Courtesy NYRA Adam Coglianese
By Paul Post
The extended 46-day summer meet at Saratoga Race Course got off to a strong start as the three-day July 4 Racing Festival generated almost $70 million in handle, a 1.7% increase from 2025.
This came despite a 40% reduction in computer-assisted wagering caused by new restrictions imposed by the New York Racing Association. Paid attendance, 43,446, rose 6.3% from last year’s July 4 Festival.
“The traditional Saratoga meet is off to a terrific start,” Discover Saratoga President Darryl Leggieri said. “The July 4 Racing Festival helped build early excitement, and we’re seeing strong visitation as racing fans return for one of America’s great summer traditions. Racing remains an incredible economic engine for Saratoga County, supporting our hospitality industry, local businesses, attractions, and the thousands of people whose livelihoods are connected to tourism.”
Racing is taking place four days per week through Sunday, July 26, followed by five-day weeks beginning Wednesday, July 29. The summer meet will conclude with a six-day week from Wednesday, Sept. 2, through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7.
“Every week through Labor Day, world class thoroughbred racing, economic opportunity and special events, make Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County and the Capital Region, the ‘Summer Place to Be’,” said Greg Connors, Saratoga Economic Development Corp. president. “And they’re off!”
Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus said the July 4 festival was tantamount to a “perfect storm” of positive factors giving the local economy a huge boost. “For years, the Chamber has hosted a July 4th celebration in an effort to encourage people to visit Saratoga for Independence Day,” he said. “This year with the race course open and Live Nation hosting concerts, our downtown celebration was bigger than ever. It was a fantastic way to kick off the 2026 racing meet and help our local businesses succeed, grow and thrive, serving both locals and visitors as our nation celebrated our 250th anniversary.”
Racing began in June with the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, giving the track a total of 51 dates this year.
Plenty of highlights are still to come, but the biggest is the $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Saturday, Aug. 29, when Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champion Golden Tempo tries to nail down Horse of the Year honors in the historic race.
This year’s meet has 20 Grade 1 races among 73 stakes worth more than $23.575 million in total purses.
But there’s plenty for fans to look forward to in addition to thrilling on-track racing action.
Some of the most popular dates are when NYRA distributes premium giveaways.
The list includes a Meet Me at the Spa pin on Friday, July 24; a Saratoga stuffed horse for the first 5,000 children 12 and younger on Sunday, July 26; a Saratoga straw cowboy hat on Sunday, Aug. 2; a Whitney pin on Friday, Aug. 7; a Corgi pin on Sunday, Aug. 16; a 6-inch Mini Lawn Jockey Statue on Sunday, Aug. 23; a Saratoga summer pin on Sunday, Aug. 30; and a Saratoga flannel shirt on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7.
These are just some of the many special events scheduled.
Free guided backstretch tram tours are offered every live racing day except Travers Day and Labor Day. Fans can go behind the scenes to see how handlers care for horses. Tours depart from the clubhouse entrance from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and run every 30 minutes. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are approximately 45 minutes long.
Another popular attraction is a series of Breakfast and Farm tours, held each Thursday through Sunday except Saturday, Aug. 29, Travers Day.
Tours start with a buffet-style breakfast at Saratoga Race Course from 7 to 9 a.m. against the backdrop of morning training on the main track. Fans then board a CDTA trolley at 9:15 a.m. for a scenic round-trip ride to that day’s featured farm, where they will enjoy a 60- to 90-minute guided tour before returning for an afternoon of live racing. Each tour accommodates up to 52 guests.
A portion of proceeds benefits the New York Thoroughbred Breeders scholarship fund.
Featured farms are Old Friends at Cabin Creek, an industry-renowned aftercare facility that provides a lifetime sanctuary for retired racehorses, in Greenfield Center, on Thursdays; Old Tavern Farm, a boutique breeding operation overlooking Saratoga Lake, on Saturdays; Sugar Plum Farm in Saratoga Springs, a breeding farm that also appeals to children with its miniature horses, goats, donkeys and other animals, on Saturdays; and Ironhorse Stallions in Schuylerville, the tour program’s first dedicated stallion farm, on Sundays.
A full schedule and ticket information are available at NYRA.com.
The track’s Taste NY Pavilion is a popular feature, too, offering New York craft beers, cider, wines and spirits. It is located inside Gate A at the Top of the Stretch. Fans must be 21 or older to sample and purchase alcoholic beverages.
Also just inside Gate A, the educational exhibit Horse Sense allows fans of all ages to pet a retired thoroughbred and learn fun facts about the life and career of a racehorse. It is offered from noon to 2 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.
The NYRA STAR, or Students of Thoroughbreds and Racing, program is held each Thursday through Sunday, giving children 12 and younger and their families insider access to the world of thoroughbred racing. Participants experience the sport through exclusive on-track events, educational opportunities and kid-friendly communications designed to ignite their interest in horses and racing.
Free registration can be completed online at NYRA.com/STAR or in person at the NYRA STAR booth in the Family Zone.
Local officials are also doing everything possible to heighten interest in Saratoga’s critical role in the American Revolution, with a goal of bringing people back to the county next year for 250th anniversary observances of the Battles of Saratoga. Those battles, fought on Sept. 19 and Oct. 7, 1777, followed by British Gen. John Burgoyne’s surrender near present-day Schuylerville, were a major turning point in the war.
“As we move through the racing season, we’re encouraging visitors to discover everything that makes Saratoga County such a remarkable destination,” Leggieri said. “This year is also an opportunity to begin building excitement for Saratoga’s role in America’s 250th anniversary in 2027. Next year’s commemoration will shine an international spotlight on our region’s history. We’re inviting visitors to experience that rich heritage now by exploring our historic sites, museums, battlefields, and communities while enjoying the excitement of the racing season. It’s a natural way to extend their stay and gives them another reason to return as we prepare for what will be a truly historic year for Saratoga County.”