NYRA sets Belmont at Big A fall meet with 50 stakes

The New York Racing Association announced the stakes schedule for the 31-day Belmont at the Big A fall meet.

Because of the ongoing construction of the new Belmont Park, the fall meet once again will be conducted at Aqueduct. The fall meet will begin on Friday, Sept. 13, and run through Sunday, Nov. 3, including four Grade 1s and six Breeders’ Cup win-and-you’re-in qualifiers. The meet will offer a total of 50 stakes worth $10.35 million in total purses.

The Belmont at the Big A stakes action kicks off on Sept. 13 with the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory, a 2 3/8-mile steeplechase for older horses on a card supported by the listed $150,000 Winter Memories at one mile on turf for sophomore fillies.

Sept, 14 features the 11-furlong $350,000 Jockey Club Oaks (G3) to conclude the lucrative turf series for sophomore fillies that saw Cinderella’s Dream win both the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) in July and the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G2) on Aug. 2.

The following Saturday, Sept. 21, will see the $175,000 Noble Damsel (G3) for fillies and mares at one-mile on turf ahead of the first New York-bred stakes of the meet on Sunday, Sept. 22, with a pair of seven-furlong sprints worth $125,000 for state-bred juveniles in the Bertram F. Bongard and its female counterpart, the Joseph A. Gimma.

New York-bred stakes action continues with a pair of nine-furlong turf events on Thursday, Sept. 26, with the $125,000 John Hettinger for fillies and mares and again on Friday, Sept. 27, with the state-bred $125,000 Ashley T. Cole for 3-year-olds and up.

Saturday, Sept. 28, features a loaded card of four graded events, including the first flat race of the meet in the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/2 miles on turf. The card is supported by the $400,000 Woodward (G2) at nine furlongs for 3-year-olds and up, and a pair of win-and-you’re-in events in the $250,000 Vosburgh (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up that awards the winner a berth into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and the $200,000 Pilgrim (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 2-year-olds providing automatic entry to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

The weekend wraps up with two more Grade 2 tilts on Sunday, Sept. 29 with the $250,000 Gallant Bloom at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares; and the $200,000 Miss Grillo for fillies, awarding a win-and-you’re-in berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Friday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Oct. 6, will see a plethora of graded events, beginning on the Friday with the $200,000 Waya (G3) at 1 3/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares and the $175,000 Futurity (G3) for juveniles sprinting six furlongs on the lawn in hopes of securing a win-and-you’re-in spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Saturday, Oct. 5, provides another stacked card of graded events, led by two Grade 1 win-and-you’re-in qualifiers at one mile for juveniles in the $500,000 Champagne, a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and $400,000 Frizette, a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. The card is supported by the $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint (G3) for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs and the $500,000 Jockey Club Derby (G3) on turf for sophomores at 1 3/8 miles.

Graded action continues into the Sunday, October 6 card, including the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame at nine furlongs for fillies and mares; and the Grade 3, $175,000 Matron for juvenile fillies sprinting six furlongs on the turf.

Saturday, Oct. 26, will offer three stakes, including the $250,000 Forty Niner (G3), a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and up that will offer the top three finishers a free nomination and starting fee in the Cigar Mile (G2) to be run during the Aqueduct fall meet. The card also includes the $250,000 Mother Goose (G2), a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies, and the $175,000 Bold Ruler (G3) at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up.

Other graded events slated for the Belmont at the Big A fall meet are the $200,000 Sands Point (G2) for sophomore fillies traveling nine furlongs on the grass on Oct. 12 and the $175,000 Knickerbocker (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at nine furlongs on the grass on Oct. 13.

Sunday, Oct. 27, is the annual Empire Showcase day card, which includes eight New York-bred stakes valued at $1.6 million in total purses. The card is highlighted by two nine-furlong events worth $250,000 in the Empire Classic and its counterpart, the Empire Distaff for fillies and mares. Empire Showcase Day will also include four $200,000 stakes in the Sleepy Hollow, Maid of the Mist, Mohawk and Ticonderoga, along with a pair of $150,000 stakes in the Iroquois and Hudson.

Closing weekend of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet spans Friday, Nov. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 3, dates that previously were offered at the Aqueduct fall meet.

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Friday’s card will feature the $150,000 Atlantic Beach at six furlongs for juvenile turf sprinters ahead of Saturday card that includes four stakes, including a trio of Listed $150,000 events in the Nashua at one-mile for 2-year-olds, the Tempted at one mile for juvenile fillies and the Artie Schiller for 3-year-olds and up going one-mile on turf. Also on tap Saturday is the $135,000 Stewart Manor, a six-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-old fillies.

The Belmont at the Big A fall meet concludes on Nov. 3 with a pair of listed $150,000 main-track stakes for fillies and mares in the Pumpkin Pie at seven furlongs and the Turnback the Alarm at nine-furlongs along with the $150,000 Discovery at nine furlongs for sophomores.