An announcement was made at Saratoga Race Course this afternoon; Marylou Whitney, the socialite who embraced horse racing and spent time and money helping back stretch workers adjust to life in Saratoga has died. She was 93.
Marylou Whitney was considered by many to be the "Grand Dame" of Saratoga. She promoted racing and she also felt a great responsibility to horses. Her Whitney Gala was an event that brought royalty and movie stars to Saratoga.
The Whitney Stakes, one of the premiere events every year at the Saratoga Race Course, is named after the Whitney family. For generations the Whitney family promoted horse racing at Saratoga.