FAREWELL TO A SEASON.(LIFE & LEISURE)

Byline: Irene Gardner

The horses are gone, the parties are over, it's time to take a retrospective look at the Saratoga Social Meet.

Just like the historic Race Course, this was a record-breaking year for the Saratoga Social Set. The handle and the attendance for fund-raising events in the Racing City were both up from last year's totals.

There were a few exceptions, of course, but generally, events were well attended and a rough estimate of more than $1 million was raised for charitable events this year.

Some of the memories of Saratoga that linger include a quip from former Gov. Hugh Carey. After being told he looked well, the dark-haired (again) Guv said he'd learned there are three stages in life: youth, middle age, and "you're looking well."

The best line of the season, however, came from Robert Higdon, director of the Margaret Thatcher Foundation in Washington, D.C., and, not …