| Horse racing has been around for centuries; however, | | | | Dandy. Jim Dandy was the long shot of the race and |
| the first organized Thoroughbred horse racing track to | | | | went off at odds of 100:1. |
| open in the United States was Saratoga Race Course. | | | | The historic racetrack has seen continuous racing for |
| Saratoga opened on August 3, 1863, which not only | | | | most of its history. The track has only closed on four |
| makes it the oldest horse racing track; it also makes it | | | | occasions. The first time the track closed was in 1911 |
| the oldest type of sporting venue in the United States. | | | | and 1912 when the governor of New York outlawed all |
| Saratoga Race Course is known by many different | | | | types of wagering on horse racing. The next time the |
| nicknames, including The Spa, due to the mineral | | | | track closed was during World War II. The last time |
| springs that are located in close proximity to the race | | | | that Saratoga closed was during the 2006 summer |
| course. Another nickname for the track is the | | | | meet. This closure was due to a heat wave that |
| Graveyard of Favorites. The track received this | | | | made it unsafe for the horses to race. |
| nickname because of the many upsets that have | | | | Saratoga is similar to the other racetracks in New |
| occurred over the years of racing that have taken | | | | York in that there are three separate tracks that |
| place at Saratoga. One of the several upsets | | | | compose the race course. The main track at |
| happened to Man O' War at Saratoga. This is the | | | | Saratoga is the dirt track that is one and one eighth |
| racetrack where Man O' War received his only defeat | | | | miles in length. There is also an outer turf course |
| in twenty one starts. | | | | located on the inside of the dirt course that is one mile |
| Another favorite to fall at the infamous racetrack was | | | | and ninety eight feet in length. There is also an inner |
| Secretariat when he was defeated by a horse by the | | | | turf course that is located on the inside of the main turf |
| name of Onion. This defeat came after Secretariat | | | | course that is approximately seven and one half |
| impressively won all three races of the Triple Crown. | | | | furlongs in length. There is also a separate track that is |
| The 1930 Travers Stakes also saw the fall of another | | | | used for training and warm-ups. |
| favorite when Gallant Fox was defeated by Jim | | | | |