Saratoga Race Course Weird and Interesting Facts

Friday is the start of this year's Saratoga racing meet. I used to live one block from the track and love just walking over for a few races every day. The breakfast at Saratoga every raceway morning is also very cool and the food is great. No really, it's great. Here are some interesting facts about the third oldest racetrack in the country:

1. It can hold up to 50,000 fans
2. It's actually three tracks: the main dirt track, the Mellon turf course and 1 inner 7 -furlong turf track.
3. The canoe that floats in the infield pond is painted the color of the Travers Stakes winner.
4. A bell is hand rung at exactly 17 minutes prior to post time for each race.
5. Saratoga Race Course made Sports Illustrated’s list of Top-10 sports venues of the 20th Century.
6. In 1913, the great Man O’War entered the Sanford Stakes as the heavy favorite, having won 21 consecutive races and was defeated. The winner? A horse named Upset – which is now a household name for an unexpected win.