This is my fifth post featuring photos I took during the 2023 Saratoga Race Course meet. In this post, I’ll share my favorite photos of everything that wasn’t covered previously. Click here to view my other posts about the track.
Mary Union Ave, the two year old filly I own a piece of, arrives at Saratoga on opening day to be trained by Robbie Davis.
Mary and her half sister Vallelujah get reacquainted.
A goat is seen in the overflow barn area at the harness track where Robbie’s charges were stabled during the summer.
Outrider Miguel Gútierrez is a fixture on the NYRA tracks.
Roses for Debra is led to the test barn after winning the Grade III Caress Stakes.
Hoosier Philly ponders life from her stall on the backstretch.
Wet Paint is led to the test barn after winning the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks.
Pony riders play an important role at the track.
Outrider Omar poses with his pony Vanilla.
The traveling Secretariat sculpture by Jocelyn Russell made its way to Saratoga this summer.
Maggie Wolfendale, with a smile on her face despite the pouring rain, heads out on her pony to interview Irad Ortiz, Jr. after his win in the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes aboard Forte.
Dusk at the Spa.
The Travers Canoe, painted in the colors of 2022 winner Epicenter’s owner Winchell Thoroughbreds, is seen out in the infield during a deluge.
Fan favorite Caravel is led to the paddock for the Grade III Troy Stakes, where she finished fourth, ending a five stakes race win streak.
Tiz the Bomb is led to the test barn after contesting the Lure Stakes.
Smokin’ T is led to the test barn after winning the Lure.
Eventual Grade I Whitney Stakes winner White Abarrio is walked to the paddock at Saratoga while media attention is pointed at favorite Cody’s Wish right behind him.
Cody’s Wish is led back to the test barn after his third place finish in the Whitney. While this ended a six stakes race win streak, his incredible story has been an inspiration to many. In case you’re not familiar, Cody’s Wish is named for a young man named Cody Dorman, who has a rare genetic disorder. He met his namesake at Godolphin’s Gainsborough farm when the horse was a weanling as part of a wish granted to him through the Make A Wish Foundation to meet a racehorse. The two Codys bonded instantly and so Godolphin decided to name the horse after the boy. While he had a slow start to his career, he has since amassed over $2.5 million in earnings and won seven graded stakes races.
White Abarrio is led back to the test barn after winning the Whitney in commanding fashion.
All smiles after Canigetaloan finishes second in his debut. He recently won the Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes.
Dr Ardito is led to the paddock for the Evan Shipman Handicap, which he won.
Casa Creed’s groom Ana gives me a smile as she leads him to the test barn after he defends his win in the Grade I Fourstardave Handicap.
Bielefeld and Last Slew show off their skills as Revolutionary War reenactment horses at Aftercare Day.
A young rider is led around the track on Deregulation on Aftercare Day.
Dangerous Edge is cantered on the track on Aftercare Day.
A violinist provides entertainment to passersby.
Aspray is led to the test barn after her victory in the Grade II Lake Placid Stakes.
While not technically at the track, I did make it a point to stop by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame this summer to see the newly installed “Against All Odds” statue, depicting John Henry’s narrow victory over The Bart in the inaugural Arlington Million in 1981. The statue lived more many years at Arlington Park Racetrack in Chicago, but was donated to the museum by Churchill Downs, Inc. after they bought and eventually razed the track.
Idiomatic gets led to the test barn after upsetting the Grade I Personal Ensign Stakes.
Kelvin Perez gives the thumbs up as he carries the flower blanket for the Personal Ensign.
Elite Power was second in the Grade I Forego Stakes, but I do love this photo of him being led to the test barn.
Gunite gets a bath after winning the Forego.
Echo Zulu looks a picture as she is led to the test barn after her unsurprising victory in the Grade I Ballerina Handicap.
Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo is led to the paddock for the Grade I Travers Stakes, which he won.
Preakness Stakes winner National Treasure is led to the paddock for the Travers, where he finished fifth.
A double rainbow came out over the track before the start of the Travers. Although it remained throughout the duration of the race, it was brightest right before the horses came out. Some say it was Arrogate smiling down at his son Arcangelo, the eventual winner of the race. Others suggested that it represent the horses lost during the meet crossing over the rainbow bridge. Still others probably say that’s just what happens after it rains. Whatever it was, it was beautiful, but perhaps could not be fully appreciated knowing that it followed what ended up being a very dark day in what was a very dark meet at the Spa.
Sugar Hi’s groom Ana smiles at me as she leads the filly to the paddock for the Grade I Spinaway Stakes, where she finished sixth.
Wonder Ride is led to the paddock for the Spinaway, where she finished third. The two year old filly is a granddaughter of the late Cosmonaut, who spent his final years at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in Greenfield, NY, where I volunteer.
Miz Sense unseats his rider, Manny Franco, on the way out to the track for the Spinaway. She later failed to break from the gate and was declared a non-starter.
Jockey Fernando de la Cruz gives his Spinaway mount, Lemorian, a pet.
Brightwork is led towards the test barn after her victory in the Spinaway.
Father and son buglers Tony and Carson Gambaro delight track patrons with their tunes between races.
Nutella Fella is led to the test barn after upsetting the Grade I Hopeful Stakes.
Dolly’s Bank gets a bath after running in the last race of the meet.
Lt. Mitchell gets a bath after winning the last race of the meet.
Finally, I made a video comprised over 2000 frames I captured during the meet this year, which I call TrackLapse. Email subscribers, click here to watch the video.
To see more of my equine photography be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook. All photos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
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One thought on “Saratoga Race Course 2023: The Best of the Rest”
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Fantastic!!