Are you counting down the weeks until Opening Day at Saratoga Race Course? We are too, but in the meantime, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has some new information to share about the 2021 summer meet. On Friday, February 19, they released the full stakes schedule for Saratoga Race Course, which will feature 76 named stakes across 40 days of racing.
Look Forward to Another Great Season of Racing
The 2021 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course will open on Thursday, July 15, and conclude on Monday, September 6. There will be at least one named stakes race every live racing day, and following the four-day opening weekend, races will take place five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, with the exception of the final week.
Saratoga racing fans can look forward to 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses this year. Here are some of the highlights from the stakes schedule:
- Opening Day (July 15): Stakes include the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville and the Grade 3, $120,000 Quick Call
- Whitney Day (August 7): Stakes include the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, the Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Test, the Grade 1, $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational, the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls, and the $120,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure
- New York Showcase Day (August 27): Stakes include the $250,000 Albany, the $200,000 Fleet Indian, the $200,000 Funny Cide, the $200,000 Seeking the Ante, the $150,000 West Point Handicap, and the $150,000 Yaddo Handicap
- Travers Day (August 28): Stakes include the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer, the Grade 1, $600,000 Personal Ensign, the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina, the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego, the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, and the Grade 2, $400,000 Ballston Spa
- Closing Day (September 6): Stakes include the Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap and the Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful
The Latest Update About Spectators at Saratoga Race Course
New York State has announced that live sports and entertainment venues with a minimum reserved seating capacity of 10,000 will be permitted to reopen with a limited number of spectators starting on February 23 with approval from the New York State Department of Health. Attendees must adhere to health and safety requirements and present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the event.
In a press release, NYRA stated that they will “closely monitor New York State-issued regulations to determine how they impact Saratoga Race Course.” They added, “Additional details on fan attendance and tickets for the 2021 summer meet will be provided as information becomes available.”
