FIRST-TIMERS FUN
A positive first-time experience at the Saratoga Race Course
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » When I got assigned to cover Travers Day at the Saratoga Race Course, I had no idea what to expect. This was the 150th running of the Travers race, making it extra special for the biggest day of racing at the track.
I had never been to the track before and was only passively aware of racing as a sport. This would definitely be a memorable experience.
As it turns out, I’m not alone in that sentiment. Many people make memories at the racetrack, whether it’s their first time at the Travers or if they’ve been attending for years. For me, it turned out to be a day of fun and new friendships.
The gates to the racetrack opened at 7 a.m. for the traditional “Picnic Table Dash,” and in fifteen minutes it was all but over according to Travers Day veteran Tom Williams.
“At 7: 15 everything is claimed and everyone is set up,” he explained. “We’ve been coming to this spot for over 20 years. We don’t need a picnic table, just a patch of ground.”
Williams’ strategy for getting a preferred location? “You send the youngest, fittest person in, because they’ll move the fastest, and you get your spot,” he declared.
Speed and early hours on
the clock seemed to be the agreed upon tools for finding a good spot.
“Just get here early for a table,” said Michael Chevalier, who was there with his family, including 1-year- old granddaughter, Sydney, who was at the Travers for the first time. “We got here at 6 a.m.”
“We got here at 2: 30 a.m.,” said Connor McHugh, at the Travers for the first time with his friends, Christian Germaine, Zane Radz, and Jack Meyhoff.
“The four of us split up in different directions,” explained Germaine. “We each grabbed a table, and then decided that this one was the best location.”
“We were here at 4:30,” said Aurora Patrone, also visiting the track with friends. She and her coworker, Linda Catucci, have been coming to the Travers together for 3 years after they discovered it was on both of their ‘Bucket Lists’.
“I ran as fast as I could, threw our tablecloth down on one table, and jumped up and stood on another,” added Catucci.
Once everyone was settled in, it was time to wait until things got started. There was food to be had, either brought i n or purchased f rom the various food stands. There was shopping to do, with several vendors displaying clothing, art, and souvenirs. And of course, there were bets to wager.
Everyone has their own strategy for choosing which horses to bet on.
“In past years I’ve used the past performance sheets, but this year I might be throwing darts,” said Williams. His friends, Jackie Thomson, and Jeffery Allard, in from Bennington, VT, had a different tactic.
“We pick interesting names and lucky numbers,” Thomson said.
“I looked at one of the handicapper sheets, and I picked the name on that sheet that I liked the best,” explained Howard Hoffman, from Flemington, NJ. Hoffman was there with friends and family, celebrating his daughter’s 23rd birthday. Plans for the day included a big dinner at the family’s lake house after enjoying the day at the track.
“You gotta look at the trainers and the jockeys,” said Germaine.
“Use the program,” suggested McHugh.
Patrone picked horses based on interesting names and what odds they were at, taking some advice from her friends as she went along.
“I’m picking whoever he tells me to bet on,” said Mark Utter, pointing to 4-year- old, Landry Boone, sitting cross-legged on the table next to him.
As the races got underway, starting with the 11:35 post time, crowds gathered in waves at the side of the track to cheer on their horses. After each race, the crowds would disperse as folks cashed in bets, placed bets on upcoming races, or went back to their “base camps” for food.
“I’m 1 for 2 so far, but it’s a long day,” commented Justin Lachance after the second race. Lachance was there with 13 other buddies for a bachelor party for his friend, Ben Simmers.
“This is a great place to come for a bachelor party,” said Simmers. His big day is on Sept. 7. The crew planned to hit the bars on Caroline Street after finishing at the track.
Patrone’s picks paid off well for her. “I won my bets in the first two races!” she exclaimed, sitting at her table with her friends. Patrone and Catucci insisted I sat with them in between the races, offering a level of kindness and hospitality I wasn’t expecting that day. It was definitely nice to have a place to sit and get off my feet for a few minutes.
By the time I was ready to head out, it was clear to me that the Travers is an amazing experience. The friendship and good vibes in the air make the Saratoga Race Course a positive place to be — even if you don’t win all of your bets.
“This is our first time at the track, and it’s really nice. We’d like to come back when it’s not as crowded,” commented Zarah Tabije, from Wayne, N. J.
“There’s a lot of good energy here today,” commented Patrone.
Good energy, good fun, and good friends make for a great memorable experience on Travers Day.