The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the stakes schedule for Aqueduct Racetrack’s 2010 winter/spring meet, with the Grade 1, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 3 anchoring 10 graded stakes worth $2.25 million for the 81-day meet which begins on January 1.

The remainder of the 2010 NYRA stakes schedule will be announced at a later date.

“In the current economic climate and with other racing jurisdictions reducing racing days and adjusting their stakes schedule, we feel that it is prudent to make the decision on the Aqueduct Stakes program only at this time,” NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward said. “We plan to monitor and review handle trends over the next three months, which will allow us to keep the proper balance between the Stakes program and the overnight purses going forward.”

A trio of stakes rings in the New Year, with the $65,000 Interborough for fillies and mares going six furlongs on Friday, January 1, the $65,000 Count Fleet for 3-year-olds at 1 mile, 70 yards on Saturday, January 2, and the $65,000 Ruthless for 3-year-old fillies going six furlongs on Sunday, January 3.

The graded stakes season kicks off on Saturday, March 6 with the Grade 3, $100,000 Toboggan at six furlongs, the Grade 3, $250,000 Gotham for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16th miles and the $65,000 Fred “Cappy” Capossela, also for 3-year-olds, at six furlongs.

The Big A’s Triple Crown test, the 86th running of the Wood Memorial, highlights a main track card on April 3 that includes the Grade 1, $250,000 Carter at seven furlongs, the Grade 3, $200,000 Excelsior Breeders’ Cup for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8th miles, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.

Highlighted changes in the Aqueduct winter/spring stakes schedule, which was approved by the NYRA Board of Directors, include a hiatus for the Bed O’Roses Handicap and its replacement on April 17 by the Grade 2, $150,000 Distaff. In 2010, the Distaff will be run at seven furlongs, the same distance as the Bed O’Roses, which had been downgraded to a Grade 3 by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Also shelved was the $100,000 Next Move for fillies and mares going 1 1/8th miles, which was downgraded to ungraded status by the committee. In its stead, NYRA will reinstate the historic Ladies Handicap, which was first run in 1868. After a year’s absence, the $100,000 Ladies will be run at 1 1/8th miles on Saturday, March 27.

In other changes, the purse for the April 10 Comely for 3-year-old fillies was reduced to $100,000 from $150,000 after it was downgraded to a Grade 3, and the purse for the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 3 was reduced to $250,000 from $300,000.

The American Graded Stakes Committee has established a minimum purse of $250,000 for Grade 1 races in 2010.

The Excelsior on April 3 has become part of the Breeders’ Cup supplemental stakes program. The Excelsior Breeders’ Cup offers a base purse of $150,000, with horses that have been nominated to the Breeders’ Cup eligible for the extra $50,000 in supplemented purse money.

The stakes schedule for the winter/spring meet, which also includes 19 listed and New York-bred stakes worth more than $1.3 million, now awaits approval from the New York State Racing and Wagering Board.

2010 AQUEDUCT WINTER/SPRING STAKE SCHEDULE