On Thursday, June 11, Saratoga Casino Hotel announced that harness racing will resume at the track on Thursday, June 18, but no spectators are allowed at the track due to state guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans can wager remotely on the races through Saratoga Casino Hotel’s online wagering platform, saratogabets.com, or on any other New York State-approved online waging platform.
Following the directive outlined by the New York State Gaming Commission and the New York State Department of Health, Saratoga Casino Hotel management developed new policies and procedures to reduce the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak and ensure the safety of employees, horsepeople, and horses.
“We’re very excited to resume our 79th season of racing here at the historic 'Spa' oval, and are particularly happy that our horsemen will be able to get back to the sport they love after a time that’s been difficult for so many,” said Saratoga Casino Hotel Director of Racing Operations, John Matarazzo. “We’d like to extend a special thank you to the New York State Gaming Commission and the Department of Health for making this possible.”
Races will be held two days a week, every Thursday and Sunday, with a noon post time.
On all race dates throughout June and July, SaratogaBets will be offering a five per cent bonus on all winning Saratoga harness wagers, as well as double the money back on program purchases. These bonuses are in addition to up to five per cent in daily or weekly player reward payouts regularly offered to SaratogaBets account holders. To open a new account to wager on tracks from around the world, head to saratogabets.com.
The casino remains closed and is awaiting further guidance from the state regarding a reopen date for the entire property.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)
The Gerrity Memorial, which
The Gerrity Memorial, which is Saratoga's signature race, was scheduled for July 25, which is a Saturday. If the track will only be racing on Thursdays and Sundays, has the race been postponed, or has it been cancelled this year?