The 2014 Saratoga Race Course meet will feature a record $17.45 million in stakes purses, topped by the $1.25 million Travers (gr. I) Aug. 23 and the $1.5 million Whitney (gr. I) Aug. 2.
Both the 1 1/4-mile Travers for 3-year-olds and the 1 1/8-mile Whitney for 3-year-olds and up received significant purse increases over their 2013 levels. They were previously worth $1 million and $750,000, respectively.
The 145th running of the Travers is one of four stakes scheduled for Aug. 23 and shares the card with the $500,000 King's Bishop (gr. I) for 3-year-old sprinters, the $500,000 Ballerina (gr. I) for filly and mare sprinters, and the $250,000 Ballston Spa (gr. IIT) for filly and mare turf horses. The 2013 Travers went to Will Take Charge , who later was named champion 3-year-old male.
Another blockbuster day of stakes action on the schedule is Aug. 2 with the Whitney, one of North America's premier races for older males on the dirt, topping a card that includes five stakes. Joining the Whitney day program this year will be the $500,000 Test (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies, the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I) for older sprinters, and the $100,000 Lure. The $100,000 De La Rose will again be part of the Whitney festivities this year.
Racing Aug. 24 will be dedicated to the best New York-breds as Saratoga hosts the inaugural Saratoga Showcase Day, featuring the Albany, West Point, Yaddo, Fleet Indian, Funny Cide, and Seeking the Ante.
In total, Saratoga Race Course will host 33 graded stakes races, including 15 grade I events (flat racing). Opening weekend will feature two grade I races: the $500,000 Diana for fillies and mares on the turf July 19, and the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies July 20.
Three-year-olds will have the spotlight July 26 as they will compete in the $600,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II) at 1 1/8 miles and the $200,000 Amsterdam (gr. II) at 6 1/2 furlongs. In the past 10 years, seven horses have used the Jim Dandy as a springboard to a victory in the Travers.
The $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT), won the past two years by two-time reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan, is the featured race Aug. 9. The Fourstardave is a one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up.
The 1 1/8-mile Coaching Club American Oaks precedes the $600,000 Alabama (gr. I), New York's top race for 3-year-old fillies. The 1 1/4-mile Alabama is scheduled for Aug. 16. The $300,000 Lake Placid (gr. IIT), also for 3-year-old fillies, will be contested on the turf as part of the Alabama undercard.
The final Saturday card Aug. 30 will include four stakes, topped by the $600,000 Woodward (gr. I) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles. Older males also will compete in the $500,000 Forego (gr. I) at seven furlongs on the main track and in the $250,000 Bernard Baruch (gr. IIT) on the turf. Sophomore fillies will sprint in the $300,000 Prioress (gr. II).
Completing the list of grade I races on the flat are the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational (turf) Aug. 17, the $350,000 Spinaway Aug. 31, and the $350,000 Hopeful on closing day, Sept. 1.
"This exciting stakes menu will ensure that Saratoga Race Course again hosts the finest race meeting in North America, and our enhanced Whitney Day reflects our desire to make it one of the most significant days on the national racing calendar," said NYRA president Chris Kay. "Our new racing personnel, led by senior vice president of racing operations Martin Panza and racing secretary Frank Gabriel Jr., are working every day to improve the quality of racing, as reflected in this powerful collection of outstanding races."
Saratoga also will host a pair of top steeplechase races: the $100,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial July 31, and the $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup Aug. 21 run in memory of Thomas H. Voss.
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THE 2014 SARATOGA RACE COURSE STAKES SCHEDULE
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DATE |
CLOSES |
RACE |
Gr. |
PURSE |
AGE |
DISTANCE |
|
Fri., July. 18 |
Sat., July 5 |
Schuylerville |
III |
150,000 |
F2YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Fri., July. 18 |
" |
Sir Cat |
|
100,000 |
3YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
Sat., July. 19 |
" |
Diana |
I |
500,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/8 (Turf) |
|
Sat., July. 19 |
" |
Sanford |
III |
150,000 |
2YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sun., July 20 |
" |
Coaching Club American Oaks |
I |
300,000 |
F3YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sun., July 20 |
" |
Lucky Coin |
|
100,000 |
4&UP |
5 1/2 (Turf) |
|
Mon., July 21 |
" |
Shine Again (NW GSS IN 2014) |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
7 Furlongs |
|
Wed., July. 23 |
Sat., July 12 |
Lake George |
II |
200,000 |
F3YO |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Thurs., July 24 |
" |
Quick Call |
|
100,000 |
3YO |
5 1/2 (Turf) |
|
Fri., July. 25 |
" |
Curlin |
|
100,000 |
3YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., July. 26 |
" |
Jim Dandy |
II |
600,000 |
3YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., July. 26 |
" |
Amsterdam |
II |
200,000 |
3YO |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
Sun., July 27 |
" |
Shuvee Hdcp. |
III |
200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Mon., July. 28 |
" |
Honorable Miss (Hdcp.) |
II |
