The wait – although “wait” doesn’t do 53 years justice – is over. Five boroughs and at least 5 million fans are currently on cloud nine after the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973 with a five-game decision over the San Antonio Spurs last month. Even following perhaps the biggest victory parade in pro sports history, the celebration for Knicks fans will not, and should not, end anytime soon. And what better way to keep the party going than at Saratoga?

The historic upstate New York racetrack started its summer meet over the July 4 holiday weekend, and over the next two months Saratoga will serve as one of the Empire State’s sports meccas – the Madison Square Garden of horse racing, if you will.

Here are five reasons Knicks fans should make the trip to “the Spa” this summer instead of worrying if ancient Andre Drummond can back up the big KAT next season now that Mitchell Robinson is a Boston Celtic.

MSG, a basketball temple. (Wikimedia Commons)

1. History respects history: The Knicks, despite seasons of abject misery here and there including a wretched stretch in the late 2010s, are one of the NBA’s cornerstone franchises. Through 80 seasons, they’ve produced winning teams starting in the Joe Lapchick era and reaching true glory with the Red Holzman squads of the early 1970s. The Pat Riley teams of the early 1990s could not quite get to the promised land, but now Mike Brown’s Knicks are there, with Jalen Brunson and the rest of the 2026 squad’s starting five joining Willis Reed, Clyde Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bernard King, Patrick Ewing, and a select few others in the franchise’s ring of honor. Some of pro basketball’s most iconic moments have come courtesy of the Knicks – and you can add Game 4’s “The Tip-in” to that list.

Likewise, Saratoga is right up there with New York’s other signature tracks (including the now-departed Big A), Churchill Downs, and Santa Anita Park as a scene-setter for legend. In fact, back in 1973, soon after the Knicks won their second NBA title in four seasons, Saratoga’s “Graveyard of Champions” nickname proved true when newly minted Triple Crown winner Secretariat was upset in the Whitney Stakes by the immortal … Onion.

What will happen at Saratoga this summer that’ll be talked about in 50 years?

Finals MVP Brunson (Wikimedia Commons)

2. No holding back: New York Knick supporters, especially longtime ones, are scholars of the game and don’t take a backseat to any other fan base when measured by intensity of support. There’s a reason many of basketball’s greatest superstars, from the Celtics of yore to MJ and Reggie Miller and on to LeBron and Steph, regard playing at MSG in front of Knicks fans to be the ultimate test.

The Saratoga racing community is the same regarding Thoroughbreds. They know and follow racing at the micro-level and will dissect each race day through the summer meet to uncover track biases, hot and cold streaks, pedigree plays, and anything else that can help them uncover – and back – a winner.

The Venn diagram of Knicks diehard and Saratoga seen-it-all railbird has substantial overlap, and if a composite figure could be generated by AI it would probably resemble the late Pete Axthelm, who authored the definitive book on Big Apple basketball, 1970’s “The City Game,” and was a popular public handicapper on TV for years prior to his death in 1991.

3. Mic drop: No matter the team’s record, Knicks fans have been treated to some of the best courtside broadcasting in NBA history for decades, both on radio and TV. Bob Wolff and then Marv Albert carried the torch, and the Mike Breen/Walt Frazier team has served as a constant and entertaining backdrop for Knicks TV watchers now for more than 20 years. From Albert’s trademark “YESSSSS!” to Breen’s “BANG!” and Clyde’s silky-smooth verbal flourishes, the bright lights, big-city vibe of Knick basketball has always had a soundtrack to match.

Saratoga’s roster of announcers might be even better, with legends Fred “Cappy” Capossela and Marshall Cassidy followed by arguably the best racecaller ever, Tom Durkin, who brought precision, wit, and especially heart-pounding drama to the mic from 1990-2014. Now, Frank Mirahmadi is following in those footsteps with his own personal style, giving races such as the Whitney, Personal Ensign, and Travers the eminence they deserve.

Mariano Rivera at the Spa. (Skip Dickstein/BloodHorse)

4. From courtside to the boxes: Saratoga will never match “the Gaah-den” as a playground for celebrities … but neither will any other arena, racetrack, stadium, you name it (just look to a certain wedding last weekend for proof). That said, the Spa is a destination venue for many prominent entertainment figures, and it figures to be even more popular among the flashbulb set this year now that New York sports fans have a long-sought NBA title to celebrate.  

Although nothing’s been announced as of this writing, it would not be surprising to see NYRA designate a honorary race or even an entire racecard for the World Champion Knicks later this summer, as they’ve done so before for other New York sports legends such as Yankee closer Mariano Rivera back in 2019 upon his induction to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. If Saratoga ends up having a Knicks Day, all bets are off as to who attends – Tracy Morgan’s late double on “Saratoga Live,” anyone?

5. A bond that endures: In general, expect the throng of horse racing fans that descends upon Saratoga Springs, N.Y., every summer to have a distinct orange and blue hue over the next two months. Knicks fans figure to be front and center on the racetrack grounds, from owners, trainers, and jockeys to track employees, backstretch workers, and of course, the general public.

Last summer, we saw a 2-year-old named Ewing win twice at the Spa, including the Saratoga Special Stakes. Will we see a Knick-named colt or filly debut this year – and if we do, will he/she be the odds-on favorite at the post?

And after the tickets are cashed or tossed, Saratoga Springs’ evening social scene should ride a hoops-horses synergy all summer long. Several spots in town, including The Bunker sports bar and golf simulation lounge close to the racetrack, held rabid Knicks watch parties all throughout playoff season. Now, businesses will be filled with joyful chatter and reflections on Knicks’ unexpected buzzsaw ride through the NBA playoffs even as fans turn some of their attention toward the pennant races for both Yankees (very much alive) and Mets (well…).