Saratoga TODAY July 9-16, 2021

38

THE STARTING GATE

Week of July 9 – July 15, 2021

Oklahoma Training Track. Photo by Super Source Media.

Excitement and Optimism ON THE SPA BACKSTRETCH

a Year Later after the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Tony Podlaski

for Saratoga TODAY Photos provided (unless noted).

T

here are a couple of words that could describe the feeling and emotion around the Saratoga Racecourse backstretch as this year’s meet begins on July 15: excitement and optimism.

While last year’s meet was successful for many trainers and their staff, the COVID-19 pandemic stifled some of their excitement that would have been shared with fans and other people.

A year later, a lot of people around the backstretch are looking forward to the meet, especially since Saratoga Racecourse has been opened for training on the main track since April 17 with the Oklahoma Training Track starting almost a month later following its renovations.

“Of course, that’s what everyone wants – a sense of normalcy,” he said, “Obviously, there are going to be some wonderful horses coming up here. It should be a good meet. I hope everything goes smoothly. For the fans, they should see some wonderful racing. They always do.”

One of those trainers is Hall of Famer Nick Zito, who has been a fixture near the Oklahoma Training Track since the mid-1970s with notable horses that include Kentucky Derby winners Strike the Gold and Go for Gin, Belmont and Travers winner Birdstone, and two-time Whitney winner Commentator.

Some of the horses who are already on the Saratoga grounds include last year’s Alabama winner Swiss Skydiver, multiple Grade 1 stakes winner and last year’s Sword Dancer winner Channel Maker, and several of Chad Brown’s graded stakes winners.