SPORTS / RACING
Breaking Trail: How Saratoga’s Very First Community Forest Came to be
When you walk—or run or snowshoe or mountain bike—through Saratoga County’s new Graphite Range Community Forest, it seems like the trail system has been there forever. That’s because Steve Ovitt designed it that way.
Ovitt, a retired DEC forest ranger living in Warren County, is the owner of outdoor recreation development firm Wilderness Property Management (WPM), which plans, designs and constructs trail systems all across...
Track Star: Jockey Junior Alvarado
Junior Alvarado took his turn on the big stage in 2023 and thrived in the starring role. As the regular jockey for Horse of the Year contender and national sensation Cody’s Wish, Alvarado found himself in the brightest of spotlights—and he couldn’t have looked more at ease.
Alvarado astutely piloted Cody’s Wish to four graded stakes victories last year, including his second consecutive...
Acacia Clement: For the Love of Horses
Photography by Dori Fitzpatrick
Horses have been a fundamental part of Acacia Clement’s life since before she can remember. But one childhood memory she does...
Saratoga Artist Nick Martinez Unveils 2023 Painting ‘The Wilson Chute’
While it may look like Nick Martinez’s yearly paintings of Saratoga Race Course are “just” a collection of eye-catching scenes from the track, there’s...
Frank Mirahmadi, Saratoga’s New Track Announcer, is Answering the Call
Photography by Scarlett Pinkey
Before he was 10, renowned track announcer Frank Mirahmadi was already hooked on the Sport of Kings. “That’s all I wanted...
The Horse, Trainer and Jockey to Watch at Saratoga Race Course This Season
Photo by Alex Zhang
Horse To Watch: Cody’s Wish
Cody’s Wish is arguably the best racehorse in America right now. A 5-year-old bred and owned by...
Carl Nafzger: From Ring to Race Course
It’s not every day that you see a professional athlete retire from one sport and find success in an entirely different one. But former...
The 25 Greatest Saratoga Racing Moments From The Last 25 Years
1998 Jockey John Velazquez (above) and trainer Todd Pletcher each win their first Saratoga titles with 31 and 20 wins, respectively.
2000 City Zip becomes...
Track Star: James Rowe
When he was a mere lad weighing all of 95 pounds at the tender age of 14, James Rowe was widely considered the premier...
Track Star: Richard T. Wilson, Jr.
In every story—horse racing or otherwise—there’s a hero and there’s a villain. In this story, the hero is Richard T. Wilson, Jr., who led...
The Saratoga Winter Club Is Up To Speed
Maxine Lautenberg spends most of her days around the ice. With slate gray hair and thick-rimmed glasses, she exudes a coolness and poise that...
Saratoga County Skating Rink Roll Call
1. Saratoga Spa State Park
The Spa Park rules the winter with two outdoor ice rinks so beloved that as soon as the holidays pass, dozens...
Horse for the Course: Exterminator
From its inaugural running in 1865 through its final edition in 1955, the Saratoga Cup was one of the most prestigious Thoroughbred races in...
Saratoga’s Claim to Buffalo Bills Fame
Almost a century ago, at South Florida’s beautiful Hialeah Park Race Track, a child by the name of Ralph fell in love with the...