*(saratoga’s northern lights)
THE CITY. THE CULTURE. THE LIFE. JULY/ AUGUST
“It
JESSICA LEONARD PAINTS THE WINNER’S CIRCLE BRETT BECKWITH, HARNESS RACING’S NEXT SUPERSTAR AROUND THE TRACK WITH BUGLERS TONY AND CARSON GAMBARO & AFTER THE RACE: DANGO’S IS NOW THE WILD HORSE the races!
SARATOGA 2024: 5 HORSES TO WATCH
BRIEN BOUYEA
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8 Butler Place Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518.294.4390
Volume 26, No. 4
The Races 2024
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Abby Tegnelia CEO
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kathleen Gates
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT Natalie Moore
SENIOR DESIGNER Linda Gates
SPORTS EDITOR Brien Bouyea
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Dori Fitzpatrick
EDITOR AT LARGE Susan Gates
WRITERS
Vanessa Geneva Ahern, Natalli Amato Lisa Arcella, Chris Carola, Jeff Dingler, Teresa Genaro Tom Pedulla, Kathleen Willcox
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Morgan Campbell, Francesco D’Amico, Samantha Decker Elizabeth Haynes, G. Sonny Hughes, Hannah Kuznia, Shawn LaChapelle Rachel Lanzi, Konrad Odhiambo, Nate Seitelman, Alex Zhang
Annette Quarrier DIRECTOR OF SALES
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER Tina Galante
PUBLISHER, CAPITAL REGION LIVING Teresa Frazer
SALES DIRECTOR, CAPITAL REGION LIVING Tara Buffa
ART DIRECTOR, MARKETING Steve Teabout
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Terese Russell
SALES ASSISTANT Tracy Momrow
SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Rachael Rieck
Anthony R. Ianniello
CHAIR
Abby Tegnelia PRESIDENT/CEO
Tina Galante
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Our very first (and second to last, as of now!) Belatoga has come and gone, and what a thrill it was. Now we’re staring down our regular summer track season—and we’re here to celebrate it with a jampacked issue. Join us!
We often photograph our track issue cover at Belmont Park, or wherever our cover star is working the month or so before our deadline. But with the Belmont in Saratoga this year, we were able to grab our cover subject, Joel Rosario, between races right at our own Saratoga Race Course. Rosario will be inducted into the horse racing Hall of Fame on Aug. 2—the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s Brien Bouyea covers that and more in his profile on Joel (p. 40). Brien also picked out five horses to watch this season (p. 50) and five important races you might not know as well as the Whitney or Travers (p. 30).
We also check in with Saratoga’s father-son bugler duo (p. 26), the new racing platform that enabled some 2,500 owners to win the Preakness at 9-1 odds (p. 28), an entrepreneur making jockey silks right here in the Spa City (p. 54), and a rising star in harness racing (p. 56).
Leaving the track, we also covered some of the amazing things happening in Saratoga’s arts world. John Legend hits SPAC for his first-ever performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra (p. 60), and an artist with a vibrant, clever take on “The Winner's Circle” heads to Spa Fine Art (p. 46).
And finally, back to the Belmont, with a look at all of the hoopla surrounding its run in Saratoga this year (p. 20), including photos submitted by our readers. Everyone looks fabulous!
It was so great to have a four-day horse racing teaser with the Belmont here, and it will be just as wonderful to enjoy our regular summer season—the one we know and love.
See you at the track!
ABBY TEGNELIA CEO @abbytegnelia
info@saratogaliving.com
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By now, we’re more than a month removed from the Belatoga (the Belmont at Saratoga, obviously). But the fervor surrounding the Spa City’s first-ever Triple Crown race and the enormity of the occasion (at which 17-1 underdog Dornoch upset a respectable field that included both of this year’s other Triple Crown race winners) warranted— no, demanded—some real estate in our annual track issue.
If you’re looking to fully relive the excitement of Belmont week, you’ll have to head to our Substack newsletter (read more on p. 104), which essentially offered a day-by-day play-by-play of what was happening on and off the track during the second weekend of June. But for those of you who missed it, let us recap. On Wednesday evening, Saratoga shut down Broadway for a concert—headlined by Blues Traveler— for the first time ever. Racing kicked off the following afternoon, and while Thursday drew a fairly small crowd, the track only got busier until Saturday, when 50,000 people (or were there more?)
bye-bye, belmont (from top) Dornoch winning the Belmont in a 17-1 upset; jockey Luis Saez hoists the August Belmont Trophy in the winner's circle; (opposite) readersubmitted photos from the Belmont Racing Festival at Saratoga.
filled the track’s storied grounds to witness history in the making.
Bars in the backyard ran out of vodka, rumors swirled about Post Malone being in town, track-goers donned their Saturday’s best, and two locals even found their way into the winner’s circle with MLB All-Star and Dornoch owner Jayson Werth. The collective excitement and novelty of it all was like nothing we’ve experienced in Saratoga before.
But most notably, the Belmont being hosted at Saratoga gave us a little taste—a horse racing amuse bouche, if you will—of what was to come later on in the summer. While Belmont was certainly a weekend to remember, there’s no denying that the vibes at the track weren’t quite what we’re used to. Being a stop on the Triple Crown was a blast. And we couldn’t be happier that the regularly scheduled Saratoga season has returned.
—NATALIE MOORE
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SARATOGA CANDY CO., which opened in 1998, is family owned and operated and stays stocked with candies and 16 flavors of homemade fudge. First located at 5 Washington Street, it has now moved right around the corner to 353 Broadway. The store is known for its truffles and all the nostalgic candy you grew up with. For the perfect Saratoga souvenir or gift, try the shop’s signature horse-shaped chocolates or spring water taffy. Saratoga Candy Co. is open all summer 10am-8pm Monday-Saturday and 11am-5pm on Sundays. Stop in and say hi!
353 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS ● 518.580.0499 saratogasweets.com
With the Saratoga racing season quickly approaching, you simply have to stop in NEW 2 YOU Fine Consignment Boutique! Located in Ballston Spa, the shop has been supporting Saratoga County with gently worn, brand-name designer clothing and accessories for men and women for more than 15 years. Whether you’re looking for track attire, summer dresses or jeans, New 2 You has it. With a wide selection of designer handbags, shoes and accessories, New 2 You is ready to dress you from head to toe.
2100 DOUBLEDAY AVENUE, BALLSTON SPA 518.885.4040 ● new2youfineconsignment.com
If you haven’t already checked out BOBBLES & LACE, one of Broadway’s hottest new boutiques, it’s high time you pop in. The staff prides itself on offering high fashion at affordable price points—everything from workday wardrobe essentials to statement pieces for a day at the races. Beyond carrying a carefully curated selection of shoes, accessories, jewelry, jeans, tops, jackets and dresses, Bobbles & Lace aims to offer an empowering and comfortable experience where every woman can have the confidence she deserves.
322 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.932.1287
bobblesandlace.com
Whether you’re a serious chef in search of your next favorite knife or a casual cook on the hunt for a kitchen gadget that will make weeknight dinners even easier, look no further than COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF, a small-but-mighty kitchenware store that’s been serving Saratoga Springs since 2002. Stop by the Railroad Place shop to pick up everyday culinary tools, have your knives sharpened, or browse the store’s impressive selection of cooking and baking innovations. Remember: Life happens in the kitchen.
33 RAILROAD PLACE, SUITE 104, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.226.4477 ● saratogachef.com
Unique gift-giving is always in season at CRAFTERS GALLERY! Nestled in the heart of Saratoga Springs, Crafters Gallery delights locals and visitors alike with distinctive gifts, art and custom framing services. Conversation pieces await around every corner! Stop in to shop for clothing for men, women and children, plus jewelry, accessories, fascinators, Saratoga memorabilia, artisan-crafted products, home décor, customizable signs and an extensive selection of framed and unframed artwork and prints. For every reason and season… Shop Crafters Gallery, Saratoga.
427 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.583.2435 ● craftersgallerysaratoga.com
There’s a reason FRIVOLOUS BOUTIQUE has been around for 19 years—the Broadway boutique, a favorite amongst locals and tourists alike, is one of the best places in town to shop fun, festive fashion. Whether you’re looking for an attentiongrabbing track dress, the perfect purse for brunch with the girls, or that missing accessory to complete your gala look, Frivolous has it, and the store’s experienced staff can’t wait to help you look your best.
385 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS frivolousgal.com ● @frivolous_boutique
BELLA V BOUTIQUE carries ageless clothing for the everyday woman. The Broadway shop prides itself on its curated selection of dresses you won’t find anywhere else (a new collection is released every Friday) as well as jeans with amazing stretch. The best part? When you walk into the store, you’re treated like a friend, and will get honest advice given with your personal style and comfort in mind. As an added service, the team also provides one-on-one personal styling packages.
441 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.608.4199 ● bellavboutiqueandstyling.com
photography by SAMANTHA DECKER
Here’s a sight very few Saratogians have seen: the northern lights over the Oklahoma Training Track. This unlikely photograph was snapped by horse-lover and photographer Samantha Decker on the evening of May 10, when the aurora borealis (more typically spotted in areas such as the Arctic region and Northern Canada) put on a light show visible from as far south as Alabama.
“It was about 9:45pm, and I was scrolling through X,” Decker says. “I kept seeing all these posts about the northern lights being visible throughout the US. I checked my Aurora app, which tells me the likelihood of being able to see northern lights, and it said I had a 91 percent chance of seeing them.”
With clouds threatening to move in, Decker drove a mile to the Oklahoma and got what she’d hoped for: a sky lit up with purple and green. (Cameras and cell phones are better at capturing light than the naked eye, which is why so many of us missed the phenomenon.) “The sky looked amazing,” she says. “I stayed for about 45 minutes trying to capture the ever-changing colors and intensities.”
—NATALIE MOORE
MUSICAL FATHER-SON DUO TONY AND CARSON GAMBARO HAVE REPRISED THE ROLE OF THE SARATOGA RACE COURSE BUGLER TO GREAT FANFARE. LITERALLY. n BY
NATALIE MOORE
Before the 2022 Saratoga racing meet, NYRA found itself in a bit of a predicament. About a week before opening day, legendary bugler Sam Grossman, who’d played the “Call to Post” at Saratoga Race Course for some 25 years, backed out due to health
concerns. Luckily, Grossman didn’t leave NYRA completely high and dry. He put in a call to his friend, Saratoga Lake resident and trumpeter Tony Gambaro, to see if he’d take over the iconic role: red vest, bowtie, top hat… the works. Gambaro considered the ask and said yes on one condition: He’d do it only if his son, fellow
trumpeter and college student Carson, was involved, too.
While the initial stipulation was logistical—Tony couldn’t commit to all 40 days of the Saratoga meet and needed Carson to cover for him—it turned into a PR boon for NYRA. At a last-minute venue walkthrough the day before the track opened for the season, NYRA’s press team had each trumpeter play the “Call to Post” solo. Then, just for fun, they had them play it together. “Mark Bardack from Ed Lewi Associates said ‘I don’t need to hear or see another thing,’” Tony says. “‘I need both of your cell phone numbers. Be here at 6 in the morning for interviews with channels 6, 10 and 13.’ It just exploded.”
Two years later, Tony and Carson have made the Saratoga bugler post(s) more popular than ever, in large part thanks to the work they put in
on beat “I’ve been entertaining people my entire life,” Saratoga bugler Tony Gambaro says. “And this kid right here? My wife was six months pregnant with him standing in front of speakers at Siro’s. He’s heard the beat his whole life.”
between races. While they need to be in the winner’s circle before every race to perform a certain 34 notes, they spend the rest of their day running around the track playing all sorts of tunes—“Happy Birthday” for a party in the 1863 Club, The Godfather song as a joke for some guy’s buddy from New Jersey, or a college alma mater for a horse owner and his friends. (Yes, they learned a college alma mater with only a day’s notice.) And while some days you’ll see only one of them at the track, more often than not, they’re performing together.
