Saratoga to Raise Funds for Cancer Research July 24
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Dominic Galluscio, who died in 2014 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, will have the first race July 24 named in his honor
The New York Racing Association announced July 22 it will honor the legacy of late trainer Dominic Galluscio while raising funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer research during Lustgarten Foundation Day at Saratoga Race Course July 24.
The day's first race will be named in honor of Galluscio, who passed away in 2014 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. A popular and respected figure among his peers, Galluscio trained more than 1,000 winners and earned more than $31 million in purses in a career that began in 1981 and was primarily on the New York circuit.
The centerpiece of the day will be a trainer autograph session from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET at the Jockey Silks Room Porch to benefit The Lustgarten Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing scientific and medical research related to pancreatic cancer.
"We love to be involved in such a worthy cause. I even have a client who named a horse 'Fight on Lucy' for a friend who battled pancreatic cancer," said Pat Kelly, the son of the late Hall of Fame horseman T.J. Kelly and a board member of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association for which he was the long-time vice president. "The trainers love to participate and I think we expect to have over 50 here on Saturday."
Kelly is best known as the conditioner of grade 1-winning millionaires Evening Attire, Riskaverse, Sultry Song, and Solar Splendor. He also serves as secretary/treasurer of the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program.
The trainer autograph session is expected to include 2021 Hall of Fame inductee Todd Pletcher, four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, as well as Hall of Famers Bill Mott, Nick Zito, and others.
Saratoga Race Course will feature purple décor in honor of The Lustgarten Foundation and donation bins will be positioned throughout the track grounds.
Gates open at 11 a.m. on Saturday with first post scheduled for 1 p.m. The day's featured races are the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles; and the $200,000 Caress Stakes (G3) for fillies & mares, 4-year-old & up, at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.
The 2021 summer meet at Saratoga runs through Labor Day, Sept. 6. Racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, with the exception of the final week, when the meet will conclude on Labor Day.