The Saratoga Special & This Is Horse Racing

03/03/2026

Getting to be that time of year. Reserve your advertising spots in The Saratoga Special for Belmont Stakes Week and the Saratoga summer racing season. Find out all about it here.

The Saratoga Special newspaper returns for its 26th season in 2026, and it’s time to make plans to be part of the world-class racing, timeless atmosphere and award-winning racing coverage at historic Saratoga Race Course this summer.

01/26/2026

We couldn't think of a better tribute. No pressure, future interns.

The Saratoga Special names its editorial internship program for writer Terry Hill, who died at 81 in December 2025.

11/19/2025

We hate to see his career end, but it was a privilege to cover this champion for all these years. Happy retirement, Snap Decision.

Champion U.S. steeplechaser Snap Decision retires after seven seasons, five Grade 1 wins, 15 stakes wins, $1.2 million in earnings.

09/24/2025

When a fan reached out to former MLB player Jim Gosger, it sparked an unlikely friendship that lives on through a racehorse bearing his name.

This past weekend Gosger the c**t carried that story to the Pennsylvania Derby, giving Jim and his family a connection to the sport they never expected. 🐎⚾

👉 Read the full feature: https://loom.ly/jleUvp0

09/23/2025

Locked heads to the G2 Woodward this weekend! 🔒
The 4-year-old Gun Runner c**t, winner of the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, has earned over $1.7 million for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Walmac Farm.

Featured in the July 10 Saratoga Special Stable Tour with Todd Pletcher, he was praised as “one of the best of his generation.” Now he gets his chance to prove it again.

Read his Saratoga Special feature ➡️ https://loom.ly/UuYPqR8
📸 Samantha Decker

09/15/2025

Special Moments from the Saratoga Meet 🎪🌟

Some wins at Saratoga go deeper than the finish line.

On August 21, homebred filly City Blocks scored in a New York-bred allowance, giving trainer Eddie Barker and longtime owner/breeder John Guerrera a victory to remember. The win came 11 years to the day her dam, Uncle Southern, won the Union Avenue Stakes at Saratoga.

The triumph was bittersweet. Just a month earlier, Uncle Southern passed away while in foal, making her daughter’s performance an even more poignant tribute.

📖 Read the full story in Issue 20: https://loom.ly/au54jII
📸 Olivia Witkowski

09/10/2025

📌 Around The Horns: Saratoga 2025
Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown tied for the training title, but Linda Rice made her presence known with 24 wins. Miguel Clement followed with 18, and Bill Mott rounded out the top five with 16 victories.

👉 Read our season recap: https://loom.ly/ho2QzY0

09/09/2025

🎀 Putting a bow on Saratoga 2025 🎀
From Sovereignty’s sweep to unforgettable moments on and off the track, the 2025 Saratoga season had it all. Relive the stories, stats, and highlights in The Saratoga Special’s season wrap-up by Joe Clancy.

👉 https://loom.ly/ho2QzY0
📸 Samantha Decker

09/09/2025

Moment #3 in our 25 Special Moments from the Meet series…

“She’s ready.” Trainer Jorge Abreu’s words proved prophetic as Scottish Lassie stormed home by 15 ½ lengths in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks 🏆

📖 Relive the story: https://loom.ly/Hu0rjgs

09/05/2025

✨ 25 Special Moments from the Meet ✨
Moment No. 2: The Champ at the Spa.

Tom Law’s preview of Thorpedo Anna in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign captured the electricity of a reigning Horse of the Year back at Saratoga. From her strolls through the paddock to the roar of Travers Day, the queen had the stage, and she knew it.

Relive the moment ➡️ https://loom.ly/xoqFdcc
📸 Samantha Decker

09/04/2025

✨ 25 Special Moments ✨
We’re celebrating our 25th year of The Saratoga Special with a look back at some of the stories that made this season unforgettable.

Moment No. 1: Bill Mott’s Stable Tour.
From Sovereignty’s rise to stars like Sterling Silver, Scotland, and Bendoog, Mott opened his barn doors and gave readers a front-row seat to one of the most powerful stables in the game.

Relive it here ➡️ https://loom.ly/J6dwgI4

09/03/2025

Well, that's a wrap on my second season shooting for The Saratoga Special & This Is Horse Racing. It is truly an honor to shoot for such a respected publication, and I could not have had more fun doing it. Now it's time for me to very quickly switch gears as I head into my 16th year of teaching tomorrow!