Saratoga Race Course: My Favorite Photos from Years Past

Here in my hometown of Saratoga Springs, NY, we are just closing in on the end of the summer meet at our world famous local race track. This summer I had the privilege, along with my friend Alex Zhang, of covering the meet for Saratoga Living Magazine. While I have been to the track many times and taken thousands of photos there, this was my first time as a credentialed photographer, which offered me the chance to photograph the races from new vantage points. After the conclusion of the meet on Labor Day, I will be sharing a series of posts highlighting my favorite photos captured this summer at the track. Before I do that, though, I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and share some of my favorite photos of the track from years past. Below are my selections.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is seen at sunrise at the Oklahoma Training Track, 2013.
Fans watch a race from the apron, 2014. I captured this one with my fisheye for an unorthodox look.
Children get a higher vantage point to watch a race, 2014.
A horse and exercise rider make their way around the Oklahoma Track at sunrise, 2014.
Sunrise at the Oklahoma Track, 2014. My friend Terry let me borrow her incredible 300mm f/2.8 lens that day.
A horse gets a post-race bath, 2014.
A pony rider at the Oklahoma Track, 2014.
Horses and exercise riders at the Oklahoma Track, 2014.
A horse is hot walked at the Oklahoma Track, 2014.
A panning shot of a horse and exercise rider from the backstretch, 2014.
A turf race in the rain on closing day, 2014.
A horse gets exercised at the Oklahoma Track in fall, 2014. In 2020, I had the honor of exhibiting this photo at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame as part of their second annual Photo Finish juried exhibition. I often tell folks that this is my favorite photo I’ve ever taken. The light was just perfect and the timing was just right.
A pony rider watches as a horse and exercise rider head around the Oklahoma Track, 2014.
A horse and exercise rider are lead out to the Oklahoma Track, 2014.
Aaaand they’re off, 2015.
Dancing to the music of Reggie’s Red Hot Feetwarmers, 2015.
A trombonist in Reggie’s Red Hot Feetwarmers, 2015.
The track from above, 2015. In the summer of 2015, I chartered a helicopter and took photos all over Saratoga. It was one of the neatest experiences of my life, to see my hometown, even my house, from above.
Another photo of the track from above, 2015.
The Oklahoma Track from above, 2015.
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is galloped around the track for 30,000 fans to see the morning before the Grade I Travers Stakes, 2015. American Pharoah was famously upset by Keen Ice in the Midsummer Derby.
The track from above in fall, 2018. In 2018 I took a ride in a Cessna Skyhawk to get some fall aerial views of Saratoga and the surrounding areas.
The Oklahoma Track in winter, 2020.
Swiss Skydiver trains at the Oklahoma Track, 2021.
An exercise rider waves to me at the Oklahoma Track, 2021.
A horse is galloped around the main track at sunrise, 2021. This is an 8-shot panorama that I only thought to stitch together after I captured it.
Katie Tolbert exercises Travers Stakes winner Essential Quality, 2021.
Drawn to Race enjoys a bath at the backstretch, 2021.
A horse gets his hooves done at the backstretch, 2021.
An exercise rider waves to me at the backstretch, 2021.
Two outriders catch loose horse Screamin’ By, 2021.
A horse gets a post-race bath, 2021.
Ricardo Santana, Jr. celebrates his win of the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Max Player, 2021. I was recently informed that this photo has been selected to be displayed in the Racing Museum as part of their 4th annual Photo Finish exhibition. The exhibit will open in November.
Exercise rider Anna Phillips gives Bill Mott trainee Baby Yoda a kiss at the Oklahoma Track, 2021.
Trainer Robbie Davis’ granddaughter gives Pepper King a pet at the Oklahoma Track, 2021.
Jockey Jackie Davis gives filly Vallelujah a kiss at the Oklahoma Track, 2021. Jackie recently celebrated her first win at Saratoga on Vallelujah, who also won for the first time at Saratoga. The pair previously won a race together at Belmont Park as well.
An exercise rider heads out to the Oklahoma Track in fall, 2021.
An exercise rider and pony rider share a friendly moment at the Oklahoma Track, 2021.
A horse gets a bath at the Oklahoma Track, 2021.
Groom Junior Lopez walks Handbelle around the shed row at the Oklahoma Track, 2021.

To see more of my Saratoga area photography be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook. All photos and videos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.

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