Saratoga Experts, could you help me?

[Rick B.]

I\'ve been to Saratoga twice, and I absolutely love the place, as many others do.
 
But two visits about 10 years apart hardly qualifies me as an expert on the place, and I want to get this one right.

I have a good friend, a fellow horseplayer, who recently cheated death by getting a liver transplant after an agonizing wait.
 
He\'s never been to Saratoga before. If he\'s healthy enough to travel in 2 months, I\'m going to make sure he gets there, this year -- no more \"someday\", that damn near didn\'t come.

Need some opinions, ideas, suggestions as to what would be a good week to come for a visit, and also some comments on what some of the \"musts\" are for a first visit to Saratoga Springs.

I already know to have a camera handy when he takes his first swig from the Big Red Spring  

Thanks in advance.

[milwmike]

I\'ve been going for the past 20+ years and we like to go for the opening week.  The quality of the races seems better this week and you have live music downtown all weekend.  The Hall of Fame Museum should be on the list of things to check out.

[covelj70]

Rick,

Incredibly nice thing you are doing.  Good stuff.

There is no such thing as a bad weekend as Saratoga but my three favorites are:

1) opening weekend where there is quite a buzz in the air and they have that weekend loaded up with graded stakes.  downside of opening weekend is the risk of wet weather as it is still rainy in Saratoga that time of year and the crowds

2) sale weekend which is usually the weekend of the test stakes (didn\'t check yet when the sale is this summer).  The sale is another part of the awesome experience but that is Monday night so you have to be prepared to stay until tuesday morning.  You can go over to the sales ground during the weekend and see the sales horses.  Very cool experience.  Downside is that this weekend is usually a bit light on the graded stakes but one of the best still in my opinion overall

3) travers weekend.  Upside is obvious, awesome buzz and amazing card.  downside is the crowd obviously but I think it\'s more than worth it.

We either rent a house or stay at Longfellows which is right down the road from the track and it has a good restaurant.  expensive but worth it.

My one MUST do for you and your buddy is to spend a morning on the backstretch watching the horses train.  You can do this either on the Oklahoma training track or the main track backstretch.  You are suppossed to have an owners license to get back there but if you know anyone, they can get you in or if you are going up opening weekend when I will be there, let me know and I will take care of it.

Have fun.  Great thing.  Very cool

[TGJB]

Travers weekend is crazed, way too crowded for me, and I\'m healthy-- for someone recovering I would not recomend it. If the guy is a serious fan he\'ll want to see big races-- opening week and Alabama week are good. Sales week and the last one are quieter, and Labor Day weekend has big time racing. I think I\'m looking at Whitney and Labor Day weekends, maybe Alabama.

This is assuming we get a house. Still waiting for prices to go down.

[trackjohn]

Rick:

  Been going since 1985...Couple of points:

- JB is 100% correct...Travers weekend is crazed...too crowded...lines too long...difficult to get reservations in restaurants, etc... I\'ve stayed away from Travers (except last weekend where, BTW, the Thorograph handicapping seminar had a very good day!!), you should try to attend at least one of the seminars when you are up there .

-  Opening weeking is very \'busy\' but much better that Travers...town is excited/crowded but not as bad as Travers...considering the races that are carded and the whole \'experience\' the opening weekend and the following weekend are IMO probably the best times to go.

-  As far as lodging, staying in town is always the best as far as enjoying the \'excitement/energy\', BUT it is expensive (ex. Holiday Inn in town goes for $85 off season while ave. rate is $350 during the racing season)...there are plenty of decent hotels starting with the Albany Marriott (28 miles south) to decent hotels in Clifton Park all the way up to Lake George (ranging in type/price from  Holiday Inn Express to Ramada\'s to the Sagamore Hotel on Lake George...depends on what you want to spend.

  Congratulations on your friends recovery...good luck!!

John

[drbillym]

If he is in a wheelchair, don\'t let that deter you.  In the grandstand, very close to the finish line in the upper level, there is a blocked off section for wheelchair patients only.  You don\'t even need to buy a reserved seat ticket-just go there and they will place him. And you will be given a seat in the row just in front of them.  Good viewing and good company- my Dad sat there his last few trips and it was very comfortable.

[Themig]

Very Nice of you to think of bringing him to the Spa. One note, he may not want to leave so keep that in mind as your driving up here.
I\'ve been living/coming to Saratoga for 36 yrs and there are a few things that i have done each and every year. Some of them I have been doing since I was 8 yrs old and others have been added over the years. I will not list them all, but I can tell you to at least pay oine or two of them a visit while you are here.

* Breakfast  in the grandstand. Grab a bagel/coffee in town. Bruggers is open at 6am. Sit near the finish line and you are sure to see at least a few trainers/clockers/owners. Bring your binocs.
* A super area for a picture is at the top of the track. Take the elevator to the 4th floor and you will be about as high as T. Durkin is for eachof his calls. That spot can not be beat.
*If your pal is up to it, make it an all day affair. After the races are finished, make a left hand turn onto Nelson Ave and in about a mile you can spend the night at the Harness track/casino. (side note, this has gotten ugly on my end). I still do the \"track double\" once each year.
The week after the Travers is one of my favs after opening week. The crowds are more or less gone, and the racing is still very good.
Hope this helps. The area has so much to offer. have fun and good luck
Mig

[gowand]

Here is my two cents.  First make sure you come in via exit 14 so your friend can get that first view of the grandstand from the track side.(as long as not too close to first post) A couple of other musts have been mentioned.
  I prefer workouts at the Oklahoma track which is amazing on a nice morning.  Also if you come in the weekend before the sale you can go over during the day and see a lot of horses out of their stalls being shown.  I think the sales grounds are a must see that week even if you can\'t stay for the sale.  Just grab a bench under a tree and relax.  
  Things really get ramped up starting Alabama weekend.  If he is doing well and can handle a crowd, this is my favorite weekend of the meet.  If not I recommend the weekend before the sales.
  If you are looking for something mellow after the track maybe take a ride over to Saratoga National Golf Club and try to get a table on the outside patio.  They have a Grill menu that is more reasonable than the dinner menu if you are looking to eat.

