Saratoga Opens For 2013 Summer Meet

The ponies are off and running for the 2013 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, as the fabled track in upstate New York celebrates 150 years of racing. Live racing at Saratoga is to be run from July 19, 2013 to Labor Day, September 2, 2013, every day of the week except Tuesdays, making for a 40-day racing calendar. Post time most days is 1 PM ET, with an early post of 11:45 AM on Travers Day, August 24, and a 2:30 PM post on Friday, August 30 for an evening of Twilight Racing.

Multiple major stakes races dot the calendar

During the summer meet, Saratoga will play host 55 stakes races, including 17 Grade I races, starting with the $300,000 TVG Coaching Club American Oaks on opening weekend Saturday, a 1 1/8 miles test on the dirt for three-year-old fillies. The Grade I races at Saratoga will wrap up on closing day with the $300,000 Three Chimneys Hopeful for two year olds, going seven furlongs on the dirt.   As usual, the focus of the racing world will turn to Saratoga for two major events, the Whitney Invitational Handicap, and the Travers Stakes.

The Travers a race of historic champions

The Whitney, to be run on August 3, is for three year olds going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, and carries a purse of $750,000. Last year’s Whitney champion, Fort Lerned, went on to capture the 2012 Breeders’ Cup World Championships Classic. Later in the summer, on August 24, Saratoga will host the $1,000,000 Travers Stakes, one of the most prestigious races for three year olds in the country, run at the classic distance of 1 ¼ miles. Past winners of the Travers have included such legendary names as Man O’ War, Whirlaway, Alydar and Street Sense.