Saratoga Race Course
The oldest continuously-operating sporting venue in the United States, dating back to 1863. The Saratoga summer meet draws racing’s biggest names to upstate New York each July, August and early September, with the Travers Stakes — the ‘Mid-Summer Derby’ — the defining race of the 40-day meet.
COUNTER-CLOCKWISE (LEFT-HANDED)
EST. 1863
About Saratoga Race Course
The oldest continuously-operating sporting venue in the United States, dating back to 1863. The Saratoga summer meet draws racing’s biggest names to upstate New York each July, August and early September, with the Travers Stakes — the ‘Mid-Summer Derby’ — the defining race of the 40-day meet. Saratoga Race Course is located at 267 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
Travers Stakes, late August
The Mid-Summer Derby. The 1 1/4-mile Travers is the year’s defining Grade 1 for three-year-old dirt horses and routinely brings together the major Triple Crown contenders for a late-summer rematch. The $1.25 million purse and Saratoga setting make it one of the most prestigious races in American thoroughbred racing.
Meets & featured races
Saratoga’s 40-day boutique meet runs from mid-July through Labor Day weekend in early September. Six races per card on average, six days per week, with championship-quality stakes racing every weekend. The summer meet at Saratoga is widely considered the strongest concentration of top-class thoroughbred racing anywhere in North America.
Travers Stakes (late August)
The Mid-Summer Derby. Run over 1 1/4 miles on dirt, the Travers is the year’s biggest race for three-year-old males outside the Triple Crown series. American Pharoah was famously beaten in the 2015 Travers, ending his unbeaten run as a Triple Crown winner. Recent winners include Catholic Boy, Code of Honor and Essential Quality.
Whitney Stakes (early August)
The Whitney is the country’s premier dirt race for older horses, run over 1 1/8 miles in early August. The Grade 1 has crowned modern greats including Gun Runner, Honor Code and Tom’s d’Etat. The Whitney winner typically heads to the Breeders’ Cup Classic with strong claims.
Alabama Stakes (late August)
The Alabama is Saratoga’s signature race for three-year-old fillies, run over 1 1/4 miles on dirt in late August. The Grade 1 winner typically heads to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff with championship credentials.
Travers Stakes Key Trends
The Travers often serves as the great equalizer of the three-year-old division — horses that skipped the Belmont Stakes (preferring to point at the Travers instead) frequently win, as do Kentucky Derby runners-up looking to validate their classic form. Closers with proven 1 1/4-mile stamina dominate; pure speed horses rarely succeed at the trip.
Live races at Saratoga
Upcoming races at this track
Live racecards pulled from our North American racing data feed, refreshed throughout the day.
No scheduled meets at this track in the next 14 days.
Check the Racing Predictor for today's races at other US tracks, or visit Racing Data for past results and statistics.
Travers Stakes — key trends
Bet on Saratoga with AmWager
AmWager is one of the most trusted online wagering platforms in the United States, offering coverage of every major US track including Saratoga. New customers receive a 100% deposit match up to $50 when they sign up with bonus code AMWAGER.
Track statistics & betting angles
1 1/8 mile dirt main track, 1-mile inner turf course and a 7-furlong outer turf course. The Saratoga main track is known for producing some of the fairest dirt racing in America.
Saratoga is the oldest continuously-operating sporting venue in the United States. The summer meet has been a fixture of upper-class Northeast summer life since the 1860s.
More champion thoroughbreds have raced at Saratoga than any other track on the planet. Trainers concentrate their best two-year-olds, three-year-olds and older horses at the meet.
Chad Brown is the meet’s perennial leading trainer, with Todd Pletcher, Bill Mott and Steve Asmussen also extremely competitive. Christophe Clement is the dominant turf trainer.
How to watch Saratoga racing
FOX Sports has expanded its Saratoga coverage in recent years, with extensive weekend programming throughout the 40-day meet. FanDuel TV provides daily coverage of every Saratoga race. NBC Sports broadcasts the Travers Stakes nationally. For race-by-race picks, the horse.bet Racing Predictor publishes daily Saratoga analysis the morning of racing.
Visiting Saratoga
Saratoga Race Course is in Saratoga Springs, NY, about 30 miles north of Albany. The track is accessible by car via I-87 (Exit 14) and by Amtrak (Saratoga Springs station). Saratoga Springs is a popular summer tourist destination — book accommodations months in advance for major weekends. The track has a more relaxed dress code than NYC racing.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Saratoga meet?
The Saratoga meet runs for 40 racing days from mid-July through Labor Day weekend in early September. The Travers Stakes is the meet’s biggest race, run in late August.
How long is the Travers Stakes?
The Travers is run over 1 1/4 miles on dirt — the same distance as the Kentucky Derby. Total purse is $1.25 million.
How can I bet on Saratoga races?
AmWager offers wagering on every Saratoga race throughout the summer meet, with a new customer bonus and access to all major US tracks from one account.
Why is Saratoga called the Spa?
Saratoga Springs is famous for its natural mineral springs and historic spa resorts. The town has been a summer destination for over 150 years; the racetrack opened in 1863 as part of that summer tradition.
Where can I find Saratoga picks?
The horse.bet Racing Predictor publishes daily Saratoga picks throughout the meet, with full-field probability ratings and value plays.
For entertainment and information purposes. Please bet responsibly. 21+ where applicable. Help and support: NCPGambling.org, call 1-800-GAMBLER.