Horses leaving Saratoga Race Track via Sallee

For several plus years I have been going to Saratoga for the final 4 days of racing including Labor Day races specifically the Hopeful. Never without my trusty camera I decided that there are not too many images I have not had the opportunity to photograph. So, after some contemplation I decided this years I would focus on getting Sallee images. Sallee’s are the truck used to transport race horses from track to track, State to State. Sallee itself, is a specific transport company so I use that name here is generality as referring to all names of horse transport companies.

Saratoga summer meet is 40 days long. After Saratoga closes the next meet is at Belmont Race Track where they remain until the Winter Meet which then races at Acqueduct. Many horses, expecially NY Breds return to NY for more racing however others choose to go to Churchill Downs or Kentucky Downs in search of Stakes racing or more competitive higher purse offerings. Belmont has been having major reconstruction and is scheduled to reopen in 2026. Subsequently all racing has taken place at Acqueduct Race Track which itself will close permanently when Belmont reopens. You can read more about the reconstruction at www.nyra.com Belmont Park Modernization.

This particular Sallee is heading for Tom Amoss Racing Stable where they will load up six horses for transport to NYC. From my view in the backstretch this Sallee passed directly in front of us where I decided I would follow it in seeking images. Shortly after the same Sallee passed by me once more going in the opposite direction where it turned left then promptly stopped. The backstretch area where the barns are all have roads leading to then however the turns to and from the roads lend it easier for cars and golf carts than these large transports. After several back and forths’ the truck had a straight line to Tom Amoss barn. Once there and settled in the driver secures the truck and opens up the doors. First the barn staff have to load all the barn equipment, fans, blankets, reins, bikes, etc into the truck storage area. Passing equipment up to the driver who then packs it securely. This is quite tiresome, I noted, as the barn helpers look exhausted after a few trips to the far end of the barn then to Sallee. It takes several trips by two staff to complete this task. After that then the hay gets uploaded to storage as well as the round balls of hay for the horses stalls.

Now they are ready to bring the horses to the barn on wheels. This is the easiest and fastest process of the whole cycle. Quickly the horses are led one by one into the trailer and then secured in the trailer stalls ready for departure. Voila, fini. For a sense of time it took about 1 & 1/2 hours to load the equipment and hay into the truck and less than 15 minutes to secure the six horses. I assumed that since each horse easily went up the ramp to the trailer that all had done this many a time before. No acting up, just an easy relaxed pace.

The images hopefully convey a visual sense of the above description. This trailer was not a Sallee specifically. It was from the Meadowbrook Transportation Inc.