Saratoga Race Course opens for the season | Insider tips | Opening Day forecast

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- The Saratoga Race Course opens today for its 142nd season. CBS 6 has your guide to Saratoga -- use the links below to find everything you need.

We'll be there live with special guests during all of our newscasts beginning at 5 a.m.

Check back for Opening Day Photos Galleries and updates. E-mail your opening day photos to: news@wrgb.com.

[Opening Day Photo Galleries]

[When things open, when the races start]

[How to get there, travel delays]

[Parking]

[How much it costs, how to get good seats]

[What to pack, what to leave at home]

[What to wear]

[Where to eat]

[Scratches/changes (updated daily)]

[Giveaways]

[Events schedule]

[News recap: Recent headlines you may have missed]

[Race Course Map]

[Your questions]

Basic season information

This is Saratoga Race Course's 142nd season. It will run 40 days through Sept. 6 with no racing on Tuesdays.

When it's open

Gates open at 11 a.m. on weekdays and at 10:30 a.m. on weekends.

Post times are 1 p.m. daily except:

July 30: 2:30 p.m.

Aug. 28 (Travers Day): 11:35 a.m.

Sept. 3: 2:30 p.m.

A morning visit

You can watch the morning workouts for free, except on Travers Day. 

A breakfast buffet is served from 7 to 9:30 a.m. The cost is $14.95 per person, $7.95 for children ages 3 to 12.

Parking is refundable for anyone leaving before 10 a.m.

Morning visitors can also take part in a free walking tour of the Backstretch Area and watch the Paddock Show and Starting Gate Demonstration. There are no tours on Travers or Closing days.

How to get there

If you're using a GPS, search for: Saratoga Race Course, 267 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

NYRA has put together an extensive set of directions [click here].

TRAFFIC ALERT! Traffic is always an issue on opening day, but this year: it may be even worse.

Ongoing bridgework at Exit 14 of the Northway will continue today, forcing lane closures in each direction and inevitably backups.

The Department of Transportation is working on the bridge carrying Route 9P over the Northway.

The work is expected to be done next week.

Parking

General parking is free. Gates open at 6:45 a.m. 

Trackside parking is $10.

Parking is refundable for anyone leaving before 10 a.m.

Handicapped parking is available at the Clubhouse and Grandstand entrances.

There is Oklahoma preferred parking for $5 on the corner of East and Union avenues where gates open at 9 a.m.

[Race Course Map]

How much it costs 

*Grandstand admission is free on Opening Day*

Grandstand admission is $3.

Clubhouse admission is $5.

Children under age 12 are free if they’re with a parent or guardian.

On Travers Day, the Grandstand is $5 and the Clubhouse is $10.

If you're just getting breakfast, there is no admission charge for breakfast except on Travers Day when you must pay to enter the Clubhouse.

How to get good seats

You can get unsold seat tickets and "Sun Seat" tickets for that day each morning. Sales start at 9 a.m. at the Reserved Seat Booth at Gate A on Union Avenue. There’s a limit four per person and your ticket price does not include admission.

If reserved seating is sold out, there are thousands of seats available each day on a first-come, first-served basis. The Grandstand, Clubhouse and trackside apron offer free benches and there are tables in the backyard picnic area.

What to pack, what to leave home

Coolers are allowed in the backyard, apron and Top of the Stretch areas only, and not inside the building. No glass is allowed. Plastic bottles and cans are allowed, but are subject to search.

Pop-up tents and umbrellas are only allowed in the backyard area. They are not allowed to block the view of a monitor, tote board, etc.

Tradition says you can reserve a bench seat with your newspaper or program, but this is not an official rule.

Backyard picnic tables can be reserved by putting articles on a table -- only one table per person is allowed. You must exit the track when the morning breakfast patrons leave, and pay to re-enter when the gates open for racing.

The first floor Carousel area only opens for racing.

What to wear

Grandstand: Shirts and shoes required.

Paddock Saddling Area & Winner's Circle: No shorts or abbreviated wear allowed. For gentlemen, collared shirts are required.

Box Seat Area: For gentlemen, suits or sports jackets are required. Ties are not required. For ladies, dresses, skirts or slack outfits. No jeans, shorts or abbreviated wear permitted.

Dining Areas Turf Terrace: Neat Casual Attire. No jeans, shorts or abbreviated wear permitted. For Gentlemen, collared shirts are required. Management reserves the right to use its discretion to determine 'neat casual attire.'

At the Rail Pavilion, The Porch, Club Terrace & Carousel Restaurant: For gentlemen, no tank tops, short-shorts, cut-offs or abbreviated wear permitted. Proper attire at management’s discretion.

Luxury Suites: No abbreviated wear permitted. For gentlemen, no tank tops. Proper attire at management’s discretion.

Clubhouse: No short shorts, cut-offs or abbreviated wear permitted. No tank tops. Proper attire at management’s discretion.

Giveaways

July 29: -- Saratoga Short Sleeve T-Shirt [photo]

Aug. 8 -- Rachel Alexandra Baseball Cap [photo]

Aug. 22 -- Saratoga Umbrella [photo]

Sept. 5 -- Saratoga Long Sleeve T-Shirt [photo]

All items are free with a paid admission while supplies last.

Events schedule

July 23: Opening Day, The Schuylerville

July 30: College Day at Saratoga Race Course

Aug. 21: The Alabama

Aug. 28: Travers Stakes

Sept. 4: The Woodward

[Click here for special events]

[Click here for a complete schedule of races]

News recap: Recent headlines you may have missed

July 18: Saratoga Businesses Ready for Season

July 18: Saratoga Open House

June 28: NYRA president Charlie Hayward confident NYRA on right track

June 28: Giveaways for 2010 Saratoga Meet 

June 14: Saratoga Racetrack Needs Workers

May 18: Paterson: Saratoga Racing Will Be Saved

May 15: Racing Problems Affecting Saratoga

April 19: Saratoga Season In Jeopardy

April 16: RAW: Spring Training in Saratoga

March 13: No Racing at Saratoga This Year?

Retro Saratoga Race Course, Specials

Sept. 13, 2009: Behind the scenes at the Saratoga Backstretch

Aug. 12, 2009: Behind the scenes with Track Announcer Tom Durkin

Vintage Saratoga Race Course

1980: Steve Cauthen at Saratoga

Niatross Over the Fence

Your questions

Is there something you've always wondered about Saratoga? Ask us by e-mailing: news@wrgb.com