This is the third post in my series looking back at the Saratoga summer meet. 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 in the paddock before races. Click here to view my other posts about the track.
Jockeys make their way into the paddock before a race.
Jockey Tyler Gaffalione talks with the connections of Carl Spackler, winner of both the Grade III Kelso Stakes and the Grade I Fourstardave Handicap.
Carl Spackler heads out for the Kelso. Pictured at left is his exercise rider Alonzo Tapia.
Whitebeam heads out for her repeat win in the Grade I Diana Stakes with Flavien Prat onboard. This was the first of seven Grade I stakes that he would win this summer.
Unmatched Wisdom, winner of the Curlin Stakes, enters the paddock before the race.
Chad Brown saddles Incentive Pay for his first start, which he won. He followed that up with a third place finish in the Grade I Hopeful Stakes.
Pounce, winner of the Grade III Lake George Stakes, gets a pet from her exercise rider, Mary Rose Hitt, as she gets saddled for the race.
Up close and personal with Pounce.
Super filly Thorpedo Anna, winner of the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks, is walked around the paddock before the race. She followed up this win with a game runner-up finish in the Travers.
Fierceness, winner of the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes, is led into the paddock by Todd Pletcher foreman Juan Aguayo (left) and groom Byron López. He followed up this win with another win in the Grade I Travers Stakes, marking the first time he ever won two races in a row.
Todd Pletcher, trainer of Fierceness, looks pensive in the paddock before the Jim Dandy.
Kentucky Derby and Oaks winning jockey Brian Hernandez enters the paddock before the Jim Dandy, in which he rode Gould’s Gold to a fifth place finish.
A large crowd gathers next to the horse path to watch the field for the Jim Dandy walk by.
Preakness winner Seize the Grey heads out to the track for the Jim Dandy with Jaime Torres onboard. He finished fourth, but later followed that up with a win in the Grade I Pennsylvania Derby on September 21.
Fierceness heads out to the track for the Jim Dandy.
Silver Knott, like many of Charlie Appleby’s trainees, wears a comfort hood in the paddock before the Grade II Bowling Green Stakes, which he won.
Jockey Katie Davis poses with family in the paddock before a race.
Katie Davis rides Mary Union Ave, the horse I own a share of, out to the track for her Saratoga debut, where she finished fifth. She is led by groom Matthew Christian.
McKulick is led around the paddock prior to her repeat win in the Grade II Glens Falls Stakes.
Frankie Dettori joined the Saratoga jockey colony this summer, scoring five wins, including the Grade II Ballston Spa Stakes.
Ways and Means, who broke her maiden at first asking at the Spa last summer, is walked around the paddock prior to her first Grade I win in the Test Stakes.
Linda Rice, trainer of Lure Stakes winner Film Star, stands in the paddock before the race.
Trainer Bill Mott enters the paddock ahead of the Grade I Whitney Stakes, which he won for the first time with Arthur’s Ride.
Multiple Grade I winner National Treasure enters the paddock for the Whitney, where, despite being the favorite, he finished sixth.
Whitney winner Arthur’s ride enters the paddock before the race.
Brad Cox, trainer of Whitney runner First Mission, and Bob Baffert, trainer of National Treasure, shake hands in the paddock before the race.
Arthur’s Ride heads out to the track for the Whitney with Junior Alvarado onboard.
Showcase, winner of the Grade II Saratoga Special Stakes, is led around the paddock by Todd Pletcher assistant Sophie Green and groom Martín Estrada prior to the race.
Jockey-turned-painter Nick Martinez works on another masterpiece in the paddock.
Owner Don Fitzpatrick takes video of his horse More Than Looks before the Grade I Fourstardave Handicap.
A rainbow shines over the paddock as jockeys make their way in for the Grade I Saratoga Derby.
Carson’s Run, winner of the Grade I Saratoga Derby, heads out to the track for the race with Dylan Davis onboard. The victory gave Saratoga native Davis his first Grade I win in the United States.
Grayosh, winner of the Grade II Lake Placid Stakes, is led into the paddock for the race.
Power Squeeze, winner of the Grade I Alabama Stakes, is led around the paddock prior to the race.
Junior Alvarado and other jockeys enter the paddock for the Alabama.
Pony rider Lorna Chavez enters the paddock before the Grade I Personal Ensign Stakes.
Raging Sea, winner of the Personal Ensign, enters the paddock before the race.
2023 Personal Ensign winner Idiomatic had to settle for second place this year.
Randomized, who defeated her rival Idiomatic in the Grade I Ogden Phipps Stakes in June, is led around the paddock prior to the Personal Ensign, where she finished fourth.
Raging Sea heads out to the track for the Personal Ensign.
Society, winner of the Grade I Ballerina Handicap, is led around the paddock prior to the race.
Multiple graded stakes winner Scylla finished second in the Ballerina.
Grade I winner Vahva finished third in the Ballerina.
Forego Stakes winner Mullikin gave trainer Rodolphe Brisset his first Grade I victory.
Bob Baffert trainee Prince of Monaco finished a very close second to Domestic Product in the Grade I H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes.
Multiple graded stakes winner Timberlake, who hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since his victory in the Grade II Rebel Stakes in February, finished fourth in the H. Allen Jerkens.
Domestic Product charged late to win the H. Allen Jerkens.
Multiple stakes winner and graded stakes winner Book’em Danno finished third in the H. Allen Jerkens.
Thorpedo Anna enters the paddock for the Grade I Travers, where she finished second by a head to Fierceness.
Belmont and Haskell winner enters the paddock for the Travers, where he finished fourth.
Fierceness’ win in the Travers gave trainer Todd Pletcher his third win in the race and owner Mike Repole his second.
Thorpedo Anna is led around the paddock prior to the race.
Kentucky Derby runner up Sierra Leone finished third in the Travers.
Chad Brown trainee Idea Generation upset the Grade II Flower Bowl Stakes on a very rainy Saturday, the last weekend of the meet.
Last year’s Flower Bowl winner, Parnac, finished seventh this year.
2021 Flower Bowl winner War Like Goddess finished second this year.
Multiple graded stakes winner Eternal Hope finished fourth in the Flower Bowl.
Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes winner Highland Falls is led around the paddock prior to the race.
Multiple graded stakes winner Tapit Trice finished fourth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup
Millionaire Disarm finished third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He is pictured here being led around the paddock by Steve Asmussen assistant Scott Blasi.
The last Grade I of the meet, the Hopeful, went to Chancer McPatrick, who graduated at first asking earlier in the meet.
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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