Now that the Saratoga summer meet is over, it’s time to look back at some of my favorite photos I took. I had the pleasure of shooting for The Saratoga Special this summer, capturing morning preview photos as well as race day shots. In this post, I will share my favorite photos taken during races. Click here to view my other posts about the track.
The Queens M G (orange cap) starts the meet off in style, taking the first stakes race, the Schuylerville, with Dylan Davis in the irons. The two-year-old filly also won the Grade III Adirondack Stakes, and Davis won 35 races, a personal best.
Outrider Jesse Costa catches Whatintheliteral, who unseated her rider at the start of the Schuylerville Stakes.
Carl Spackler takes the first graded stakes of the meet, the Grade III Kelso, over Talk of the Nation. Tyler Gaffalione had the mount.
One of my panning shots, this is Top Gunner winning a claiming race with Manny Franco onboard.
Whitebeam takes the first Grade I of the meet, the Diana, with Flavien Prat onboard. This was the second win in a row for Whitebeam and Prat in this race. Prat went on to win a record 18 stakes during the meet, 14 of them graded, and seven of them Grade I.
Mo Plex (front and center) takes the Grade III Sanford Stakes with Irad Ortiz, Jr. onboard, giving sire Complexity his first graded winner. Ortiz went on to take the jockey title with 52 wins.
Pounce (far left) wins the Grade III Lake George Stakes with Dylan Davis onboard for trainer Mark Casse, who had a very successful meet with 15 wins.
Superstar filly Thorpedo Anna easily takes the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks with Brian Hernandez onboard, giving her her fourth straight graded win and her third straight Grade I. The Kenny McPeek trainee created quite a buzz over the summer while training up to the Travers, where she ultimately finished second.
The horses head down the backstretch in a maiden claiming race, won by Play Free Bird (at back, blue cap and blue and yellow silks).
The horses head down the backstretch in the Grade II Allen Jerkens Stakes, won by World Record (right)
Chancer McPatrick breaks his maiden at first asking with Flavien Prat onboard. The two-year-old colt went on to win the Grade I Hopeful Stakes in his next start.
Nakatomi heads around the far turn in the Grade I Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, which he won with Tyler Gaffalione onboard.
Fierceness wins the Grade II Jim Dandy with Hall of Fame jockey John Velázquez onboard, as shown on the cover of The Saratoga Special. The Champion Two-Year-Old Male from last year went on to win the Travers.
Regulatory Risk breaks early from the gate in an allowance optional claiming race.
Scaramanga gives trainer Melanie Giddings her first Saratoga winner, with Shaun Bridgmohan onboard.
Silver Knott gives Flavien Prat another one of his 14 graded wins in the Grade II Bowling Green Stakes.
First time starter Uncaged (far right) breaks his maiden in the rain with Dylan Davis onboard.
Mary Union Ave, the filly I own a piece of, makes her Saratoga debut with Katie Davis in the irons. Although she didn’t win, it was a thrill to see her race at the Spa.
A three way photo finish ends with a victory for Jackson Heights (right), ridden by Dylan Davis.
McKulick defends her title in the Grade II Glens Falls Stakes with Irad Ortiz, Jr. onboard.
Ways and Means goes from multiple graded stakes placed to Grade I winner in the Test Stakes, with Flavien Prat onboard.
The field rounds the first turn in the Grade I Whitney Stakes, won by Arthur’s Ride (front and center).
Arthur’s Ride gallops down after winning the Whitney with Junior Alvarado onboard, giving trainer Bill Mott his first win in the race.
Paddock analyst Maggie Wolfendale interviews Junior Alvarado after his win.
Arthur’s Ride heads back to the winner’s circle.
Here’s an illustration I made of Arthur’s Ride winning the Whitney.
The field heads off from the one mile Wilson Chute in a maiden special weight, won by Tenacious leader (orange cap).
Showcase wins the Grade II Saratoga Special Stakes with Irad Ortiz, Jr. onboard.
