Herb687

Due to very low interest this DO has officially been canceled. I'll still be in Saratoga regardless but there won't be any formal DO or agenda.

Any Flyertalkers around please feel free to shoot me a PM if you happen to be in the neighborhood and still want to meet for impromptu drinks, dinner or my free handicapping seminars trackside! I'll be in town with a non-FT friend who is also a thoroughbred owner.

dhammer53

From ALB to Saratoga Springs, the ride is between 20 - 30 minutes, unless that is you're driving the back roads.

Check out bus information here and look for North departures... http://www.albanyairport.com/buses.php

You can usually stay on the cheap in the Albany airport area using Priceline.
About 10 minutes north of Albany airport, there are some hotels in Clifton Park. Either way, it's a straight ride up I-87.

FYI, Lake George is 30 - 35 minutes north of Saratoga Springs.
Lake Placid (much nicer than LG), is 2 hours north and west.

dh

Sweet Willie

I'm in, have always wanted to watch the races at Saratoga^ Also enjoyed your company last fall at the freezing day @ Keeneland (of which there will be another Keeneland Do this Fall).

Still not sure on schedule, may just be for a single day.

A buddy of mine who is now in NYC and joined me on many of my 14 Derby trips has always wanted to experience Saratoga, so I'll probably be +2 as Mrs Sweet Willie might come out for this also.

todorovic

I am in, too. And since I'm local I'd be glad to help with organization if needed.

As Dan has mentioned, it is really a 30 minute ride (in a car - horse may take longer ) from ALB and staying in the ALB area shouldn't be a problem if one has a car. There are few hotels in Clifton Park and a few more in Malta (20 and 10 minutes away from Saratoga Springs, respectively).

Hope to see many of you here in July/August.

Milos

Sweet Willie

nice offer^

Herb687

Shameless thread bump #1 to drum up interest in this!

Much appreciated! I'm sure I'll be taking you up on that offer.

I like to avoid interstates and take country backroads when possible!

Djlawman

No idea if I will be making it there, but I can tell you that you will be making a HUGE mistake if you do not spend some time with the ribs at PJ's Bar-B-Q.

http://www.pjsbarbq.com/

Sweet Willie

Looks like there are multiple Hilton & Marriott properties with a Holiday Inn & Hyatt property very close to or in Saratoga Springs.

GoingAway

I'm a maybe ... this will give me a chance to take a look at my old college campus in Troy and possibly walk the Approach.

Herb687

I think the only part of this DO that might require major advance planning is dinner at Siro's. Apparently reservations at this Saratoga insitution are best made well in advance. They begin taking reservations first saturday in May (KY Derby day).

I'm going to suggest Saturday night, July 31, as the night for dinner at Siro's. If those who are considering coming to the Sara-DO-ga could let me know within the next couple of weeks if they want to do dinner at Siro's on the 31st I will do my best to secure us reservations before they get all booked up.

Edited to add - I'm now booked at the Hilton for this DO. Points stay of course! Very expensive hotel during the Sar. summer meet but a good value for HH redemptions. Hampton Inn is also right downtown - cash rates same as the Hilton when I checked so points use there look like the way to go...

Sweet Willie

Good news is I'm starting a new job and some weekends have already been booked for work, this being one of them so bad news is I am out for this Do

Herb687

Bumping this again to try and get a better sense of numbers. Would like to try and get reservations for a Saturday night dinner at Siro's pretty soon assuming they're not already booked up.

Herb687

We're inside of four weeks now. Any additional interest?

futureacnp

I would come up (I live in New Haven, CT), but all hotels are pretty much booked up for that weekend

bitburgr

I can't make the DO, but must agree that a stop at PJ's makes for a good meal. Good BBQ for a low price.