The New York Racing Association will celebrate the industry's retired equine athletes during a day in their honor at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 4.
Equine Retirement Day will be highlighted by a special appearance from 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness (both gr. I) winner Funny Cide and a meet-and-greet with trainer Barclay Tagg and his assistant Robin Smullen, as well as Jack Knowlton of owner Sackatgoa Stable in the paddock from 11:30 a.m. Funny Cide will make a return appearance to the paddock before the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I) and will lead the post parade at the track. Post time for the Vanderbilt is approximately 5:12 p.m.
NYRA will also give out 1,000 Funny Cide posters Aug. 4. Funny Cide's former jockeys, Jose Santos and Richard Migliore, will sign autographs to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
Funny Cide will be away from the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions, where he has lived since being retired to the park in 2008, from Aug. 1-8 for the trip to New York. He can usually be seen at the Hall of Champions daily throughout the summer at 10:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m., and 3:15 p.m.
Old Friends previously announced that its Greenfield Center location at Cabin Creek Farm (about 15 minutes from Saratoga Spring) will welcome Funny Cide, Knowlton, and Santos from 12:30-3 p.m. Aug. 6 for a fundraising lunch.
Also on Equine Retirement Day, a number of Thoroughbred retirement organizations will be represented on track at the Jockey Silks Room throughout the day, where they will collect donations and have literature available for the public.
The organizations include the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Old Friends at Cabin Creek, Akindale Farms, Saratoga War Horse, ReRun New York, B.I.T.S. at Little Brook Farm, Equine Advocates, Double L Stable Equine Rescue and Sanctuary, Take 2, Take the Lead, and New Vocations.
Additionally, Sunday continues the annual Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing Legends of Saratoga with an autograph signing featuring some of Saratoga's most popular retired jockeys. Riders Angel Cordero, Jose Santos, and Richard Migliore will sign autographs for fans at the Jockey Silks Room from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.