Robert Mauhar Photo

NYRA continues popular spring program for 2-year-olds in 2018

by NYRA Press Office

Eight maiden races worth $100,000 each will be offered this spring as part of the New York Racing Association's ongoing program for 2-year-olds leading up to the $150,000 Astoria and $150,000 Tremont, part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and the first two juvenile stakes of the year.

For fillies, Astoria Trial A, at 4 ½ furlongs, will be run on April 18 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Astoria Trial B and C will be run on May 3 and May 16 at Belmont Park, both at five furlongs, all in preparation for the 5 ½-furlong Astoria on Thursday, June 7.

Tremont Trial A, at 4 ½ furlongs, will be run on April 19, with Tremont Trial B and C at five furlongs scheduled for May 4 and May 17 at Belmont. The Tremont, also at 5 ½ furlongs, will be held on Friday, June 8.

Additionally, NYRA will once again supplement the juvenile spring program with a pair of five-furlong turf trials at Belmont. For fillies, Astoria Trail D will be held May 24, while the Tremont Trial D will run May 25.

The fields for the trials are limited to 10, with the winner to receive $50,000 and all runners to be paid. Should 10 horses start, the second through sixth-place horses would receive $20,000, $10,000, $7,500, 5,000 and $4,000, respectively, with the remaining $3,500 divided among the seventh through 10th-place finishers.

Furthermore, bonuses worth a total of $25,000 will be offered to the owners and trainers of New York-breds who finish first, second or third in any state-bred or open maiden juvenile race held during the Aqueduct spring and Belmont spring/summer meets.

The bonus program, supported in partnership with the New York Breeding Fund, calls for owners to receive $9,000 for a first-place finish, $4,500 for second and $2,500 for third. Trainers would get a bonus of $4,000 for first, $3,000 for second and $2,000 for third.