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Encyclopedia > Saratoga Race Course

Saratoga Race Course is a famous horse-racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York. It opened in 1863. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Saratoga Springs is a city located in Saratoga County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 26,186. ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ...

Contents


History

Since 1864 the track has been the site of the Travers Stakes, the oldest major thoroughbred horse race in the United States, which is the main event of the annual summer race meeting at Saratoga. The Saratoga meet originally consisted of only four weeks but was subsequently lengthened to five weeks, and today a six-week meeting is observed, with Labor Day now being the last day of racing. In 1943, 1944 and 1945, racing was not held at Saratoga due to travel restrictions brought on by World War II; in those years, the stakes races that would have been run at Saratoga were contested at Belmont Park instead. 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... The Travers Stakes, held at Saratoga Race Course near Saratoga Springs, New York, is the oldest major thoroughbred horse race in the United States. ... Thoroughbred horse racing is the main form of horse-racing throughout the world. ... Labour Day (or Labor Day) is an annual holiday that resulted from efforts of the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Secretariats statue greets racing fans and jockeys in the paddock of Belmont Park. ...


Saratoga Race Course has two well-known nicknames -- the Spa, and the "Graveyard of Favorites" for the upsets that have occurred there. Man O' War suffered his only defeat in 21 starts while racing at Saratoga and U.S. Triple Crown champion Gallant Fox was beaten by a 100-1 longshot named "Jim Dandy" in the 1930 Travers Stakes. Man O War, born March 29, 1917 at Nursery Stud farm in Lexington, Kentucky, United States - died November 1, 1947 at Faraway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, affectionately known as Big Red, [1] is considered by many to be the greatest US thoroughbred racehorse of all time. ... The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (Triple Crown for short, but the term is also used in other sports, and thus the full name should be used when it could cause confusion) consists of three races for three-year-old thoroughbred horses. ... Gallant Fox (March 23, 1927 - November 13, 1954) was a United States thoroughbred horse racing champion. ... Longshot is a Marvel Comics superhero, best known as a member of the X-Men. ...


Physical attributes

As is the case with the other two tracks operated by the New York Racing Association - Aqueduct and Belmont Park - there are three separate courses at Saratoga: a main (dirt) track, which, like that at Aqueduct, has a 1 1/8 mile (1,811 m) circumference; an outer turf course (known officially as the Mellon Turf Course, in honor of the Mellon family, whose members include former United States Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon and has a long history of involvement with horse racing), which is 1 mile plus 98 feet long; and an inner turf course, the circumference of which is 26 feet (7.9 m) shorter than 7½ furlongs (1,509 m). Steeplechase races are also run at Saratoga and may take place on either of the aforementioned turf courses, depending on the distance of the race. The New York Racing Association is the non-profit governing body for thoroughbred horse-racing in the state of New York. ... Aqueduct Racetrack, known as the Big A, is a horse racetrack in the neighborhood of Ozone Park in Queens, New York. ... Secretariats statue greets racing fans and jockeys in the paddock of Belmont Park. ... The United States Secretary of the Treasury is the finance minister of the Federal Government of the United States. ... Mellon portrait Andrew William Mellon (March 24, 1855–August 27, 1937) was an American banker, industrialist, philanthropist, and Secretary of the Treasury from March 4, 1921 until February 12, 1932. ... A steeplechase race The steeplechase is a form of horse racing (primarily conducted in the United Kingdom, United States, and Ireland) and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many...


A former distinctive feature of Saratoga's dirt track was the Wilson Mile chute, which branched off from the clubhouse (first) turn at a 90 degree angle. After the 1971 meeting, its use was suspended; following a brief resumption during the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was dismantled, leaving no distance available for dirt races between 7 furlongs and 1 1/8 miles (1,408 and 1,811 m). A similarly-designed chute is still in use at Ellis Park, a racetrack in Kentucky, and is the only such chute of its kind that can be found at any North American track today. In horse racing, the term chute refers to an extended path increasing the length of a straight portion of a racecourse, particularly an oval-shaped one, allowing races of a specified distance to start at a location other than on one of the turns. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... MacGyver is one of the symbols of 1980s The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... Ellis Park is a throughbred racetrack in Henderson, Kentucky. ... Official language(s) English Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 37th 104,749 km² 225 km 610 km 1. ...


Racing

The following are stakes races run at Saratoga: Stakes race is a term applied to thoroughbred horse racing to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay. ...

  • Grade 3 Stakes races:
    • Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup Handicap
    • Glens Falls Handicap
    • Lake George Stakes
    • Saranac Handicap
    • Schuylerville Stakes

The Alabama Stakes is a race for thoroughbred horse. ... The Ballerina Handicap is a race for thoroughbred horse. ... The Diana Handicap is a race for thoroughbred horses. ... [[Forego]] , bay gelding, 1970, by Forli (Aristhophanes) Lady Golconda by Hasty Road Owner, Lazy F Ranch, Bred by Lazy F Ranch, KY Trained by Frank Whiteley, Jr. ... Go for Wand (April 6, 1987-October 27, 1990) was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse. ... The Hopeful Stakes is a horse race for 2 year old thoroughbred colts and geldings. ... The Kings Bishop Stakes is a race for thoroughbred horses. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Test Stakes is a race for thoroughbred horses. ... The Travers Stakes, held at Saratoga Race Course near Saratoga Springs, New York, is the oldest major thoroughbred horse race in the United States. ... The Whitney Handicap is an American Grade 1 handicap race for thoroughbred racehorses three years of age and older run at a distance of 1 1/8 miles. ... The Woodward Stakes is a race for thoroughbred horses three-year-olds and up. ... Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. ... Bernard Mannes Baruch (August 19, 1870–June 20, 1965) was an American financier, stock market and commodities speculator, statesman, and presidential adviser. ... The Jim Dandy Stakes is a race for thoroughbred horses. ... The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. ...

External link

  • Saratoga Race Course

  Results from FactBites:
 
Saratoga Race Course - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (370 words)
Saratoga Race Course is a famous horse-racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York.
In 1943, 1944 and 1945, racing was not held at Saratoga due to travel restrictions brought on by World War II; in those years, the stakes races that would have been run at Saratoga were contested at Belmont Park instead.
Steeplechase races are also run at Saratoga and may take place on either of the aforementioned turf courses, depending on the distance of the race.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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