SARATOGA SPRINGS – If there’s anything we know for sure about Saratoga Springs, we know that it’s not just a one horse town. There are plenty of things to do in the Spa City that don’t involve betting on the ponies.

One such example is shopping.

“I feel like you have to into every (store),” said Nina Long, of Nashville, Tennessee. “You have to at least stop in every shop that’s here just so that you can get a little taste of everything.”

For Nina and her friends, immersing themselves in retail is the favorite sport in town.

“Racing doesn’t mean anything to us,” Nina asserted. “I like to go dress up, but the racing, not really.”

For those looking for fashion, the Broadway business district has plenty to offer.

“We don’t know what to expect. This is the first time that Belmont has been here,” Samantha Purcell, a manager at Bobbles & Lace on Broadway, pointed out.

Purcell says she was pleased with the foot traffic on Thursday, seeing both familiar faces and out-of-towners coming in to browse and buy.

“I’ve met people coming from Kentucky,” she said. “A lot of people who have horses here so I think it’s a mixture of both.”

Despite the rain that began falling late in the day, Ryan Taylor, of Worchester, Massachusetts said a combination of horse racing and dining out downtown made a positive impression on him.

“It was phenomenal,” he said. “A great scene. I had a great time. And the weather held out for a majority of the day.”

“My expectations were higher for the weather,” said Danika Barton, of Clifton Park. “If it was a sunny day I think my day would be a ten out of ten. right now it’s about an eight.”

Despite the rain, expectations are higher over the next couple of days when 50,000 fans are expected for the Belmont Stakes Saturday afternoon.