Spa Averages Far Surpass Monmouth and Del Mar

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Total wagering remains on a par with 2009 while attendance and on-track handle inched upward despite two rainy days to close out the fourth full week of racing at Saratoga, according to figures released today by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA).

All-sources handle for the first four full weeks of the meet is down 3.5 percent but that decline is largely due to seven fewer races run than in 2009 (232 vs. 239).

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Get Stormy will try to pick up his fourth victory at Saratoga Race Course and his second graded stakes victory of the 2010 Spa meeting when he competes in Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap.

* Rachel Alexandra maintains good rhythm in final workout for Personal Ensign
* First Dude to arrive at Saratoga Tuesday afternoon for Travers engagement
* Phola breezes for Ballston Spa
* Divine Fortune, Sermon of Love top Turf Writers ‘chase

WHEN: Wednesday, August 25 – Tuesday, August 31

WHERE: Saratoga Race Course and other locations in Saratoga Springs

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Andy Serling, TV analyst for The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), will participate in a live chat this Thursday, August 26 at 8 p.m. EDT. The homepage for the NYRA live chats is http://www.nyra.com/livechat/index.shtml.

Travers Festival to culminate in back to back blockbuster events: The Travers Stakes and Rachel Alexandra’s return to Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA), the city of Saratoga Springs and the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce today announced a series of special events and fan-oriented activities to support a weekend of racing destined to be one for the ages.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – On Saturday, August 28, The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will offer a special Double linking the Travers to the following day’s Personal Ensign, in addition to a $1 Million All-Graded Stakes Late Pick 4 on Travers Day.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – J. B.’s Thunder made some noise at Saratoga Race Course when he scored by 1 ¾-lengths in his debut, a 1 1/16th-mile event over the Mellon Turf Course on Saturday.

With the victory J. B. Thunder joins the New York Watch, which profiles up-and-comers that have recently cleared the maiden ranks at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga. His page is located at http://www.nyra.com/nywatch/jbsthunder.html.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Paul Appio of Albany, N.Y. is the winner of the Travers Stakes Prize Package, which includes two premium tickets to the 141st running of the Travers Stakes, a two night stay at the Hampton Inn Suites in Saratoga Springs, and airfare.

The Grade 1 Travers, a $1 million race for 3-year-olds, serves as the centerpiece of the Saratoga race meet and will be contested Saturday, August 28.

The runner-up, Fred Onyon of Clifton Park, N.Y., will receive a $100 gift certificate to the online NYRA Store, which offers officially licensed NYRA merchandise.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The training title at Saratoga Race Course, one of the most coveted in the sport of horse racing, will be named in honor of Hall of Famer H. Allen Jerkens, himself a four-time leading trainer at the Spa.

“Mr. Jerkens epitomizes the highest standards any horseman can aspire to and NYRA is extremely pleased to be able to name racing’s most prestigious training title after him,” NYRA Executive VP and COO Harold G. Handel said.