Travers 2024 brings thousands to downtown Saratoga Springs
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y (NEWS10) - As the Travers Stakes has officially wrapped up for Saturday, thousands of horse racing enthusiasts headed downtown to keep the spirit alive and visit traditional post-race spots. This weekend is one of the biggest in sales for downtown business owners.
"This weekend is huge, I mean, its very, very busy," said Marianne Barker co-owner of Impression of Saratoga. "This weekend, Whitney weekend, Belmont weekend for us all are pretty, pretty on par."
Whether people come to Saratoga for the 155th running of the Travers Stakes at the Saratoga Race Course, or for just the extended hours of the historic shops on Broadway, business owners like Barker said the downtown crowd during this time of year never disappoints.
"It's always that way, even from Europe," Barker said. "Its amazing the people where they come from. There's a lot of Florida, a lot of California, a lot of New Jersey and Massachusetts, Long Island probably the most."
However, for some downtown, like Rubal Singh and her family, who drove seven hours from Toronto, Canada, to Saratoga, the Travers Stakes was not the only thing they were after.
"We've been to this coffee shop; it was really nice, and we are going to the doughnut shop here now, the square donuts, " Singh said. "At Darling Doughnuts."
A Creed concert also took place on Saturday at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, SPAC, which attracted those like Angelina Rhoades who traveled to New York from Pennsylvania.
"We came a little early just to walk through town, had some lunch, late lunch," Rhoades said. "Then we're going to SPAC, we got a hotel in town, so it's close. And then we are going to Carolina Street to hang out."
In its entirety, according to Todd Shimkus, at the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, Travers weekend will bring in nearly $370 million. He said this will top what revenue was brought in from the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. The third leg of the triple crown was historically held at the Saratoga Race Course in June, while Belmont Park undergoes a major renovation project.
"It's great for our community," Shimkus said. "It's going to have lasting positive impact for years to come."
According to the final numbers from the Belmont Stakes from the Commissioner of Finance of Saratoga Springs, the Belmont Stakes brought in nearly $1.8 million in June. However, the takeaway was only about $80,000 as most of that revenue went to overtime pay costs for police, I-T and the Department of Public Works for their efforts throughout the four days of races.
The Travers Stakes is expected to go beyond the Belmont in sales, but even though Saturday was one of the greatest days for businesses, Barker said traditionally the days after the big race will bring more people downtown.
"Tomorrow will actually be a lot bigger for us than today, because Saturday I think everyone focuses on getting over to the track, getting their picnic table, getting their seat," Baker said. "Bringing their tail gates, you know everything. I think getting over there is their number one priority."