Week 5 at Saratoga gears up as the Budweiser Clydesdales make their highly anticipated return to after more than 15 years. The legendary and beloved Clydesdales will be stationed at select Saratoga admission gates to greet fans from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will parade in the paddock after the third race. The horses were initially introduced to the American public by Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Budweiser, on April 7, 1933, to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition.
In celebration of the Clydesdales’ return to Saratoga Race Course, fans can enjoy $10 specials on 16-ounce Budweiser beer all week long, while supplies last. The specials will be available at the following locations: the Bud Light portable located on the apron in front of Section K; the Bud Light Seltzer trailer adjacent to Horse Sense; and the Michelob Ultra stand located just inside Gate B in the backyard.
Racing resumes with Wednesday’s $135,000 Tale of the Cat, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses. The Tale of the Cat honors the 1997 King’s Bishop winner (now run as the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial) who went on to have a highly prosperous stud career.
Tale of the Cat is Race 8 and posts at 5:05 PM ET. Click for entries.
Other Wednesday offerings
Community Outreach Booth: Saratoga WarHorse will lead the racing week at the Community Outreach Booth. The nonprofit is dedicated to improving the physical, mental and emotional health of veterans with post-traumatic stress by providing a healing, equine-assisted experience utilizing off-the-track thoroughbreds.
Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage: The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live music from Peggy & The Delivery Boys.
More Excitement on Thursday
Stakes action cranks up on Thursday with the $150,000 Galway is a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomore fillies. The stakes was first run at Saratoga in 2019.
The Galway is Race 9 and posts at 5:39 PM ET. Click here for entries.
Woodchuck Hard Cider Sampling: Fans can enjoy samples of Woodchuck Hard Cider, the official hard cider of Saratoga Race Course, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Samples will be available at the Day Chaser gazebo free of charge for guests 21 and older, while supplies last.
Taste NY Pavilion: The Taste NY Pavilion, located inside Gate A at the Top of the Stretch, features New York craft beer, cider, wine and spirits products, including offerings from: Bolton Landing Brewing Company, Brooklyn Brewery, Common Roots Brewing Company, Druthers Brewing Co., Frog Alley Brewing Co., Northway Brewing Company, Paradox Brewery, Nine Pin Cider Works, Brotherhood Winery and Old Tavern Farm Winery, and spirits from Cooperstown Distillery, Great Jones and Pick Six Vodka. It is open from noon until 5 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and from noon until 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Saratoga Low Roller Contest: Horseplayers can enjoy the Saratoga Low Roller Contest every Thursday and Sunday throughout the summer meet. Players can pre-register outside the Miller Time Fourstardave Sports Bar on contest days. There is a $40 buy-in, of which $30 will go to the players’ bankroll and $10 to the prize pool. Winners will also receive a t-shirt in addition to the cash prize.
Community Outreach Booth: NYRA will host Caffè Lena, an award-winning, live performance venue and music school located in Saratoga Springs that is also the longest continuously operating folk music venue in the U.S.
Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage: The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live music from Franklin Micare Band.
Friday’s Racing Offers A Trifecta of New York-Bred Stakes
New York-breds will take center stage with three handicaps each boasting a purse of $125,000. The lucrative card will feature the John Morrissey at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up; the six-furlong Union Avenue for fillies and mares 3 years old and up; and the Evan Shipman at one mile for 3-year-olds and up.
The John Morrissey is Race 3 and posts at 2:15 PM ET. Click here for entries.
The Union Avenue is Race 6 and posts at 3:55 PM ET. Click here for Entries.
The Evan Shipman is Race 8 and posts at 5:05 PM ET. Click here for entries.
The feature card coincides with the Fasig-Tipton New York Bred Yearlings sale, scheduled for Sunday, August 14 and Monday, August 15 at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion.
The Budweiser Clydesdales continue their visit to Saratoga Race Course. Fans can enjoy photo opportunities in the afternoon with the full hitch of Budweiser Clydesdales, featuring eight of the legendary horses. The hitch will be stationed near Horse Sense, located across from Gate A, near the Berkshire Bank Family Zone. Following the third race, the Clydesdales will parade on the main track in front of the grandstand.