[PapaChach]

hi,

very nice thing you are doing for your friend...please get the ok from his doctors before you let him take a swig off the big red spring

i am a \"local\" so take this w/requisite grains of salt, but -

i am onsite for maybe 15-20 of the racing dates, my own personal preference is the last week. it is decidedly less crowded, and while the weather around here is tough to gauge - even the \"pros\" consistently whiff on the forecast during the summer - it\'s generally \"nicer\" (meaning: the 145% humidity we sometimes get in july and august is usually gone) that last week. i\'m 1/2 italian and 1/2 irish, and tho i tan like an italian (ten minutes outside in the summer and i look like i been to belize or something), i sweat like an irishman in the oppressive heat, and i think that\'s gotta be considered if you\'re taking someone not that far removed from major surgery: i am assuming you are planning on taking him to either clubhouse seats or tables in the boxes area, and to me at least (and i know am not the only person who feels this way), despite the nice-looking casablanca fans whirring overhead, it can get BRUTAL up in that area on hot days, and on bad days, brief trips to the small, sauna-esque bathroom off of section d and e in the clubhouse can bring even the healthiest among us to the edge of heat stroke.

someone mentioned the live outdoor music on opening weekend; they also have this on closing weekend. i think it\'s called \"hats off to saratoga\" or something like that. it\'s usually worth checking out.

covelj mentioned longfellows, i have not eaten there myself but several friends have and they all spoke well of it. several also spoke well of sargo\'s, at the saratoga national golf course (maybe 1/2 mile south of longfellows).

a restaurant that i can personally testify for is this one: http://www.chezsophie.com/

during younger and happier times made many visits to hattie\'s for the jambalaya - haven\'t been there since they changed hands but it was always sort of a saratoga institution.

i like (so do my kids, for whatever that\'s worth) breakfast at the country corner cafe - two locations, much prefer the one on high rock ave, more roomy/comfy. if you\'re just after caffeine, uncommon grounds on b\'way has the good stuff (the bagels are way too doughy for my taste, tho a lot of people around here swear by them).

if you and/or your friend happen to be history geeks (as i am), the saratoga battlefield, site of one of the more important battles in western history, is a few miles to the east and well worth checking out...if you\'re into history...

to the north, the lake placid area is really nice even just to drive through on a sunny day.

i haven\'t played the aforementioned saratoga national, but the state park course and the \"links\" of mcgregor (where i learned to play the cursed game as a teen) are nice, decent courses, if you want to spend a few hours spoiling a nice walk while you\'re in town.

best of luck to your friend, hope you make it up here and have a great time.

[richiebee]

Though I am not a big fan of the \"jugheads\", Saratoga Harness (whatever they
are calling it now) has always been my favorite harness racing venue.

The harness track also provides an alternative to a crowded day in the Saratoga
grandstand/clubhouse, especially if you are going to view the races on a TV
monitor. Clean, comfortably air conditioned, very manageable lines for SAM
wagering or wagering with a live teller. Free parking and admission as of last
summer.

Racing Hall of Fame -- still the only place in New York state where one can be
surrounded by quality horseflesh.

Off day diversions -- Baseball Hall of Fame and Ommegang Brewery (the best
Belgian ale brewed in the state of New York) in Cooperstown; Harness Racing Hall
of Fame in Goshen.

The best days to go to Saratoga used to be weekdays, but the quality of racing
at the Spa on weekdays is not what it used to be.

[JR]

The Adelphi Hotel. One of the few great places in town that hasn\'t changed. If you don\'t stay there, visit the back patio one evening for drinks.

[JR]

And don\'t forget to try Hatties. Simple food – fried chicken, ribs, collard greens, mashed potatos and other good southern things. Great homey atmosphere. I hope they\'re still there. I haven\'t made the trip for a few years.

And, of course, Siro\'s. Just next to the track. Be prepared for a big time.

[miff]

\"And, of course, Siro\'s. Just next to the track. Be prepared for a big time\"

....and a very big check, but it\'s great.Heard it was for sale(Wall Street crew in $trouble)


Mike

[girly]

Hattie\'s is great- I love to go there for dinner then take in a show with the teetotalers at Cafe Lena upstairs, where you can hear everything from Americana, jazz, urban folk-you name it. I also prefer The Horseshoe Inn down the street from Siros on Nelson-Great BBQ, less expensive and in my opinion less pretentious than the meat market at Siros (not to impugn anyone on this board)- They also have great local bands right after the track. the Funny Side owners used to hang out there-it\'s a nice environment-laid back and easy.

[Rick B.]

I knew I came to the right place for information on Saratoga. My warmest thanks to everyone who was able to provide insight and share their experiences.

As I digest all of the suggestions, I\'ll likely have follow-on questions for some of you.

My friend finds out in about 10 days whether he has clearance to travel -- then we can start making plans.

Thanks again, everyone.