Seven Breeders' Cup qualifiers on tap for Belmont Fall Championship Meet
by NYRA Press Office
The 36-day fall championship meet at Belmont Park will be highlighted by seven Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifiers held over two weekends. The meet, which starts Friday, September 7 and extends through Sunday, October 28, will feature 44 stakes worth more than $10 million, including 18 graded stakes.
Belmont's card on Saturday, September 29 will showcase a pair of "Win and You're In" races for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships to be held at Churchill Downs from November 2-3. Held a week earlier than 2017, 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, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in the Turf division and the Grade 1, $350,000 Vosburgh in the Sprint division.
The following weekend will feature four "Win and You're In" qualifiers, starting with the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne on Saturday, October 6, where the winner will secure a spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The day's undercard will include the Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/8 miles on the main track and the Grade 2, $500,000 Hill Prince for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on turf.
On October 7, three Breeders' Cup spots will be on the line, with 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. For the first time, the $150,000 Futurity for 2-year-olds on the turf will award a spot in the Juvenile Turf Sprint to the winner.
The Empire State will take the spotlight on Saturday, October 20 when the top New York-breds gather at Belmont Park to complete in eight stakes races worth $1.75 million, topped by the $300,000 Empire Classic at 1 1/8 miles. Closing weekend will feature six stakes combined from October 27-28, led by the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler on that Saturday and the inaugural running of the $125,000 Zagora on Closing Day.
2018 Belmont Fall
Championship Meet stakes schedule:
| DATE | RACE | GRADE | 2018 PURSE | AGE | DISTANCE |
| Fri., Sept. 7 | Christiecat | 100,000 | F3YO | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sat., Sept. 8 | Allied Forces | 100,000 | 3YO | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sun., Sept. 9 | Royal Delta | 100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 | |
| Sat., Sept. 15 | Sands Point | II | 400,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Wed., Sept 19 | Joseph A. Gimma (NYB) | 150,000 | F2YO | 7 Furlongs | |
| Fri., Sept. 21 | Bertram F. Bongard (NYB) | 150,000 | 2YO | 7 Furlongs | |
| Sat., Sept. 22 | Kelso (Hdcp.) | II | 300,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile |
| Sat., Sept. 22 | Noble Damsel | III | 200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sun., Sept. 23 | Gallant Bloom (Hdcp.) | II | 300,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs |
| Sun., Sept. 23 | Ashley T. Cole (NYB) | 125,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Turf) | |
| Sun., Sept. 23 | John Hettinger (NYB) | 125,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Sept. 29 | Jockey Club Gold Cup (BC) | I | 750,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/4 |
| Sat., Sept. 29 | Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (BC) | I | 500,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) |
| Sat., Sept. 29 | Vosburgh (BC) | I | 350,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Sept. 29 | Pilgrim | III | 200,000 | 2YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sun., Sept. 30 | Temperence Hill Invitational | 200,000 | 3&UP | 1 5/8 | |
| Sun., Sept. 30 | Miss Grillo | III | 200,000 | F2YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., Oct. 6 | Hill Prince | II | 500,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Sat., Oct. 6 | Champagne (BC) | I | 500,000 | 2YO | 1 Mile |
| Sat., Oct. 6 | Beldame | I | 400,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 |
| Sat., Oct. 6 | Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational | 150,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 7 | Flower Bowl (BC) | I | 500,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/4 (Turf) |
| Sun., Oct. 7 | Frizette (BC) | I | 400,000 | F2YO | 1 Mile |
| Sun.,Oct. 7 | Futurity (BC) | 150,000 | 2YO | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Mon., Oct. 8 | Knickerbocker | II | 200,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Mon., Oct. 8 | Matron | III | 150,000 | F 2YO | 6 Furlongs (Turf) |
| Sat.,Oct. 13 | Pebbles | 200,000 | F3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 13 | Floral Park | 100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 14 | Point of Entry | 100,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Empire Classic (NYB) | 300,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Empire Distaff (NYB) | 250,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Sleepy Hollow (NYB) | 250,000 | 2YO | 1 Mile | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Maid of the Mist (NYB) | 250,000 | F2YO | 1 Mile | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Mohawk (NYB) | 200,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Ticonderoga (NYB) | 200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Iroquois (NYB) | 150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Hudson (NYB) | 150,000 | 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs | |
| Sun., Oct. 21 | Athenia | III | 200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., Oct. 27 | Bold Ruler (Hdcp) | III | 200,000 | 3&UP | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Oct. 27 | English Channel | 100,000 | 3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 27 | Awad | 100,000 | 2YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 28 | Zagora | 125,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 28 | Chelsey Flower | 100,000 | F 2YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 28 | Pumpkin Pie | 100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs |
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