The summer place to be got an early start today as the Belmont Stakes festival kicked off at Saratoga Race Course.
“How you doing, sir? Tip sheet today folks, clubhouse seat today?” asked Chuck Renna.
Chuck Renna has been selling tip sheets outside Saratoga Race Course for years. He wouldn’t miss the historic weekend, expected to draw 100,000 racing fans to the region.
“I think today is a lot more locals than out of towners. I think they’re coming in tomorrow, Friday, Saturday, possibly Sunday hopefully. You know. Certainly, it’s good for the economy and all, but it’s good for the town, good for the people,” said Renna.
Tickets for Saturday’s third leg of the Triple Crown sold out quickly, and the weekend is expected to generate $50 million for the regional economy.
The Test of the Champions will be run in the Spa City again in 2025 as Belmont Park undergoes a half-a-billion-dollar renovation. The regular 40-day Saratoga meet starts July 11th.
Self-titled “hat guru” Roger Locks thinks the looming rain clouds have dampened the morning’s crowd.
“We’re so dependent upon the weather. If it was a beautiful, bright, shining—everybody would have been here, the place would have been full. Look, the tables are still empty and it’s Thursday Belmont week. Are you kidding? C’mon, it should be totally full. NYRA’s doing everything they can to make this place an experience so you can’t be upset with them. They’re not God, they’re not in charge of the weather,” said Locks.
Jockey Dylan Davis, a Saratoga Springs native, won the first race aboard Drunk On Sake.
“Oh, it was great. I'm happy to be here, it's a great experience especially getting to Saratoga earlier than usual but to be able to get the first win was incredible, looking to get more this weekend and continue on,” said Davis.
Standing next to the winner’s circle, track regular Tom Williams is kicking himself for picking the wrong horse.
“It jumped right out to me, Drunk On Sake, who hasn’t been? So of course, I loved him,” said Williams. “I looked at him in the Racing Form and he looked good, but I didn’t bet him to win, I’m an idiot!”
Otherwise, it's difficult for Williams to stay upset with an unprecedented weekend of racing ahead.
“I’m happy about it, I don’t ever want to see it turn into Saratoga running from June 1st to the Labor Day weekend. But while they’re re-doing Belmont I’m fine with it,” said Williams.
Back in the paddock, Robert Makos, Dominic Cocuzza, and Wayne Myers are one for one.
“Yeah, we really liked the horse’s breeding and we thought he’d run really good on the turf,” said Makos.
“He’s got daddy on the turf, first-time starter,” said Cocuzza.
“And we’ve been doing this for a long time and we’re very good at what we do,” said Myers.
Coming to Saratoga Race Course regularly since 1972, the three friends like to put their heads together. But Cocuzza is quick to noyr the triumvirate has had its rifts.
“No we have our differences. You know, and at the end of the race whoever wins gloats a little bit absolutely. But, you know, collectively, we usually come to a good decision,” said Cocuzza.
Gates open at Saratoga Race Course on Belmont Saturday at 9 a.m.