Saratoga Raceway’s 79th season of live harness racing is underway at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
Coupled with the 2020 racing season is the unveiling of the SaratogaBets Simulcast Center, a new trackside venue offering carrel seating, self-service and live teller wagering options, in addition to bar and food service at Diamond Jim’s.
This season the casino will look to build on the success of last year’s performance, officials said, where all-source handle exceeded $48 million and the Saratoga Harness simulcast signal was broadcast to over 400 outlets worldwide.
“We’re very excited to welcome fans back for the 79th year of harness racing,” said John Matarazzo, director of racing operations at Saratoga Casino Hotel. “We look forward to continuing our tradition of exciting and quality racing here at the historic Spa Oval.”
A highlight of the upcoming racing season will once again be the 12th annual Joe Gerrity, Jr. Memorial Pace, which will feature one dash for $260,000 on July 18. Collectively, horsemen will be competing for over $15 million in purses at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2020.
Additionally, continued benefits and rewards will be available throughout the 2020 racing season for users of SaratogaBets, the casino’s online interactive wagering platform. On Wednesdays and Thursdays for the entire 2020 season, a 10 percent bonus will be added on all winning Saratoga Harness wagers placed on any self-service kiosk with a valid SaratogaBets account.
Signing up for a SaratogaBets account is free and can be completed on SaratogaBets.com or in the mezzanine at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The full 2020 season schedule is available at SaratogaCasino.com. People must be 18 years of age or older to play video gaming machines or wager on horses.
Saratoga Casino Hotel, located on Crescent Avenue in Saratoga Springs, features over 1,700 slots, a 117-room luxury hotel, electronic table games, Vapor, Morton’s The Steakhouse, two full-service restaurants with buffets, a casual dining restaurant, three full-service bars including a sports bar, deli and a variety of guest services including valet parking and coat check.
Operating hours for the gaming facility are 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. every day. Simulcast races can be viewed seven days a week and live harness racing runs through mid-December. For additional information, visit www.saratogacasino.com or call 800-727-2990.