In fact, Tony and Carson are usually together, even off the track. When Carson isn’t announcing high school track meets (he recently graduated with a broadcasting degree from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and dreams of announcing track and field events at the Olympic level), he’s either helping his dad out with his boat detailing business or performing with him in the Ten Most Wanted Band, whose busy season just so happens to align with the Saratoga racing season. “The hardest part about working together,” Carson says, “is him having to get me out of bed to get to the track.”
For Tony, the track gig is a job, but it’s also an opportunity to spend quality time with his son. “He busts my chops here and there, and I tell him not to walk in front of me—it’s a pecking order,” Tony jokes. “We just have a lot of fun with people. People at the track are happy to begin with. We’re just making them happier.”
grey expectations Despite being a 9-1 longshot, Seize the Grey triumphed at the Preakness. Now a Grade 1 winner, the son of Arrogate should eventually retire handsomely as a stallion, and each of his 2,570 owners will get a slice of his sale price; (inset) the MyRacehorse team celebrates Grey’s Preakness win with some of his owners.
WINNER’S CIRCLE
HE DIDN’T WIN A SECOND TRIPLE CROWN JEWEL, BUT PREAKNESS CHAMPION AND FAN FAVORITE SEIZE THE GREY WAS A CRUCIAL PART OF THE PRE-BELMONT HOOPLA.
BY ABBY TEGNELIA
It was exhilarating watching 17-1 longshot Dornoch win the Belmont Stakes in front of a sold-out crowd of 50,000, but leading up to the big race there was no question that a different horse was stirring up the most excitement around town.
Yup, Seize the Grey—with his 2,570 micro-share owners—was the handsdown crowd favorite.
“It was so exciting to watch Seize the Grey run in The Belmont Stakes,” says Saratogian and micro-share owner Deborah Durso, who watched the race
in the 1863 club with her husband, Stephen. “It’s been such an exciting experience, and seeing him here later this summer should be fantastic.”
Like all of Grey’s owners, Durso bought in via MyRacehorse, an ownership platform that allows horse racing fans to buy shares of a racehorse for as little as just under $100 (Seize the Grey was $127). After you commit, the app sends you constant news items and behind-the-scenes tidbits on your horse, including real-time updates on race days, revving up excitement and creating a connection. There are even app-exclusive excursions such as private tours of training grounds, meaning that many of Grey’s owners had met him prior to the Triple Crown races.
“These owners bought Seize the Grey at Fasig-Tipton two years ago when he was a yearling,” says MyRacehorse strategist Shona Rotondo. “So they bought him as a baby and watched him grow up as he went through the training process and learned how to be a racehorse. He ran his first race and it was kind of impressive, and then he broke his maiden and you’re like, ‘Oh my
God, I think I have a good horse here.’”
After Grey won the Preakness, so many owners traveled to Saratoga for the Belmont that a pre-party at The Night Owl sold out in 30 minutes. Devoted fans such as Saratogian Sue Jeffreys went to morning workouts every single day for an “I love you!” ritual for both Grey and his training rider whom they know by name (Miguel). And there was some angst about who’d go to the Winner’s Circle if he won after NYRA declined to create a contingency plan for the more than 400 owners at the track that day.
Even though in the end Grey didn’t win, place or show, his legion of microowners remain wide-eyed.
“It’s been a rollercoaster because sometimes he didn’t do so well, and then he came back and ran really well again,” Rotondo says of Grey. “Then to go on to win a Grade 2 race on Kentucky Derby Day, then go on to win the Preakness, and then to have a shot at winning another Triple Crown race…it was absolutely mind-blowing—the stuff dreams are made of.”
BY BRIEN BOUYEA
The New York Racing Association will play host to a whopping 71 stakes races this summer at Saratoga Race Course with a combined $20.75 million up for grabs in those events. While most casual racing fans have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the iconic Spa races such as the Travers, Whitney and Alabama, there are dozens of stakes races at the legendary track with rich and interesting histories. Here is a closer look at five noteworthy Saratoga stakes on the loaded 2024 schedule:
A.P. Smithwick Memorial Stakes (steeplechase)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 17
Grade 1, $150,000
For ages 4 and up, 2⅜ miles on the turf
Named in honor of legendary jump jockey Alfred Patrick “Paddy” Smithwick, the race is one of two Grade 1 jump events at Saratoga (the Johnathan Sheppard is the
call him paddy Alfred
Patrick “Paddy” Smithwick; (top) War Like Goddess; (right) Whirlaway; (far right) Maskette.
other). Smithwick won 398 races in his career, ranking second of all time behind fellow Hall of Famer Joe Aitcheson. The race in his honor was first held in 1980, but it didn’t become a stakes race until 1996. It has since been won by several top
steeplechasers, including Campanile and Divine Fortune, both two-time winners.
SUNDAY, AUG. 4
Listed, $150,000
For ages 4 and up, 1¾ miles First contested in 2011, the Birdstone Stakes is a rare throwback to the days when distance racing was the rule instead of the exception. Several top trainers have enjoyed success in the Birdstone, including Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, who has won the race a record six times. Hall of Fame jockeys Javier Castellano and John Velazquez have four and three wins, respectively, in the Birdstone. Trained by Hall of Famer Nick Zito for Marylou Whitney, Birdstone broke his maiden in his 2003 career debut at Saratoga and returned the following summer to win the track’s biggest prize—the Travers. (Flip the page for more on Birdstone.)
SATURDAY, AUG. 10
Grade 2, $200,000
For 2-year-olds, 6½ furlongs
Since 1901, the Saratoga Special has been a popular juvenile fixture at the Spa. Its winners include Hall of Fame legends such as Colin, Roamer, Regret, Top Flight, Whirlaway and Native Dancer. An interesting element of the race’s history is the fact that until 1959 the winner of the race received the entire purse under winner-takes-all conditions. Along with the
Sanford and Hopeful, the Saratoga Special is one of the three key stakes for 2-year-old males at the Spa. Regret (1914), Campfire (1916), Dehere (1993), and City Zip (2000) are the only horses to have won all three.
SATURDAY, AUG. 31
Grade 2, $500,000
For fillies and mares ages 4 and up, 1⅜ miles on turf
For much of its history (1978 through 2020), the Flower Bowl was contested at Belmont Park; it shifted to Saratoga in 2021. The race has been won by legends such as Waya, Just a Game, Riskaverse, Stephanie’s Kitten, Lady Eli and War Like Goddess. Trainer Chad Brown has dominated this event in recent years, winning it seven times since 2011. The race’s namesake was a popular 1950s filly trained by Hall of Famer Preston Burch for Brookmeade Stable.
SATURDAY, AUG. 31
Grade 1, $300,000
For 2-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs
One of Saratoga’s oldest races, the Spinaway, which dates back to 1881, is named after a remarkable filly who won seven races—all against males—as a 2-year-old in 1880. Her legacy was cut short, however, when she suffered a foot injury and had to be retired early in her sophomore year. The Spinaway has been won by Hall of Famers such as Miss Woodford, Maskette, Top Flight, Cicada, Ruffian and Ashado.
Wednesday, July 31 | Tchaikovsky Spectacular
Thursday, August 1 | Rhapsody in Blue Celebrates 100
Friday, August 2 | Angélique Kidjo with The Philadelphia Orchestra
Saturday, August 3 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert
Wednesday, August 7 | An Evening With John Legend
Thursday, August 8 | Yannick Conducts An Alpine Symphony
Friday, August 9 | An Evening of Brahms with Fabio Luisi
Saturday, August 10 | Carmina burana
Wednesday, August 14 | Gil Shaham Performs Bates
Thursday, August 15 | Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony
Friday, August 16 | Yo-Yo Ma Plays Dvořák
Saturday, August 17 | Disney’s The Lion King in Concert
BY BRIEN BOUYEA
I’ve been fortunate to have been at Saratoga Race Course for several extraordinary editions of the Travers Stakes. Holy Bull’s gutsy victory in 1994…Point Given rolling like a chestnut freight
train in 2001…the historic Alpha/Golden Ticket dead heat in 2012…Keen Ice stunning American Pharoah in 2015 (another one for the Graveyard of Favorites)…Arrogate running a hole in the wind in his record-setting
night rider Thanks to an immaculately timed storm on Travers Day 2004, Birdstone thundered down the stretch in darkness to win the Midsummer Derby.
2016 Midsummer Derby. The list goes on and on.
But for me, there is one renewal of the Travers that stands alone. Has it really been 20 years since Saratoga icon Marylou Whitney won the Spa’s greatest race with her homebred colt Birdstone, trained by Hall of Famer Nick Zito and ridden by Hall of Famer Edgar Prado? The procession of time says it is so.
What made the day and the story of Birdstone so special? Twelve weeks prior to the 2004 Travers, Birdstone was anything but racing’s darling. In front of 120,000 fans at Belmont Park, the son of Grindstone deflated the record crowd when he denied the popular champion Smarty Jones the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes at odds of 36-1. The gracious Whitney, realizing what a Triple Crown would have meant to the sport, even apologized for her horse’s victory.
Three months later, spooky clouds blackened the late-summer afternoon sky as the 135th running of the Travers unfolded. The moment Birdstone crossed the finish line for a 2½-length victory in near darkness, a wild thunderstorm roared through the track. Birdstone and his connections were drenched during the winner’s circle presentation, but the triumph was a sweet one for Whitney. Birdstone’s Belmont win could no longer be considered a fluke, as some had suggested.
“This is a dream come true,” Whitney said. “I think the gods came out and did this to sort of congratulate him.”
The moment was surreal and special. As one of the 48,894 in attendance that day, I can attest to both, but it was Prado who best put the 2004 Travers result into words.
“There was thunder in the sky,” he said, “and thunder in my horse.”
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KNOWN FOR HIS STRENGTH, INTELLIGENCE AND COOL DEMEANOR, JOEL ROSARIO HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL JOCKEYS OF THE 21ST CENTURY. THIS SUMMER, HE WILL ADD THE TITLE HALL OF FAMER TO HIS EXTENSIVE LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS.
By Brien Bouyea
through the mud
Joel Rosario will never forget his first visit to Saratoga Race Course. In August 2010, the young jockey arrived at the Spa to ride Blind Luck in the historic Alabama Stakes in a race that would turn out to be one of the most memorable editions of the filly classic ever. Rosario, 25 at the time and emerging as the dominant jockey on the California circuit, made all the correct decisions that day to help Blind Luck defeat the sensational Havre de Grace in a thriller.
It was nothing short of a dramatic, cinematic win: Even Blind Luck’s trainer, Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, was concerned about the race’s pace as it unfolded, but Rosario demonstrated his uncanny sense of timing. With Blind Luck five lengths behind the leader and last through six furlongs of the 1¼-mile contest, Rosario sat chilly. The time splits, which Hollendorfer called “a little worrisome,” weren’t conducive to a late closer like Blind Luck. Rosario, however, knew when to push the button. “I was very, very comfortable where I was,” he says. “I was expecting
sir bet (clockwise from top left) Rosario after winning the 2019 Belmont aboard Sir Winston; after winning the 2022 Longines Test; with trainer Bill Mott at Saratoga; with owner Richard Santulli; with trainer Gary Sciacca; (opposite) Rosario on the track in Saratoga.
a pretty slow pace, but I sat in behind them and watched.”
John Velazquez, riding Devil May Care, got his filly into the clear on the turn for home so he could set her down for the stretch run. But Rosario simultaneously turned Blind Luck loose and had her rolling on the far outside as the field straightened into the stretch. The sense of when to pull the trigger is essential for a jockey—and few do it at the elite level of Rosario.