Surveillance, having been claimed in his previous start, wins an off the turf Grade III Troy Stakes with Tyler Gaffalione onboard.
Halina’s Forte (inside) wins a very close off the turf Galway Stakes with Irad Ortiz, Jr. onboard.
Fandom (front right) wins the Mahony Stakes with Dylan Davis onboard.
Carl Spackler posts his first Grade I victory in the Fourstardave Handicap, piloted by his usual jockey Tyler Gaffalione.
Eventual Grade I Saratoga Derby winner Carson’s Run heads down the stretch for the first time with a rainbow above him.
Carson’s Run (far left) wins the Saratoga Derby, giving jockey Dylan Davis his first Grade I victory in the United States.
Zarak the Brave runs down the stretch after unseating his rider in the Grade I Jonathan Sheppard Handicap hurdle race.
Jimmy P wins the Jonathan Sheppard by 34 1/2 lengths with Steven Mulqueen onboard.
Manhattan Twist breaks his maiden with José Ortiz in the irons for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and MyRacehorse, bringing over 100 partners into the winner’s circle (see that photo in a future post!).
First time starter She’s Got Will breaks her maiden with Dylan Davis at the helm.
The field heads down the stretch in the Rick Violette Stakes, won by Courtly Banker (#4).
Grayosh (right) narrowly defeats Grade I winner She Feels Pretty in the Grade II Lake Placid Stakes, with Flavien Prat onboard.
Power Squeeze gallops down after her win in the Grade I Alabama Stakes with Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano onboard.
Spirit of Esther (right) survives a three-way photo finish to break her maiden with Irad Ortiz, Jr. onboard.
Mariachi edges out Classify in an allowance race, ridden by Kendrick Carmouche.
The field heads around the first turn in the Grade I Personal Ensign Stakes, won by Raging Sea (black cap).
Raging Sea gallops down after her win in the Personal Ensign, with Flavien Prat onboard.
Last year’s Champion Older Dirt Female and previous winner of the Personal Ensign, Idiomatic, gallops down after her second place finish in this year’s edition.
Far Bridge, piloted by Joel Rosario, gives trainer Christophe Clément a record extending fifth win in the Grade I Sword Dancer Stakes, the first Grade I of Travers day.
Society wins the Grade I Ballerina Stakes with Tyler Gaffalione onboard.
Mullikin, piloted by Flavien Prat, gives trainer Rodolphe Brisset his first Grade I win in the Forego Stakes.
Domestic Product surges past Prince of Monaco and Book’em Danno to win the Grade I H. Allen Jerkens Stakes, again with Flavien Prat onboard.
The field leaves the gate in the 155th running of the Grade I Travers Stakes.
Fierceness edges out the filly Thorpedo Anna in the Travers.
Here’s a solo shot of Fierceness. Below is an illustration I made of him overlaid on a program.
After having been scratched from the Grade I Test Stakes, Brightwork come back to win the Grade III Prioress Stakes with Luis Saez onboard, maintaining her perfect record at the Spa.
Manny Franco celebrates after winning the Grade I Spinaway Stakes on Immersive.
Highland Falls comes out of the shadows to win the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup with Flavien Prat onboard.
Big Invasion takes the Harvey Pack Stakes on closing day with Dylan Davis onboard.
The field turns for home in the Grade I Hopeful Stakes, the last Grade I of the meet, won by Chancer McPatrick (obscured).
I made this illustration featuring all the winners of the Grade I flat races this summer.
While we’re at it, I’ve published the first of two videos I’ve been working on capturing the sights and scenes of the track this summer. Watch it below (email subscribers, click here to watch the video):
To see more of my equine photography be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook. To see more of my equine illustrations, follow @togadoodles on Instagram. All photos and videos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
Liked this post? Subscribe by email below to receive future posts!
One thought on “Saratoga Race Course 2024: The Races”
Comments are closed.
Outstanding!