In keeping with a trend in recent years, the stakes schedules for Belmont Park’s spring/summer meet and the Saratoga season are both weighted toward big events.
Belmont Park begins its 54-day run on Friday, April 27, and offers 62 stakes races worth a total of $19.3 million.
The 150th Belmont S. (G1) is once again the anchor of a three-stakes festival, culminating in the June 9 card featuring eight graded stakes, five of them Grade 1s, in the lead-up to the $1.5 million “Test of the Champion.” The meeting’s first Grade 1, the May 12 Man o’ War, has received a purse boost to $700,000, and highlights a lucrative program including the Peter Pan (G3) as a Belmont Stakes prep. July 7 brings the Stars and Stripes Festival, best known for luring international contenders to the Belmont Derby (G1) and Oaks (G1).
The 40-day Saratoga stand, opening on July 20 and closing Labor Day, boasts a slate of 69 stakes worth $18.8 million. The Spa meet is punctuated by two particularly lucrative days, August 4 centering upon the Whitney (G1), and the August 25 blockbuster revolving around the 149th Travers (G1), the “Midsummer Derby.”
Here are the complete stakes schedules released by the New York Racing Association:
THE NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION
2018 BELMONT SPRING/SUMMER STAKES SCHEDULE |
|||||
DATE
|
RACE
|
GR.
|
’18 PURSE
|
AGE
|
DISTANCE
|
Fri., Apr. 27
|
Affirmed Success (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
6 Furlongs
|
|
Sat., Apr. 28
|
Elusive Quality
|
$125,000
|
4&UP
|
7 Furlongs (T)
|
|
Sun., Apr. 29
|
License Fee
|
$125,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
6 Furlongs (T)
|
|
Fri., May 4
|
Flat Out
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
1 3/8
|
|
Kentucky Derby Day
|
|||||
Sat., May 5
|
Sheepshead Bay
|
II
|
$200,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 3/8 (Turf)
|
Sat., May 5
|
Westchester
|
III
|
$200,000
|
4&UP
|
1 Mile
|
Sat., May 5
|
Fort Marcy
|
III
|
$150,000
|
4 & UP
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
Sun., May 6
|
Ruffian
|
II
|
$250,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 Mile
|
Man o’ War Stakes Festival
|
|||||
Sat., May 12
|
Man o’ War
|
I
|
$700,000
|
4&UP
|
1 3/8 (Turf)
|
Sat., May 12
|
Peter Pan
|
III
|
$350,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8
|
Sat., May 12
|
Beaugay
|
III
|
$200,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
Sat., May 12
|
Vagrancy
|
III
|
$200,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
Sat., May 12
|
Runhappy
|
|
$150,000
|
4&UP
|
6 Furlongs
|
Sun., May 13
|
Gold Fever
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
6 Furlongs
|
|
Preakness Day
|
|||||
Sat., May 19
|
Soaring Softly
|
III
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
7 Furlongs (T)
|
Sat., May 26
|
Paradise Creek
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
7 Furlongs (T)
|
|
New York Showcase Day
|
|||||
Mon., May 28
|
Commentator (NYB)
|
|
$200,000
|
3&UP
|
1 Mile
|
Mon., May 28
|
Critical Eye (NYB)
|
|
$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 Mile
|
Mon., May 28
|
Kingston (NYB)
|
|
$125,000
|
3&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
Mon., May 28
|
Mount Vernon (NYB)
|
|
$125,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
Mon., May 28
|
Mike Lee (NYB)
|
|
$125,000
|
3YO
|
7 Furlongs
|
Mon., May 28
|
Bouwerie (NYB)
|
|
$125,000
|
F3YO
|
7 Furlongs
|
Sat., June 2
|
Pennine Ridge
|
III
|
$200,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
Belmont Stakes Racing Festival
|
|||||
Thurs., June 7
|
Intercontinental
|
III
|
$200,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
7 Furlongs (T)
|
Thurs., June 7
|
Wonder Again
|
III
|
$200,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
Thurs., June 7
|
Astoria
|
|
$150,000
|
F2YO
|
5 1/2 Furlongs
|
Fri., June 8
|
New York
|
II
|
$600,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 1/4 (Turf)
|
Fri., June 8
|
Belmont Gold Cup Invitational
|
II
|
$400,000
|
4&UP
|
2 Miles (Turf)
|
Fri., June 8
|
True North
|
II
|
$250,000
|
4&UP
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
Fri., June 8
|
Bed o’ Roses Invitational
|
III
|
$250,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
7 Furlongs
|
Fri., June 8
|
Tremont
|
|
$150,000
|
2YO
|
5 1/2 Furlongs
|
Sat., June 9
|
Belmont Stakes
|
I
|
