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NYRA announces post time adjustments to the Belmont Park fall meet

by NYRA Press Office

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced adjustments to weekday post times for the portion of the upcoming fall meet that will be run at Belmont Park. Beginning on Friday, September 6, weekday live racing will feature a first post time of 3 p.m. to ensure the continuity of racing operations in light of the construction of a new arena at Belmont Park for the National Hockey League's New York Islanders.

On weekdays, the Belmont Café will open for simulcasting at 12 p.m. with all entry gates open to the public at 2 p.m.

Saturdays and Sundays will feature a first post of 1 p.m. with entry gates open to the public at 11 a.m.

As previously announced, the first 23 days of the 37-day Belmont fall meet will be held at Belmont Park, kicking off on Friday, September 6 for an opening weekend slate highlighted by the third and final legs of the inaugural $5.25 million Turf Triple series.

Live racing will shift to Aqueduct Racetrack beginning on October 11 and continuing through October 27 before the traditional Aqueduct fall meet kicks into gear on Friday, November 1 and continuing through Sunday, December 1.

The 37-day Belmont fall meet includes 45 stakes worth $11.525 million in purse money - an increase of $1.45 million over 2018 - and will be highlighted by seven Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifiers.

On Saturday, September 7 the inaugural edition of the $1 million Jockey Club Derby, a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race offering a berth in the Longines Turf, will complete the Turf Trinity complemented by the first-ever $750,000 Jockey Club Oaks to conclude the Turf Tiara, both to be aired live across the country on NBC. The stakes-laden card will also include the first running of the $300,000 Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational for 3-year-olds and up at 1 ½ miles on Big Sandy.

Belmont's Jockey Club Gold Cup Racing Festival card on Saturday, September 28 will showcase a pair of "Win and You're In" races for the Breeders' Cup World Championships to be held at Santa Anita Park from November 1-2. The Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, contested at 1 1/4 miles, will offer an automatic entry and a fees-paid trip to the $6 million Classic. Also slated for a packed day at Belmont is the Grade 1, $300,000 Vosburgh, a six-furlong sprint offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. The card also features the Grade 2, $300,000 Beldame and the Grade 3, $200,000 Pilgrim.

The following weekend, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Racing Festival will feature four "Win and You're In" qualifiers beginning on Saturday, October 5 with the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne, where the winner will secure a spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The day's undercard will include the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic; the Grade 2, $400,000 Hill Prince for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on turf;  the Grade 3, $150,000 Matron for juvenile fillies going six furlongs on the turf; and the $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational also at six furlongs on grass.

On October 6, three Breeders' Cup spots will be on the line, as the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl and the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette will award the winners an all-fees-paid berth into the Filly & Mare Turf and Juvenile Fillies divisions, respectively. The Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity for 2-year-olds on the turf will award a spot in the Juvenile Turf Sprint to the winner.

For more information, and the complete stakes schedule for the 2019 fall meet, visit NYRA.com/Belmont.