Community Outreach Booth: The I Think I Love You Animal Foundation, which supports animal welfare programs that prevent over-population, animal abuse and animal suffering on a national and international level, will be at the Community Outreach Booth. The nonprofit is inspired by the late singer, horse racing enthusiast and animal welfare advocate David Cassidy.
Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage: The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live music from Nite Train.
NYRA Triple Play: Offered for the first time at Saratoga Race Course, the NYRA Triple Play is a Pick 3 wager with a $3 bet minimum and a takeout rate of 19 percent. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at the Saratoga meet, the NYRA Triple Play will feature a trifecta of specially selected races. Each NYRA Triple Play will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. Wagering on the NYRA Triple Play will be available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country.
Saturday Racing Is a Celebration with the Fourstardave Handicap (BC) and Saratoga Special
The 38th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, at one mile over the inner turf for 3-year-olds and up, is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November at Keeneland. The afternoon will also feature the 117th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special for juveniles sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.
Fourstardave Handicapping Challenge: The Fourstardave Handicapping Challenge will take place on Fourstardave Day at Saratoga. The live-money contest features a $3,000 Entry Fee ($2,000 in Live Money Wagers/$1,000 to Prize Pool), contributing to a prize pool that NYRA is seeding with an additional $5,000. Participants can register through Friday, August 12 at 5 p.m. at NYRA.com with the option to play either online via NYRA Bets or on-track at Saratoga, where players will enjoy seating and lunch as part of their entry fee.
It’s National Rum Day and The Real McCoy and Treasury Wines are offering Samplings: In honor of National Rum Day on August 16, fans will enjoy samples of The Real McCoy outside the Cutwater Stretch.
Additionally, Treasury will offer samples of 19 Crimes Martha’s Chardonnay, Matua Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé at The Starting Gate. Samples will be available free of charge for guests 21 and older from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. while supplies last.
Saratoga Race Course Runs on Dunkin’: Fans can enjoy samples of Dunkin’s new Blood Orange Refresher and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew outside the Clubhouse Gate beginning at 3:30 p.m. Complimentary Dunkin’ cards will also be distributed to guests exiting the track while supplies last.
Community Outreach Booth: NYRA will host Old Friends at Cabin Creek, which provides dignified retirement for racehorses and transforms them into ambassadors and educators for the sport. Old Friends at Cabin Creek is based in Saratoga County.
Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage: The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live music from Family Tree. Click to watch Family Tree video Superfunk.
Sunday’s Feature is the $150,000 Mahony
A 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomores, the race is named in honor of Patrick Mahony, the longtime senior vice president of mutuels at NYRA who spent more than 50 years in the racing industry before retiring in 2016.
Brunch at The Rail at the 1863 Club: Fans are invited to enjoy a brunch buffet while experiencing The Rail at the 1863 Club, the venue’s first-floor banquet space. Tickets are $95 and include admission, a table seat for the day, brunch buffet, soft drinks, two mimosa or Bloody Mary drink tickets, Post Parade, tax and gratuity. Reservations are available by calling the NYRA Box Office at 844-NYRA-TIX or online at Ticketmaster.com.
Berkshire Bank Family Sundays: The popular family-friendly weekly event features a wide variety of free activities, games, attractions and educational experiences from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Berkshire Bank Family Zone, located inside Gate A near the Saratoga Race Course Box Office.
Community Outreach Booth: Rounding out this week at the Community Outreach Booth is the Gurtler Brothers VFW Post 420, which is committed to helping veterans in need by preserving and strengthening comradery among its members.
Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage: The Purdy’s Summer Concert Stage will host live music from The Switch.
Saratoga Live: Saratoga Live presents daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit NYRA.com/SaratogaLive.
All events and activities are subject to change at the discretion of NYRA.
NYRA Press Office/Edited with an intro by Maribeth Kalinich
Main Photo by Chelsea Durand
