Wow… what a night on the courts! Thank you to everyone who joined us for Pickle For The Ponies, whether you played, cheered, or just came for the ice cream and the laughs. Because of your generosity, we raised over $6,000, which means both Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga and the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund will each receive a $3,000 donation. That kind of support makes such a difference for the horses and the people we serve, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

More importantly, beyond raising money, we wanted to raise awareness for both of these programs that are doing incredible work to support humans and horses in need of services—and thanks to you, we did just that.

And best of all, we DELIVERED fun! Everyone who came out and played truly enjoyed themselves and created bonds with the very people who give so much to make this Saratoga summer what it is.

A huge shout-out also goes to our incredible sponsors who helped make this event possible!

Tournament Recap

From the moment the first ball was served, the energy was high and the smiles were contagious. The whole place had a family-block-party feel... kids, parents, and friends packed the courts, and Kaleidoscope Cafe ice cream was the cherry on top (literally).

Each team played under the name of one of our retired racehorses, complete with a photo of “their” horse for inspiration. Seeing names like “Team Kremepuff,” “Team Sugar,” and “Team Forest” on the scoreboards made it all the more fun, and maybe added a little extra good luck.

Our racing celebs were absolute stars. Irad Ortiz came ready to play (and had a blast), and Todd Pletcher made his pickleball debut on the lineup of racing legends. With so much talent on the courts, the competition heated up fast, but it was all in good fun and for two great causes.

Celebrity Players Included:

And then came the matches everyone’s still talking about:

Intermediate Division: Abby & Brady Castellano (Team Sugar) pulled off the upset of the night, beating Ramon Dominguez & Irad Ortiz (Team Athene) for the championship. Neither jockey loved coming in second (we would not be surprised if they are still on the courts demanding a rematch). And Brady? At just 13 years old, he showed off some serious skills and walked away with bragging rights over two of racing’s biggest names. Watch out Ramon and Irad, he will be gunning for you again next year!

Beginner Division: Bobby Weir & Mary Rufo (Team Reeley) took home the championship after topping Jose Gomez & Javier Castellano (Team Forest). The crowd was loud for this one, and the Rufo duo did not disappoint.

Advanced Division: John Trimble & Kathy Allen (Team Kramer) fought tooth and nail in a final that was pure fire. Every rally had the crowd on their feet, and the last few points were edge of your seat pickleball at its best.

And it was not just about the matches, fans also enjoyed spotting some of their racing favorites like Johnny Velazquez and Kendrick Carmouche cheering on the action and adding to the star-studded atmosphere.

Of course, there were some plot twists too. Defending champ Rick Schosberg and his partner Dr. John Kimmel, made an early exit, which caught everyone by surprise. To be fair, it was Dr. Kimmel’s first go at Pickle For The Ponies, so we are expecting a big comeback from that team in 2026. And Hall of Famer Angel Cordero? He made it all the way to the semis, looking sharp after his time off. Something tells us he will be back next year with even more fire.

All in all, every game was close, every point mattered, and every player, whether a rookie or a Hall of Famer, left it all on the court and we cannot wait to see what is in store next year!

Check out some additional coverage from our community members!

Saratoga Living Vibe Check by Natalie Moore 

Saratoga Live Coverage by NYRA