Have you heard the news? The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has officially announced that the 2019 summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course will be one week longer but still feature 40 days of racing. However, despite this change, racing fans can look forward to 76 exciting stakes from Opening Day on July 11 through Labor Day, September 2, 2019!
Changes to the 2019 Meet at Saratoga
For 2019, the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course will be eight weeks long instead of the typical seven. After opening weekend on Thursday, July 11 through Sunday, July 14, racing will take place five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays. Closing week (week eight) will run from Wednesday, August 28 through Labor Day, Monday, September 2.
Prepare for a Summer of Thoroughbred Horse Racing
NYRA has recently revealed their 2019 racing schedule at Saratoga, and it will feature 76 stakes and $20.85 million in total stakes purses. Although the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney are the racetrack’s most popular annual events, you won’t want to miss any of the action.
2019 Highlights
The season will kick off on Opening Day with two graded stakes: the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies and the Grade 3, $100,000 Quick Call for 3-year-olds doing 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass.
Then, on Saturday, July 13, Saratoga’s first Grade 1 of 2019 will be the $500,000 Diana for turf fillies and mares. On the following Saturday, the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks will highlight the weekend and feature an upgraded purse (from $300,000 to $500,000).
Throughout the season, there will be even more Grade 1 races, such as the $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial on Thursday, July 25, the $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup on Thursday, August 22, the $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap on Saturday, August 10, and the $600,000 Alabama on Saturday, August 17.
When closing weekend arrives, Saratoga Race Course will host the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward, the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls, the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Saranac on Saturday, August 31. The Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway on Sunday, September 1, will feature 2-year-old fillies.
Finally, Closing Day at Track will be Monday, September 2, and it will include the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap and the Grade 1, $350,000 Runhappy Hopeful for 2-year-olds.
When will you be coming to Saratoga Race Course?