200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Wed., July. 30 |
Sat., July. 19 |
Coronation Cup |
|
100,000 |
F3YO |
5 1/2 (Turf) |
|
Thurs., July 31 |
" |
Evan Shipman (NYB) |
|
100,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Thurs., July 31 |
" |
A. P. Smithwick Mem. (S'Chase) |
I |
100,000 |
4&UP |
2 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Fri., Aug. 1 |
" |
Caress |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
5 1/2 (Turf) |
|
Sat., Aug. 2 |
" |
Whitney |
I |
1,500,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Aug. 2 |
" |
Test |
I |
500,000 |
F3YO |
7 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Aug. 2 |
" |
Alfred G. Vanderbilt (Hdcp.) |
I |
350,000 |
3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Aug. 2 |
" |
De La Rose (NW GSS in 2014) |
|
100,000 |
F&M 4&UP |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
Sat., Aug. 2 |
" |
Lure (NW GSS in 2014) |
|
100,000 |
4&UP |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Sun., Aug. 3 |
" |
Waya |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/2 (Turf) |
|
Mon., Aug. 4 |
CLOSED |
New York Stallion Series |
|
100,000 |
3YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
|
|
Cab Calloway Division |
|
|
|
|
|
Mon., Aug. 4 |
CLOSED |
New York Stallion Series |
|
100,000 |
F3YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
|
|
Statue Of Liberty Division |
|
|
|
|
|
Wed., Aug. 6 |
Sat., July. 26 |
John's Call |
|
100,000 |
3&UP |
1 5/8 (Turf) |
|
Thurs., Aug. 7 |
" |
Birdstone |
|
100,000 |
3&UP |
1 3/4 |
|
Fri., Aug. 8 |
" |
National Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame |
II |
200,000 |
3YO |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Sat., Aug. 9 |
" |
Fourstardave (Hdcp.) |
II |
500,000 |
3&UP |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
Sun., Aug. 10 |
" |
Adirondack |
II |
200,000 |
F2YO |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
Sun., Aug. 10 |
" |
Saratoga Special |
II |
200,000 |
2YO |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
Mon., Aug. 11 |
Sat., Aug. 2 |
Tenski (NW GSS in 2014) |
|
100,000 |
F3YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
Wed., Aug 13 |
" |
Troy |
|
100,000 |
3&UP |
5 1/2 (T) |
|
Thurs., Aug. 14 |
" |
Saratoga Dew (NYB) |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Fri., Aug. 15 |
" |
John Morrissey (NYB) |
|
100,000 |
3&UP |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Aug. 16 |
" |
Alabama |
I |
600,000 |
F3YO |
1 1/4 |
|
Sat., Aug. 16 |
" |
Lake Placid |
II |
300,000 |
F3YO |
1 1/8 (Turf) |
|
Sun., Aug 17 |
Inv. by Sat., Aug 2 |
Sword Dancer Inv. |
I |
500,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/2 (Turf) |
|
Sun., Aug 17 |
Sat., Aug. 2 |
Alydar (NW GSS in 2014) |
|
100,000 |
4&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Mon., Aug. 18 |
" |
Summer Colony (NW GSS in 2014) |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Wed., Aug 20 |
Sat., Aug. 9 |
Better Talk Now |
|
100,000 |
3YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
Thurs., Aug 21 |
" |
New York Turf Writers Cup |
I |
150,000 |
4&UP |
2 3/8 (Turf) |
|
|
|
Run in Memory of Thomas H Voss |
|
|
|
|
|
Thurs., Aug. 21 |
" |
Union Avenue (NYB) |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
Fri., Aug. 22 |
" |
Personal Ensign |
I |
500,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Fri., Aug. 22 |
" |
Tale of the Cat (NW GSS in 2014) |
|
100,000 |
3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Aug. 23 |
" |
Travers |
I |
1,250,000 |
3YO |
1 1/4 |
|
Sat., Aug. 23 |
|
Ballston Spa |
II |
250,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Sat., Aug. 23 |
" |
King's Bishop |
I |
500,000 |
3YO |
7 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Aug. 23 |
" |
Ballerina |
I |
500,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
7 Furlongs |
|
Sun., Aug. 24 |
" |
Albany (NYB)* |
|
250,000 |
3YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sun., Aug. 24 |
" |
West Point (NYB)* |
|
150,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Sun., Aug. 24 |
" |
Yaddo (NYB)* |
|
150,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Sun., Aug. 24 |
" |
Fleet Indian (NYB)* |
|
200,000 |
F3YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sun., Aug. 24 |
" |
Funny Cide (NYB)* |
|
200,000 |
2YO |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
Sun., Aug. 24 |
" |
Seeking the Ante (NYB)* |
|
200,000 |
F2YO |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
Mon., Aug25 |
" |
Smart N Fancy |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
5 1/2 (Turf) |
|
Wed., Aug. 27 |
Sat., Aug. 16 |
P. G. Johnson |
|
100,000 |
F2YO |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Thurs., Aug. 28 |
" |
With Anticipation |
II |
200,000 |
2YO |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Fri., Aug 29 |
" |
Riskaverse |
|
100,000 |
F3YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
Sat., Aug. 30 |
" |
Forego |
I |
500,000 |
3&UP |
7 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Aug. 30 |
" |
The Woodward |
I |
600,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Aug. 30 |
" |
Bernard Baruch (Hdcp.) |
II |
250,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Sat., Aug. 30 |
" |
Prioress |
II |
300,000 |
F3YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sun., Aug. 31 |
" |
Spinaway |
I |
350,000 |
F2YO |
7 Furlongs |
|
Sun., Aug. 31 |
" |
Glens Falls |
III |
150,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 3/8 (Turf) |
|
Mon., Sept. 1 |
" |
Saranac |
III |
300,000 |
3YO |
1 1/8 (Turf) |
|
Mon., Sept. 1 |
" |
Hopeful |
I |
350,000 |
2YO |
7 Furlongs |