Saratoga Highlights
At 0h03, on August 7, 2024 • By Saratoga Race Course
New York-bred fillies and mares will compete in Wednesday’s $125,000 Johnstone Mile Handicap starting from the Wilson Chute. The Johnstone Mile Handicap honors NYRA’s late Racing Operations Manager Bruce Johnstone, who held that position for 13 years.
The card will also feature the rescheduled $75,000 Jonathan Kiser, part of the Saratoga steeplechase schedule.
Thursday’s card is headlined by the $125,000 John Morrissey, a six-furlong handicap on the main track for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up.
A pair of $125,000 handicaps for New York-breds highlight Friday’s card with the Evan Shipman at one-mile for 3-year-olds and up and the six-furlong Union Avenue for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
The Grade 1, $500,000 FanDuel Fourstardave, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, headlines a blockbuster day at Saratoga Race Course that will now include the rescheduled Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational at 1 3/16-miles on turf for sophomores; Grade 2, $300,000 Troy for older turf sprinters; Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special for 2-year-olds on the main track and the $150,000 Galway for turf filly sophomore sprinters.
The Saratoga Derby Invitational will serve as an international qualifier for the Group 1, AUD$5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
Sunday’s feature is the $150,000 Mahony, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomores. The race is named in honor of Patrick Mahony, the longtime senior vice president of mutuels at NYRA who spent more than 50 years in the racing industry before retiring in 2016.
Live broadcast coverage from Saratoga Race Course returns to FOX from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. FOX Saratoga Saturday will air for consecutive weeks through Saturday, Aug. 24.
