The 119th season of thoroughbred racing at Saratoga began Wednesday, and the 24-day meet will have 22 stakes races, including the $250,000 Travers.
As usual, the 1 1/4-mile Travers for 3-year-olds–the oldest major stakes race for 3-year-olds in the United States–will be the highlight of the meet. It will be run for the 117th time Aug. 16 and feature a purse of $250,000 added, plus a Breeders` Cup premium award of another $50,000.
It`s where Ogygian hopes to make his mark and end Woody Stephens`
frustration–the 73-year-old trainer has never saddled a winner in the Travers in eight tries.
First, however, comes the $250,000-added Whitney Handicap on Saturday. Ogygian will be carrying 128 pounds in that encounter, a formidable assessment. Other horses expected to enter include Skip Trial, Roo Art and Little Missouri.
The $200,000 Alabama for 3-year-old fillies will be run Aug. 9, and the last Saturday of the season, Aug. 23, will feature the $150,000 Hopeful for 2- year-olds.
”I think you`re going to see most of the best horses in racing,” said Steve Schwartz, spokesman for the New York Racing Association.
The meet concludes Aug. 25, with the $150,000 Spinaway for 2-year-old fillies. It is the fifth race of the meet with a Grade 1 rating.
Jockey Angel Cordero Jr., who was injured in a spill March 8 at Aqueduct that left him with a lacerated liver and fractured tibia, will try to win his 11th consecutive Saratoga racing title. Cordero won his first title at Saratoga in 1967, and began his current string of titles in 1976.
Saratoga, the oldest race track in the U.S., draws top horses and jockeys from around the nation and usually has the highest concentration of quality of any meeting in American racing. Its diverse schedule of grass marathons, and 2-year-old dashes and classics make it a supreme test for those involved in the sport.
Last year records for attendance and handle were established. The average daily attendance was 27,078, and the total on-track handle more than $76 million.
