This is the latest in a series of posts about the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga. Click here to read my other posts. In this post, I share photos of the paddock, the crowds, and just about anything else that I didn’t cover in my previous posts.
The Mendelssohn Club of Albany regales fans with midcentury standards on the first day of the festival.
Stormy skies loom overhead on the first day of the festival.
Flavien Prat gives French Horn a pet before the Astoria Stakes on June 6. The two-year-old filly finished third.
Horses are walking in the paddock ahead of the Grade II Belmont Gold Cup.
Really Good is walked around the paddock prior to the Grade II Belmont Gold Cup.
So High is walked around the paddock ahead of the Belmont Gold Cup.
Jockey Joel Rosario shakes hands with one of the connections of Champagne Juan before the Belmont Gold Cup.
Champagne Juan, with Joel Rosario onboard, is walked to the horse path for the Grade II Belmont Gold Cup.
The Grey Wizard, with John Velázquez onboard, heads out to the track for the Belmont Gold Cup.
Siskany, who won the Belmont Gold Cup last year, heads out to the track. This year he finished seventh.
The buglers play the call to the post before one of the races on Friday, June 7, the second day of the festival.
The Belmont Stakes flag flaps in the wind.
Ominous skies loom overhead on Friday. Although there was a brief downpour, the weather cooperated for the most part.
Saratoga Springs Police Officer Glenn Barrett rides Apollo out on the track on Belmont day.
Thousands of fans line the track apron on Belmont Day.
This was the scene trying to leave the track after the Belmont.
Fans leave the track en masse after the big race.
Sunday, June 9, the last day of the festival, was noticeably less crowded than Belmont day itself.
Jockey Katie Davis pauses to chat with fans and sign autographs.
Dr Ardito is walked around the paddock ahead of the Commentator Stakes, while his jockey Flavien Prat can be seen out of focus in the foreground.
Drake’s Passage heads out to the track for the Commentator Stakes, which he won.
Donegal Surges heads out to the track for the Commentator Stakes, in which he finished second.
Fans pet Saratoga Springs Police horse Apollo.
The Sea Hero statue in the paddock had a blanket of carnations on it for the Belmont.
A close inspection of the carnations revealed that they were indeed real.
Outriders enter the paddock on their ponies.
Pony rider Amanda Villafranco rides Sunny in the paddock.
Christophe Clément trainee Sterling Silver is led into the paddock ahead of the Mount Vernon Stakes, which she won.
Lisa’s Vision gets acts up in the paddock ahead of the Mount Vernon Stakes.
Reporter Acacia Clément consults her notes as she comments on the horses in the paddock.
Trainer Chad Brown talks strategy with jockey Irad Ortiz before the Mount Vernon Stakes.
Silver Skillet, with Joel Rosario onboard, heads out to the track for the Mount Vernon Stakes.
Jockey Irad Ortiz heads out to the track on Overacting.
The Belmont and Travers jockeys sit near the Clubhouse entrance to the track.
Saratoga Springs Police horse Apollo gets some pets.
Saratoga Springs Police Officers Glenn Barrett (left) and Aaron Moore ride Brady and Apollo, respectively.
To see more of my Saratoga and equine photography, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and X. All photos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
Beautiful!