TRAVEL
SARATOGA A WINNING BET By Paul Seth
aratoga Springs is a special city in upstate New York just a 3-hour drive north from New York City. It is also easily accessible by rail with Amtrak’s Saratoga Springs station located less than two miles from downtown. The city is famous for being the home of America’s oldest and most popular thoroughbred racecourse attracting large crowds during the summer season. Local attractions include naturally carbonated mineral spas, harness racing and polo as well as 15 golf courses around the county, 10 historic museums and an award-winning downtown for dining, shopping and nightlife. WORLD-CLASS HORSE RACING
The 2019 summer thoroughbred racing meet at The Saratoga Racetrack is 40 days long and runs from July 11th through Labor Day Monday, September 2nd with Mondays and Tuesdays being “Dark Days” as no racing takes place. There is General & Grandstand admission as well as clubhouse admission with children under 12 being admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Picnicking in the backyard grounds of the track is very popular and you can bring your own chairs and sit wherever you wish. If you want to get a picnic table it is advisable to arrive as early as 7am when the track opens for breakfast. The Saratoga Racetrack attracts some of the best jockeys and best horses in the country competing for large purses in the summer meet which features a multitude of stakes races. Travers day on August 24th is the most popular day of the meet and the best 3-year old horses in the country meet up to race for the coveted $1.25 million purse. There are many giveaway days and you are sure to enjoy the thrill of cheering on your favorite horse as it races to the finish line. The Saratoga Hotel Casino and Raceway is home to harness racing in Saratoga. Now in its 78th season of live racing, the venue originally known to many as the Saratoga Harness Track is a half-mile harness track, where one can view live races outside at the rail, in the lower clubhouse or in the Grandstand while having dinner at Lucky Joe’s. Additionally, patrons can watch and wager on live racing in New York or from tracks around the country on one of many TV’s located in the Mezzanine. The Saratoga Casino Hotel is the place to try your luck at over 1700 exciting slots and electronic table games. The 117-room 125,000 square foot hotel with a grand lobby entrance has 13 luxury suites and offers guests a true Saratoga experience along with some of the best amenities including an indoor resort pool with a spa whirlpool and an outdoor terrace. JUNE/JULY 2019 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 47