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SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Saratoga racing season, which typically runs from late July until Labor Day weekend will be extended by an additional week this summer.
The New York Racing Association has set this year’s opening day as Thursday, July 11 - eight days before its previously assumed opening date of July 19.
The extending of the summer meet by eight calendar days will not translate to additional races, however, maintaining its 40-Saratoga-racing-days status quo. Previously, races had been staged six days per week with Tuesdays being a no-race or “dark” day. The lengthier 2019 calendar season, should it be approved, will be compensated for by the addition of no-race Mondays - with the exception of Labor Day - resulting in five days of races per week. The meet will conclude on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2.
The ramifications for both year-round residents and summer visitors could be huge.
The earlier start in 2019 will overlap with a pair of perennially busy weekend dates by Dave Matthews Band at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on July 12-13, as well as the summer staging by the New York City Ballet at SPAC July 16-20. Elizabeth Sobol, president & CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center, said having the track open a week earlier gives us the opportunity to cross-promote the New York City Ballet summer residency at SPAC.
City Finance Michele Madigan Commissioner says the summer racing season is among the largest drivers regarding sales tax for the local economy and that despite losing one racing day per week, the addition of a week could be a boost for the local economy.
"We will work with NYRA to ensure the safety of our horses and riders and to do all we can to protect the thousands of jobs in our backstretch community as we navigate this challenging time,” NYTHA President Joe Appelbaum said in a statement. “NYTHA supports the interim solution NYRA has worked out for summer racing dates. While it presents certain complications, we all get to spend five extra days a year in Saratoga - which is always good for the soul."
"The new schedule will bring both anticipated and unanticipated benefits to our summer racing season, and we will use the City's resources to make it even more successful than ever,” added city Mayor Meg Kelly.
The schedule change is related to the upcoming construction of a new hockey arena, which would shorten the length of the racing season at NYRA’s Belmont Park.
In December 2017, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the New York Islanders hockey team and their partnership group were selected as winning bidders of a state issued Request for Proposals aimed at strengthening Belmont Park as a world-class sports and entertainment destination. The goal is to construct an arena by the start of the 2021 hockey season. It is unclear whether that would subsequently translate to an additional extended Saratoga season in 2020 and/or 2021.
The construction timeline indicates work on the new arena at Belmont Park could begin as early as the second quarter of 2019, leading to potential disruption during morning training and afternoon racing. The Belmont Park spring/summer meet will feature a revised 48-day calendar to commence on Friday, April 26 and run through Sunday, July 7.
The new year has brought an unsettling start to 2019 for the New York Racing Association. President and CEO Chris Kay resigned his position in January. According to published reports, Kay allegedly used employees to conduct work at his Saratoga Springs home, and last week it was announced a 25-year partnership between NYRA and Saratoga Race Course food services provider Centerplate will not be renewed. The end of the contract will leave hundreds of people at the Saratoga Race Course without jobs, according to the independent news and information platform Patch.com. It is not known whether a yet-to-be-named new vendor to manage food and beverage concessions will hire those who were previously employed at the racecourse.
Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, says the county’s tourism promotion agency will “pull out all the stops to bring as many people here as possible. I think the hospitality sector likes the idea of an extra weekend and many of the folks in the horse racing industry like the idea of two (dark) days for a variety of reasons,” Shimkus said. “We’ve also heard from residents who are not necessarily thrilled with the idea of having their meet extended and their city taken over by visitors - but from an economic perspective this extra weekend helps us attract even more people who shop and dine and stay here; The hospitality sector is going to be able to grow.”
Ariane Fuller is the owner/real estate broker at Racing City Realty – in its 17th year of serving the track rental needs for both homeowners and renters
“I do believe the extra days will be a boost for the community with more time to explore all that Saratoga Springs and the surrounding areas have to offer. Overall, the consensus seems to be that homeowners are excited at the opportunity to rent an additional week. We will make adjustments as needed. We will take this in stride - my goal is to work hard and make this transition a smooth process for both homeowners and renters.”
A decade ago, the length of the Saratoga season was extended from 36 race days to 40. The Spa staged its first organized thoroughbred racing meet in 1863, which took place over four days in August, as Saratoga began to earn its nickname as “the August place to be.” A century after its founding, the meet was extended to 24 days, then to 30 days by the 1990s.
The 2019 spring/summer racing calendar at Saratoga will be highlighted by the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 8; the Grade 1 Whitney on Saturday, Aug. 3; and the 150th anniversary running of the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on Saturday, Aug. 24.
