The excitement of watching horses battle down the homestretch at the Saratoga Race Course is still there — just two miles down the road from where the race is actually happening.

“So far so good, couldn’t ask for anything more, beautiful day out,” said Joe Casale, a North Greenbush resident watching the races at Prime at Saratoga National.

He was one of about 200 people catching the races from the restaurant Thursday. It was one of several watch parties taking place across Saratoga Springs with the race course closed to fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have 11 TVs throughout the property with surround sound for each race playing. Everybody has a reservation,” said Lauren Holmes, the director of sales and marketing at the Saratoga National Golf Club.

Over at the Horseshoe Inn, this may be the closest fans will get to the races all season.
The bar and grill is located right across the street from the race course, and many took advantage of the proximity.

“It’s safer. We have our mask on every time we get up from the table. So, yes we’re being safe and enjoying Saratoga,” said Susan O’Brien, of Niskayuna.

She usually goes there after races, but changed things up to stay close to the action. O’Brien is also among the fans adjusting to the betting. Instead of trips to the window, fans are now turning to the NYRA Bets app on their phone.

“The usual — down, but I’m having fun,” Casale said.

“I’m not going to tell you how the betting is going because I don’t want to jinx it,” said Saratoga Springs resident Kevin Madigan.

While some say it was the right call to keep fans away during this pandemic, others are still disappointed to not be able to watch the races in person. At the end of the day, fans say there’s no better experience than being inside the race course during the summer.

“Listening to ‘and they’re off at Saratoga,’ listening to everything you can experience inside … but we’re happy just to be close by and enjoying the Saratoga experience,” O’Brien said.