NEWSLETTER
Saratoga Springs, N.Y. — The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will present several events during August — kicking off with Hall of Fame weekend on Friday, Aug. 1 — as part of the ongoing celebration of the Museum’s 75th anniversary year. For a complete list of events and more details, please visit the Museum website at www.racingmuseum.org.
Upcoming events
Hall of Fame induction ceremony
When: Friday, Aug. 1, 10:30 a.m.
Where: Fasig-Tipton, 153 George Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Cost: Free to attend (limited seating)
About: The National Museum of Racing inducts the 2025 Hall of Fame class: racehorses Smarty Jones, Decathlon, and Hermis; trainer George H. Conway; and Pillars of the Turf Edward L. Bowen, Arthur B. Hancock III, and Richard Ten Broeck. The ceremony is open to the public and free to attend. Seating is limited. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. If you are unable to attend, the ceremony will be streamed live on the Museum website.
Saturday Morning Social
When: Saturday, Aug. 2, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
About: The Museum will offer free admission and there will be complimentary coffee and doughnuts courtesy of Stewart’s Shops and water courtesy of Saratoga Spring Water. This morning’s program will feature a meet and greet with numerous Hall of Fame inductees, a handicapping seminar with Tom Amello, and a book signing with Robert Clark for A Brush With Greatness. Additionally, New York State Assembly Member Carrie Woerner (District 113) will present a proclamation honoring the Museum’s 75th anniversary and there will be a photo opportunity with artist Celeste Susany’s 75th anniversary mural The Past is Present. Complimentary commemorative prints of the mural will be available while supplies last.
Angel Cordero, Jr. Museum Tours
When: Wednesday, Aug. 6, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Wednesday, Aug. 20, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
About: Hall of Fame Jockey Angel Cordero, Jr. will be back this summer hosting a pair of specialty tours at the Museum. The three-time Kentucky Derby winner and “King of Saratoga,” Cordero was one of the 20th century’s leading jockeys and the first native of Puerto Rico to be inducted to the Hall of Fame. Now, in this one-of-a-kind tour, you’ll have the chance to spend time with one of thoroughbred racing’s most influential figures, and one of the greatest jockeys of all time. Get your tickets today before they sell out.
Angel Cordero, Jr. Museum Tour tickets: Purchase here
Racing Partnership & Syndicate Meet and Greet
When: Saturday, Aug. 9, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
About: Learn how to get involved in thoroughbred ownership at any level by speaking with some of the top partnerships and syndicates in the sport. Free to attend as part of Saturday Morning Socials. Special thank you to our event sponsor Mazzone Hospitality.
Participating partnerships: Brown Road Racing, Centennial Farms, Country Life and Merryland, Dream Maker Racing, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Hibiscus Stables, MyRacehorse, Sackatoga Stables, and West Point Thoroughbreds
Saturday Morning Social
When: Saturday, Aug. 9, 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
About: The Museum will offer free admission and there will be complimentary coffee and doughnuts courtesy of Stewart’s Shops and water courtesy of Saratoga Spring Water. The morning program will feature a handicapping seminar with Tom Amello and a presentation by Ada Gates, the first woman licensed as a racehorse farrier.
Curator’s Tour: A Look Through the Eyes and Life of Charlotte C. Weber
Date: Tuesday, Aug. 12, 11 a.m.
About: Join us for a unique tour experience of A Look Through the Eyes and Life of Charlotte C. Weber with curators Jessica Cloer and Virginia E. Moens and learn about the process of bringing the exhibit to life. Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at the curation of the exhibition from start to finish, including the process of object selection and exhibit design.
Cost: Free for Museum members, $25 for non-members. Tour price includes Museum admission.
Purchase tickets here: Curator’s Tour tickets
Saturday Morning Social Celebrating 25 Years of The Saratoga Special
When: Saturday, Aug. 16, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
About: The Museum will offer free admission and there will be complimentary coffee and doughnuts courtesy of Stewart’s Shops and water courtesy of Saratoga Spring Water. This Saturday Morning Social will include a program commemorating the 25-year history of The Saratoga Special. Join co-owners and co-founders Joe and Sean Clancy and managing editor Tom Law as they talk about the origin of the paper in 2001 and the role it plays, a quarter-century later, in telling the stories of the horses and horsemen who compete at Saratoga Race Course. FanDuel Racing broadcaster Gabby Gaudet, a former intern at The Saratoga Special, will moderate the discussion. The Clancys founded The Special seven years after establishing Steeplechase Times. Law came on board in 2013 after a stint with Thoroughbred Times. The Clancys and Law have collectively covered racing for nearly 100 years and have won six Eclipse Awards and several other honors for coverage of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and Breeders Cup. The Saratoga Special will also host a handicapping seminar during the Saturday Morning Social to discuss the 145th running of the Alabama Stakes.