“I kind of warned Joel that Johnny was going to try to open up on him a little bit at the head of the lane,” Hollendorfer says. “He watched for that a little bit and moved a little earlier. It was probably a good thing that he did.”
While Devil May Care weakened, Blind Luck surged. Under the strong and confident handling of Rosario, she took the lead at the sixteenth pole and passed the wire a neck ahead of Havre de Grace. That triumph—in front of a crowd of 30,852—was Saratoga’s first glimpse of a superstar in the making.
“I had never been to Saratoga before that Alabama, but I knew the reputation of the track for being so great, and it definitely is,” Rosario says. “I knew right away it was a special place and that the racing was amazing. The fans really support it. I’ve been lucky to have had a lot of great experiences at Saratoga.”
That first exemplary ride is the sort that Rosario has executed with regularity throughout his career, during which he’s remained enamored with Saratoga. Fittingly, he’ll be inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in the middle of the Saratoga meet, on Aug. 2.
“I loved playing baseball growing up. It was my passion and I was pretty good, but I didn’t get that growth spurt that everyone else around me did. I had to find a different dream, a different path.”
As a child, however, the athlete had his sights set on a very different Hall of Fame.
While growing up in the Dominican Republic, Rosario dreamed of becoming the Caribbean nation’s next great baseball player. Maybe someday he’d hit tape-measure home runs like David Ortiz and Vladimir Guerrero or fire blazing fastballs like Juan Marichal and Pedro Martinez, all Dominican-born ballplayers whose careers led them to the Baseball Hall of Fame. But by the time he hit his teenage years, Rosario had accepted the reality that he simply didn’t have the ideal physical traits needed to make his diamond aspirations a reality.
“I loved playing baseball growing up,” he says. “It was my passion and I was pretty good, but I didn’t get
that growth spurt that everyone else around me did. I had to find a different dream, a different path.”
That new path led Rosario to the racetrack, where the athleticism and strength he possessed in his small frame proved to be an ideal combination. Born in San Francisco de Macoris in 1985, Rosario was introduced to racing by his brother, Juan, at the Quinto Centenario Racetrack in Santo Domingo. At the age of 12, with parental consent, Rosario began a two-year program at his country’s jockey school. He proved to be a quick learner and was riding in races at 14. Within a year, Rosario was the leading rider at Quinto Centenario.
“We had horses on the farm where I grew up,” Rosario says. “I enjoyed
being around them. It felt natural to me when I started riding and I just loved it. There’s no feeling like riding a racehorse. It’s just incredible.”
After dominating the jockey standings for five years at Quinto Centenario, Rosario moved to California in 2006 with the help of Dominican trainer and bloodstock agent Herbert Soto. He started out at the Los Angeles County Fair at Fairplex Park, then headed north to compete at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields. Rosario had moderate success in his first year in America, winning 29 races from 219 mounts.
“It was all about learning when I first got to California,” Rosario says. “There were ups and downs. I just had to stay patient, be focused, work hard…try to get better every day.”
Rosario’s rise was meteoric. He rode 1,024 races in 2007, winning 154 (15 percent). His first graded wins came the following year when he increased his win total to 193. Rosario piloted five winners on a single card at Hollywood Park in 2008, including the Grade 3 Native Diver Handicap aboard Slew’s Tizzy for trainer Doug O’Neill. After his final mount at Hollywood that day, Rosario went straight to Puerto Rico to ride the colt Sicótico in the Clásico del Caribe (Caribbean Derby). Sicótico, bred in the Dominican Republic, had won that country’s Triple Crown earlier in the year and took a 16-race win streak into the Clásico del Caribe.
With Rosario aboard, Sicótico closed late for a 1½-length victory. It was the first time a Dominican-bred horse won the prestigious race and a proud moment for Rosario, who was given the mount by Dominican trainer Eugenio Deschamps.
“That was a special experience,” Rosario says. “Winning a race like that for my country and a trainer who really supported me early in my career meant a lot and was a great honor. I’m very grateful I had the opportunity.”
desired a new challenge. He hired Ron Anderson as his agent and moved his tack to New York in 2012.
“I love California, but I wanted some different opportunities and going to New York was the best decision for me,” Rosario says. “The timing was right to make the move. I’ve been with Ron for about 12 years now and it’s been great. I’ve had amazing experiences and been very lucky to ride great horses for many great trainers.”
“I put in a lot of hard work because I want to be the best I can for all the trainers and owners who believe in me, and I really try to take good care of the horses,” Rosario says. “The horses always give you everything they have and it’s only right that I do the same. I study the [past performances], get as much information as I can from the trainers, and really try to get to know the horses and make them feel comfortable with me. The horses have to trust you. The horse always comes first.”
Through the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, Rosario had ridden 3,623 winners with purse earnings of $320 million. Only Hall of Famers Velazquez, Javier Castellano and Mike Smith have higher career earnings. When given the news of his election to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, Rosario said it is an honor he is both proud of and obligated to share.
Rosario was just getting started. He won his first Breeders’ Cup race in 2009 at Santa Anita in the Sprint aboard Dancing in Silks for trainer Carla Gaines at odds of 25-1. Rosario rode 284 winners that year with his mounts earning more than $13 million.
“Winning that first Breeders’ Cup race was big for me,” Rosario says. “It’s the championship event and it gave me a lot of confidence as I was building momentum.”
From 2009 through 2011, Rosario won six consecutive meet riding titles at Hollywood Park. During that period, he also won three titles at Del Mar and two at Santa Anita. But instead of being content with his status as the king of the California tracks, Rosario
Rosario’s career went to another level after the move. He won the $10 million Dubai World Cup in 2013 with Animal Kingdom for trainer Graham Motion and that year’s Kentucky Derby with Orb for Hall of Fame conditioner Shug McGaughey. He won the Belmont Stakes the next year with Tonalist for Christophe Clement and piloted a second Belmont winner, Sir Winston, in 2019 for Hall of Famer Mark Casse. Rosario has also continued to thrive at the Breeders’ Cup: His 15 wins in the event include two editions of the Classic. Rosario’s 2021 Classic victory with Horse of the Year Knicks Go for Brad Cox was the cherry on top of his best year to date. He led all North American riders in earnings with $32,956,215 and was voted the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey.
“You can’t do it alone,” he says. “You have to make the right decisions when you are on the horse, but so many people have helped me in my career and given me the opportunities. I’m very thankful for that and of course thankful for all the horses. Horses have given me everything.”
Other than while planning his speech and on induction day, Rosario says he won’t spend much time reminiscing about the achievement. There will be a time for that sort of reflection eventually, but at only age 39, Rosario is entrenched in his prime and among the upper echelon in his profession.
“It’ll be amazing to be in the Hall of Fame with so many great jockeys that I admire, but I will still have to work as hard as I always have if I want to keep doing well,” Rosario says. “That won’t change. My approach will stay the same. I love to ride and compete with the best. I hope to be able to do it for a long time. I’ve been very blessed.”
“The horses always give you everything they have and it’s only right that I do the same. The horses have to trust you. The horse always comes first.”
AFTER GIVING UP PAINTING TO START A FAMILY, ARTIST JESSICA LEONARD IS BACK WITH HER SECOND SOLO EXHIBITION—FEATURING HER ICONIC CIRCULAR HORSE PAINTINGS—AT SPA FINE ART.
By Jeff Dingler
round and round Jessica Leonard’s paintings “Skies of Beige” and (opposite) “Amalgamate.”
Life oftentimes comes full circle. That’s the case for Orange County–based painter Jessica Leonard, who grew up near Saratoga Springs and still comes back every summer to paint. And this track season, she’s having a bit of a moment, with an exclusive solo exhibition at Spa Fine Art Gallery July 26-Sept. 2. “The Winner’s Circle” exhibit celebrates equine culture with paintings on unique circular surfaces that have become Leonard’s signature style.
“I love exploring composition and seeing how different something can look on a circle than on traditional surfaces,” says Leonard, who went to South Glens Falls High School. “Growing up, I would walk through Spa Fine Art and think, ‘Oh my god, this is so amazing.’ Now I’ll walk by there and see my paintings in the window or on the walls.”
The exhibition, which opens with an elegant evening reception on July 26, evolved from Leonard meditating on connections between a winner’s circle and her round paintings. “The Winner’s Circle” will showcase many of her newer works: vibrant, photorealistic horse portraits on circular surfaces of varying sizes. A rising star in the local arts community, this is Leonard’s second solo exhibition at Spa Fine Art; she also recently sold out of her wildlife collection at Lake Placid’s upscale Gallery 46.
The sudden success is well-earned. Leonard has a fine arts degree from SUNY Plattsburgh, but after graduation—like so many—she meandered away from painting into work, marriage and raising kids. Years passed before the homegrown artist found her way back to painting. “As my kids got a little older, I was drawn to doing something else,” says Leonard. “A lot of people in my life at that time, including my husband, didn’t know the extent of my artistic ability.”
Leonard started at craft fairs and by doing local commissions, including lots of pet portraiture. She got into painting horses after depicting famous Thoroughbreds for CAPTAIN Community Human Services’ annual summer gala in Saratoga. “That was my ‘in,’ into horse racing, and I started painting the horses every year for CAPTAIN,” says Leonard. It also became her “in” at Spa Fine Art, where she’s displayed work since 2018. “It blows me away that I used to go there and look up to the artists,” Leonard says. Now I’m one of them.” Talk about being in the winner’s circle.
since
(OUTSIDE THE 3-YEAR-OLD MALE DIVISION)
By Brien Bouyea
It’s understandable that the 3-year-old male horse division traditionally takes center stage at Saratoga Race Course. Following the Triple Crown series, the focus of the sport’s marquee division shifts to the Spa for the prestigious Travers Stakes and its local prep, the Jim Dandy Stakes. That will certainly be the case once again this summer with the strong likelihood the Triple Crown race winners—Mystik Dan (Kentucky Derby), Seize the Grey (Preakness Stakes), and Dornoch (Belmont Stakes)— and several other top contenders in the sophomore male ranks will target the Midsummer Derby on Aug. 24. While the 3-year-old males will get considerable attention at Saratoga, there will be numerous other superstars in town this summer for major stakes engagements. Here are five standouts outside the glamour division with the potential to make some big headlines during the upcoming 40-day meeting:
Kenny McPeek became the first trainer since Hall of Famer Ben Jones in 1952 to win both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby in the same year when Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan pulled off the Oaks/Derby double this spring. The filly will be pointed to the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama Stakes, and perhaps the Travers—if the circumstances are right. She has won all three of her starts this year and will come into the Saratoga meeting off a dominant win in the Acorn Stakes on Belmont day.
“She’s going to run in the Coaching Club and Alabama,” McPeek said of Thorpedo Anna. “We may nominate her to the Travers, but I think it’s more likely that Mystik Dan will come back in the Travers. She’ll stay in the filly division at this point.”
The 2023 Preakness Stakes winner also has Grade 1 wins this year in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park
idiomatic supersonic (clockwise, from top) Idiomatic winning the Personal Ensign by four lengths; Randomized is 3 for 3 on the Spa dirt; National Treasure winning the Metropolitan on Belmont day; (opposite) Cogburn is fresh off a win in the Jaipur on Belmont day.
and the Metropolitan Handicap, the latter in dominant fashion on Belmont day at Saratoga. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said National Treasure will next be pointed to the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 3 following his 6¼-length romp in the Met Mile.
