Every summer, hundreds of thousands of people make the pilgrimage to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for one of the most celebrated meets in the world of horse racing. If you’re one of the lucky fans who’s about to make the trip to “The Spa” – and especially if you’re a first-timer – you’re probably wondering what else there is to see and do around Saratoga aside from the racetrack. While I’ve visited more than dozen times over the years, I knew if I was going to write this article I needed to find a true local, someone who knows Saratoga inside and out.
Category: Horse Racing News
ABR Sunday Selections: Full-Card Picks for Opening Sunday at Saratoga
Every Sunday Noel Michaels will provide free full-card picks for a one racecard in North America. A veteran handicapper and tournament-play pioneer, Michaels also writes a weekly “Weekend Winners” blog for America’s Best Racing with a focus on key stakes races at marquee tracks. This feature will be straight-forward: full-card picks for one Sunday slate of races of his choosing.
Frank Whiteley: ‘The Fox of Laurel’ and Trainer of Champions
As difficult to comprehend as it might be for someone living at a time when statistics have become an obsession, there’s no way of telling exactly how many races trainer Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. won in his career. Numbers, though, are probably the least effective way of measuring the quality of his work and the tremendous respect he gained during the 48 years he spent caring for the horses in his barn.
Top Trainers, Jockeys for the 2026 Saratoga Meet and the Best Spots to Bet Them
The Saratoga Race Course summer racing season attracts the best horses and horsemen, not only from New York but from everywhere. Trainers from many circuits point their best horses to Saratoga, and the competition for winners is stiffer at “The Spa” than it is anywhere else. Which trainers and jockeys will lead the way and make hay for handicappers at the 2026 Saratoga summer meet? Let’s take a closer look. Saratoga’s Top Trainers
