The wait is finally over. The New York Racing Association has announced the stakes schedule for the 2018 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course! The Whitney and the Travers are once again the highlights of racing season, so read on to find out when these prestigious races will be run.
2018 Summer Meet Overview
The 2018 summer meet at the Saratoga Race Course will begin on Friday, July 20, and run six days a week through Labor Day, Monday, September 3. In total, the 40-day meet will feature 69 stakes worth a whopping $18.8 million in purses.
Opening Day will kick off the summer meet with a pair of graded stakes: the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies and the Grade 3, $150,000 Lake George for 3-year-old fillies on the turf.
At the other end of the season, Closing Day will feature the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap along with the Grade 1, $350,000 Hopeful, typically regarded as a preview of the following year’s Travers.
Other highlights include Alabama Day on Saturday, August 18 and Woodward Day on Saturday, September 1.
See the full 2018 racing schedule >>
2018 Whitney Stakes
The $1.2 million Whitney will take place on Saturday, August 4. On the card with this prestigious 1 1/8-mile race will be the Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Test and a trio of turf stakes.
Learn more about the stakes accompanying the Whitney >>
2018 Travers Day
Travers Day, the most popular day of the summer meet, is slated for Saturday, August 25. Joining the 149th running of the $1.25 million Mid-Summer Derby for 3-year-olds will be five other Grade 1 stakes and a Grade 2 stakes.
Get more information about Travers Day >>