SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — The difference was apparent.
Thousands of fans who stood in line for hours on Marylou Whitney Way waiting for the gates at Saratoga Race Course to open on Belmont Stakes Saturday were replaced by a significantly fewer number of fans strolling through those same gates a day later.
Fascinators, dresses, and suits on a sunny, warm Saturday were — with few exceptions — replaced by windbreakers and jeans on a chilly, damp, and sometimes overcast Sunday.
There was more than ample space to be had in what was one day earlier packed picnic, grandstand and trackside areas.
The palpable excitement in the air was replaced with a quiet calm.
As New York Racing Association Vice President of Communications Pat McKenna said, “It’s kind of a typical sleepy Saratoga Sunday” at the track.
Sunday could never be mistaken for Belmont Stakes Saturday, but as the four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival came to a close, the thrill of horse racing’s first-ever Triple Crown race being run at the Spa was not lost on anyone.
A sold-out crowd of 50,000 on Saturday watched as 17-1 longshot Darnoch held off Mindframe and morning-line favorite Sierra Leone to win the 156th running of the $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets to cap off the historic day.
The Belmont Stakes topped a quality 14-race card with nine stakes races, including the $1 million Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap and Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes, as well as the $500,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes, Jaipur Stakes, and Woody Stephens Stakes.
“It was a memorable day in the long history of Saratoga Race Course,” McKenna said. “The energy, excitement, and enthusiasm you get from the fans here at Saratoga is unmatched anywhere in the world. We’re extremely grateful we got the chance to show off this place and these fans.
“We’re happy we got this chance to show off the magic of Saratoga.”
According to the New York Racing Association, an all-sources handle of $125,748,941 was generated throughout the day — a NYRA record for a non-Triple Crown year — and an increase of more than 6.3 percent over the previous non-Triple Crown record of $118,283,455, set in 2023.
“The crowd was huge and that $125 million handle is enormous,” McKenna said. “The number exceeded our projections. That handle is a true indicator of how good the racing was. We thank the fans in attendance here as well as those watching on Fox.
“It truly was incredible. This was definitely one of the busiest days we’ve ever seen here at Saratoga Race Course.”
Heading into the final day of racing, more than 100,000 fans (more than 22,000 on Thursday and nearly 30,000 on Friday) had already attended the Belmont Festival, with thousands more expected on Sunday.
“It’s all gravy from here,” McKenna said when asked about Sunday’s attendance.
“After the three days of (world-class) racing we had here (on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday), it is certainly understandable if the energy (on Sunday) is not what the other days were, especially for the Belmont Stakes,” McKenna said.
McKenna added NYRA would soon meet to look into what improvements could be made for 2025, when Saratoga Race Course will play host to the Belmont Stakes again before the race returns to its permanent home in Elmont on Long Island when major renovations are expected to be completed.
“There are always things that can be done to make things better,” he said. “We’ll meet and discuss what we can do to make the experience better for our fans. Constant improvement is always the goal.”
When asked to describe the feeling of seeing the hard work and months of planning from everyone associated with the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival come to fruition, McKenna summed it up in one word.
Humbling.
“To see the reaction and energy, it’s humbling more than anything else,” McKenna said. “NYRA really is just a steward of this great facility and racing in New York. (The success of the Festival) comes down to a great collaboration NYRA has with the city of Saratoga Springs, the (Saratoga County) Chamber (of Commerce) and Discover Saratoga.
“There is no place in the world that has the passion for this sport like they do here.”
And it won’t be long before that passion will be on display again. The regular 40-day Saratoga summer meet season starts July 11.
“One of the benefits of having (the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival) here is this facility will be totally ready for July,” McKenna said. “We’re looking forward to another great Saratoga meet.”
