SARATOGA with Kids OFF TO THE RACES
WRITTEN BY GINNY SMITH | PHOTO BY HEATHER BOHM TALLMAN
G
oing to the Saratoga Race Course for an afternoon of watching the races is a quintessential way to spend a summer day in Saratoga. For families, a great alternative to bringing kids to the afternoon races is to go to the track for morning warmups. Mornings at Saratoga have all the excitement of the races, without any of the crowds and noise that can be overwhelming for little ones. The 2021 Saratoga meet will run from July 15th through September 6th, Wednesday through Sunday, and the track is typically open in the mornings any day that the track is running. From 7 until 10 am, spectators can visit to watch horses do their morning workouts. The warmups take place on the main track when racehorses leave their stables to exercise. For kids, it can be just as exciting to stand along the fence to see the horses gallop down the final stretch during mornings at the track as it is during the races. Kids often won’t get a better chance to see the action up close. Being at the track in the morning also allows you to better appreciate how beautiful NYRA’s grounds are. Without crowds of people around, it’s easier to enjoy the walking paths with the huge trees and historical architecture that dates back to the 1860s. NYRA has historically offered a Breakfast at the Track—a breakfast buffet served on The Porch, which is in the Clubhouse. Spectators are also able to bring in a breakfast to watch the horses in the mornings. During mornings at the track, NYRA provides a free tram tour until 9am. The tram brings visitors to the backstretch area where some trainers have their horse stables. Guides bring fans on a walking tour of the area and discuss the workings behind the scenes that help to run the track. My kids have enjoyed watching the stable workers care for the horses up close… feeding, showering, and grooming them. The track’s wonderful playground right next to the main gates on Union Avenue is on my kids’ must-visit’ list. Themed in NYRA’s signature red and white, the playground has a slide, a replica Travers Canoe for kids to climb into, a mini starting gate with lanes for kids to run around the playground, and a giant Adirondack chair to sit in.
20 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | SUMMER 2021
When you leave the track, if you want to do additional horse-related activities with the kids, there are three other places close by to check out. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is right across Union Avenue and has a wonderful children’s room called Horse Play. The Oklahoma Track is also across Union Avenue, where you can climb the Whitney Viewing Stand and watch more horses work out. Finally, Old Friends at Cabin Creek is a farm for retired racehorses about 20 minutes west of Saratoga where you can take tours and meet the horses. SS
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