Trained by two-time Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox for the mighty Juddmonte operation, the 5-year-old Curlin mare is the reigning Eclipse Award winner for Champion Older Dirt Female. She boasts a remarkable career record of 10-2-2 from 14 starts and has earned $3.1 million. At Saratoga in 2023, she won by four lengths in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, defeating a loaded field that included champion Nest, Kentucky Oaks winner
Secret Oath, and multiple graded stakes winner Clairiere. Idiomatic won her 2024 debut in the La Troienne at Churchill before finishing second to Randomized in the Ogden Phipps Stakes on Belmont day. An attempt at a Personal Ensign repeat on Travers day will be a high summer priority for the Cox trainee.
One of the top horses in the Chad Brown barn, Randomized has an affinity for Saratoga Race Course, sporting a
Thoughtfully
and door
3-for-3 mark on the Spa dirt. Last summer, the daughter of Nyquist won the Wilton Stakes at Saratoga and followed with a four-length victory in the Grade 1 Alabama. She went on to finish a half-length behind Idiomatic in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita. As a 4-year-old in 2024, Randomized began with a second in the Ruffian before besting Idiomatic in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on Belmont Stakes day at Saratoga. A third showdown with Idiomatic is a strong possibility in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 23.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Cogburn has won five of his past six starts, including Saratoga victories in the Troy Stakes last summer and the Grade 1 Jaipur on Belmont day. Cogburn earned a career-best 111 Beyer Speed Figure and set a North American record of 59.80 seconds for 5½ furlongs on the Mellon turf at Saratoga in his Jaipur win. That victory earned Cogburn a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. His expected next start will be an attempt at a repeat in the Grade 2 Troy on Aug. 2. Cogburn has an overall record of 8-2-0 from 14 starts and has earned $1.2 million.
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Universal Preservation Hall
Universal Preservation Hall
Saratoga Springs, NY
Presentation of
Racing for the Children Dinner and Auction
Saratoga Springs, NY
Honoring
Honoring
Presentation of BCCA Humanitarian Award
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
BCCA Humanitarian Award
Racing for the Children Dinner and Auction
Racing for the Children
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Racing for the Children
Racing for the Children
Racing for the Children Dinner and Auction
Dinner and Auction
Dinner and Auction
Dinner and Auction
Racing for the Children Dinner and Auction
Honoring
Honoring
Racing for the Children Dinner and Auction
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
Honoring
Honoring
Honoring
Universal Preservation Hall
Saratoga Springs, NY
Honoring
Honoring
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
Stuart and Suzanne Grant belmontchildcare.org
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
Stuart and Suzanne Grant belmontchildcare.org
Universal Preservation Hall Saratoga Springs, NY
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
Presentation of
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
Presentation of BCCA Humanitarian Award
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Thursday, August 22, 2024
BCCA Humanitarian Award
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Universal Preservation Hall Saratoga Springs, NY
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Stuart and Suzanne Grant
Stuart and Suzanne Grant
Universal Preservation Hall
Presentation of
Presentation of BCCA Humanitarian Award
Universal Preservation Hall
Universal Preservation Hall Saratoga Springs, NY
Universal Preservation Hall Saratoga Springs, NY
BCCA Humanitarian Award
Saratoga Springs, NY
Universal Preservation Hall Saratoga Springs, NY
Universal Preservation Hall
Saratoga Springs, NY
Presentation of
Presentation of
Presentation of
Saratoga Springs, NY
Presentation of
BCCA Humanitarian Award
BCCA Humanitarian Award
Stuart and Suzanne Grant belmontchildcare.org
Presentation of
belmontchildcare.org
belmontchildcare.org
BCCA Humanitarian Award
Presentation of
BCCA Humanitarian Award
Stuart and Suzanne Grant belmontchildcare.org
BCCA Humanitarian Award
Stuart and Suzanne Grant
Stuart and Suzanne Grant
Stuart and Suzanne Grant Racing for the Children Dinner and Auction
Stuart and Suzanne Grant belmontchildcare.org
BCCA Humanitarian Award
Stuart and Suzanne Grant
Racing for the Children
Stuart and Suzanne Grant
Dinner and Auction
Honoring
belmontchildcare.org
Roy and Gretchen Jackson
the races!
MICHAEL BORISENOK HAS LAUNCHED A NEW VENTURE: SARATOGA SILKS CO .
By Natalie Moore
For most young entrepreneurs, the manufacture of jockey silks—those brightly colored uniforms jockeys wear to indicate which owner they’re riding for in any given race—is probably not top of mind as a potential business opportunity.
But when you own a clothing company and your family owns a Thoroughbred breeding farm, breaking into the obscure business is almost a natural step.
That’s exactly how Saratogian Michael Borisenok came to found Saratoga Silks Co, a company that makes custom silks right here in the Spa City. It all started in 2012, when Borisenok, whose family owns the idyllic Old Tavern Farm overlooking Saratoga Lake, launched GTS Clothing, an activewear brand that originally manufactured overseas. A few years in, he made the decision to bring his manufacturing operation (much) closer to home, and figured out how to do it all—design, cut, sew and ship—in house. He rebranded the company as Greatly & Co., and now sells his madein-Saratoga athleisure online at greatlyandco.com
From all that hands-on work with nylon and spandex, it was a short jump to the world of jockey silks, which—surprise—aren’t made of silk anymore. “With my family being involved with the racing industry and with my experience with small-batch manufacturing, I started to see that there might be an opportunity, or even a need, to better the process for jockey silks for owners,” Borisenok says. “And so I started to dip my toe in two summers ago.”
sew good Michael Borisenok’s Saratoga Silks Co operation utilizes a mix of manufacturing techniques both old (sewing each piece of fabric) and new (screen printing).
Jockey silks are regulated, at least in New York, by the Jockey Club, which has strict rules about what can and can’t go on a silk. (For example, the dots on polka-dotted sleeves should be two-and-a-half inches in diameter, and navy blue is not a permissible color, because it looks too much like black from a distance.) There are some 30,000 silks registered with the Jockey Club, and each new silk design must be different than the rest. First-time silk registration costs $125, and owners must renew their registration annually.
But most of that is out of Borisenok’s hands; the horse owner gets their design approved by the Jockey Club, and then comes to him to create it. What he can control is the speed with which he turns a silk around. “When owners or trainers get word of their horse being in a race at a certain track, it’s not a lot of time [before the actual race],” he says. “What I’m finding is the importance of a quick turnaround. They might have someone running in Saratoga, but then someone might be running in the Finger Lakes, and they need a silk out there within a matter of five days.” Saratoga Silks Co’s standard turnaround time is four to seven days, but Borisenok also offers 48-hour expedited turnaround for such cases.
While you haven’t seen Saratoga Silks Co silks on any Triple Crown winners yet, that doesn’t mean you won’t. (Any last-minute Travers entries out there? Borisenok’s got your jockey covered— literally.) “We’re not necessarily high volume at the moment,” the entrepreneur says. “But we’re at a place now where, whether it’s this summer or the summers that come, we can really create a better experience for everyone.”
brett on it While harness driver Brett
has been racing professionally for only three years, his purse earnings hit the $4 million mark last year.
YOUNG HARNESS DRIVER BRETT BECKWITH IS ALREADY AN UNRIVALED STAR IN SARATOGA HARNESS RACING, BUT THE AMBITIOUS RECORD-BREAKER HAS BIGGER PLANS ON THE HORIZON.
By Teresa Genaro
ver the last year or so, Caitlin Clark has made women’s basketball front-page news, first as a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes, and now as point guard with the Indiana Fever. To fans of horse racing I ask, Is Brett Beckwith the Caitlin Clark of harness racing?
They are virtually the same age (Clark 22, Beckwith 21). They both participate in sports overshadowed by higherprofile, similar competition. They both set eye-catching records.
And the word on the backstretch at Saratoga Harness is that it’s only a matter of time before Beckwith has a national profile as a preeminent driver.
Yet while growing up in Saratoga Springs, Beckwith showed little interest in joining the family business. He played basketball for the Blue Streaks and had an eye on college. the races!
Beckwith grew up at the racetrack; his mother, Melissa, is a prominent trainer, his father Mark a successful driver. And the pedigree goes back even further: Melissa’s father, Jerry Silverman, is a Hall of Fame trainer, her brother a trainer/driver, and Mark’s father and grandfather were both harness horsemen.
“I wanted to study computer science,” he says. “I was a little bit of a nerd.”
Beckwith’s career path shifted one night at the Meadowlands, the preeminent harness track in the United States, located in East Rutherford, NJ.
“I was watching my grandfather [Silverman] who was still training horses at the time,” Beckwith says. “All of a sudden, I fell in love with the sport and wanted to do something more hands-on with the horses. I also wanted to do something in common with my father—when I was growing up we had basketball.”
It was a good call. Beckwith began driving professionally only three years ago, when he was 18, and in 2023 his purse earnings hit the $4 million mark, a remarkable achievement for someone at the start of his career. He also finished second in the drivers standings at Saratoga Harness that year and at the end of May, he topped the local leaderboard with 157 wins from 554 starts for a win percentage of 28.3. In Saratoga alone, he’s earned more than $1 million in purses. In both categories, he’s significantly ahead of his closest rivals.
harness power Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment, the preeminent harness track in the United States, is where Beckwith fell in love with the sport of harness racing; the trainers he drives for expect him to wind up there when—not if—he makes it big.
And when I showed up one warm May afternoon to see the young, record-breaking driver, he had already ridden one of his parents’ horses in a qualifying heat and was two hours away from that day’s post time. The Saturday card was comprised of 13 races—Beckwith was competing in all of them. By the end of the night, he’d racked up three wins, three seconds and a third.
Four of those in-the-money finishes came with horses trained by one of his parents. “They have about 25 horses, and I drive all of them,” Beckwith says. “Sometimes I have to take off to ride a different horse in a race, but most of the time, I try to drive for them.”
He’s in a position to be selective; in addition to his parents, he also chooses to drive for local trainers Jackie Greene and Kevin McDermott—who, in separate conversations, used identical words to describe why Beckwith is so good on their horses.
Says McDermott, who’s been training horses for decades, “He doesn’t panic. He’s patient, and nothing seems to faze him. He just takes it all in stride.”
Greene and her family lived next door to the Beckwiths for a time, and her daughter used to babysit him. “He comes from a family of well-respected horsemen, and he’s so level-
headed and patient,” she says. “That goes a long way, especially on a half-mile track like Saratoga’s.”
Last summer, McDermott’s daughter, Mary, was instrumental in creating an event that packed the stands and the apron at Saratoga Harness. Thoroughbred jockey Flavien Prat, whose father and brother train trotters in France, took on Beckwith in a match race to raise money for local nonprofits.. Beckwith took the tilt, and the event raised $15,000 that was divided between Faith’s House, a low-cost child-care and education facility that serves children of workers on the Saratoga backstretch, and the Franklin Community Center, which provides local residents with a food pantry, after-school programs and distribution center for clothing and household items.
“Brett was 100 percent for it,” says Mary. “He also donated his purse money.”
A horsewoman herself, Mary uses the same language that her father and mother did to describe the young driver. “He is so calm, cool and collected,” she says. “He drives one of our horses, Reign of Honor, and it’s a blessing when he’s on him.”
Another match race is planned for this summer, and the event will undoubtedly once again pack Saratoga Harness with people who don’t ordinarily cross the street from Saratoga Race Course. Beckwith hopes that promotions like this, and premier races like the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Race on July 20, will expand the audience for standardbred races.
“I’m biased,” he says, smiling. “I like it here better than at the Thoroughbred track. There’s only 10 minutes between races, which is better for bettors, and the focus is really on the horses.”
While Beckwith is already a star in the world of harness racing, both McDermotts say it’s only a matter of time before he’s a household name as well.
