So Who Was William Travers?

In 1867, the six-day summer meeting at Saratoga Race Course began on Aug. 7. The New York Times offered a glowing preview, praising the beauty of the women in attendance, the “unclouded brilliancy” of the sun, and the condition of the racing surface. That fourth season of racing in Saratoga, The Times claimed, “promises to…

The Raftery Exhibit, Thanks To Barbara Livingston

You know that feeling when your phone storage is getting low, and you realize you have 10,000 photos on it, and you keep avoiding going through them to figure out which ones you should keep? Multiply that by 250, and you’ll have some idea of the daunting task that faced award-winning photographer Barbara Livingston when…

Meet the new buglers at Saratoga Race Course

Carson Gambaro admits that the enormity of his new summer job may not have quite hit him yet. “I’m going to practice this lick over and over and over again,” he said recently, standing in the yard of his home on Saratoga Lake. A couple of weeks ago, Gambaro was a recent Syracuse University graduate…

Kentucky Derby Charity Contest, 2022

When we launched our 2021 contest, it had been only five months since the 2020 edition had concluded. As we launch this year, we’re still not sure whether last year’s winner will remain the winner. As always in horse racing, there’s never a dull moment. When I launched this in 2009, we were able to…

Summertime Views: Saratoga 2021

Opening Day Eve, an unofficial holiday observed by those for whom Christmas comes in July when Saratoga Race Course opens, lacked its usual excitement and anticipation last year. The pandemic was only four months old, masks were still required everywhere, travel was forbidden, and large gatherings of people, even outdoors, were a non-starter under state…

Launching! Kentucky Derby Charity League 2021

Didn’t we just do this? Like…a few months ago? A huge thanks to everyone who participated in last year’s elongated (interminable?), unconventional charity league. I’m grateful to all of you who stuck it out through revised schedules and added races and a prep season that seemed like it might never end. When we launched this…