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With so many extra racing days already under our belt for 2025, it may be easy to forget that official start of the traditional meet is at last finally here. (The season runs Thursday July 10 through Labor Day Sept. 1.)

As always, the New York Racing Association has ways you can win even if you can’t tell a filly from a bull, a Thoroughbred from a loaf-of-bread, or an eighth-mile pole from a telephone pole: giveaways.

Pay your entry fee and win a prize. You don’t need to read the racing form, and you won’t get your goggles muddy to do it.

All giveaways are free with paid admission, while supplies last.

Following the four-day opening weekend that starts this Thursday, racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays. The closing week, will include Labor Day Monday.

The first giveaway of the traditional summer meet is a red, high performance concert-style tour tee. The t-shirt features a silhouette of the Saratoga Race Course Grandstand and a schedule with the meet’s stakes races on the back. Emblazoned on the front is a horse and jockey logo denoting the live at the Spa 2025 summer tour. Presented by NYRA Bets, the cool and comfortable t-shirt will be available in two sizes: medium and extra-large.

Say “Aloha” to the ultimate summer statement with a red-and-white floral Saratoga Hawaiian shirt. The t-shirt will be available in two sizes: medium and extra-large to close out the first full week of the summer meet.

Fans can get a head start on their summer weekend with a Saratoga blanket perfect for a picnic at the track. Presented by Rivers Casino, the red 50”x60” polar fleece blanket displays a one-sided print with the Saratoga emblem.

Fans can commemorate the midway mark of the meet by claiming a red and white commemorative felt pennant featuring the familiar images of historic Saratoga Race Course.

Functional and fashionable, this 14”x16” tie-dye cotton Saratoga tote bag is the ideal trackside accessory. Available on the eve of the DraftKings Travers, the Saratoga tote is perfect for stashing racing forms, sunscreen, or Spa souvenirs.

Labor Day weekend ushers in the final premium giveaway with a Saratoga quarter-zip sweatshirt. With summer in its final stretch, fans can stay warm with this red, medium-weight quarter-zip featuring a white embroidered Saratoga logo.

The 40-Day regular meet is highlighted by the

See all the stakes races here.

Advanced tickets to Saratoga Race Course are $7, or you can pay $10 at the gates. The track is not taking cash at the gates or for food or beverage purchases, parking or programs (with the exception of the official Saratoga store). Reverse ATMs, also known as cash-to-card kiosks, will be available at multiple locations throughout the venue.

If you want to sweeten your sure-thing bet, this year you can buy tickets to all the giveaway days at once, NYRA says, through Fevo.com.