“Watch out for Brett Beckwith,” says Mary. “He’s going to get bigger and bigger. We’re blessed to have him, but that won’t last. He’s going to go on the Grand Circuit and trainers will snap him up.”
Her father agreed.
“Brett’s got exceptional hands, and he’s going to end up at the Meadowlands and on the Grand Circuit,” he says. “The sky’s the limit for Brett.”
story time In addition to performing some of his greatest hits with the Philadelphia Orchestra, John Legend will share personal stories with the audience at his Aug. 7 show at SPAC.
By Jeff Dingler
This year’s program for Philadelphia Orchestra’s summer residency has again proven legendary—as in John Legendary. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.)
Tickets have been selling fast for EGOT-winning, multi-platinum singer John Legend’s debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC on Aug. 7. An Evening With John Legend–A Night of Songs and Stories with The Philadelphia Orchestra will feature Legend’s greatest hits (think “All of Me,” “Ordinary People” and “Tonight”), fascinating personal stories from his life and career, and selections from his 2022 album Legend. “First of all, he’s such an incredible musician,” says Anthony Parnther, the revered film conductor who will be leading Legend and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Parnther worked with Legend on a similar (and sold-out) show at the Hollywood Bowl, with its orchestra and a full gospel choir. “He’s a terrific pianist, a terrific singer and a terrific storyteller,” says Parnther. “That show we did in LA was a compendium of his life story and background. He told a personal story about his upbringing in the church and details about his family. For instance, I didn’t know his name wasn’t John Legend until he told the audience that his real name was something else.”
Parnther played coy regarding Legend’s actual name (we’re shameless—it’s John Roger Stephens), having worked with a broad coalition of talented and privacy-minded stars, from classical icons like Joshua Bell and Jessye Norman to hip-
Yannick Nézet-Séguin is always busy—he currently serves as artistic director and principal conductor of Montreal’s Orchestre Métropolitain, music director of Metropolitan Opera, and the music and artistic director of Philadelphia Orchestra, which comes to SPAC this July 31-Aug. 17. But this year, he also jumped into Hollywood’s awards season. First up: the Grammys. He stopped by what was hailed the best awards show in years to scoop up one himself, for Best Opera Recording for Blanchard: Champion. (He already had two additional wins and two more nominations under his belt.) Meanwhile, his work as the conducting consultant for the film Maestro led to appearances at the Venice Film Festival, the Montreal International Film Festival, and of course the movie’s flashy LA premiere with stars Bradley Cooper (Leonard Bernstein) and Carey Mulligan (Bernstein’s wife, Felicia Montealegre). The actors even joined Nézet-Séguin at the New York Philharmonic, where Bernstein served as laureate conductor from 1943-1990, for a Q&A and rousing performance of the movie’s soundtrack. Maestro, which follows the great composer Bernstein and his long-suffering wife, was nominated for seven Academy Awards but left empty-handed—not that that stopped Nézet-Séguin from having a glamorous Valentino-bedecked night out with husband Pierre Tourville, in the name of celebrating classical music.
Back in Saratoga, Nézet-Séguin will hit the SPAC stage Aug. 8, to conduct the Philadelphia Orchestra in a SPAC exclusive: Johann Strauss’ An Alpine Symphony, the composer’s powerful ode to nature, and the SPAC premiere of Robert Schumann’s Konzertstück for horns and orchestra.
–ABBY TEGNELIA
code of conduct
Anthony Parnther, who will conduct An Evening With John Legend, has worked on blockbuster films including Dune: Part Two, Oppenheimer and Black Panther; (left) Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin returns to SPAC on Aug. 8.
hop titans such as Wu-Tang Klan and Rihanna. He’s also carved out a reputation as a premier conductor for many big-budget Hollywood films such as Dune: Part Two, Oppenheimer and Black Panther. “Regardless of genre, good and interesting music is good and interesting music,” says Parnther about his broad musical tastes and what drives him. “And getting to work with someone of John’s caliber is very alluring to me as an artist.”
After Legend’s Philadelphia Orchestra debut, Parnther is scheduled to do several cross-country shows with him over the next few months.
In addition to Legend and Parnther, the world-renowned orchestra is bringing an impressive slate of fireworksworthy headliners and performances to SPAC this summer. Highlights include five-time Grammy-
winning singer-songwriter and Renaissance woman Angélique Kidjo (Aug. 2); a 100th anniversary celebration of Gershwin’s world-famous Rhapsody in Blue with the Marcus Roberts Trio (Aug. 1); and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana (Aug. 10), which is returning to SPAC for the first time in more than 15 years, with Albany Pro Musica. And let’s not overlook returning champions such as Yo-Yo Ma (a former cover star of this magazine), who will be playing an evening of moving, Romantic-era music by Dvořák with guest conductor Xian Zhang (Aug. 16). Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick NézetSéguin will also return Aug. 8 to lead a program exclusive to SPAC, featuring Richard Strauss’ An Alpine Symphony (Eine Alpensinfonie), a tone poem celebrating the sublimity of nature, alongside the SPAC premiere of Robert Schumann’s lively Konzertstück for horns and orchestra.
As we said, SPAC’s 2024 season will go down as the stuff of legends.
The
beloved brand’s whimsical and feminine designs will be exclusively available at Piper Boutique through the end of the Saratoga racing season.
This summer, Piper Boutique is bringing a world of whimsical elegance to the season thanks to an exclusive summer pop-up with renowned brand LoveShackFancy. This exclusive partnership makes Piper a must-visit destination for fashion enthusiasts seeking the perfect blend of romantic charm and vintage-inspired style.
It’s really a match made in heaven: Piper is known for its carefully curated collections and trendy aesthetic, while LoveShackFancy is celebrated for its feminine designs and timeless beauty that’s both ethereal and effortlessly chic. Their collaboration is set to captivate shoppers with an array of enchanting pieces that embody the essence of summer, including an extensive selection of LoveShackFancy’s latest collections featuring their signature flowing dresses and playful separates. In short, visitors can expect to be transported into a world of romance and elegance, with each piece designed to evoke the feeling of a sun-drenched summer day.
“The first time I went to the LoveShackFancy flagship store in the Hamptons, years ago, I remember thinking how amazing it would be to bring the brand to Saratoga,” says Piper owner Alessandra Bange-Hall. “Having such an iconic brand choose Piper Boutique to showcase their collection this summer is truly an honor.”
To make her summertime shopping experience even more
memorable, Bange-Hall will be hosting a series of special, in-store events throughout the duration of the pop-up. (It runs through the end of the Saratoga racing season.) Shoppers will have the opportunity to participate in personalized styling sessions, receive an exclusive gift with their purchase, and get the first look at limited-edition items. Whether you’re searching for the perfect outfit for a summer wedding or simply looking to refresh your wardrobe, this pop-up shop is the perfect place to find unique and stunning pieces.
This summer, immerse yourself in the magical world of LoveShackFancy at Piper Boutique. Sure to be one of the retail highlights of track season, you won’t want to miss the chance to explore the beautiful collection in person. Chances are, you’ll find the perfect piece to elevate your Saratoga summer style. ■
LoveShackFancy is a New York–based lifestyle brand founded by Rebecca Hessel Cohen. Inspired by vintage finds and the founder’s love for travel, the brand offers a range of romantic and feminine clothing, accessories, and home décor items, and is celebrated for its intricate details, whimsical prints and timeless elegance. Mark your calendars and prepare to be enchanted by the Piper Boutique x LoveShackFancy summer pop-up shop— where timeless romance meets modern fashion.
With an updated, glimmering new look and the addition of chic clothing items at affordable prices Broadway’s Mind, Body, Spirit Shoppe (now commonly referred to as LeCharme) is attracting supporters from as far away as Buffalo and NYC.
Christine Seebold-Walrath’s Mind, Body, Spirit Shoppe on Broadway is a trendy girl’s dream—think racks of dresses, cowboy hats and jeans in sizes 00 to 28, lip glosses, shelves stacked with gift items and accessories, and bridal basket and bachelorette favors. And all is priced at a fraction of what these items would cost elsewhere, even locally, because Seebold-Walrath wants everyone to be able to express themselves through fashion. The business owner credits this to her genuine love of the products her shop carries and of seeing her customers happy.
Lately, the store, which is just north of Hatsational, has become more commonly known as LeCharme, thanks to the newfound TikTok fame of @lecharme.saratoga (if you know, you know). “LeCharme was my daughter Gabrielle’s idea,” she says. “She saw some charms online and wanted to make one but couldn’t find anywhere near here to go to. I guess you could say I went above and beyond giving my daughter what she wanted, because LeCharme was born!” At the LeCharme store-within-the-store, you pick out your necklace or bracelet ($20-$45, plus fine jewelry options) and all of your charms. “We place the charms for you, and then it gets baked and treated with a solution so it won’t tarnish,” Seebold-Walrath says. “It goes in the oven for 45 minutes and we call you when everything is done in about an hour and a half. Plus, we’ll fix anything that happens to your masterpiece for free.”
Saratoga-themed ones that include colorful jockey silks) have made LeCharme a go-to spot for bridal parties, young girls wanting the special little charm they saw on TikTok, fashion-savvy locals— and even a group from Buffalo who traveled to Saratoga in a heavy snowstorm just to make their LeCharme keepsakes. And now that SeeboldWalrath has remodeled the entire space (including painting the whole store white to better show her wares) and brought her clothing to Saratoga from her former store in Colonie Center, early fans of the store should consider a return trip (don't worry—the crystal collection is still there). She’s also in the process of expanding her store into a huge lowerlevel space, and she promises that a Monkey Farts lotion that sold out in record time is coming back. (“It smells so good”, she says laughing).
The store’s vast collection of $5 charms (plus a few $8 custom
When Seebold-Walrath isn’t traveling with her husband, Scott Walrath, on buying excursions for their stores, she’s a sought-after medium and hosts clients in the couple’s Healing Center on Putnam Street. “We have an Energy Enhancement System, gem beds full of crystals, a MedBed and a medical-grade personal salt booth,” she says. The EESystem is a holistic healing modality that utilizes scalar wave technology and biphotonic light. “People come from the Canadian border, Buffalo and Vermont to use the system,” she continues. “At our center we try to keep our prices low so our clients can afford them, because our main goal is to help. We have monthly memberships and we offer overnight stays in the EESystem.. Every person we can assist to lead a better life is an accomplishment in our hearts!” ■ lecharmeofsaratoga.com ● mindbodyspiriteesystem.com
Concord Pools & Spas has been providing the Capital Region with the best in backyard living for more than 50 years. And that experience matters.
Summer is certainly heating up in Saratoga—literally and figuratively. And there’s only one way to make your backyard the coolest hangout (yes, literally and figuratively) on the block: with a new pool.
When it comes time to invest in your own little slice of paradise, it pays to work with experienced pool professionals. “There are a lot of people popping up in the pool industry offering fiberglass pools, and they’re not really educated in it,” says Jon Foshee, president and CEO of Concord Pools & Spas. “Be sure, when you’re hiring somebody, that you do your research. Make sure they have insurance, that they know what they’re doing, that their price includes everything, and that they’re not leaving things off or adding things at the end and making you responsible for them.”
Concord Pools, which recently celebrated its 50th year in business, checks all those boxes. An industry leader based right here in the Capital Region, Concord has installed 800 pools since 2020, and only aligns itself with the highest quality contractors. “This is not our first rodeo,” Foshee says.
Indeed, Concord Pools has been the Capital Region’s premier pool builder since 1972, and is ranked in the top one percent of pool builders nationwide. Not only do they build some of the finest fiberglass and vinyl liner pools in the country, but they also specialize in hot tub and sauna installation, and their showrooms carry all sorts of pool and outdoor living accessories, from wood-fired pizza ovens and pool heaters to fire pits and sound systems. When your
pool needs to be serviced, Concord’s experienced team—the company boasts more than 100 local employees—will be there in a jiffy, whether to fix a problem, upgrade equipment, perform routine maintenance, or to simply close your pool up come fall.
