Magic Happens for the 140th Time

by Ed Meyer

posted on July 21, 2008 in General Discussion, Horse Racing, News, Other Events | No Comments >>

On Wednesday, for the the 140th year the racing world will open its doors that compare with your kids going to Disneyland.

This little taste of heaven on earth has the charm of a summery county fair mixed with the high society of a red carpet affair in Hollywood.  They race all the way until Labor Day, and you can catch the action everyday except Tuesday.

The Saratoga Springs were once heralded as having healing powers, and the track itself can take you back to a day when racing wasn’t facing so many negative factors; poor publicity, increased competition, and the regulation of medication for horses.  The track has survived two World Wars, good times, bad times, and everything in between. Never has racing needed the healing power of the Spa, and the process begins on Wednesday.

The track will offer a few things you may want to watch, so be sure and set your life for: The Racing Hall of Fame Ceremony, The Whitney, Breeders’ Cup Challenge, and I almost forgot the mid-summer Derby called The Travers Stakes. These events have ushered in the great ones, honored those who graced our sport, and brought us more excitement than Christmas morning as a child.

On Wednesday, the gates will swing open and the crowd will file in. They will be decked out the finery of the day, shorts and t-shirts, and this melting pot will stand side by side and enjoy one of the great highlights of the summer.  This is a time to get away from the worries of the world.  Do you know of any other place that can transform summer into a season to remember? I guess there are healing powers in the water, and the timing couldn’t be better.