There will also be book signings featuring The Travers: Saratoga’s Midsummer Derby 1864-2023 by Brien Bouyea and Michael Veitch; Secretariat’s Legacy by Patricia McQueen; Find Me in Saratoga by Patrice Mastrianni; and When Montana Outraced the East by Catharine Melin-Moser.
Casino Night at the Museum
Date: Monday, Aug. 18, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
About: Join us for an unforgettable evening of high-stakes fun — all for a great cause! The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame presents Casino Night, an exciting benefit event supporting both the National Museum of Racing and the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).
Enjoy a lively atmosphere featuring:
- Celebrity Dealers
- Buffet and cocktail-style fare donated by Mama Mia’s (limited seating)
- 50/50 Raffle
- Silent Auction
- Door Prizes and Giveaways
- Cash-only gaming tables
Whether you’re playing for the thrill or the cause, your bets help preserve the legacy of horse racing and support the dedicated athletes of the sport.
Ticket Options:
- Museum Members: $100
- General Admission: $150
- Admission + Individual Museum Membership: $175
For inquiries: info@racingmuseum.net
NOTE: No physical tickets, there will be a registration list with names at the door.
Purchase tickets here: Casino Night tickets
Travers Eve Wine & Cheese
Date: Friday, Aug. 22, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
About: Celebrate the Saratoga racing season at the Museum on Travers Stakes Eve. Enjoy refreshments in the Museum’s Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Courtyard with fellow Museum members and racing enthusiasts. The event will feature a book signing featuring The Travers: Saratoga’s Midsummer Derby 1864-2023 by Brien Bouyea and Michael Veitch, and a 2025 Travers Stakes poster signing with artist Greg Montgomery. Special thank you to event sponsors Mazzone Hospitality, Saratoga Eagle, and Saratoga Spring Water.
Cost: Free for Museum members, $25 for non-members (and a $25 credit toward a new membership).
R.S.V.P. to Tricia Warrens at twarrens@racingmuseum.net or call (518) 584-0400 x112.
Saturday Morning Social
When: Saturday, Aug. 23, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
About: The Museum will offer free admission and there will be complimentary coffee and doughnuts courtesy of Stewart’s Shops and water courtesy of Saratoga Spring Water. The morning program will include a book signing featuring The Travers: Saratoga’s Midsummer Derby 1864-2023 by Brien Bouyea and Michael Veitch, and a 2025 Travers Stakes poster signing with artist Greg Montgomery, as well as a handicapping seminar with Tom Amello.
Saturday Morning Social
When: Saturday, Aug. 30, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
About: The Museum will offer free admission and there will be complimentary coffee and doughnuts courtesy of Stewart’s Shops and water courtesy of Saratoga Spring Water. The morning program will feature a handicapping seminar with Tom Amello, as well as a fun-filled “Day of Discovery,” including interactive activities for all ages — communal art, games, crafts, and more.
Ongoing events throughout August
Oklahoma Training Track Tours
Available through October, this exclusive, 60-minute behind-the-scenes walking tour of Saratoga Race Course’s famous training site offers guests the opportunity to experience the morning workouts and includes Museum admission. Reservations required (no children under the age of 10 permitted). Cost: $15 adults, $10 seniors and students, 50 percent off for Museum members. Reservations and additional details: call (518) 584-0400 ext. 103.
Tom Durkin Museum Tours
Join legendary race caller Tom Durkin for a unique and entertaining tour experience of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. These special tours last one hour and include a showing of the Museum’s new signature film, What It Takes: Journey to the Hall of Fame. Dates and time: Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Cost: $25 Museum members, $35 Non-members. Reservations and additional details: (518) 584-0400 ext. 103.
Museum Drop-In Programs
Every Wednesday in August from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., a Museum educator will be in our HorsePlay! Gallery to talk about that week’s equine topic and to help children complete an equine-themed craft. Weekly topics and crafts can be found outlined on our website!
Walk of Fame at Saratoga Race Course
Check out the Museum’s satellite location at Saratoga Race Course to learn about the history of the sport and for family activities every racing day during the summer meeting. Additionally, trophies from the Museum collection related to many of Saratoga’s top stakes races will be on display at this space from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday (excluding Aug. 1).
For more information about the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, including upcoming events, please visit www.racingmuseum.org or call (518) 584-0400.
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