The $1.25 million Travers (G1) on August 26 and $1.2 Whitney (G1) on August 5 are centerpiece events for the 2017 meet at historic Saratoga Race Course. The 40-day session features 69 stakes worth $18.775 million and runs from July 21 through September 4. Live racing is offered six days a week, with Tuesdays off.
The Whitney, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 4 at Del Mar, highlights a dynamite August 5 program that includes $500,000 Test (G1) for 3-year-old fillies at 7-furlongs; $200,000 Waya (G3) for turf fillies and mares going 1 1/2 miles; $100,000 Lure at 1 1/16 miles; and $100,000 De La Rose for fillies and mares at a mile.
The 148th running of the Mid-Summer Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 ¼ miles anchors six lucrative stakes on the August 26 Travers Day card. The supporting features are $1 million Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) at 1 ½ miles on the turf; $500,000 Ballerina (G1) for filly and mares at 7-furlongs; $600,000 Forego (G1) at 7-furlongs; $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1), formerly known as the King’s Bishop, for 3-year-olds at 7-furlongs; $700,000 Personal Ensign (G1) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles; and $400,000 Ballston Spa (G2) for turf fillies and mares.
The $600,000 Jim Dandy (G2) on July 29 serves as the traditional local prep for the Travers and will be joined $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G1), $200,000 Amsterdam (G2) and $250,000 Bowling Green (G2) that afternoon.
The $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on July 23 and $600,000 Alabama (G1) at 1 ¼ miles on August 19 put three-year-old fillies in the spotlight.
New York Breeders’ Showcase Day returns to its popular spot on Travers Eve, Friday, August 25. The $250,000 Albany and $150,000 West Point are among the main events.
The stakes schedule for the 149th meet at Saratoga Race Course:
|
DATE
|
RACE
|
PURSE
|
DISTANCE
|
|
|
Opening weekend
|
||||
|
Fri., July. 21
|
G3 Schuylerville
|
$150,000
|
F2YO
|
6 furlongs
|
|
G3 Lake George
|
$150,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
|
Sat., July. 22
|
G1 Diana
|
$500,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
|
G3 Sanford
|
$150,000
|
2YO
|
6 furlongs
|
|
|
Sun., July 23
|
G1 Coaching Club American Oaks
|
$300,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/8
|
|
Mon., July. 24
|
Caress
|
$200,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Week 2
|
||||
|
Wed., July. 26
|
G2 Honorable Miss H.
|
$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
6 furlongs
|
|
Th., July. 27
|
John Morrissey (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
6 1/2 furlongs
|
|
Fri., July. 28
|
Curlin
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8
|
|
Sat., July. 29
|
G2 Jim Dandy
|
$600,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8
|
|
G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.
|
$350,000
|
3&UP
|
6 furlongs
|
|
|
G2 Bowling Green
|
$250,000
|
4&UP
|
1 3/8 (Turf)
|
|
|
G2 Amsterdam
|
$200,000
|
3YO
|
6 1/2 furlongs
|
|
|
Sun., July. 30
|
G3 Shuvee H.
|
$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
Mon., July. 31
|
Coronation Cup
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Week 3
|
||||
|
Wed., Aug. 2
|
Shine Again
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
7 furlongs
|
|
Th., Aug. 3
|
G1 A. P. Smithwick Mem. (S’Chase)
|
$125,000
|
4&UP
|
2 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
Birdstone
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
1 3/4
|
|
|
Fri., Aug. 4
|
G2 Nat’l Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame
|
$200,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
Sat., Aug. 5
|
G1 Whitney (BC)
|
$1,200,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
G1 Test
|
$500,000
|
F3YO
|
7 furlongs
|
|
|
G3 Fasig-Tipton Waya
|
$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
|
Fasig-Tipton Lure
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
|
Fasig-Tipton De La Rose
|
$100,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
|
Sun., Aug. 6
|
Troy H.
|
$250,000
|
3&UP
|
5 1/2 (T)
|
|
Alydar
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
|
Mon., Aug. 7
|
NYSS Cab Calloway
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
Week 4
|
||||
|
Wed., Aug. 9
|
Quick Call
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Th., Aug. 10
|
NYSS Statue of Liberty
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
Fri., Aug. 11
|
Tale of the Cat
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
6 furlongs
|
|
Sat., Aug. 12
|
G1 Fourstardave H.
|
$500,000
|
3&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
G2 Adirondack
|
$200,000
|
F2YO
|
6 1/2 furlongs
|
|
|
Sun., Aug. 13
|
G2 Saratoga Special
|
$200,000
|
2YO
|
6 1/2 furlongs
|
|
Mon., Aug. 14
|
Saratoga Dew (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
Week 5
|
||||
|
Wed., Aug. 16
|
Bolton Landing
|
$100,000
|
F2YO
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Th., Aug. 17
|
Union Avenue (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
6 1/2 furlongs
|
|
Fri., Aug. 18
|
Skidmore
|
$100,000
|
2YO
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Sat., Aug. 19
|
G1 Alabama
|
$600,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/4
|
|
G2 Lake Placid
|
$300,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
|
|
Sun., Aug. 20
|
Summer Colony
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
Mon., Aug. 21
|
Evan Shipman (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
Week 6
|
||||
|
Wed., Aug. 23
|
John’s Call
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
1 5/8 (Turf)
|
|
Th., Aug 24
|
Riskaverse
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
G1 New York Turf Writers Cup (S’Chase)
|
$150,000
|
4&UP
|
2 3/8 (Turf)
|
|
|
Fri., Aug. 25
|
Albany (NYB)
|
$250,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8
|
|
Fleet Indian (NYB)
|
$200,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/8
|
|
|
Funny Cide (NYB)
|
$200,000
|
2YO
|
6 1/2 furlongs
|
|
|
Seeking the Ante (NYB)
|
$200,000
|
F2YO
|
6 1/2 furlongs
|
|
|
West Point (NYB)
|
$150,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
|
Yaddo (NYB)
|
$150,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
|
Sat., Aug. 26
|
G1 Travers
|
$1,250,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/4
|
|
G1 Sword Dancer
|
$1,000,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
|
G1 Personal Ensign (BC)
|
$700,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
|
G1 Forego (BC)
|
$600,000
|
3&UP
|
7 furlongs
|
|
|
G1 Ballerina (BC)
|
$500,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
7 furlongs
|
|
|
G1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial
|
$500,000
|
3YO
|
7 furlongs
|
|
|
(Run previously as the Kings Bishop)
|
||||
|
G2 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa
|
$400,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
|
Sun., Aug. 27
|
Smart N Fancy
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Mon., Aug. 28
|
Better Talk Now
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
Week 7
|
||||
|
Wed., Aug. 30
|
G3 With Anticipation
|
$150,000
|
2YO
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
Th., Aug. 31
|
P. G. Johnson
|
$100,000
|
F2YO
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
Fri., Sept. 1
|
Lucky Coin
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Sat., Sept. 2
|
G1 Woodward
|
$750,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
G1 Spinaway (BC)
|
$350,000
|
F2YO
|
7 furlongs
|
|
|
G3 Saranac
|
$300,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
|
|
G3 Glens Falls
|
$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 3/8 (Turf)
|
|
|
Sun., Sept. 3
|
G2 Prioress
|
$250,000
|
F3YO
|
6 furlongs
|
|
Mon., Sept. 4
|
G1 Hopeful
|
$350,000
|
2YO
|
7 furlongs
|
|
G2 Bernard Baruch H.
|
$250,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
