Jun 3, 2024; Saratoga Springs, NY, USA; The Marylou Whitney entrance at Saratoga Race Course. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Saratoga Kicks Off Fourth of July Racing Festival

Originally posted on Horse Racing on SI | By Mary Rufo | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 10:48 PM ET

For the first time, Saratoga is set to host the July 4th Racing Festival. The four days of racing are typically held at Belmont Park but were moved upstate while the home of the Test of Champions is renovated.

First post on Thursday is 1:10pm EDT.

The Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes is the only graded stakes on Thursday’s card. The stakes race will feature a field of three-year-old fillies going six and a half furlongs on the dirt. Five fillies enter the stakes field with Indy Bay crowned with favoritism at 8/5 on the morning line.

The daughter of Take Charge Indy is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. while Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the call to ride. C Two Racing Stable, owner of multiple Grade 1 winner White Abarrio, also owns Indy Bay alongside Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch. Indy Bay enters the Victory Ride Stakes after a win in the Jersey Girl Stakes during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga last month.

The second choice on the morning line at 9/5 is Echo Sound. The filly trained by Rusty Arnold was last seen winning the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes on May 16. Her only loss came in the form of a runner up performance in the Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs last November.

Beauty Reigns, Hollygrove, and Whatintheliteral round out the graded stakes field.

The Wild Applause Stakes is the other stakes race on the Thursday program. The body of the field features seven fillies represented by four trainers that notably produce exceptional turf talent—Rusty Arnold, Cherie DeVaux, Chad Brown, and Mark Casse. Favoritism lands on Minnesota bred, Play With Fire. The daughter of Oscar Performance is making her first start in the Brown barn for LSU Stables. Play With Fire was previously trained by Brendan Walsh.

Thursday’s card also features a two-year-old maiden special weight for fillies going five and a half furlongs on the dirt. While the condition attracted nine contenders, the attention will be on the New York bred, Iron Orchard. The daughter of 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, Authentic was certified as the 9/5 favorite on the morning line. Iron Orchard is trained by Danny Gargan. Joel Rosario will be in the irons.

Racing continues through the weekend and serves as the prelude to the regular Saratoga meet that opens July 10.