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Where the clouds are far behind me
Rise and Shine: All the tables in the Backyard were full by 7 a.m. for the first-ever Christophe Clément Stakes (formerly known as the Sword Dancer). (Photo by Sharon Wood.)
From the editor
Hey, Dispatchers,
SPAC had great rain mojo last night and NYRA’s looking sharp for today.
After yesterday’s early-evening downpour, Grobanites (not my word) and classical music heads like myself filed into SPAC under surprisingly dry skies.
“Thank you for believing the rain would pass,” Josh Groban greeted the crowd. “To those on the lawn, I see you.”
The last person I ran into before taking my seat was SPAC President Chris Shiley — is it just me, or do he and Groban have the same vibe?
For his encore, Groban delivered a fitting "Over the Rainbow."
And now, we’re off to the races. See you there, Saratoga.
— Abby
🀄 P.S. So excited for the Dispatch’s first foray into mahjong! Almost 30 of you responded to Thursday’s Save the Date for our first two Beginner’s Classes. They get first dibs, and then we’ll start announcing a schedule on Monday. Can’t wait!
In this issue:
🏇 Legacy
🍕 Pizza report
🎻 You get one shot
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🏇 TRACK DAY
Saratoga honors Christophe Clément
Photo by Sharon Wood.
Miguel Clément’s Tawny Port will run in the first-ever Christophe Clement Turf, a Grade 1 named after his dad. Long known as the Sword Dancer, the race was renamed after the legendary trainer passed away from eye cancer last spring at just 59.
The first eight races today will be on the dirt, giving the turf more time to dry out for the big Clément Stakes race. (Race 5 will now run a mile off-turf and 7 will be at 5 ½ furlongs. 12 was also moved off turf, also a mile.)
Sovereignty has moved up in the "‘world’s best racehorse rankings,” reports the Paulick Report.
That’s all, folks
Gray skies are gonna clear up so put on a happy face, Saratoga. Spa Infield Goose reported that the Backyard was at full capacity this morning at 6:58 a.m.
📌 ICYMI…
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🍕 PIZZA REPORT
Do you think we can find a bite of Pope’s Pizza news for every Dispatch until they close? So far, we’re three for three … I learned from NEWS10 yesterday that the recipe will live on, although probably juuuuust out of delivery reach. Pope’s son Giulio uses it at his Mia Pizzaria in Queensbury.
‘Most in-demand conductor in the world’ here for one night only
Full circle: Philadelphia Orchestra’s Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who tonight conducts the symphony that PO performed on its first night here in 1966. (Photo by Ironglass Productions)
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, returns tonight for his only program of the season — a particularly special one. “He loves being in Saratoga,” says SPAC President Chris Shiley. "He’s the most in-demand conductor in the world, but he said, ‘It’s our 60th — we have to do something special.’”
Nézet-Séguin will conduct Beethoven's always-iconic Ninth Symphony, a move that mirrors the New York City Ballet’s Midsummer Night’s Dream homage earlier this summer: The Philadelphia Orchestra closed its very first program on the Saratoga stage in 1966 with Beethoven's Ninth.
To grab one of the last tickets for tonight’s 7:30 p.m. show, visit spac.org.
🍁 HEADS UP
Fall event alert!