The bottom line? Concord Pools does the job right. “We’re here seven days a week,” Foshee says of his company’s two locations in Saratoga Springs and Latham. “We don’t run from you. You can come and find us. We have two stores where you can come and see the product—touch it, feel it. We’re part of the fabric of the community and we think that means a lot today.”
So, what are you waiting for? Dive—literally and figuratively— into a new pool from Concord Pools & Spas this Saratoga summer. ■ LATHAM 518.783.8976 ● SARATOGA SPRINGS
concordpools.com
The world of investing has certainly changed a lot in the last halfcentury. But for Fenimore Asset Management, the core principles upon which the Cobleskill-based investment firm was founded 50 years ago are what have allowed the family business to prosper well into the 21st century.
In 1974, Tom Putnam founded Fenimore Asset Management after his family sold its textile business and in turn came into a small sum of money. He did so with four core principles, which current president Christian Snyder says endure today, in mind: offer exceptional service, help provide financial peace of mind,
serve with integrity, and be a friend—to clients, investors and in the community. Adherence to those principles has allowed Fenimore not only to endure for the last 50 years, but to thrive and expand. In 2016, the firm opened a satellite location in Stuyvesant Plaza to serve its growing base of clients in the central Capital Region. It has since outgrown that space, and this year Fenimore celebrated the opening of its new, more prominent location on Wolf Road.
“A big part of our business is welcoming people through our front doors,” Snyder says. “You don’t need an appointment. We love when people walk in. It was probably a little hard to find our old office. It’s much easier to find the new one and we hope people will come visit.”
That desire to be a part of the local community is perhaps a not-so-secret fifth tenet that has contributed to Fenimore’s success over the years. In 1984, Forbes magazine featured Fenimore in a story headlined “Making a Name in the Catskills.” The article asked, “Does being tucked away in a small town hurt a stock picker?” and answered, “Not if you know how to invest the way Thomas Putnam does.” Forty years later, with Putnam’s daughter Anne now at the helm, that clearly remains true.
“We pride ourselves on being present and participating in the communities that we serve,” Snyder says. “We are a firm with a national footprint and a national presence, but the heart of the firm is in a small town. Local roots equals local values.”
Of course, community values take you only so far; Fenimore’s success is also derived from its employees’ knowledge of what constitutes a compelling investment.
team understands; have strong financial statements, low debt, and solid long-term prospects; are run by experienced management teams (Fenimore makes a point to meet with all of its portfolio companies); and are available at a reasonable price relative to the economic worth of the company.
In deciding what businesses to invest in, Fenimore’s management looks for four criteria: businesses that are doing things the Fenimore
While Fenimore is very particular in choosing those portfolio companies, it accepts all types of investors. Whether you’re just getting started, doing a 401(k) rollover, saving for retirement, funding your child’s education, saving for a specific life goal, or acting as a fiduciary, Fenimore can guide you. When, though, is the right time to invest? “We believe time in the market beats timing the market,” Snyder says. “The earlier you invest, the better. If you have a long-term view, there’s no better time to invest than now.”
To get started, visit fenimoreasset.com/ contact, or, as Snyder suggested, visit the firm’s new Wolf Road location. “This is home,” he says of the Capital Region, “and this is where our real focus is.” ■
This sponsored article about the Firm’s advisory services has been published by Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living, a non-advisory client that provides various marketing services to Fenimore. Cash compensation was given in exchange for the publishing of this sponsored content. Due to Fenimore’s relationship with Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living, material conflicts of interest include but are not limited to a financial incentive to promote this sponsored article. These compensated endorsements are intended to objectively showcase the Firm and its services; however, it is important to understand that compensation may have influenced the content of this article therefore we encourage clients and prospective clients to independently research and assess the Firm’s investment offerings, taking into consideration their unique financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment preferences before making any investment decisions. Securities offered through Fenimore Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC, and advisory services offered through Fenimore Asset Management, Inc.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. Before investing, carefully read the fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. FAM Funds’ prospectus or summary prospectus contains this and other important information about FAM Funds and should be read carefully before you invest or send money. To obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus and performance data that is current to the most recent month-end for each fund as well as other information, please go to fenimoreasset.com or call (800) 932-3271.
The principal risks of investing in the fund are: stock market risk (stocks fluctuate in response to the activities of individual companies and to general stock market and economic conditions), stock selection risk (Fenimore utilizes a value approach to stock selection and there is risk that the stocks selected may not realize their intrinsic value, or their price may go down over time), and small-cap risk (prices of small-cap companies can fluctuate more than the stocks of larger companies and may not correspond to changes in the stock market in general).
Neither this presentation nor any of its contents may be distributed or used for any other purpose without the prior written consent of Fenimore. The description of certain aspects of the market herein is a condensed summary only. This summary does not purport to be complete and no obligation to update or otherwise revise such information is being assumed. These materials are provided for informational purposes only and are not otherwise intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, any security or other financial instrument. This summary is not advice, a recommendation, or an offer to enter into any transaction with Fenimore or any of their affiliated funds. This presentation may contain statements based on the current beliefs and expectations of Fenimore’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any references herein to any of Fenimore’s past or present investments, portfolio characteristics, or performance, have been provided for illustrative purposes only. It should not be assumed that these investments were or will be profitable or that any future investments will be profitable or will equal the performance of these investments. There can be no guarantee that the investment objectives of Fenimore will be achieved. Any investment entails a risk of loss. Unless otherwise noted, information included herein is presented as of the date indicated on the cover page and may change at any time without notice
MAY 16 • SARATOGA NATIONAL photography by ETHAN THOMPSON
We don’t usually grant this much magazine real estate to parties that aren’t ours, but when we do, it’s for charity! In May, saratoga living—aka the paparazzi—was one of eight local companies that competed for tips in Universal Preservations Hall’s 9th annual celebrity bartender party. We spent half an hour slinging drinks from behind the bar, and the whole night manning our photo op station, where attendees donated $20 each for a slot on this very photo spread. That money, along with the rest of the more than $72,000 raised by all the teams that night, went directly to UPH to support family programming, including the summer Rock Camp program, through the Collaborative School of the Arts.
JUNE 5 • PUTNAM PLACE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ETHAN THOMPSON
Ayear after trainer Jena Antonucci’s historic Belmont Stakes win, we invited our summer issue cover star to Putnam Place for a meet-and-greet to help kick off the first-ever Belmont Racing Festival at Saratoga. Jena made it clear she wanted kids at the event—she hopes to inspire the next generation of horse trainers—so fans of all ages came together before the Belmont on Broadway concert for dinner by West Ave Chicken and Pizza, wine by Freixenet and to get their copy of saratoga living signed by the woman of the hour.
MAY 22 • GIDEON PUTNAM PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATE SEITELMAN
Back by popular demand, our Cocktails & Clairvoyance group medium reading with evidential medium Christine Seebold-Walrath returned to Gideon Putnam this past May. After a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres prepared by the hotel, guests found their seats around tables adorned by floral centerpieces from Frank Gallo & Son Florist, and Seebold-Walrath got to work fielding messages from spirits of loved ones on the other side. Some details she picked up on during one reading? A bicycle on a tombstone, a doubleentwined heart picture frame—and rodents. “Do you have a mice problem?” Seebold-Walrath asked the mother, who’d lost a young child. “YES!” she replied. Seebold-Walrath assured her, “He’s still here.”
Saratoga Springs
Senior Center’s Music & Mingling MAY 15 • LAGO BY DRUTHERS
Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs’ Centennial Gala MAY 18 •
JUNE 4
Dream Maker Racing provides you with a complete racehorse ownership experience that lets you enjoy all that racing has to offer. For the cost of a vacation, you can be a part of a unique, full-service racing organization with few responsibilities, many benefits and tons of fun. Now is a great time to experience the thrill of owning a racehorse. Don’t miss out—contact Dream Maker Racing today. 518.587.5550 | dreammakerracing.com
New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) is the official authorized representative of the Thoroughbred breeding industry in New York State. A not-for-profit organization, NYTB is the unified voice of New York–based breeders, and works to communicate the advantages of breeding Thoroughbreds in the state by coordinating activities with breeding and racing associations. NYTB member benefits include free GA admission to Saratoga Race Course and a monthly New York Breeder magazine. 518.587.0777 | nytbreeders.org
Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga (THS) is a nonprofit organization supporting safe and meaningful second careers for retired racehorses. These horses improve the mental health and emotional wellness of our community through therapeutic programming and horse-human connection. The THS staff and horses come together to help people build confidence, discover new coping skills and reconnect with themselves. 518.290.6240 | thsaratoga.org
Equine Myofascial Release is a NYRA-approved whole-body, hands-on treatment that helps restore the necessary elasticity in a horse’s 3-dimensional connective tissue web, enabling it to return to health and improving performance on the racetrack. Rather than treat the symptoms of the problem, EQ MFR treats the cause—allowing for proven winner’s circle results. Call owner Roseann Frisch for details. 631.335.7277 | EquineMFR.com
The backstretch workers care for the Thoroughbreds that come to Saratoga each summer, but it’s the New York Race Track Chaplaincy that cares for the backstretch workers at NYRA’s three racetracks. This summer, the Chaplaincy will once again offer a summer enrichment program for the children of backstretch workers in an effort to keep families together during the racing season and children safely engaged while school is out of session.
516.216.5196 | rtcany.org
Located just outside Saratoga in Greenfield Center, Old Friends at Cabin Creek is Saratoga County’s only Thoroughbred retirement farm that's open to the public. Completely staffed by volunteers and run entirely on donations, Old Friends is the forever home of 17 horses, many of whom raced right down the road at Saratoga Race Course. The farm offers tours throughout the racing season. 518.698.2377 | oldfriendsatcabincreek.com
there’s nary a shoe more versatile than a cowboy boot. A recent article published by Vogue points to all the different ways they’ve been worn throughout the years: by Princess Diana over preppy jeans in the ’90s, in Madonna’s “Don’t Tell Me” music video, on Celine’s spring/summer 2024 runway, and of course, by Dolly Parton for decades.
In the Spa City, the cowboy boot makes perfect sense—this is a horse town with a penchant for dressing up— and there’s no better selection than at Saratoga Saddlery on Broadway.
“We’ve seen a notable increase in cowboy boot purchases over the last few years,” says Saratoga Saddlery owner Sabine Rodgers. “Women are no longer just pairing them with jeans—it’s now fashionable to wear them with dresses as well.” Simply take a peek around a country concert at SPAC: You’ll get the idea.
While Rodgers points to Taylor Swift as a driving force behind the rise of cowboy boots—at least of the fringed variety—she also says boots these days are more comfortable than they used to be. “Whereas you once had to break them in for days,” she says, “now they offer an instant comfortable fit right out of the box.”
Whatever type of boot you’re looking for—tall, short, pink, brown, fringed, bedazzled or embroidered—Saratoga Saddlery surely has it on its floor-to-ceiling boot wall. “Cowboy boots fit perfectly with Saratoga’s equestrian lifestyle,” Rodgers says. “You’ll see them at Saratoga Race Course in the stable area all the way to the winner’s circle.”
FOLLOWING A $1.5 MILLION RENOVATION, POPULAR CAROLINE STREET BAR DANGO’S IS NOW THE WILD HORSE . n BY NATALIE MOORE
for the last few summers, Dango’s has been one of the hottest late-night bars in Saratoga, with the line to get in often stretching down Caroline Street late into the evening. Its regular live music, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd and multiple bars made it quite literally the
on the space, which, despite the popularity of its expansive patio, was falling into disrepair. (If you’ve been in the women’s bathroom, you know.) At press time, the bar's patio was open on weekend nights, but the inside was still under construction. Its new name? The Wild Horse.
place to be in “the summer place to be.” And it just got even better.
