OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The 146th Saratoga Race Course meet will feature a record $17.45 million in stakes purses, topped by the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Saturday, August 23 and the Grade 1, $1.5 million Whitney on Saturday, August 2.

Both the 1 ¼-mile Travers for 3-year-olds and the 1 1/8-mile Whitney for 3-year-olds and up received significant purse increases over their 2013 levels, having been previously worth $1 million and $750,000, respectively.

The 145th running of the Travers is one of four stakes scheduled for August 23 and shares the card with the Grade 1, $500,000 King's Bishop for 3-year-old sprinters, the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina for filly and mare sprinters, and the Grade 2, $250,000 Ballston Spa for filly and mare turf horses. The 2013 Travers went to Will Take Charge, who later was named Champion Three-Year-Old Male.

Another blockbuster day of stakes action on the schedule is August 2, with the Whitney, one of North America's premier races for older males on the dirt, topping a card that includes five stakes. Joining the Whitney Day program this year will be the Grade 1, $500,000 Test for 3-year-old fillies, the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap for older sprinters, and the $100,000 Lure stakes. The $100,000 De La Rose will also once again be part of the Whitney Day festivities this year.

Sunday, August 24 will be dedicated to the best New York-breds as Saratoga will host the inaugural Saratoga Showcase Day, featuring the Albany, West Point, Yaddo, Fleet Indian, Funny Cide, and Seeking the Ante.

In total, Saratoga Race Course will host 33 graded flat races, including 15 Grade 1 events. Opening weekend will feature two Grade 1 races: the $500,000 Diana for fillies and mares on the turf on Saturday, July 19 and the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on Sunday, July 20.

Three-year-olds will have the spotlight on Saturday, July 26 as they will compete in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy at 1 1/8 miles and the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam at 6 ½ furlongs. In the past 10 years, seven horses have used the Jim Dandy as a springboard to a victory in the Travers.

The Grade 2, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, won the past two years by two-time reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan, is the featured race on August 9. The Fourstardave is a one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up.

The 1 1/8-mile Coaching Club American Oaks precedes the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, New York's top race for 3-year-old fillies. The 1 ¼-mile Alabama is scheduled for Saturday, August 16. The Grade 2, $300,000 Lake Placid, also for 3-year-old fillies, will be contested on the turf as part of the Alabama undercard.

The final Saturday, August 30, will include four stakes, topped by the $600,000 Woodward for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles. Older males also will compete in the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego at seven furlongs on the main track and in the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch on the turf. Sophomore fillies will sprint in the Grade 2, $300,000 Prioress.

Completing the list of Grade 1 races on the flat are the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational on Sunday, August 17, the $350,000 Spinaway on Sunday, August 31, and the $350,000 Hopeful on closing day, Monday, September 1.

"This exciting stakes menu will ensure that Saratoga Race Course again hosts the finest race meeting in North America, and our enhanced Whitney Day reflects our desire to make it one of the most significant days on the national racing calendar," said Chris Kay, CEO and President of The New York Racing Association, Inc. "Our new racing personnel, led by Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Martin Panza and Racing Secretary Frank Gabriel Jr., are working every day to improve the quality of racing - as reflected in this powerful collection of outstanding races."

Saratoga will also host a pair of Grade 1 steeplechase races: the $100,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial on Thursday, July 31, and the $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup run in memory of Thomas H. Voss.

The 2014 Saratoga Race Course stakes schedule: DATE CLOSES RACE Gr. PURSE AGE DISTANCE

