Through the lens: Fall colors, frost as Saratoga's season ends

The Breeders’ Cup is viewed as the home stretch of the racing season, and with all the excitement of the races in Southern California behind us, we are preparing for the inevitable in the north country: winter.

While Saratoga is said to reserve its magic for the mornings, I am arguing that the best of those are during fall. So let me take you through a visual tour of this transition from the hot race summer days to ones with the first frost on the ground.

Looking back just a few months, the Saratoga summer meet concluded with the final races of Labor Day weekend

Since then, morning workouts continued on the Oklahoma training track across from the main race track on Union Avenue. Fall mornings often bring fog to the track, and sometimes include exceptional skills demonstrations, as by this Chad Brown exercise rider

In September, the morning sun is still warm enough to bring out the pulsing veins on horses at the end of their morning workout 

This horse bathing at the barn of Todd Pletcher during a September morning also reminds us that we are at the Spa

While October mornings get colder, we were warmed at least by the vibrant fall foliage: George Weaver exercise rider Heather Coots is getting a helping hand from an outrider under some morning sun lighting up the maple trees on East Ave

A pair of Chad Brown exercise riders is chase fall colors: 

This rider shows that it is never too late in the season for some gate work. 

A Chad Brown exercise rider trots around the track: 

A George Weaver horse being led back to the barn: 

The team of Christophe Clement riders walking their horses under the fall canopy: 

As operations are moved to warmer climates in November, this lone horse is looking for some company at one of the many empty barns at the Oklahoma backstretch: 

The Nick Zito exercise rider Layla Griffin is one of the final holdouts galloping horses on frosty mornings in front of empty barns. 

As the first frost hits the ground, horses step through frosted leaves as they exit the Oklahoma track for some warmer climates. 

With the drop of the last leaf and the fall of the first flurries the Oklahoma track is closing for the season. The filly Buddy’s Memory at the George Weaver barn captures this feeling of longing for having all the horses and riders back at the Oklahoma. But there is going to be another season come April...