Now that the Saratoga summer meet is over, I have begun my annual look back at some of my favorite photos I took. I had the pleasure of shooting for The Saratoga Special again 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. Click here to view my other posts about the track.
Mattingly rears up before the Harvey Pack Stakes. The Joe Orseno trainee finished 10th in the race.
The Special’s very own Joe and Sean Clancy watch horses in the paddock before a race.
Baseball star and horse owner Jayson Werth takes a video of his horse Sacred Goddess getting saddled for her maiden race. The Jeremiah Englehart trainee graduated at first asking then followed that up with fourth place finish in the Bolton Landing Stakes.
Champion two-year-old filly Immersive heads out to the track for the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks. The Brad Cox trainee finished second behind Scottish Lassie.
Retired jockey and talented painter Nick Martinez works on his latest œuvre.
Tommy Jo heads out to the track for her maiden race with John Velázquez onboard. The Todd Pletcher trainee won first time out and followed that up with a second victory in the Grade I Spinaway Stakes.
Dual Classic winner Sovereignty is led into the paddock before winning the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes. The Bill Mott trainee followed that win up with an historic Travers win, being the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Travers in over 30 years.
MGSW Mo Plex is led around the paddock before the Jim Dandy. The Jeremiah Englehart trainee finished fourth, in his first career off-the-board finish.
Jump jockeys Evan Dwan, Stephen Mulqueen, and Dan Levin laugh about something as they go to meet their connections in the paddock.
Social media influencer and horse owner Griffin Johnson talks with fellow connections of Ewing in the paddock before the Grade II Saratoga Special Stakes. The Mark Casse trainee, having broken his maiden first time out during the July 4th Racing Festival, improved his record to two-for-two with the win.
Ewing heads out to the track for the race.
MG1SW La Cara is led into the paddock as the favorite in the Grade I Alabama Stakes. The Mark Casse trainee finished fourth behind stablemate Nitrogen.
Jockey José Ortiz talks with Len Green of D.J. Stable, owner of Alabama winner Nitrogen.
Turf writer Tim Wilkin, treats in hand, gives Sonny McPeek, assistant trainer to Kenny McPeek, a pet on the way into the paddock to watch Thorpedo Anna school.
Bobby Eversole takes Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna around the paddock a few mornings before her win in the Grade I Personal Ensign Stakes.
Trainer Kenny McPeek talks to reporters after Thorpedo Anna schools in the paddock.
Sovereignty schools in the paddock a few mornings before the Travers.
Two-year-old maiden Stimulate schools in the paddock a few days before making his debut. The Bill Mott trainee finished fifth, but trainer Bill Mott assured Sean Clancy that he (Sean) would be coming to ask him about the colt next year while giving his annual Stable Tour. Let’s not forget, Sovereignty finished fourth in his debut here last summer.
Sovereignty heads out to the track and back to the barn after schooling.
Breeder/co-owner Judy Hicks and groom José López lead Thorpedo Anna into the paddock for the Personal Ensign.
Onlookers photograph Thorpedo Anna as she is walked around the paddock, among them celebrated sports photographer Neil Leifer (far left).
Dorth Vader, who almost upset the Personal Ensign when she came up a nose short behind Thorpedo Anna, is walked around the paddock before the race.
Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. heads to his connections in the paddock before the Personal Ensign. The 2025 Saratoga leading rider piloted Leslie’s Rose to a third place finish in the race.
Large crowds in the paddock, and pretty much everywhere else, are the norm on Travers day.
MGSW Brightwork is led into the paddock before the Grade I Ballerina Stakes. The John Ortiz trainee finished fourth in her first Saratoga defeat.
Trainer Riley Mott (son of Bill) and son William take a walk in the Saratoga paddock before the horses come in.
Travers runner McAfee, a half brother to Thorpedo Anna, is led around the paddock prior to the race. The Rick Dutrow trainee finished fourth.
Trainer Chad Brown saddles Strategic Focus for the race. The son of Gun Runner, who finished third in the Curlin Stakes earlier in the meet, faded to last in the Travers.
Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, walks GSW Magnitude around the paddock prior to the Travers. The son of Not This Time finish third in the race.
Onlookers gaze at Sovereignty as he is led around the paddock before the Travers, among them Hall of Fame jockey Ángel Cordero, Jr. (left).
Jockey Luis Sáez gets a leg up on Bracket Buster before heading out to the track for the Travers. The Vicki Oliver trainee made a valiant effort in the stretch, but ultimately had to settle for second as Sovereignty ran away with the race.
MGSW Highland Falls schools in the paddock a few days before the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup. The Brad Cox trainee won the race last year, but this year he finished third in a very troubled edition which involved one horse losing its rider.
Grade I Hopeful Stakes winner Ted Noffey is led around the paddock prior tor to the race. The Todd Pletcher trainee’s stakes breakthrough was preceded by a first out maiden win 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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One thought on “Saratoga Race Course 2025: The Paddock”
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Love these!