marylou whitney john hendrickson
A portion of Route 9P was renamed Marilou Whitney Way in honor of the late Marilou Whitney.
New York State recently passed legislation that renames a portion of Route 9P, also known as Union Avenue, to Marylou Whitney Way, because of their contributions to the racing community and the Saratoga Springs area. The renamed portion of Route 9P passes next to Saratoga Race Course.
Marylou Whitney is a treasure to our city, said Saratoga Springs Mayor Ron Kim.We are definitely happy that the state has taken this step.
This socialist and philanthropist passed away in 2019 at the age of 93.
Marilou and her husband Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney attempted to persuade the New York Racing Association in the 1970s to keep Saratoga Race Course open as a part of their racing calendar.
By law, Marilou Whitney philanthropic contributions to backstretch workers and retired purebred horses have been instrumental in shaping Saratoga racing into what it is today.
He hosted the annual Racing Season Ball at Canfield Casino for decades, supporting track employees and organizations such as Saratoga Hospital. She was the founder of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in the 1960s and the National Museum of Dance in the 1980s.
Whitney and her husband John Hendrickson, whom she married after Cornelius’ death, started the Saratoga Backstretch Appreciation Program to assist racetrack workers.
The bill to rename a portion of Union Avenue was sponsored by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, and Senator Daphne Jordan, R-Halfmoon.
Marylou Whitney was beloved by everyone in the community, no matter who you were, what you did, where you came from, and your place in life, Jordan said in May.Marilou Whitney treated every person with dignity, decency, compassion and kindness, respect and equality.
According to the New York Racing Association, Marylou Whitney was considered one of the most successful Thoroughbred racing horse owners. He founded Marylou Whitney Stables and bred and raced Birdstone, the 2004 Belmont Stakes winner who won the Travers Stakes at Saratoga that year.
The Whitney Stakes will be held this Saturday. Named after the Whitney family, the Whitney Handicap was first held in 1928, according to NYRA.
According to the law, to avoid confusion, the renaming is ceremonial and the official name of the highway will not be changed as a result of the law.