Fri., July. 18 Sat., July 5 Schuylerville III 150,000 F2YO 6 Furlongs Fri., July. 18 " Sir Cat 100,000 3YO 1 Mile (Turf) Sat., July. 19 " Diana I 500,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/8 (Turf) Sat., July. 19 " Sanford III 150,000 2YO 6 Furlongs Sun., July 20 " Coaching Club American Oaks I 300,000 F3YO 1 1/8 Sun., July 20 " Lucky Coin 100,000 4&UP 5 1/2 (Turf) Mon., July 21 " Shine Again (NW GSS IN 2014) 100,000 F&M 3&UP 7 Furlongs Wed., July. 23 Sat., July 12 Lake George II 200,000 F3YO 1 1/16 (Turf) Thurs., July 24 " Quick Call 100,000 3YO 5 1/2 (Turf) Fri., July. 25 " Curlin 100,000 3YO 1 1/8 Sat., July. 26 " Jim Dandy II 600,000 3YO 1 1/8 Sat., July. 26 " Amsterdam II 200,000 3YO 6 1/2 Furlongs Sun., July 27 " Shuvee Hdcp. III 200,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/8 Mon., July. 28 " Honorable Miss (Hdcp.) II 200,000 F&M 3&UP 6 Furlongs Wed., July. 30 Sat., July. 19 Coronation Cup 100,000 F3YO 5 1/2 (Turf) Thurs., July 31 " Evan Shipman (NYB) 100,000 3&UP 1 1/8 Thurs., July 31 " A. P. Smithwick Mem. (S'Chase) I 100,000 4&UP 2 1/16 (Turf) Fri., Aug. 1 " Caress 100,000 F&M 3&UP 5 1/2 (Turf) Sat., Aug. 2 " Whitney I 1,500,000 3&UP 1 1/8 Sat., Aug. 2 " Test I 500,000 F3YO 7 Furlongs Sat., Aug. 2 " Alfred G. Vanderbilt (Hdcp.) I 350,000 3&UP 6 Furlongs Sat., Aug. 2 " De La Rose (NW GSS in 2014) 100,000 F&M 4&UP 1 Mile (Turf) Sat., Aug. 2 " Lure (NW GSS in 2014) 100,000 4&UP 1 1/16 (Turf) Sun., Aug. 3 " Waya 100,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/2 (Turf) Mon., Aug. 4 CLOSED New York Stallion Series 100,000 3YO 1 Mile (Turf) Cab Calloway Division Mon., Aug. 4 CLOSED New York Stallion Series 100,000 F3YO 1 Mile (Turf) Statue Of Liberty Division Wed., Aug. 6 Sat., July. 26 John's Call 100,000 3&UP 1 5/8 (Turf) Thurs., Aug. 7 " Birdstone 100,000 3&UP 1 3/4 Fri., Aug. 8 " National Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame II 200,000 3YO 1 1/16 (Turf) Sat., Aug. 9 " Fourstardave (Hdcp.) II 500,000 3&UP 1 Mile (Turf) Sun., Aug. 10 " Adirondack II 200,000 F2YO 6 1/2 Furlongs Sun., Aug. 10 " Saratoga Special II 200,000 2YO 6 1/2 Furlongs Mon., Aug. 11 Sat., Aug. 2 Tenski (NW GSS in 2014) 100,000 F3YO 1 Mile (Turf) Wed., Aug 13 " Troy 100,000 3&UP 5 1/2 (T) Thurs., Aug. 14 " Saratoga Dew (NYB) 100,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/8 Fri., Aug. 15 " John Morrissey (NYB) 100,000 3&UP 6 1/2 Furlongs Sat., Aug. 16 " Alabama I 600,000 F3YO 1 1/4 Sat., Aug. 16 " Lake Placid II 300,000 F3YO 1 1/8 (Turf) Sun., Aug 17 Inv. by Sat., Aug 2 Sword Dancer Inv. I 500,000 3&UP 1 1/2 (Turf) Sun., Aug 17 Sat., Aug. 2 Alydar (NW GSS in 2014) 100,000 4&UP 1 1/8 Mon., Aug. 18 " Summer Colony (NW GSS in 2014) 100,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/8 Wed., Aug 20 Sat., Aug. 9 Better Talk Now 100,000 3YO 1 Mile (Turf) Thurs., Aug 21 " New York Turf Writers Cup I 150,000 4&UP 2 3/8 (Turf) Run in Memory of Thomas H Voss Thurs., Aug. 21 " Union Avenue (NYB) 100,000 F&M 3&UP 6 1/2 Furlongs Fri., Aug. 22 " Personal Ensign I 500,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/8 Fri., Aug. 22 " Tale of the Cat (NW GSS in 2014) 100,000 3&UP 6 Furlongs Sat., Aug. 23 " Travers I 1,250,000 3YO 1 1/4 Sat., Aug. 23 Ballston Spa II 250,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/16 (Turf) Sat., Aug. 23 " King's Bishop I 500,000 3YO 7 Furlongs Sat., Aug. 23 " Ballerina I 500,000 F&M 3&UP 7 Furlongs Sun., Aug. 24 " Albany (NYB)* 250,000 3YO 1 1/8 Sun., Aug. 24 " West Point (NYB)* 150,000 3&UP 1 1/16 (Turf) Sun., Aug. 24 " Yaddo (NYB)* 150,000 F&M 3&UP 1 1/16 (Turf) Sun., Aug. 24 " Fleet Indian (NYB)* 200,000 F3YO 1 1/8 Sun., Aug. 24 " Funny Cide (NYB)* 200,000 2YO 6 1/2 Furlongs Sun., Aug. 24 " Seeking the Ante (NYB)* 200,000 F2YO 6 1/2 Furlongs Mon., Aug25 " Smart N Fancy 100,000 F&M 3&UP 5 1/2 (Turf) Wed., Aug. 27 Sat., Aug. 16 P. G. Johnson 100,000 F2YO 1 1/16 (Turf) Thurs., Aug. 28 " With Anticipation II 200,000 2YO 1 1/16 (Turf) Fri., Aug 29 " Riskaverse 100,000 F3YO 1 Mile (Turf) Sat., Aug. 30 " Forego I 500,000 3&UP 7 Furlongs Sat., Aug. 30 " The Woodward I 600,000 3&UP 1 1/8 Sat., Aug. 30 " Bernard Baruch (Hdcp.) II 250,000 3&UP 1 1/16 (Turf) Sat., Aug. 30 " Prioress II 300,000 F3YO 6 Furlongs Sun., Aug. 31 " Spinaway I 350,000 F2YO 7 Furlongs Sun., Aug. 31 " Glens Falls III 150,000 F&M 3&UP 1 3/8 (Turf) Mon., Sept. 1 " Saranac III 300,000 3YO 1 1/8 (Turf) Mon., Sept. 1 " Hopeful I 350,000 2YO 7 Furlongs