You can watch the beautiful people in the box seats or just wander the grounds. In the evening, drown your losses at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, where the entertainment ranges from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to the Lake George Opera Festival. In season, which this year will run July 25-Sept. 3, the track is open every day except Tuesday. The weekend dates, especially for major events such as The Whitney Handicap and the Travers Stakes, draw large crowds.
Weekdays are more manageable.
The best way to see the track is to go for the morning breakfast and backstretch tour. Also available are a paddock show and a starting-gate demonstration. For clubhouse and grandstand seating, dress is casual, but short shorts, cutoffs, tank tops and other abbreviated wear are not allowed in the clubhouse. Shorts are not allowed. Among the sights are a statue of Triple Crown winner Secretariat and memorabilia dating back to the sport's pre-Civil War heritage.