Preakness Quick Sheet: Get to Know the 2021 Preakness Horses
Where to Watch/Listen: Horse Racing Coverage for Labor Day Weekend 2023
Events / TravelThe upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend is traditionally one of the busiest in North American horse racing, and this year is no exception as major stakes races are scheduled at several tracks spanning the U.S.
Saratoga Race Course winds down its summer meet with six days of action from Wednesday, Aug. 30 to Monday, Sept. 4, and will host two more Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifiers as well as the two Grade 1 stakes for 2-year-olds on Sunday (Spinaway Stakes for fillies) and Labor Day (the traditional meet-closing Hopeful Stakes for males).
Arguably the marquee event of the holiday weekend takes place at Del Mar on Saturday, Sept. 2, when the 33rd edition of the FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic will be held. The $1 million race is a “Win and You’re In” prep for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Del Mar will also host two more Challenge Series qualifiers on Saturday.
If that’s not enough, the boutique turf meet at Kentucky Downs opens on Thursday, Aug. 31 and will also hold racing on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3. The Kentucky Downs meet, which runs for seven dates total into mid-September, traditionally features fields averaging 10 or more horses at all race levels and will feature six stakes races over the three-day span next week.
All races from Del Mar and Kentucky Downs will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV, which will also cover many other tracks including Gulfstream Park and Woodbine as part of its daily schedule.
Saratoga’s final six days will be showcased on NYRA’s “Saratoga Live,” which will air mainly on FS2 with partial coverage on FS1 from Wednesday to Labor Day. Check the below schedule for times and channels.
Horse racing from tracks around the world is available to subscribers on Racetrack Television Network (RTN), which can be livestreamed on all devices (computer, tablet and smartphone) and on TV via DISH Network, Amazon Fire and Roku.
Here’s ABR’s TV and radio guide to an active week ahead in horse racing:
TV Schedule
Date |
Program |
Time |
Network/Social Media |
Aug. 30 |
"Saratoga Live" |
1 p.m.-6:30 p.m. |
|
Aug. 30 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Aug. 30 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Aug. 31 |
"Saratoga Live" |
1 p.m.-6:30 p.m. |
|
Aug. 31 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Aug. 31 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Sept. 1 |
"Saratoga Live" |
1 p.m.-6:30 p.m. |
|
Sept. 1 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Sept. 1 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Sept. 2 |
"Saratoga Live" |
12:30 p.m.-7 p.m. |
|
Sept. 2 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Sept. 2 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Sept. 3 |
"Saratoga Live" |
12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. on FS2, 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. on FS1, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. on FS2 |
|
Sept. 3 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Sept. 3 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Sept. 4 |
"Saratoga Live" |
12:30 p.m.-7 p.m. |
|
Sept. 4 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
|
Sept. 4 |
Live coverage of horse racing |
post time varies |
Note: All times listed are Eastern
Radio Schedule
Date | Program | Time | Network |
Aug. 30 | At The Races with Steve Byk | 9 a.m. | Thoroughbred Radio Network |
Aug. 30 | Trainer Talk Presented by Fasig-Tipton | 6 p.m. | HRRN |
Aug. 31 | At The Races with Steve Byk | 9 a.m. | Thoroughbred Radio Network |
Aug. 31 | 1/ST BET Racing Show | 4 p.m. | HRRN |
Aug. 31 | Brisnet Call-in Show | 6 p.m. | HRRN |
Sept. 1 | At The Races with Steve Byk | 9 a.m. | Thoroughbred Radio Network |
Sept. 1 | Betting with Bobby | 4 p.m. | HRRN |
Sept. 1 | AmWager Weekend Stakes Preview | 6 p.m. | HRRN |
Sept. 2 | Equine Forum Presented by TwinSpires | 8 a.m. | HRRN |
Sept. 2 | Off to the Races on The Racing Biz Radio Network | 10 a.m. | 106.1 FM |
Sept. 4 | At The Races with Steve Byk | 9 a.m. | Thoroughbred Radio Network |
Note: All times listed are Eastern