The Bottom Line
This book is strongly recommended to all fans of racing, especially those who have been to Saratoga or plan to in the near future. It belongs in the personal library of any racing fan. Contemporary fans of racing in particular will enjoy the photos, since they cover the 2003 season, including horses and people they are most familiar with. Frank Scatoni wrote, "Racing is reliant on meets like Saratoga, for it is here that old fans make their summer home and new fans get hooked on the sport."
Pros
- Two hundred color photos of Saratoga Race Course by the Horsephotos team
- Frank Scatoni's excellent writing, detailing Saratoga's rich and colorful history
- Marylou Whitney's foreword sets the tone for this excellent work.
Cons
- Not enough text for some readers, especially those who want to study the history
- Some historical photos would have been nice
Description
- A brilliant foreward by Marylou Whitney, explaining how she fell in love with Saratoga
- Scatoni spends a chapter on a brief but still thorough history of the track.
- The notable upsets that gave the track its reputation as the "Graveyard of Champions".
- The great horses and horsemen that called Saratoga home.
- Quotations from other famous writings were included, showing how timeless Saratoga has become
- Over 200 photos covering the 2003 season, including such equine stars as Funny Cide and Empire Maker
- Champion trainers both on the flat and over the jumps, such as Bobby Frankel and Jonathan Sheppard
- Breathtaking scenery shots of the morning workouts in the fog, the crowded backyard, and the stables
- Photos from the 2003 Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and the Fasig-Tipton yearling sales.
Guide Review - Book Review: 'Saratoga: The Ultimate Racing Experience"
Noted turf writer Frank Scatoni partners up with the Horsephotos photojournalist agency to compile Saratoga: The Ultimate Racing Experience. Together they paint a picture of America's oldest racetrack, a magical place where time seems to stand still, where racing is presented in a Victorian setting not seen anywhere else. Scatoni tells the story of a horseplayer from Florida unconvinced that Saratoga, lacking palm trees, can match what his home state has to offer. Upon arrival, before he watched his first race, he was converted to a fan. Few tracks can set attendance and handle records during a short meet, when half the meet was plagued by torrential rains. Saratoga did exactly that in 2003. Although the track's signature race, the Travers, did not see the much-anticipated Funny Cide vs Empire Maker rematch, the two rivals were stabled there last summer and are included multiple times in this book. Any racing fan will enjoy reading about Saratoga's rich history and seeing the picturesque setting that makes it special.