Last year, Dango’s was purchased by Loudonville native Lucas White, who brought Siro’s General Manager Kevin Decker onto the project. This past spring, the duo began renovations
“Right now, Caroline Street’s decimated, with Gaffney’s gone and Sperry’s gone,” Decker told me in early June. “We’re bringing something that the street needs. We’ve done $1.5 million in renovations to the building. That alone makes it a nicer atmosphere to be in. We now have usable bathrooms, which they didn’t have before.”
In addition to the bathroom renovation—which alone cost a whopping $30,000—Decker and White gutted the dining room, adding a VIP room with a terrace that overlooks the patio. After this summer, the patio itself will get a
refresh. While Dango’s focused mainly on selling chicken wings and Miller Lite—it was an Irish pub, after all—The Wild Horse has a more upscale vibe, with a menu Decker says is more aligned with local restaurants like Seneca and a cocktail menu that nods to Madame Jumel’s, the “dining emporium” that previously occupied the building.
“We’re opening the dining room as an alternative for somebody that might not be 21, or doesn’t want to be stuck in a crowd with a bunch of kids,” Decker says. “They can come in and have dinner.” And if you want to be right in the thick of it, sweating and singing “Mr. Brightside” with 300 of Saratoga’s most ardent late-night warriors? Well, the live music’s not going anywhere. “It’s almost surreal when you go down the patio steps and into the band area,” Decker says. “It’s a unique experience for Saratoga.”
august rosa has seen a lot in the decade since he opened his first beer store/ bar in Albany.
“We’re all sick of talking about the pandemic, sick of thinking about how it’s changed the way we live and hang out,” Rosa says. “But it did change everything. For the first time in five years, I feel like the vibe on the street is returning to what we saw before 2020, and rebranding as DIVE is really
a way to move forward with a clean slate.”
Rosa first opened a small craft beer shop called Brew on the corner of State and Lark in Albany on July 4, 2014, followed by Pint Sized in Saratoga in 2017. Initially, the focus was on offering hard-to-find craft beer for aficionados—there were also 12 beers on tap, board games and rotating snack options—and his vision for the business and space evolved quickly.
“In the past 10 years, I feel like all I’ve done is pivot,” Rosa says. “In Saratoga, the space quickly turned into a neighborhood joint that was more about hanging out than buying cans. Then the pandemic happened, and society changed. People interacted with each other differently, and they began wanting different things.”
While the core supporters in the neighborhood remained, they no longer
high times “More and more, our best sellers are Miller High Life, High Noon, Cycling Frog THC seltzer and Athletic, which is non-alcoholic,” says August Rosa, seen here outside Pint Sized in 2018.
necessarily wanted highABV craft beers.
“I had the same people drinking,” Rosa says, “but they wanted spirits-based options, lower calorie options, non-alcoholic drinks and budget-friendly beers.”
In addition to renaming the spaces in Saratoga and Albany, Rosa is selling his live music venue, No Fun, on River Street in Troy. No Fun opened in late 2021 and has become a favorite for alternative music fans across the region.
“I have three kids under the age of 10, and I am selling No Fun because I feel like I want to live in the moment with my family," he says. "Constantly promoting and booking bands ahead of time makes that difficult. I want to be living in the here and now.”
At press time, DIVE, at 489 Broadway was set to become official on July 5. Hop heads will still find classic and cult craft in the cooler, alongside hard teas, ginger beers, NA options and seltzers. Nothing will cost more than $10. And rumor has it, the next snack on tap will be hot dogs.
“Very simple,” Rosa says. “Just hot dogs with mustard and ketchup packets. I like to keep things simple.”
INTRODUCING BIBULOUS , A NEW DESSERT BAR BY THE OWNER OF SARATOGA’S BROADWAY DELI
BY NATALIE MOORE
you know when you finish your meal at a restaurant and the waiter— having just cleared your dinner plates—comes over to see if you’d like dessert? More often than not, you’re completely stuffed and can’t imagine ingesting another thing. But half an hour after you’ve left the restaurant, that sweet treat starts to sound pretty good.
“My wife, Jen, and I really enjoy getting a happy hour drink somewhere and then a bite to eat somewhere else,” says Saratoga’s Broadway Deli owner Daniel Chessare. “And then maybe walk around a little bit, and then dessert. But by the time we’re ready for dessert, it’s ice cream or nothing.”
While Chessare certainly isn’t knocking Saratoga’s robust ice cream offerings, he wanted a place where he could get a restaurant-worthy dessert without worrying that he was taking up a whole table at a restaurant just for dessert. So he and Jen decided to open one themselves.
Coming later this summer is Bibulous, a bar specializing in small bites—pâté, cheeses, warm olives— and desserts, located around the corner from Phila Fusion on Henry Street. That’s right: no entrées. The thought is that people can come in for a snack and a cocktail while they wait for their dinner reservation somewhere else, or come in after their dinner reservation for a slice of chocolate
cake and an espresso. Chessare who, before opening the deli was the head chef at Merry Monk and sous chef at The Wine Bar, will oversee the bar’s savory options, while Jen, an experienced baker and former manager of Henry Street Taproom, will handle the sweets.
“We’ll have three or four staples, and then some rotating desserts,” Chessare says. “The whole menu will
dessert storm Chocolate cake is just one dessert that’ll be on Bibulous’ seasonally changing menu.
change seasonally. So in the fall, it’ll be a bit more cozy—apple and pumpkin— and in the winter, a little more decadent and rich. And summer’s more light and fruity.”
Where, you may be wondering, did the name Bibulous come from? It’s actually an adjective meaning excessively fond of drinking and eating. And if that doesn’t describe Saratogians, we’re not sure what does.
Blue skies are here again. Summer is coming and The Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa is now open. Enjoy a timeless Saratoga Spa State Park hotel, right next door to the acclaimed Roosevelt Baths & Spa. From Saratoga Performing Arts Center to Saratoga Race Course, The Gideon Putnam is close to everything and close to perfect.
Blue skies are here again. Summer is coming and The Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa is now open. Enjoy a timeless Saratoga Spa State Park hotel, right next door to the acclaimed Roosevelt Baths & Spa. From Saratoga Performing Arts Center to Saratoga Race Course, The Gideon Putnam is close to everything and close to perfect.
& style :: food & drink :: spa & beauty :: design & haute property
hard at work rebranding 550 Waterfront as Lago on the north end of Saratoga Lake this spring, the south end of the lake was also getting a tasty refresh. In May, brothers Joe and John Starr, custom home builders from Mechanicville, realized their life-long dream. They opened an ice cream shop. The duo didn’t know the first thing about the food service industry, but they knew enough to involve someone who did. Enter: Ariel Pagan, fellow Mechanicville resident and owner of Ugly Rooster Café. He found a location for the new venture—in the Brown’s Beach access pavilion—and Ugly Ice Cream was born.
beach, please Ugly Ice Cream, located next to Dock Brown's, serves as a snack shack for Brown's Beach, but is also open outside of beach hours.
The beach-side joint is a walk-up counter with outdoor seating that’s open daily from 11am to 10pm. While ice cream is in the name, it’s far from the only thing on the menu. In addition to soft serve and frozen yogurt with all the toppings, Ugly Ice Cream serves classic, crave-worthy snack shack offerings including chicken tenders, soft pretzels, flatbread pizza, tater tots and foot-long hot dogs. For an even more indulgent meal, you can order a savory dish “ugly,” and it’ll come topped with meat sauce, chopped onion and cheese sauce.
In the future, Ugly Ice Cream plans to expand its ice cream offerings and host events such as birthday parties and children’s book signings with local authors. It’ll be open throughout the summer and close for the winter sometime in October, so be sure to get there while you can. It may be called Ugly Ice Cream, but eating a foot-long hot dog and chocolate-vanilla twist over a Saratoga Lake sunset is truly a beautiful thing.
PETAL + HIVE’S JILLIAN EHRENBERG CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR HER NATURAL ACTA BEAUTY LINE.
BY NATALLI AMATO
eight years ago, Jillian Ehrenberg was studying to become an herbalist. Cultivating remedies from her garden, Ehrenberg would make oils from her harvest—and a mess in her kitchen— until one day her husband, a chemist by trade, encouraged her to make a basic lotion formula to which she could add her oils.
What started as a simple suggestion to preserve household order opened up a new creative trajectory for Ehrenberg. Today, she is the founder of Acta Beauty and owner of the clean beauty retail store Petal + Hive in Ballston Spa. Earlier this year, six of her Acta Beauty products were recognized
at the 2024 Beauty Shortlist Awards— officially making all seven products in the Acta Beauty line award winners.
"We are honored to receive these prestigious awards," Ehrenberg says. "Acta Beauty is a serious player in the skincare industry with clean products that emphasize efficacy."
In the crowded marketplace of
petal pusher Acta Beauty’s Jillian Ehrenberg sells her award-winning products online and at Petal
skin care and beauty products, the Beauty Shortlist Awards help people cut through the noise with its “nature first, Earth first” ethos, honoring natural brands and products that both give results and commit to certain ethical standards.
While the awards mark a major milestone for Acta Beauty, Ehrenberg says that the most rewarding feedback comes from the Saratoga County community.
“Someone will try one of my products and then they’ll go out in the world and someone will either compliment their skin or ask them what they’re using, or they’ll tell somebody, ‘Oh my gosh, I love how it feels—you should definitely try it,’” she says. “It’s the highest compliment.”
Ehrenberg finds joy in connecting with each person who enters her shop, located at 89 Milton Avenue.
“I never forget anybody,” she says. “I tell everybody, the only things I want to do all day are interact with people and work on making new products. I go home every day and at the dinner table tell my husband about the awesome interactions I had that day.”
Ehrenberg’s connection to her community shines through her products, too. For many people with sensitive skin, skin care products that are available from mass brands and retailers can cause irritation— or worse. Ehrenberg takes pride in developing clean formulas that are accessible for more skin types.
“My proudest moments, she says, "all come back to the connection with people who genuinely cannot use anything but my products on their skin.”
fashion & style :: food & drink :: spa & beauty :: design & haute property
HOW INTERIOR DESIGNER KENNEDY FLACK PULLED OFF A BOLD SARATOGA HOME THAT WORKS FOR ALL MEMBERS OF A BLENDED FAMILY.
BY NATALIE MOORE
HAYNES
flack beauty “The living room and dining room/kitchen area are a bit more neutral,” says designer Kennedy Flack. “So to have this really dark, very dramatic, little jewel box room between those two spaces was really fun to do.”
when realtor meghan O’Connor and oncologist Chris Dolinsky began looking for a home for their blended family—he has two sons (12 and 14), and she has a daughter (8)—they knew exactly what they wanted. “We run really busy lives and knew that we wanted maintenancefree living,” O’Connor says. “We don’t want to mow a lawn, and we wanted to be downtown.”
When the couple came across a four-bedroom, single-family home in Belmonte Builders’ City Square development on Saratoga’s West Side, they felt like it’d been customdesigned for them, with the boys’ rooms and a bathroom on one side
top shelf (clockwise, from top left)
The bookshelf Flack painted a bold red; the homeowners were adamant about having great lighting fixtures; no electronics are allowed in the library; the concept behind the primary bedroom was Ozzy Osbourne, but classy; House of Hackney wallpaper in a formal powder bath; a pink, velvet, cougar-shaped side table in the library; the focal point of the living room is the custom walnut, plaster and marble fireplace; the walnut kitchen island is topped with a 6'x6' marble slab.
of the house, and a “princess wing” on the other for O’Connor’s daughter. All that was left was to make it their own. For that, they called in interior designer Kennedy Flack.
