission (proper ID required). The afternoon will honor local first responders and will feature the New York Police Department Ceremonial Unit and performances from the New York State Troopers Pipes and Drums. The day will also include a recruitment event for those interested in learning about first responder career opportunities.
Joining other racetracks across the country, Saratoga will host autograph signings and photo opportunities with many of racing's elite jockeys at the Jockey Silks Porch from 11:30am-12:30pm as part of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund (PDJF) Day Across America.
All proceeds & donations will benefit the PDJF.
Fans can step up to the plate for the start of Whitney weekend by claiming the second giveaway of the season: a Saratoga baseball jersey! This stylish jersey is white with red piping and a red Saratoga logo emblazoned across the front. Presented by Rivers Casino, the jersey will be available in two adult sizes: medium and extra-large.
Fans with paid admission on each giveaway day will receive a coupon for the giveaway, while supplies last. Season ticket and season pass holders are not guaranteed a giveaway. Fans must present their coupon at the giveaway station on track (near the Big Red Spring) to receive the complimentary item.
One of Saratoga’s most celebrated days will culminate in the 97th renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, which offers an automatic berth in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Whitney Day will also feature the Grade 1, $500,000 Test presented by Ticketmaster, and the Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational.
Saratoga Race Course will host a Best in Pink fashion photo contest from 1:00-3:00pm at the Jockey Silks Porch and will honor local breast cancer survivors in partnership with To Life! The nonprofit organization provides personalized breast cancer education and support services to survivors in Saratoga and across the Capital Region.
Presented by the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council, the afternoon will include interactive exhibits highlighting the seven New York counties that comprise the Adirondacks, supplemented by craft beverage tastings, cheese samples, apples, reenactors, live music and more as the attractions of the Adirondacks fill the Taste NY Pavilion.
Stewart’s Shops will celebrate its longstanding partnership with Saratoga by providing free ice cream for fans in the backyard! Complimentary scoops will be available while supplies last.
Fans can also purchase NYRA Bets gift cards and Saratoga season passes at over 100 participating Stewart's Shops locations.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Day pays tribute to an array of organizations involved in finding new homes and careers for retired racehorses. The featured race will be the Rick Violette Stakes, named for the late NYTHA President who was a founding member of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA).
Those wishing to donate to aftercare organizations can do so here:
Alabama weekend gets off to a festive start with the third giveaway of the summer: a red and white Saratoga Trucker hat. This one-size-fits-all cap features a white Saratoga logo embroidered on a red patch above a red brim, with a white mesh wrap around the back.
Fans with paid admission on each giveaway day will receive a coupon for the giveaway, while supplies last. Season ticket and season pass holders are not guaranteed a giveaway. Fans must present their coupon at the giveaway station on track (near the Big Red Spring) to receive the complimentary item.
Lustgarten Day honors the legacy of longtime NYRA trainer Dominic Galluscio with a day to support the Lustgarten Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance scientific and medical research related to pancreatic cancer. Many of the sport's most prominent trainers will sign autographs for fans at the Jockey Silks Porch from 11:30am-12:30pm with suggested donations to benefit the Lustgarten Foundation.
Lustgarten Day also coincides with the meet’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies, the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales.
Military Appreciation Day pays tribute to active military members and veterans in appreciation of their sacrifice and service to our nation with free general admission (proper ID required). All veterans and active-duty military will be honored with a special ceremony in the Winner’s Circle.
Saratoga will say "Thank you, fans!" with special offers on tickets, food and beverage, and hospitality during the final week of the season.
Labor Day weekend ushers in the season’s final premium giveaway: a Saratoga windbreaker. This black jacket features a white Saratoga logo embroidered on the upper left side and a white NYRA Bets logo on the right wrist. The jacket will be available in two adult sizes: medium and extra-large.
Fans with paid admission on each giveaway day will receive a coupon for the giveaway, while supplies last. Season ticket and season pass holders are not guaranteed a giveaway. Fans must present their coupon at the giveaway station on track (near the Big Red Spring) to receive the complimentary item.
New York-made food and adult beverages are available to sample and purchase exclusively at the Taste NY Pavilion throughout the season! Fans can visit the Taste NY Pavilion, located near Gate A in the backyard, to enjoy New York craft beer, cider, wine and spirits products, among other homegrown food & beverages.
Expanded for its third year, NYRA is continuing the Saratoga Breakfast and Breeding Farm Tour program! Tours this year will be offered Wednesday through Saturday (plus select Sundays) throughout the meet. Wednesday tours will travel to Song Hill Thoroughbreds; Thursday & Friday groups will tour Old Tavern Farm; and Saturday & Sunday tours will visit Sugar Plum Farm.
Up to 40 guests enjoy a buffet breakfast at Saratoga Race Course before taking a CDTA trolley to the designated farm, where they will participate in a 90-minute guided walking tour of a working thoroughbred breeding farm. Admission to the races in the afternoon is included in the package.
Enjoy your Sunday at the races in the air-conditioned Paddock Suite, learning betting strategies and tips from expert handicappers. Fans will also be treated to a meet-and-greet with Saratoga Race Course’s track announcer Frank Mirahmadi, along with a rotating cast of on-track talent, personalities and VIPs (subject to availability).
Family Sundays feature a wide variety of free family-friendly activities, games, attractions and educational activities each Sunday inside the backyard Family Zone, located near Gate A.
Fans and families with young children can get up close to pet a retired thoroughbred every Friday through Sunday of the Saratoga meet at Berkshire Bank Horse Sense. The educational exhibit also includes fun facts about the life and career of a thoroughbred.
Breakfast at Saratoga welcomes guests to enjoy a morning buffet at The Porch with a view of the thoroughbreds training on the main track. *Breakfast is held every live racing day, except for Travers Day and Labor Day. It is offered from 7:00 to 9:30am and is available on a first-come, first-served basis; reservations are not accepted.
Fans can also go behind the scenes with a free, guided backstretch tram tour, driven by CDTA. Tram tours run from 7:30 to 9:00am and depart from the clubhouse entrance approximately every 15 minutes. Tours are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are 45 minutes in length.
Fans will enjoy free live music performances each afternoon of the season from popular local and regional bands at the Purdy’s Summer Music Stage. The music stage is sponsored by Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor in Saratoga Springs.
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