SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. will host Latino-American Day at Saratoga Race Course on Wednesday, July 23. The event is the first installment in the inaugural International Heritage Series, a weekly celebration of global culture and heritage during the 2014 summer meet.
The day-long festivities will feature Latino music, dance, entertainment, crafts and food from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Saratoga Pavilion located inside the Reserved Seats Box Office entrance.
New York Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales will join the New York Racing Association CEO and President Chris Kay in the winner’s circle to present the trophy for the day’s second race (1 p.m. post time) named in honor of the International Heritage Series.
The afternoon will feature a Spanish call of the second race to the entire NYRA network by Spanish language race announcer Luis Grandison, who joined the New York Racing Association in the spring of 2014. The arrival of Grandison, a 57-year-old Panama native, established the New York Racing Association as the first racetrack operator in the United States to offer year-round Spanish language race calls.
“It is an honor to have Saratoga Race Course host a day in celebration of Latino-American culture and heritage. I would like to thank Secretary of State Perales for his interest and participation in this event which will launch our International Heritage Series,” said Kay. “Additionally, we look forward to introducing Luis Grandison to our racing audience at Saratoga. Our sport has a very large and dedicated following in the Hispanic and Latino communities, and his introduction will help enhance and personalize the guest experience for our Spanish speaking fan base.”
Musical and dance performances from Mambo Dragons, Saratoga Savoy, Gilda Vullo and DJ Enrique Loco Lopez will take place in the Saratoga Pavilion and near the Saratoga bandstand and gazebo throughout the afternoon.
Traditional Latino food will be available in the Saratoga Pavilion from El Mariachi in Albany and Magdalena’s Authentic Mexican in Valatie.
In addition to Latino-American Day, the International Heritage Series lineup will include: Italian-American Day on July 30; Irish-American Day on August 6; African-American Day on August 13; and Asian-American Day on August 20. The final installment of the series will celebrate the history and culture of Saratoga Springs with Saratoga Heritage Day on August 27.
The 2014 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course continues through Labor Day, Monday, September 1. For more information about Saratoga Race Course, call (518) 584-6200 or log onto www.nyra.com.