Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs is one of the gems of New York state - and not a particularly hidden one. What makes Saratoga "off the beat" is the quirkiness of horse racing itself.
The stunning turn-around in this year's Kentucky Derby, with the first disqualification due to a flub during the race ever in its 145 year history, resulted in a whopping 65 to 1 longshot being declared the winner. That race in May in Kentucky threw emphasis, for fans and non-fans alike, on the perpetual truth that in all of life - and especially in horseracing - it's always anything-can-happen-day.
Sometimes nicknamed the House of Upsets, Saratoga Race Course releases its racing season from the starting gate this year on July 11 and taps it along to cross the finish line on September 2 (Labor Day). The moniker comes from Saratoga's history of hosting surprising overturns since it opened in 1863, like the only defeat in the career of one of the most famous racehorses of all time, Man o' War, who lost to a horse named Upset in 1919. Triple Crown winner Secretariat was defeated there in 1973. In more recent times, the glamorous and wildly popular Rachael Alexandra was defeated by a length and a half in 2010, and 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah lost that same year in the prestigious Travers Stakes race at Saratoga.
It is one of the oldest racetracks in the U.S. and is one of those places where you can sense history in the creak and aroma of old wood, and in the earthy taste of the mineral water burbling up in the Big Red Spring pavilion in the picnic grounds. There is a path on those picnic grounds whereon, when a bell is rung exactly seventeen minutes before each race, handlers lead the contenders for that race from the stables to the paddock where the horses will be saddled. It's an unusual feature for a racetrack and a rich opportunity for spectators to get up-close to the runners. If a horse you thought you were going to favor turns out to look droopy or perturbed, etc., you might want to change your mind - and there's still time at that point to trot over to the parimutuel window and smack down your bet on one who looks more like he's got game.
For those unfamiliar with the sport, let me point out that one feature of gambling in horseracing that is delightfully different from most gambling in a casino is, in horseracing, patrons are not betting against the house. They're betting against the perceptions, instincts, and calculations of all the other bettors. Monies won come from the pool of monies wagered. That Daily Racing Form, that can look like hieroglyphics to a novice, can be great fun to learn, little by little, to decipher. When you see something in the race program like 6-3-1-2, e.g., you've just been given the info that this particular horse has run in six races in its life, finished in first place three times (Win), finished second once (Place), finished third two times (Show) and has never finished "out of the money" - so this guy/gal has always earned some winnings for the bettors (though there is always some takeout: a compulsory percentage contributed to help the revenue of the track, horse owners, etc.). That's a good place to start handicapping (calculating a horse's probability of winning) if a novice wants to move beyond choosing a horse because the name is appealing or because a pointed finger, descending through the air in front of closed eyes, landed on the name of a random mount in the program.
Those more seasoned in the horserace game are ready for exotic wagering on multiple horses in the same race or the outcome of several races in one bet. These can lead to five-figure payouts for two-figure wagers. Such horseplayers may want to make decisions on what their own eyes tell them and can take advantage of the six-year old Whitney Viewing Stand at Saratoga from which they, or anyone who just likes horses, can observe the runners in their workouts. Wednesdays and Thursdays at Saratoga, steeplechases are included on the racing program and, as with any racetrack, several levels of dining present themselves daily from grandstand snacks (I fancy the lobster rolls), to the pricier clubhouse, to Saratoga's posh Turf Terrace restaurant.
At the House of Upsets, one can feel like an edgy film noir denizen and/or, conversely, just enjoy the fresh open air of a day at the races...