This Sunday is “STAR Kids Day” at Saratoga. Below is how NYRA is promoting it. All I can say is indoctrinating children – some pre-school age – into animal abuse is about as despicable as it gets. An unadulterated obscenity. And, as you will see, these children (among other things) will have opportunities to “read the day’s scratches and changes” – which is all about what horseracing, stripped to its core, is: gambling. In its FAQs, the national nonprofit Stop Predatory Gambling says this regarding children: “Millions of American kids grow up to get hooked on government-sanctioned gambling. The younger children start gambling, the more likely it is they will become habitual and problem gamblers….” (Read more: “We’re Getting America’s Children Hooked on Gambling.”)
(At the end, please see some of what our “Kids Day” tour would include.)
“Saratoga Race Course invites families and children to enjoy NYRA STAR Kids Day on Sunday, July 26, featuring a full afternoon of family-friendly entertainment, interactive experiences, and exclusive behind-the-scenes access through the Students of Thoroughbred Racing (NYRA STAR) program.
“NYRA STAR Kids Day will celebrate the excitement of thoroughbred racing with an expanded lineup of activities designed to introduce young fans to the sport while creating lasting memories for the entire family.
“Horse Plushie Giveaway: The first 5,000 kids ages 12 and under will receive a complimentary horse plushie. The 8-inch stuffed horse plushie sporting an embroidered Saratoga logo will be distributed in the Saratoga Family Zone.
“NYRA STAR Sprint Kids Run: New for 2026, NYRA STAR Kids Day will begin with the inaugural NYRA STAR Sprint Kids Run, a 1.6-furlong gallop through the Saratoga backyard exclusively for NYRA STAR members ages 5-12.
“More Kids Day Activities: Young fans will participate in activities including the ceremonial ‘Riders Up’ call, reading the day’s scratches and changes, serving as a paddock reporter, singing the National Anthem, presenting the trophy following a named race, serving as a NYRA STAR Kids Day host.
“Additional NYRA STAR Kids Day activities will include: jazz-style kids band; puppet and interactive dance shows; pony rides and a petting zoo [more animal exploitation]; giant bounce house; community mural and hat-making station; interactive programming from the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame; a mock broadcast booth where children can call their own race; complimentary magnet photos; paddock and Winner’s Circle tours throughout the afternoon.
“NEW: acclaimed children’s author Maddy Zanetti will host a live reading of Jim Dandy: A Dark Horse. The first 100 NYRA STAR members to check in at the NYRA STAR booth will receive a complimentary copy of the book, while supplies last.
“NYRA STAR Kids Day also highlights NYRA STAR, the free membership program designed to give children ages 12 and under and their families insider access to the world of thoroughbred racing through exclusive experiences, educational opportunities and kid-friendly programming. New members may register at any time and receive their personalized membership ID card and lanyard.”
Fred and Joan, have you read about “prediction market” gambling? It is scary what kind of society we live in now. It should be an absolute crime punishable by Federal and State Law for people to be allowed and encouraged to bet on the types of things where it causes huge losses to people’s lives and homes as in wildfires, for example. It sounds so outlandish that I wish I was making this up, so to speak, but I am not making this up. [Source: Kylie Mohr, High Country News, Colorado]
Unfortunately could not read the Times article as it is behind a paywall. The sad truth is almost all the states have become over reliant upon gamboling tax revenues. Our state, Oregon`s #2 source of states very closely following our very high income tax is the revenues derived from all the states lottery games with video poker being notoriously addictive. When we go to the store we see dozens of people playing the states games. Personally we hate gamboling & the states don`t have enough programs in place to treat & prevent gamboling addiction. The horse tracks are just trying to get new generations hooked on their crummy industry just like the states are.
Sue, thank you for so poignantly relaying your personal experience!
I remember my dad taking me to the track as a child. I was more interested in petting the pony horses than watching the horses race. Had I seen a breakdown, it would have prevented me from excitedly going to work at the track as an adult. There are traumas and injuries I saw first hand that haunt my sleep at night.
I pray that the kids that go to Saratoga don’t see the things I have seen, but I hope what they do see will turn them away from racing as adults. We also know that gambling on horses is in a dramatic nosedive. So the opportunities these kids will have to go to a local track as an adult will be significantly limited, as tracks are closing frequently now, and I don’t foresee them opening again. Racing is becoming less attractive to the general population daily.
Just another publicity stunt to keep the tax dollars flowing.
Hopefully, most of the young children are able to see the dark side of horse racing and gambling sooner rather than later and have the strength of mind to resist getting sucked into a life of criminal activities losing their shirts on bad gambling debts, lying, cheating, and borrowing from Peter to pay Paul.