Saratoga Race Course

The historic oval in upstate New York has greeted racing's elite since 1863, earning a reputation as the Graveyard of Champions with so many famous horses going down to defeat. Boston-based author and horsewoman Kim Gatto tells the story of Saratoga Race Course, a place where time stands still, a living museum in every sense of the term. She has artfully pieced together that history in an entertaining, informative work that racing fans will enjoy and will want to include in their personal libraries, as the reader not only learns about the track, but gets a useful overview of more than a century of American racing.

To fans and participants of American horse racing, the focus may be on the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup, but the summer meeting at Saratoga Race Course is the place to see and be seen, the headquarters of the racing industry an all too short 6 week stretch. It is also the place of major upsets, including the stunning defeats of both Man O'War and Secretariat, earning it the title of "Graveyard of Champions."

Horse racing in New York started at the old Newmarket track located near present-day Belmont Park, and the Union Course, the world's first dirt track, site of the famous match race between northern representative American Eclipse, and his southern rival Sir Henry. Long before the purpose-built tracks were even in the planning stages, informal race meetings for both Thoroughbreds and harness horses were contested in Saratoga Springs. The town was already popular among well-heeled tourists for the healing properties of its mineral-rich spring water, so prizefighter John Morrissey and partners got together to build a permanent track for daytime gambling, and a casino for the evenings.

The book takes the racing fan down "memory lane", describing the many great horses that have competed over the historic oval, and explaining when many of the current stakes races were first introduced into the schedule. The first few meetings were run at the present-day Horse Haven, which was found to be inadequate as it was narrow and less than a mile around, so the Association purchased a 125-acre plot across the road and built the 9 furlong oval on it that is still used today. Gatto proceeds in chronological order, starting with the Travers Stakes, first run in 1864, America's first major stakes race which is now known as the "midsummer Derby". One of the most popular races in the early years was the Saratoga Cup, a 2 1/4 mile marathon that often attracted larger crowds than the Travers.

Man o'War ran 4 times at Saratoga as a juvenile, including his lone career defeat in the 1919 Sanford Stakes, then came back to run twice more as a 3-year-old capped off by his Travers Stakes victory. Readers learn about Gallant Fox, Seabiscuit, and War Admiral, Whirlaway, Native Dancer, Nashua, Jaipur and Ridan's thrilling 1962 Travers (which was the first year the infield canoe was painted with the winner's colors), and Kelso. Moving into the 1970's, Gatto dedicated a chapter to two champions, Secretariat, who lost to Onion in the Whitney, and Ruffian, who won her only Saratoga start in the Spinaway Stakes. Later chapters cover fan favorites such as Timely Writer, Lady's Secret, Personal Ensign, Fourstardave, Lonesome Glory, Point Given, Commentator, and most recently Rachel Alexandra.

Saratoga Race Course is a special place in the hearts and minds of the American racing community, truly "the August place to be", and has earned that reputation through its rich and colorful history over nearly 150 years.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.