Track-themed treats? Here’s where to get ‘em these last 7 days.
It’s your final chance to indulge in these track-themed menu items before the end of Saratoga’s 2025 meet.
By Melanie E. Snyder, Special to the Dispatch
With the end of the 2025 meet upon us, there’s no better time to support the local bars and restaurants of Saratoga Springs that went all out for track this year with themed menu items that should be gone after Labor Day. So head downtown and indulge in some track-themed drinking and dining before the racing season ends on Labor Day!
If you’re on the hunt for a place that celebrates Saratoga’s racing-rich history, the first place to check out would be The Wild Horse — formerly Dango’s, across from Clancy’s on Caroline Street. As the establishment’s name suggests, they’re not shying away from the track- and horse-themed items. First up: the joint’s burgers, both of which are named after Thoroughbred superstars.
The “Saratoga Sovereignty burger” (shown below) is made with two smash burger patties served with Mac and Cheese on top. When the menu debuted early summer, Sov was Derby and Belmont champ, but has since picked up steam with a win at the Jim Dandy and this last weekend’s crushing of the Travers. The Wild Horse’s second burger — the more standard smashburger double — is named after Sackatoga’s famed Funny Cide, whose owners rode to Churchill Downs and Pimlico in a school bus ahead of his 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness wins.
Moving onto the venue’s summer drink menu, Wild Horse’s refreshing cocktail “Post Time” is made with Hendricks gin, elderflower liqueur and club soda. They also offer the “Winners Circle Old Fashion,” with Horse Soldier bourbon, bitters, sugar, orange and cherry.
Another spot that offers its own version of a “Winners Circle” cocktail is the old-school, southern-themed bar and restaurant Hattie’s on Phila street (they also have a location at the track, conveniently). The legendary fried chicken joint’s take on the cocktail is Redemption Rye, St. Germain, grapefruit juice, lemon and a splash of tonic.
Hattie’s also stays true to its southern heritage and race-town roots by offering a Mint Julep – a Southern classic served in a traditional julep coupled Woodford Reserve Bourbon, simple syrup and fresh mint. The famous cocktail is also the official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby.
We would be amiss if we didn’t mention the famous June-September Trackside Grill near the 1863 Club. Track season just is not complete without stopping by for at least one breakfast sandwich to mingle with all your favorite track workers before they enter the gates. For a last hurrah, pick up a Trackside Bloody Mary with your Egg & Cheese.
Finally, the newest nod to Saratoga’s horse industry is the recently-launched Whitman and Druthers collaboration beer that is only on tap in the Spa City. The “Stinger and Steed” is a clear beer, a West Coast IPA brewed with honey with a firm bitterness. Find the beer at either Walt Whitman Brewing or Druthers on Broadway.
Keep reading for more Saratoga Dish!
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