Saratoga Race Course 2019: Another Side Of The Historic 150th Travers Day

A nice chunk of the 48,000-plus fans at the 150th running of The Travers Stakes on August 24 at Saratoga Race Course probably only got to watch the big race and Code of Honor’s win on a TV screen. Or maybe you were in the Grandstand or at the 1863 Club and caught a glimpse of the horses as they whizzed by.

As luck would have it, saratoga living had two photographers onsite covering the Travers—Billy Francis LeRoux, who was positioned on the infield, where he shot a breathtaking group of photos of the race itself and its immediate aftermath.

You’ll be hard-pressed, however, to find a more complete (and gorgeous) run of photographs than the ones saratoga living photographer Katie Dobies took of Travers Day, which of course, isn’t only about the featured race: It’s about the fans, the atmosphere, the jockeys, the horses and the thrill of the race—and all the stakes races on the undercard. And while LeRoux completed shooting The Travers Stakes just outside of the Winner’s Circle, here, Dobies gives us unfettered access to the bedlam there, mere minutes following Code of Honor’s big win. Click on the photo above to see Dobies’ full gallery.

Will Levith

Will Levith is Editorial Director at Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living magazine. He's a native Saratogian and graduate of Saratoga Springs High School. His work has been published by Esquire, Playboy, Condé Nast Traveler, Men's Health, RealClearLife and many others. He lives in Troy with his wife, Laura, and dog, Esopus.