“I remember sitting down with Kennedy the first time, and she showed me some sketches,” O’Connor says. “I’m like, ‘Ken, I’ve got three kids and a golden retriever—we are not fancy people. I just want a vibe.’ She looks at me and she’s like, ‘I got you.’”
O’Connor proceeded to let Flack do her thing. When the designer told the homeowners she wanted to paint an expensive bookshelf bright red, they said OK. When she paired two
yellow chairs with a snake-print rug, they didn’t question it. “The big thing they wanted from the beginning was a kid hangout space,” Flack says. “They wanted it to be the house that all the kids want to come to.”
The end product is a blend of fun and sophisticated—the more neutraltoned living and dining rooms are connected by a burgundy hallway Flack transformed into a bar, and even the upstairs library designated as a kids space doesn’t look like a kids space.
“I sell real estate, so I do this every single day,” O’Connor says. “I wanted something that I’d never seen before. And Kennedy crushed it.”
Located a few miles north of downtown Saratoga Springs, the historic Wishing Well has been welcoming friends and guests since 1936. With fresh, innovative dishes on its menu—including certified angus beef, fresh-steamed Maine lobster and an array of fresh seafood featured every night—The Wishing Well is an elegant, charming place to dine, relax and unwind. And don’t forget the wine! To complement the dinner menu, The Wishing Well’s wine selections draw heavily on small, familyowned wineries that practice sustainable agriculture methods. Open Tuesday–Sunday at 4pm. 745 SARATOGA ROAD, WILTON wishingwellrestaurant.com • 518.584.7640
It doesn’t get much more convenient—or delicious!—than dining at The Brook Tavern after a day at the races. Located just steps from historic Saratoga Race Course on Union Ave, The Brook Tavern boasts an elevated casual atmosphere and a menu with something for everyone. Stop in for a glass of wine and some small plates (sesame-encrusted ahi tuna, anyone?), grab a burger and fries, or go all in on a round of cocktails and a 22 oz. Cowboy Steak. Vegetarian and gluten-free options available!
Open Tuesday–Sunday 4-9pm.
T139 UNION AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS thebrooktavern.com • 518.871.1473
reasured family recipes have kept Panza’s a Saratoga staple since 1938. Expect authentic Italian food that meets modern American fare in a classic setting, an ever-evolving menu that keeps regulars coming back for new takes on their favorite dishes, and weekly live music at the intimate piano bar and on the Starlight Lounge stage. And don’t forget to try the ‘Say No S’more’ delicacy (at left) for dessert! The Panza’s team would like to thank all who helped vote the restaurant Best Romantic Dining, Best Italian Restaurant and Best Saratoga County Restaurant in this year’s CAPITAL REGION LIVING Bestie Awards. Open Wednesday–Monday 5-9pm; closed Tuesday. 129 SOUTH BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS panzasrestaurant.com • 518.584.6882
Prime Restaurant reopened as a contemporary American restaurant and is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. What’s on the new menu? To start, duck dumplings, fresh summer salads and the new customer favorite, The Land and Sea, followed by house-made pasta, lobster roll, steak entrées and more. Prime’s upscale, modern vibe also offers more casual options in the bar and lounge area. The outdoor patio offers views of the 18th hole of the golf course, while the indoor dining space provides a more intimate experience. Reserve a table now on resy.com See website for seasonal hours.
Located less than 10 minutes from downtown Saratoga Springs just off Exit 13S, Dunning Street Station is known for its laidback environment and frontof-mind customer service.
Chef Bruce Jacobsen, formerly of sister restaurant Lake Ridge, has curated an all-new menu that features many Italian-inspired classics with a twist, which are available for dine-in or takeout. Stop by Dunning Street Station, which this year was voted best restaurant for family dining, to see what everyone has been raving about.
Open Tuesday-Saturday 3-9pm.
458 UNION AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS primeatsaratoganational.com • 518.583.4653
T2853 STATE ROUTE 9, MALTA dunningstreetstation.com • 518.587.2000
ucked away in the Village of Round Lake, just off Exit 11 of the Northway, Lake Ridge is only 10 minutes from Saratoga Springs and 15 minutes from Albany. The romantic establishment— which boasts seafood, steak, pasta, small plates and a rotating list of food and drink specials—is a great, laid-back alternative to dining in downtown Saratoga during the busy summer season. Whether you're sitting down for a full meal or bellying up to the mahogany bar for a specialty cocktail, you'll always have a great time at Lake Ridge. Open 4-8:45pm Tuesday–Saturday. 35 BURLINGTON AVENUE, ROUND LAKE lake-ridge.com 518.899.6000
Good food, lots of beer and an atmosphere that’s the perfect mix of relaxed, cozy and chic? That’s what you can expect at Henry Street Taproom, which has been serving local craft beers and ciders, inventive cocktails and locally sourced, made-from-scratch food since 2012. Henry Street is still a go-to spot for locals who never tire of settling in on the patio or cozying up to the fire when the cold weather rolls around. Open Tuesday-Friday 4-10pm; Saturday 2-10pm; Sunday 2-9pm; closed Monday. 86 HENRY STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS henrystreettaproom.com • 518.886.8938
rom the owners of Henry Street Taproom, Kindred is a new wood-fired restaurant and wine bar focused on great food, fun wine and good times. The owners’ goal is a simple one: Make wine fun again in a comfortable, chic atmosphere. On the food side, Kindred’s menu focuses on small plates (think burger bao buns, wood-fired calamari and pork schnitzel) and flatbreads (topped with buffalo burrata, prosciutto or lamb ragu), with select entrées including Moroccan chicken and teres major steak. And don’t forget Sunday brunch! Open Tuesday–Saturday 4pm-midnight; Sunday 10am-3pm.
84 HENRY STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS kindredsaratoga.com • 518.886.1198
The Gideon Putnam’s signature dining experience, Putnam’s Restaurant, offers historic charm, first-class service and seasonally changing menus. But the restaurant isn’t just open to guests of the historic hotel—the public is welcome to stop by for breakfast and dinner as well. Locally sourced and seasonal ingredients are used whenever possible in dishes such as shrimp and lobster risotto, crab and avocado salad, and grilled filet mignon au poivre, all of which are served by highly trained staff who provide personalized service to each and every customer. During the summer months, stop by the Gideon to enjoy a cocktail or meal on Putnam’s patio. See website for hours.
Broadway dining hotspot Cantina has been serving up fresh Mexican dishes and signature margaritas in the heart of downtown Saratoga for the last 17 years. Guests flock to the restaurant for its festive vibe, creative and delicious fare, and craft cocktails—happy hour, anyone?! Grab a seat on the patio or in the stylishly airy interior to enjoy warm-weather favorites including salads, seafood, tacos and fajitas, or head up to the Cantina Rooftop, which has a summertime vibe you simply have to experience for yourself. Open daily noon–10:00pm. Cantina Rooftop hours updated daily on Instagram.
408 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS cantinasaratoga.com • 518.587.5577
24 GIDEON PUTNAM ROAD, SARATOGA SPRINGS gideonputnam.com • 866.890.1171
Located just five minutes from downtown Saratoga Springs and boasting ample free parking, Artisanal Brew Works is known for its cozy atmosphere, expansive outdoor space and wide array of offerings, both culinary and experiential. There are 20 rotating craft beers on draft, along with plenty of options for non–beer drinkers, plus awardwinning cuisine, live music, outdoor activities and access to mountain biking and hiking trails. Open 3-9pm Tuesday & Wednesday; noon-9pm Thursday–Saturday; noon-7pm Sunday.
At Radici Kitchen & Bar, located in the heart of downtown Glens Falls between Saratoga Springs and Lake George, Chef Brian Bowden’s distinct style blends artistry with the freshest seafood and locally sourced foods to bring you innovative cuisine steeped in the traditions of Italian cooking. In addition to a diverse menu of dishes (house-made pasta? Yes, please!), Radici serves up a wide selection of craft cocktails made with premium spirits and seasonal ingredients as well as exceptional wines from around the world. Open Sunday–Thursday 5pm-9pm; Friday–Saturday 5pm-10pm.
617 MAPLE AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS abw.beer • 518.306.4344
26 RIDGE STREET, GLENS FALLS radicikitchen.com • 518.804.1007
The Brook Tavern
thebrooktavern.com
518.871.1473
139 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs
Dunning Street Station
dunningstreetstation.com
518.587.2000
2853 State Route 9, Malta
Kindred
kindredsaratoga.com
518.886.1198
84 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs
Henry Street Taproom
henrystreettaproom.com
518.886.8938
86 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs
Lake Ridge Restaurant
lake-ridge.com
518.899.6000
35 Burlington Avenue, Round Lake
Mint
mint518.com
518.741.0584
80 Warren Street, Glens Falls
Putnam’s Restaurant gideonputnam.com
866.890.1171
24 Gideon Putnam Road, Saratoga Springs
Prime Restaurant
primeatsaratoganational.com
518.583.4653
458 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs
Radici Kitchen & Bar
radicikitchen.com
518.804.1007
26 Ridge Street, Glens Falls
The Wishing Well
wishingwellrestaurant.com
518.584.7640
745 Saratoga Road, Gansevoort
Artisanal Brew Works
abw.beer
518.306.4344
617 Maple Avenue, Saratoga Springs
Franklin Square Market franklinsqmarket.com
518.430.2049
55 Railroad Place, Saratoga Springs
Mittler’s Restaurant and Market
@mittlers_saratoga
33 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs
Panza’s Restaurant
panzasrestaurant.com
518.584.6882
129 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs
Cantina
cantinasaratoga.com
518.587.5577
408 Broadway, Saratoga Springs
OUR SUBSTACK NEWSLETTER BRINGS READERS OFF THE TRACK THIS TRACK SEASON.
i hope i won’t get run out of town for saying this, but horse racing’s not really my thing. To be fair, watching sports in general isn’t really my thing. I’ve seen my fair share of Super Bowls, NCAA women’s volleyball tournaments and Kentucky Derbies, but just can’t seem to get myself to care about the result.
That being said, I love Saratoga Race Course. I was reminded of that very fact in June, when the track opened up for the four-day Belmont Racing Festival. As I walked around the hallowed grounds a few days before the crowds descended, I felt the kind of excitement typically reserved for children. It felt like I was heading into summer vacation.
In recent years, much of my eagerness to spend as many days at the races as possible has stemmed from my quest to figure out the track’s off-track secrets; as someone who didn’t grow up going there, there’s so much to learn. What goes on in the racecaller’s box? What does your track cooler say about you as a person? How does artist Nick Martinez capture such detail in his trackcentric oil paintings? What’s it like being a trackside shoeshiner in the 21st century? Is Siro’s Cup really all it’s cracked up to be? Over the course of the last two summers, I’ve answered those questions and more in our Substack newsletter, SARATOGA LIVING AFTER HOURS
This summer promises more racing season adventures, both at the track and beyond (meet me at Kings!). I’m planning peeks into the lives of a NYRA stall supervisor and an NBC racing analyst who summers in Saratoga, and, if I can pull it off, a complete guide to who sits where at the track. If you’re a fan of horse racing as a sport, don’t expect to find too much in-depth coverage
of Thorpedo Anna’s Beyer speed figure or Sierra Leone’s new racing bit in SLAH—that’s what the Daily Racing Form is for. But if you care about, well, everything else, there’s no better place to find it. Scan the QR code below to come along for the ride.
–NATALIE MOORE Not-so-handy-capper editorial@saratogaliving.com
Best selection of grills and accessories on display in our Malta store.