Welcome to the “Lunch Break” email from the editors of Saratoga Dispatch.
Read through out top story, brought to you by the Saratoga County Chamber, and below, we have news from the Saratoga Springs Planning Commission. Find out the latest on a proposed cannabis dispensary.
Three stories in today’s lunch break:
Top: Whitney Day ‘25.
Mid: Neighbors push back against proposed east side condo
Bottom: Willie Nelson’s final songs
Whitney Day ‘25 brings in highest purse ever by wild amount
And other tidbits from an epic racing weekend.
By: Abby Tegnelia
Whitney Weekend ‘25 was an epic one.
The actual race was electric down the stretch, with the favorite, Fierceness, being smoked in front of 42,000 screaming spectators. The great Sierra Leone — with Flavien Prat aboard — came from behind (literally, from last place) to take home the Whitney Stakes prize. It was wild. Highland Falls was next, with Disarm in third and White Abarrio (my fave) in fourth.
I hadn’t felt a crowd on fire like that since last year’s Belmont.
Earlier in the day, the Mark Casse-trained Ewing won (Race 3) again, but Frank Mirahmadi this time did a more classic call, having already stretched his sports trivia muscles for his slam dunk of a call for Ewing’s first win last month (Ewing is named after NBA great Patrick Ewing). It was an exciting win, as Obliteration, who placed, was the 1:4 favorite for the top of the board.
Instead, he saved his sports zingers for Sunday’s Race 2. Johnny’s Red Storm, co-owned by St. John’s University head basketball coach Rick Pitino’s RAP Racing, was the favorite to win. And boy, did he deliver, winning by four and a half lengths. Frank’s call: “Johnny's Red Storm. Nothing but net.”
Back to Saturday, just a few local sightings in the crowd: former Channel 10 meteorologist (and huge horse racing fan) Jill Szwed with current Channel 10 reporter Cassie Hudson in almost-matching pink hats, Renee Walrath in hot pink, Leigh and Kim McConchie in coordinated (of course) rose pink and an adorable new member of the extended family, Zane Carruth and family, photographer Cathy Duffy making the rounds in the Cutwater boxes, and King’s Tavern owner Adam Fitch with his own camera.
And that (record-breaking) purse. NYRA announced yesterday that Saturday’s “blockbuster” handle was a whopping $49,651,341 million — a 22.7 percent increase over 2024’s record of $40,461,888. That makes it almost $10 million more than any other Whitney.
What a weekend — I highly recommend clicking on the below video from NYRA.
Related Links!
Neighbors push against east side condo
But their angst may not be what stops the project
By: Stephen Thurston
Neighbors of a proposed condominium at the corner of Park Place and Cottage Street on the city’s east side poured into the City Council chamber Thursday evening, with about 40 people packing the small room and another dozen or so standing in the hallway.
They took turns at the microphone, telling the Saratoga Springs Planning Board members that the building as proposed is too big, it will change the character of the neighborhood too much, and keep what little winter sun there is from reaching the windows of the house next door.
They held signs that said “No Big Condo.”
The proposed building is three stories high with a flat roof and six parking spaces in a basement garage. Vincent and Katherine LaTerra are the applicants represented by architect Matt Hurff of Frost Hurff Architects, and Kirsten Catellier of Studio A landscape architects. The board saw the project, again, July 31.
Neighbor Allie Dockum said she had written letters and spoken to the board “multiple times,” but added more: “It's not that the neighborhood wants nothing there. It's just too big for the space.”
Dave Guarino said his house is the largest in the neighborhood and still it is only two stories, compared to the three of the proposed building. He added that the Five Points commercial building just down the street is only two floors and covers a much smaller overall footprint than the proposed condo.
“You can fit four of my homes inside of that building for volume, and mine is biggest in the neighborhood,” he said.
Still an hour of speeches, handouts and visual aids — most staunchly against the project — might not have been enough to stop the forward progress, but one thing no one saw coming just might.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Saratoga Dispatch — the Spa City's essential newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.