Saratoga.com logo
Saratoga.com logo
  • Places to Stay
  • Things To Do
  • Food & Drink
  • Events
  • Businesses
  • Travel Guides
Saratoga Business Journal
  • Home
  • New Businesses
  • Business News
  • Business Reports
  • Business Briefs
  • Business Registrations
  • Personnel Briefs
  • Contact Us
Home  »  Business News  »  Whitney Viewing Stand Unveiled; Ready For Use at the Oklahoma Training Track
Business News

Whitney Viewing Stand Unveiled; Ready For Use at the Oklahoma Training Track

Posted onAugust 6, 2013November 8, 2017
whitney viewing stand wide.jpg
NYRA President Christoper Kay speaks at the unveiling of the Whitney Viewing Stand, overlooking the Oklahoma Training Track, across from Saratoga Race Course

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and the Saratoga 150 Committee
unveiled on Aug. 1 a new landmark designed
to reinstate public access to the Oklahoma
Training Track as well as to celebrate the
legacy of one of Saratoga’s most philanthropic
families.

Overlooking the Oklahoma Training
Track, the Whitney Viewing Stand offers the
public the opportunity to view the morning
workouts at Oklahoma for the first time in
more than a decade with an unprecedented
vantage point to experience the training
ritual. The viewing stand is named in
honor of one of thoroughbred racing’s most
prominent families and dedicated patrons,
the Whitneys.

Saratoga 150 Committee Chairman
Charles Wait was joined by Honorary Chairpersons
John Hendrickson and Marylou
Whitney, NYRA CEO and President Chris
Kay and Saratoga historian Paul Roberts
to officially unveil the stand as part of the
150th anniversary season celebration.

“As we celebrate 150 years of racing in Saratoga, it is impossible to ignore the site of the meet, located at Horse Haven just yards from where we stand, that started it all back in 1863. The Whitney Viewing Stand is the ideal vehicle to showcase this historic piece of Saratoga,” said Wait. “The Whitney Viewing Stand serves as a permanent landmark to commemorate the 150th anniversary season and the contributions of the Whitney family to Saratoga for more than a century.”

William “W.C.” Whitney is widely credited for revitalizing Saratoga Race Course with his purchase of the racetrack in 1901. He later went on to acquire the land which today is known as Oklahoma, across from the main track on Union Avenue.

The viewing stand was formally open to on Aug. 3, which marks the 150th anniversary of the four-day race meet in 1863 near the site of the Oklahoma Training Track (the meet moved across the street to the main track one year later, in 1864).

“The ritual of watching the morning workouts is a longstanding tradition at Saratoga, which still rings true each morning on our main track. NYRA is proud to welcome the public back to the historic Oklahoma Training Track for a behind-the- scenes look at the work that goes into training Saratoga’s world-class thoroughbreds,” said Kay.

“The Whitney Viewing Stand will undoubtedly become a must-visit location for both the patrons who visit Saratoga each year and locals alike.”

W.C. Whitney served as president of the Saratoga Association at the turn of the century beginning in 1901, oversaw a variety of improvements to the property, including enlarging the main track to a mile and an eighth, expanding the grandstand and clubhouse and erecting a new saddling shed behind the clubhouse.

Additionally, in 1902, Whitney purchased a substantial tract of land stretching east of East Avenue and to the north of Horse Haven, which became known as Oklahoma, where today’s training track sits.

The family dedication to the industry continued with Cornelius Vanderbilt “C.V.” Whitney and his wife, Marylou. Following C.V.’s death in 1992, Marylou has continued the Whitney tradition of horse racing. She bred and raced Belmont Stakes, Travers and Kentucky oaks winners. She was honored in 2010 with an Eclipse Award and was elected to the Jockey Club in 2011.

“The Viewing Stand is a truly fitting tribute to the contributions of W.C. Whitney and the Whitney family,” said Mrs. Whitney. “It has been an honor to carry on the Whitney family tradition of philanthropy and racing here in the city that hosts the best race meet in the world. It is a privilege to live in Saratoga.”

The Whitney Viewing Stand is designed to model the original 1892 judges stand, which stood before the grandstand. The timber-framed, three-story building is set upon a newly landscaped section of the grounds and has a steeply-pitched roof capped by a weather vane finial.

It is flanked by two plaques – an original plaque that has been refurbished from the Saratoga Race Course centennial celebration in 1963 and a new plaque honoring this year’s sesquicentennial.

Overseen by Saratoga historian Paul Roberts of Turnberry Consulting, the design was handled by Saratoga Springs architecture firm Phinney Design Group. Legacy Timber Frames handled the construction.

The stand is open daily during morning training at Oklahoma for the remainder of the 2013 meet. The public can access it from the East Avenue gate of the Oklahoma Training Track where free parking is available.

Photo Courtesy of Ed Lewi Associates

Previous Article NYRA Board Fills Leadership Gap, Names Christopher Kay as Its President and CEO
Next Article The Ballston Spa Farmers’ Market
Subscribe to Our Newsletter View the Latest Virtual Edition

Categories

  • 50-Plus
  • Banking
  • Banking / Asset Managment
  • Building Trades
  • Business Briefs
  • Business News
  • Business Registrations
  • Business Reports
  • Commercial / Residential Real Estate
  • Community Services
  • Construction
  • Construction Planning
  • Corporate Tax / Business Planning
  • Cyber / Tech
  • Dining Guide
  • Economic Development
  • Economic Outlook 2016
  • Economic Outlook 2017
  • Economic Outlook 2018
  • Economic Outlook 2019
  • Economic Outlook 2020
  • Economic Outlook 2022
  • Economic Outlook 2023
  • Economic Outlook 2024
  • Economic Outlook 2025
  • Education/ Training/ Personal Development
  • Entrepreneurial Women
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environment / Development
  • Financial Planning / Investments
  • Fitness / Nutrition
  • Health / Community Services
  • Health & Fitness
  • Health & Wellness
  • Healthcare
  • Holiday Guide
  • Holiday Shopping
  • Home / Energy
  • Home / Insurance
  • Home & Real Esate
  • Insurance / Employee Benefits
  • Insurance / Medical Services
  • Leadership Development
  • Legal / Accounting
  • Meet The Chef
  • New Businesses
  • Non-Profit
  • Office / Computer / New Media
  • Office / HR / Employment
  • Office/ Technology/ E-Commerce
  • Outlook 2021
  • Personnel Briefs
  • Retirement Planning
  • Senior Living / Retirement
  • Summer Construction
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness
  • Women In Business
  • Workplace / Security / Legal
  • Year-End Tax Planning

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
Connect With Us

Follow, like and subscribe to Saratoga.com on social media

Account Sign In Submit An Event
Saratoga.com logo
  • Home
  • Places To Stay
  • Things To Do
  • Food & Drink
  • Events
  • Real Estate
  • Businesses
  • Guides
  • Contact Us
  • Blogs
  • Sweepstakes
  • Advertising
Visit Saratoga.com For Everything Saratoga
Full-Service Internet Marketing: Search Engine Optimization, Website Design and Development by Mannix Marketing, Inc.
Mannix Marketing, Inc. is headquartered near Saratoga Springs in Glens Falls, New York
Saratoga.com All Rights Reserved © 2025
Disclaimer & Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Copyright Policies
[uc-privacysettings]

We strive to insure accuracy on Saratoga.com however accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Information is subject to change.
Please alert us if there is any inaccurate information here.

Having trouble using this site? Accessibility is our goal, please contact us with site improvements.