From Mary Lou to Tom; Jim Dandy to Fourstardave; Siro’s to backyard tailgating; and morning workouts to give aways; Saratoga has a cast of heroes, customs, and institutions which make it, in our opinion, the most unique sporting venue on Earth. Over the next 40 Days, we will profile 40 of these legends and traditions, adding our own memories and experiences from 30 plus years of summering at the Spa. It’s our Salute to Saratoga. We hope you enjoy following along.
During racing season, there are really two interrelated parts to Saratoga: the world class racing that happens in the afternoon, and then the social and nightlife scene that happens after the races are over. Nothing connects those two parts better than today’s Salute to Saratoga item: Hats Off to Saratoga.
Hats Off is a celebration of the return of racing to Saratoga, and it really brings the town to life for the whole weekend. The weekend begins with the return of racing to the Spa, with significant Stakes races including the Schuylerville, the Diana, the Coaching Club American Oaks, the Sanford and the Lake George. But then, after the races are over, the Downtown bars and restaraunts welcome track season back to Saratoga with live music and revelry, really creating a festive environment throughout the whole town. Even though there are weekends later in the meet where the racing may be a bit better, or the races more prestigious, I’ve always thought that Hats Off weekend was the best weekend to bring people to visit Saratoga.
In that respect, I think that the Hats Off festival, and other events at similar race meets or big racing events, are significant for the future of horse racing. While the gamblers are undoubtedly the lifeblood of the sport, and the sport needs to foster and encourage new fans who want to really engage in the wagering side of the game, there is more to attracting new fans than simply trying to get people hooked on the possibility of winning money. In fact, I had a conversation this weekend on that very point — a friend of mine who has become increasingly interested in the sport was telling me about how he has become a fan. The bottom line from the conversation was that the gaming aspect is not enough — there are a million ways to put your money at risk nowadays, and to many young people, they’d rather go to a comfortable bar or restaurant and put some money on a sports game, or go to their local casino (more and more are popping up every day), or wager on something from the comfort of their couch. But the reason that he became a fan of racing was the experience of going to the track on a big day — the atmosphere, the fun (party) environment, the excitement that runs through the crowd as the race progresses. I think this is a major structural advantage that racing has over other forms of gambling: there is a real experiential aspect to it that can reach out and grab people. I think it is incumbent on the sport to identify, foster and promote as many experiential opportunities as possible.
Hats Off is an excellent example of this type of experience. For someone who has never been to the races, or generally just follows the Triple Crown races (what better year to bring that person than this one?), a weekend like Hats Off may move the needle for that person, causing them to follow the sport more closely.
The weekend, of course, is capped off by the annual Saratoga hat contest. If you are at the track for the contest, it is absolutely worth checking out. The entrants are always really impressive, and leave you wondering just how long the person spent building the hat. The creativity on display is also amazing; there are certainly hats at other racing festivals (Del Mar, the Derby, and Ascot) which are more expensive or “glamorous” but if you want to see creativity, Hats Off to Saratoga is where you want to be.
As we close this Salute to Saratoga, we want to take our hats off to racing, and our hats off to Saratoga.
