King’s Tavern owner takes his shot at the Whitney
With his Fuji camera in hand, Adam Fitch will capture Fierceness and White Albarrio through the lens of his Spa City Photography.
When he’s not running the business of post-track brews, King’s Tavern co-owner Adam Fitch lets his creative side out for a stretch, hitting the track to take photos for his Spa City Photography.
He’ll be there for the 2025 Whitney Stakes, Fuji camera in hand, to watch favorite Fierceness race to the finish line against fellow superstars White Albarrio, Mindframe and Sierra Leone.
“I like getting all four hooves off the ground,” Fitch says of shooting the races. “That's always exciting. But I also like getting the jockeys coming from the jocks’ room, and then taking some pictures of the paddock. I have a golf cart, so I can zip to the backstretch to get the horses walking down the path. With all of that, I can tell the story of the jockeys and the horses and the back stretch — and then get them out of the gate.”
Fitch’s camera was a Christmas gift from his wife, Jen, in 2022, and on January 7, 2023, Spa City Photography published its first Instagram post. The bar owner — he also co-owns, with his brothers, Saratoga City Tavern on Caroline Street — is in a partnership with Bond Racing, which earned him his ownership license with its coveted paddock and backstretch access.
“There are so many angles to shoot throughout the day at the track,” he says. “It’s hard for me to get to the backstretch early in the morning — my daughter’s 5 — but I always try because it’s so much fun.”
Combining his passions for horse racing and photography have paid off. Not only are his prints for sale at his own post-track hotspot, King’s, but you can also find them at Crafters Gallery, Saratoga Day Spa and The Counter at 5 Points.
“I also donate them for charity events around town,” he says. “Seeing my photography hanging at Saratoga Day Spa or Crafters Gallery is pretty cool.”
Photography also proved to be a great way to spend some time with his family. In addition to bringing his daughter, Isla, to the track with him, he’s been able to bond with Dad as well. “My father has a Fuji, so I picked his brain,” Fitch says. “Then I kind of taught myself and talked to other photographers, too.”
He also brings his daughter on weekly trips to Mill Creek Farm, to see a baby filly he part-owns with Horse Haven Racing, Mo Maeve Never.
“You meet so many people in the backstretch and the paddock, and your network of people to help you — and who you help, too — just keeps growing,” he says. “Photography's fun. It makes me happy, and it's very peaceful and relaxing.”
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