Thoroughbred racing action in New York moves to Aqueduct on Friday, with
opening weekend featuring the simulcast of the Breeders’ Cup from Santa Anita and a trio of graded stakes races.
Racing fans can cheer on their favorite horses and watch and wager
on all of the Breeders’ Cup action on Friday and Saturday. Admission to the Big
A is free, with gates opening at 11 a.m. (EDT). Aqueduct’s first race post time
on Friday and Saturday is 12:25 p.m.
In addition to the Breeders’ Cup simulcast, Aqueduct offers live racing over
the three-day opening weekend, highlighted by Saturday’s 70th running of the
Grade 3, $200,000 Discovery Handicap for three-year-olds and a pair of one-mile
juvenile events on Sunday: the Grade 2, $250,000 Nashua and the Grade 3,
$250,000 Tempted for fillies.
The Discovery is the first of 11 graded stakes at the Big A through the end
of 2013, including the Holidayfest highlight of the meet, the Grade 1, $500,000
Cigar Mile Handicap on November 30. The New York Racing Association (NYRA)
has announced a special purse incentive for the race, whereby any previous Grade
1 winner who competes in the Cigar Mile will race for a gross purse of $750,000.
Should a winner of any Breeders’ Cup race from any year take part, he or she
would be running for a purse of $1 million.
Five other graded stakes round out the holiday racing action, which kicks off
with the Grade 3, $300,000 Fall Highweight Handicap on Thanksgiving Day,
November 28, and continues on Friday with the Grade 2, $300,000 Go for Wand
Handicap. Joining the Cigar Mile on Saturday are the Grade 2, $400,000 Remsen
for two-year-olds; the Grade 2, $400,000 Demoiselle for two-year-old fillies;
and the Grade 3, $400,000 Comely for three-year-old fillies.
Post time on Thanksgiving Day is 11:25 a.m. (EST), with the first race going off at
noon on November 29 and 30.
There will be a $250,000 Guaranteed Late Pick 4 on all Saturdays beginning
November 9.
The annual Aqueduct handicapping tournament — the New York Handicappers
Series — will produce the final group of horseplayers from NYRA who move onto
the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championships in January
in Las Vegas, where the first prize will be $750,000. The popular Aqueduct
contest, which has a $400 entry fee with all fees returned as cash prizes, will
take place on November 16 and 17.
On December 7 and 8, the “Spirit of Giving” weekend returns with the Toys for
Tots program and a stocking stuffer promotion.
Aqueduct generally will be open Wednesday through Sunday with a
first-race post time of 12:20 p.m. (ET). The track will be closed on Christmas Day,
December 25, and will conduct live racing on New Year’s Eve, December 31.
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