Sanford Stud

     We recently had the opportunity to visit the remains of the old Sanford Stud in Amsterdam New York. It is basically one barn with some out buildings juxtaposed to a modern shopping center. It is a jarring experience to park in a parking lot and then walk into a partially restored barn. This is a site well worth visiting to get a flavor of old time racing. As a NY breeder (at least for now), I have watched many runnings of the Hollie Hughes Handicap. It was interesting to see pictures of Mr Hughes training horses at Sanford Stud. 

     It is located on Rte 30 north of Amsterdam and is some 25 miles from Saratoga Springs. It is hard to believe that in the heyday of the Stud, their horses were walked to Saratoga for the racing meet. That must have been an amazing site to see. Brings to mine the time we ran into an old timer at McDonald's in Saratoga Springs. We had walked over to see a picture hanging on the wall near where this gentleman was sitting. The picture was of Dixie Brass leaving the gate in the Travers Stakes of 1992. We got to talking with him and he said he had been around Saratoga his whole life. When he was younger, he used to wait for the train at the old station at what is now Railroad Run. He would then help walk the horses across town, down Union Ave to the track barns and help settle the horses in for the meet. What a sight that must have been. 

     The only thing that I ever saw even remotely similiar was the night of the first benefit auction for the Belmont Child Care Center. It was called the Fourstardave Gala then and was held at the Canfield Casino. Fourstardave was in Saratoga at the time and was walked down Union Ave to Congress Park. He had a police escort and people clapped and cheered for the old boy.