SARATOGA SPRINGS — Patrick Battuello is a controversial figure in this city where horse racing is king. He is, after all, the founder of the nonprofit Horseracing Wrongs, which contends the sport is, well, wrong.
So, Battuello admits he was surprised when the Saratoga Springs Public Library enthusiastically agreed to sponsor a talk in which he’d claim that horse racing is inherently cruel and cannot be fixed. The activist was excited to bring his message to what he describes as the belly of the beast. Battuello was hoping for a lively debate with his opponents.
The talk was scheduled for Wednesday evening in the library’s Harry Dutcher Community Room, which has a maximum seating capacity of 110 people…