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Ruffian (G2) features on America's Day at the Races on FOX Sports and MSG+

by Jim Reisler

America's Day at the Races will provide more than 20 hours of live racing through Closing Weekend from Belmont Park

America's Day at the Races, produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, returns this Thursday, July 9 on FOX Sports and MSG+ for wall-to-wall television coverage of closing weekend of the 2020 Belmont spring/summer meet.

The acclaimed national telecast airs Thursday through Sunday on FS1, FS2 and MSG+ for a combined 20 ½ hours of racing and analysis of the best in thoroughbred racing from Belmont Park, which will take place just before the New York circuit shifts to Saratoga Race Course for its annual 40-day summer meet at the Spa. Highlighting the weekend action from Belmont is the Grade 2, $150,000 Ruffian on Saturday, July 11, featuring Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl, making her first graded race appearance since capturing the Breeders' Cup Distaff in November 2018.

Trained by Brad Cox, the talented 5-year-old Tapizar mare missed her entire 4-year-old season after a mild case of colic and an injury to her hamstring. She returned to action on May 16 with a 2 3/4-length win in an optional-claiming tilt contested on a sloppy Churchill Downs main track. Monomoy Girl's victory in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Distaff capped an Eclipse Award-winning season, which included G1 victories in the Ashland at Keeneland, Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, Acorn at Belmont Park and the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. 

Saturday's 42nd running of the Ruffian for 4-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) going one mile is named for the legendary filly of the mid-1970s and winner of 10 consecutive races, eight of them stakes. Foaled at Claiborne Farm, Ruffian was bred by Stuart S. Janney, Jr. and Barbara Phipps Janney, and trained by Frank Y. Whiteley, Jr. Asked for his strategy when aboard the big black filly, Ruffian's jockey Jacinto Vasquez had a simple answer: "Ruffian sets her own pace and gets (to the lead) on her own," he said.

Weekend stakes action from Belmont Park kicks off on Friday with the 6th running of the $80,000 Gold Fever for 3-year-olds going 6 furlongs on the dirt. 

Sunday's 6th running of the $80,000 River Memories for 4-year-olds & up (fillies & mares) going 1 ½ miles on the turf will be the final stakes race of the 25-day Belmont spring-summer meet. Closing Day will feature a special post time of 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

This week's America's Day at the Races schedule: 

(All times Eastern)

Thursday, July 9:
1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. (FS2)
1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. (MSG+)

Friday, July 10:
1:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (FS2)
1:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (MSG+)

Saturday. July 11:
1:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (FS2)
1:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (MSG+)

Sunday, July 12:
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. (FS1)
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (FS2)
12:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (MSG+)

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on  NYRA's YouTube channel, which boasts more than 40,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a number of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

America's Day at the Races is presented by America's Best Racing, Runhappy, and Claiborne Farm. This weekend's broadcast team includes Greg Wolf, Andy Serling, Maggie Wolfendale, Richard Migliore, Acacia Courtney and Jonathon Kinchen.

NYRA Bets is the official online wagering platform of the Belmont spring/summer meet available to customers across the United States. In addition to a host of weekly special offers, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 deposit match bonus to new members.

NYRA Bets provides fans the opportunity to wager on racing from tracks around the world at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download for iOS and Android at NYRA Bets App. Watch and wager on the best racing while earning points on every bet.

For further details on the new member bonus, visit NYRABets.com/#sign-up-bonus.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

The 2020 Belmont spring/summer meet continues through Sunday, July 12. Live racing is offered Thursday through Sunday with a first post of 1:15 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday and a special closing-day post time of 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. The 2020 summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course kicks off on Thursday, July 16 and will feature 71 stakes worth $14.45 million, encompassing 39 graded stakes and 18 Grade 1s. The 40-day Saratoga meet continues through Monday, September 7.

About NYRA Bets

Introduced in August 2016, NYRA Bets is a leading online wagering platform, available nationwide online, on your phone and at kiosks at NYRA tracks. As a legal, United States-based, regulated and licensed provider of horse race wagering, NYRA Bets gives fans the opportunity to wager on more than 250 race tracks worldwide from anywhere at any time. You can download the NYRA Bets app for iOS and Android.

NYRA Bets provides fans the opportunity to wager on racing from tracks around the world at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download for iOS and Android atNYRA Bets App. Watch and wager on the best racing while earning points on every bet.

For additional details, and to sign up for NYRA Bets visit NYRABets.com.