Equestricon has 2 days of racing activities
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » An autograph session with Triple Crown-winning jockeys, movie screening, racing trivia event and town hall- style meeting with industry leaders are among the highlights of the first- ever Equestricon scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at Saratoga Springs City Center.
The gathering, expected to draw 1,500 people, kicks off at 9:30 a.m. Monday with a keynote address by CNN broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien about the importance of equine aftercare.
She is a lifelong riding enthusiast who owns two retired racehorses.
“Horse aftercare is a huge part of this convention,” said Dan Tordjman, Equestricon cofounder.
Numerous organizations involved with finding second careers for racehorses will be represented.
Tordjman, of Brooklyn, works for America’s Best Racing, focused on developing new fans of the sport. He organized Equestricon with owner-breeders Justin Nicholson and Kathryn Sharp, of Pennsylvania, who have horses on the New York racing circuit.
At 10 a.m. Monday, fans will have a chance to meet jockey Ron Turcotte, who rode Triple Crown champion Secretariat into racing’s history books.
Legendary track announcer Tom Durkin will host a racing trivia event 5 p.m. Monday.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of release of the film, “First Saturday in May,” which chronicles the Kentucky Derby journey of several horses, including Barbaro. The documentary originally premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and went on to win an Eclipse Award.
The movie will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas in downtown Saratoga Springs. Filmmaker John Hennegan will be joined by others who starred in the film for a question- and- answer session following this exclusive screening, hosted by track analyst and television personality Joe Kristufek. Everyone in attendance will receive an original limited edition movie poster.
Tuesday’s activity starts with another keynote address by international racing broadcast personality Nick Luck, at 10:30 a.m.
Turcotte and fellow Triple Crown-winning jockey Jean Cruget (Seattle Slew, 1976) will sign autographs from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the City Center.
Starting at 2 p. m., fans can have their picture taken with the Kentucky Derby trophy and the winning jockey and owners from this year’s race, won by Always Dreaming.
From 3- 4:30 p.m., former New York Mets catcher and current racing analyst Paul LoDuca will sign autographs.
Equestricon’s last major event is a Racing Town Hall at 5 p.m., featuring a discussion on major racing industry issues and ways to deal with them. The openforum discussion gives fans and bettors a chance to ask questions directly to industry leaders.
For tickets, information and a full schedule of events go to: equestricon.com.