BELMONT PARK 2008 SPRING/SUMMER MEET

FACT SHEET

59 Days

Wednesday, April 30 – Sunday, July 20

WHEN: Dark Monday and Tuesdays, except open on Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day) and dark on Wednesday, May 28 and Sunday, June 8.            

WHERE: Belmont Park, 2150 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, N.Y. The track is located at the intersection of the Cross Island Parkway and Hempstead Turnpike on the border of Queens County and Nassau County on Long Island. On racing days after 10:45 a.m., Exit 26D off the Cross Island is best for both North and South traffic; Exit 26A is best for North-bound traffic and Exit 26B is for the Clubhouse. For non-racing days or before 10:45 a.m. use Exit 26 B.                       

FIRST RACE POST TIME: 1 p.m. Eastern; 3 p.m. every Friday from June 13-July 18; noon, Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 7. 

SWITCHBOARD: (516) 488-6000

BROCHURE:  Click here to view the Belmont Park Spring 2008 brochure

WEBSITE:  www.nyra.com

ADMISSION:  General Admission, $2; Clubhouse, $5; Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 7: General Admission, $10; Clubhouse, $20. Children under 12 free when accompanied by an adult.                       

PARKING: General, $2; Preferred, $4; Valet, $6. Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 7: General, $10, Preferred $25. No valet parking on Belmont Stakes Day.            

GATES OPEN: 11 a.m.; 8:30 a.m. on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 7; 9:30 a.m. on Fathers’ Day, Sunday, June 15 

SEATING: Reserved Seats are $2 in the Clubhouse and Grandstand on weekends and holidays. Special pricing applies on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday June 7.

SUNSET RACING FRIDAYS: Friday Afternoons from June 13 through July 18, first-race post time, 3 p.m. Free Grandstand Admission and $3 Clubhouse Admission from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and, following that, regular admission prices apply. Food and Drink Specials! Live Concerts!

BREAKFAST AT BELMONT: Mary Ryan is trackside to point out top horses, trainers and jockeys during the morning workouts, and children delight in the Starting Gate demonstration. Tram tours of the stable area are also available. Open to the public on weekends and holidays during the Spring/Summer Meet from 7 – 9:30 a.m. Admission is free. An optional breakfast is served at reasonable prices. On Sundays, Breakfast at Belmont also features family entertainment.

FAMILY FUN DAYS: Every Sunday during the Spring/Summer Meet from noon until 4 p.m. All events  – petting zoos, miniature golf, family comedy troupes, magicians, etc. --  are free, except for pony rides, which are $1 (proceeds benefit Backstretch Employees Service Team (BEST). For more information, call (718) 659-2285.

PERSONAL HANDICAPPING STATIONS: First- and Second-floor clubhouse; $3 per day; $30 on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 7.            

RACE REPLAY CENTERS: Second floor clubhouse and grandstand. 

SIMULCASTING: Watch and wager on featured simulcasts from Churchill Downs, Monmouth Park and major tracks around the country including the twilight simulcasts from the California circuit.  Belmont Park pays host track prices on all simulcasts.

NYRA REWARDS:  Known as The Bettor’s Best Bet, our NYRA REWARDS account wagering program offers cash back just for wagering on the races. Members can earn points through on-track self-service wagering terminals, phone wagering with Telebet, or with NYRA REWARDS Internet Wagering. Enrollment is free and available only to customers 18 years and older.  To sign-up or for more information visit www.nyra.com, call 1-800-THE-NYRA, or stop by a customer service booth on-track.

DINING: Garden Terrace Restaurant ($3.50 Seating Charge, $10 minimum), fourth floor clubhouse. Belmont Café (Casual Dining), first floor clubhouse, $5 seating charge per table for a TV table.

Paddock Dining Room (second floor, clubhouse)Food Court – located on third floor (clubhouse and grandstand accessible)Additional concession stands are located throughout the track.            

CORPORATE AND SOCIAL EVENTS: Accommodations from 20 to 500. The Grand Marquee Village Tent, located adjacent to the Paddock, is the ultimate place to entertain larger groups of clients or associates. Other private areas are also available.  Call Group Events for a brochure or to book an event at (888) 285-5961.

ATTIRE: Box Seats: Suits or Sport Coats required.  Absolutely no shorts or jeans.  

Garden Terrace Restaurant – Elegant Attire: Gentlemen: Suits or sports jackets; Ladies: Dresses, skirts or pant suits. No shorts or abbreviated wear permitted. Acceptable Attire: Business Casual. Gentlemen: Collared shirts required.  Suits or sports jackets optional. No shorts or abbreviated wear permitted. On Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 7, gentlemen are required to wear jackets. Jeans are not permitted on Belmont Stakes Day.

Clubhouse:  No abbreviated wear.  Gentlemen: No tank tops. Management reserves the right to use its discretion to determine acceptable attire. 

By Car From Manhattan: Queens Midtown Tunnel to Long Island Expressway, East to Cross Island Parkway, South to Exit 26D.

From Brooklyn: Belt Parkway, East to Cross Island Parkway, North to Exit 26D, or Brooklyn – Queens Expressway to Long Island Expressway, East to Cross Island Parkway, South to Exit 26D.

From Queens: Grand Central Parkway, East to Cross Island Parkway, South to Exit 26D or Belt Parkway, East to Cross Island Parkway, North to Exit 26D.

From Staten Island: Verrazano Bridge to Belt Parkway, East to Cross Island Parkway, North to Exit 26D.

From Long Island: Northern State Parkway or Long Island Expressway, West to Cross Island Parkway, South to Exit 26D or Southern State Parkway, West to Cross Island Parkway, North to Exit 26D.

From New Jersey: (North) George Washington Bridge to Cross Bronx Expressway to Throgs Neck Bridge to Cross Island Parkway, South to Exit 26D. (South) Any interstate bridge to Staten Island Expressway to Verrazano Bridge to Belt Parkway, East to Cross Island Parkway, North to Exit 26D.

From Connecticut & Westchester: Any route to Throgs Neck Bridge to Cross Island Parkway, South to Exit 26D.

By Subway: Take the F Train to 169th Street or 179th Street then take the N6 or the Q2 bus to Belmont. Or take the F train to Parsons and Hillside or the E train to Parsons and Archer and transfer to Q110 MTA bus.

By Bus: N6 (MSBA Line) – Operates along Hempstead Tpke between Hempstead, West Hempstead, Franklin Square, Elmont, Hollis and Jamaica. From Jamaica, the bus starts at Jamaica Bus Terminal (165th Street & 89th Avenue) and runs along Hillside Avenue to Francis Lewis Blvd. To Hempstead Ave. Stops in front of Belmont Park. Connections: Transfer from the “F” Train at either 169th Street or 179th Street stations.

Q110 (MTA Bus) – Service provided every 20 minutes to and from Belmont during racing days, available at Parsons Blvd. and Hillside Ave. and from Parsons Blvd. & Archer Ave., and various locations eastbound on Jamaica Ave and Hempstead Ave in Queens. These buses pick up and discharge at the west end of the track. Connections: Transfer from “F” Train at Parsons & Hillside; Transfer from “E” Train at Parsons & Archer

Q2 (MTA bus) – Originates at Jamaica Bus Terminal (165th Street and 89th Ave) and runs along Hillside Ave to 187th Place to Hollis Ave. and discharges at the west end of the track. Connections: Transfer from “F” Train at 169th Street or 179th Street stations.

Railroad: Passengers can board the LIRR at Penn Station, Woodside or Jamaica. Residents of Brooklyn, Forest Hills and Kew Gardens can make connections at Jamaica Station.