Visitors to Saratoga Race Course this summer will have the opportunity to learn more about the thoroughbred breeding industry through weekly tours that will bring guests off the track to a local farm.
This summer, horseracing fans at Saratoga will be able to see a side of the sport not normally experienced by the casual racegoer – the breeding industry.
Patrick McKenna is a spokesperson for the New York Racing Association…
“This is the first season that NYRA will be partnering with a local breeding farm – this year it’s Old Tavern Farm – to provide fans with a new and different kind of experience,” said McKenna.
Originally planned for 2020 – but delayed due to the pandemic – this season will see a new program called the Saratoga Breakfast and Breeding Farm Tour.
After breakfast at Saratoga Race Course, a shuttle will bring guests to a local breeding farm. Old Tavern Farm is just a few miles away.
Farm owner Walt Borisenok provided a sneak-preview tour of the farm established in 2016 that was once upon a time the site of an old tavern.
“We have 16 stalls here, so basically we are primarily what you would call a commercial breeder,” said Borisenok.
The barn at the crest of a hill overlooking Saratoga Lake is used for breeding thoroughbreds. The stalls in this barn, as Borisenok points out, are outfitted with cameras.
Old Tavern Farm is a participant in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s Foal Patrol program, where viewers can check in on baby horses via webcam.
“And it’s amazing how passionate the fans that watch these videos are. And if they think that there’s an issue or something, we get telephone calls at 1 o’clock in the morning from somebody from California going ‘I think you should check your foal that just got born!’ Yeah! There are, there’s people standing right here but they can’t see ’em on the camera,” said Borisenok.
Today, there are two foals nearby – one is three weeks old. Another was born just three days ago.
“So that thing is like three days old! I tell ya what, what’s totally amazing is that a 140 pound little horse drops out of a mare. You go, ‘Wow! That thing was actually inside that mare.’”
Visitors will also get to interact with the horses — who will happily accept a snack.
“Oh you’re going to get full on carrots!”
Transportation to the farm and back will be provided via an open-air trolley shuttle from the Capital District Transportation Authority. Jonathan Scherzer is with CDTA…
“To have this call with and to have this conversation with NYRA and the thoroughbred association and the farm is a no-brainer for us. At CDTA we like to be innovative and progressive,” said Scherzer.
New York Throughbred Breeders is a partner in the program. Najja Thompson is NYTB’s Executive Director…
“The Saratoga Breakfast and Breeding Farm Tour is one initiative which NYTB fully supports. An invaluable experience to allow racing fans and the public to receive a firsthand behind-the-scenes look at New York’s horseracing and thoroughbred breeding industry,” said Thompson.
The tour will have race fans back at Saratoga in time for the first post. Tours will be held on Fridays throughout the meet that begins on Thursday, July 14th and runs through Labor Day. The tour package will cost $55 for adults, $25 for kids 12 and under and will include admission for afternoon racing.
Tickets can be purchased via the NYRA website.
