14 Halloween Costume Ideas That Celebrate Saratoga

"Track dad" is just the beginning...

SLAH’s Natalie Moore and Saratogian Janelle Foice dressed as “track dads” for Halloween 2022.

Last year, costume inspiration struck me a few days before I crashed the Prodigy Surgical company party at the Principessa Club on the Saturday of Halloweekend. I would be a track dad.

I already had the NYRA Bets hat (a freebie from a past Saratoga Living track season party), the “Peace, Love, Beer” shirt (something I think I’ve had since before I could legally drink beer), and an over-the-shoulder soft cooler (perfect for a six pack—or for stuffing my winter coat in after a long walk across Saratoga’s West Side). Throw in some men’s clothing, a cigar, and a printout of the Racing Form, and I was basically ready to bet away my life’s savings while sitting at a picnic table in 90-degree heat.

Saratogian Janelle Foice caught wind of my idea and decided to do it herself…way better than me. (She, of course, had the added advantage of actually having a track dad: Richard Robinson, who’s been collecting free Saratoga Race Course merch for decades.) Despite our different takes, the track dad costumes were fan favorites, especially on Instagram, where it really counts.

This Halloween? Well, I’m going the Harry Potter route. But the popularity of the track dads got me thinking: What other Saratoga-specific costumes could I come up with? Turns out, quite a few: