A Fall Visit to Saratoga

I always imagined my first trip to Saratoga would be during a race meet; but I find myself in this amazing town in October, in the midst of blazing fall color. Here for the annual International Simulcast Conference, which is being held at the Saratoga Hilton this year, I am making the best of my spare time to see the racing sights.

On a very early morning visit to Saratoga Racetrack, I watched horses training on the Oklahoma Training Track, which will remain open until next month. There are approximately 400 horses stabled on the grounds at this time. It's an invigorating and wonderful experience to watch the Thoroughbreds snorting and blowing steam in the cold morning air of a clear fall day as they jog, gallop or breeze around the track. The infield grass was covered with a glaze of frost but the dirt track looked dry and fluffy.

I found a cozy spot to defrost in the trackside clockers' booth, where two friendly clockers gave me the scoop on the horse population at Saratoga and chatted proudly about the New York horses who would soon be heading to California for Breeders' Cup. Of course, I snapped lots of photos, and am posting a few of my favorite sights. Enjoy... wish you were here!

Coming into Saratoga!

A view of the Saratoga grandstand.

Clockers stand and fall colors!

Early fall morning on the Oklahoma Training Track, Saratoga.

On the way to the training track.