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High winds and heavy rainfall forces cancellation of Closing Day Sunday card at Belmont Park

by NYRA Press Office

Mandatory payout of Empire 6 jackpot moved to Friday at the Big A pending NYSGC approval

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled Sunday's live racing program at Belmont Park following the first race due to reduced visibility caused by high winds and torrential rainfall forecast to impact Long Island throughout the day.

With the National Weather Service calling for continued precipitation throughout the afternoon, along with a strong southeast wind with gusts as high as 34 mph, NYRA has cancelled live racing on Sunday in the interest of the safety of all participants.

Aqueduct Racetrack and the Belmont Café will remain open for simulcasting and online wagering is available through NYRA Bets.

Pending New York State Gaming Commission approval, the mandatory payout slated for the Empire 6, which boasted a jackpot carryover of $279,432, will be rescheduled for Friday's Opening Day card at Aqueduct.

The Aqueduct fall meet begins Friday, November 1 with a 10-race card highlighted by the $150,000 Tempted in Race 9. First post is 12 p.m. Friday at the Big A will also feature a full simulcast of the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park, anchored by the Grade 1, $2 million Juvenile, with a local post time of 7:04 p.m. Eastern. The Future Stars Friday Breeders' Cup card begins at 4:12 p.m. with the Grade 2, $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint.

The Aqueduct fall meet will offer 27 stakes worth $5 million in purses, including the inaugural four-day NYRA Thanksgiving Racing Festival featuring 11 stakes worth $1.9 million in purse money. The festival runs from Thanksgiving Day, November 28 through Sunday, December 1.

The highlight of the Aqueduct fall meeting will be the Cigar Mile Racing Festival, which begins on Thursday, December 5. Highlighted by four graded races worth $1.5 million in purse money, the festival anchors the final weekend of the fall meet which concludes on Sunday, December 8.

About the New York Racing Association (NYRA)

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) holds the exclusive franchise to conduct thoroughbred racing at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of New York State's thoroughbred industry, which is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual economic impact to the State.

Over the course of 219 days of live racing in 2018, NYRA generated more than $2.1 billion in all-sources wagering handle with paid attendance exceeding 1.7 million for the fifth consecutive year.