SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Due to the continuing impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that the opening of the Oklahoma Training Track and stabling area at Saratoga Race Course will be delayed.
The Oklahoma facility was originally set to open April 15, when training traditionally gets underway in advance of the Saratoga meet.
NYRA is working with the New York State Gaming Commission and public health agencies to determine an appropriate date to safely open the Oklahoma for training and stabling.
The delay does not impact the start of the Saratoga racing season which is scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 16 and run through Labor Day, Monday, September 7. The meet will be highlighted by the 151st renewal of the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers and the Grade 1 Whitney, which serve as the anchors of two of the biggest racing days in North America.
Following Opening Weekend, July 16-19, racing will be conducted five days per week, Wednesdays through Sundays. The final day of the season will be Labor Day, Monday, September 7.
For more information about Saratoga Race Course, visit NYRA.com/Saratoga.
About the New York Racing Association
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) holds the exclusive franchise to conduct thoroughbred racing at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.
NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of New York State’s thoroughbred industry, which is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual statewide economic impact.
Accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance, NYRA is a founding member of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition, a group of the nation’s leading racing organizations working collaboratively to advance safety reforms across the sport.
Over the course of 217 days of live racing in 2019, NYRA generated more than $2.1 billion in all-sources wagering handle with paid attendance exceeding 1.5 million.