$1,500,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/2
|
Sat., June 9
|
Metropolitan Handicap
|
I
|
$1,200,000
|
3&UP
|
1 Mile
|
Sat., June 9
|
Woodford Reserve Manhattan
|
I
|
$1,000,000
|
4&UP
|
1 1/4 (Turf)
|
Sat., June 9
|
Ogden Phipps
|
I
|
$750,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 1/16
|
Sat., June 9
|
Acorn
|
I
|
$700,000
|
F3YO
|
1 Mile
|
Sat., June 9
|
Longines Just A Game
|
I
|
$700,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
Sat., June 9
|
Woody Stephens
|
II
|
$400,000
|
3YO
|
7 Furlongs
|
Sat., June 9
|
Brooklyn Invitational
|
II
|
$400,000
|
4&UP
|
1 1/2
|
Sat., June 9
|
Jaipur Invitational
|
II
|
$400,000
|
4&UP
|
6 Furlongs (T)
|
Sat., June 9
|
Easy Goer
|
|
$150,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/16
|
Sun., June 10
|
Jersey Girl
|
$150,000
|
F3YO
|
6 Furlongs
|
|
Sat., June 16
|
Dancin Renee (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
6 Furlongs
|
|
Sun., June 17
|
Poker
|
III
|
$300,000
|
4&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
Sat., June 23
|
Wild Applause
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
Sun., June 24
|
NYSS Cupecoy’s Joy Division
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
7 Furlongs (T)
|
|
Sun., June 24
|
NYSS Spectacular Bid Division
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
7 Furlongs (T)
|
|
Sat., June 30
|
Mother Goose
|
II
|
$250,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/16
|
Sat., June 30
|
Perfect Sting
|
$100,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
Sun., July 1
|
Saginaw (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
1 1/16
|
|
Wed., July 4
|
Manila
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
Fri., July 6
|
State Dinner
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
1 1/16
|
|
Stars & Stripes Festival
|
|||||
Sat., July 7
|
Belmont Derby Invitational
|
I
|
$1,200,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/4 (Turf)
|
Sat., July 7
|
Belmont Oaks Invitational
|
I
|
$1,000,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/4 (Turf)
|
Sat., July 7
|
Suburban
|
II
|
$700,000
|
4&UP
|
1 1/4
|
Sat., July 7
|
Belmont Sprint Championship
|
II
|
$350,000
|
3&UP
|
7 Furlongs
|
Sat., July 7
|
Dwyer
|
III
|
$300,000
|
3YO
|
1 Mile
|
Sun., July 8
|
Victory Ride
|
III
|
$150,000
|
F3YO
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
Sun., July 8
|
River Memories
|
$100,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Sat., July 14
|
Forbidden Apple
|
$150,000
|
4&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
Sat., July 14
|
Rockville Centre (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
2YO
|
6 Furlongs
|
|
Sun., July 15
|
Lynbrook (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
F2YO
|
6 Furlongs
|
THE NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION
2018 SARATOGA STAKES SCHEDULE |
|||||
DATE
|
RACE
|
GR.
|
PURSE
|
AGE
|
DISTANCE
|
Opening weekend
|
|||||
Fri., July. 20
|
Schuylerville
|
III
|
$150,000
|
F2YO
|
6 Furlongs
|
Lake George
|
III
|
$150,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
Sat., July. 21
|
Diana
|
I
|
$500,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
Sanford
|
III
|
$150,000
|
2YO
|
6 Furlongs
|
|
Sun., July 22
|
Coaching Club American Oaks
|
I
|
$300,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/8
|
Mon., July. 23
|
Caress
|
$200,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Week 2
|
|||||
Wed., July. 25
|
Honorable Miss Hdcp.
|
II
|
$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
6 Furlongs
|
Thurs., July. 26
|
A. P. Smithwick Mem. (S’Chase)
|
I
|
$150,000
|
4&UP
|
2 1/16 (Turf)
|
John Morrissey (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
||
Fri., July. 27
|
Curlin
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8
|
|
Sat., July. 28
|
Jim Dandy
|
II
|
$600,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8
|
Alfred G. Vanderbilt Hdcp.
|
I
|
$350,000
|
3&UP
|
6 Furlongs
|
|
Bowling Green
|
II
|
$250,000
|
4&UP
|
1 3/8 (Turf)
|
|
Amsterdam
|
III
|
$200,000
|
3YO
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
|
Sun., July. 29
|
Shuvee Hdcp.
|
III
|
$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
Mon., July. 30
|
Coronation Cup
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Week 3
|
|||||
Wed., Aug. 1
|
Shine Again
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
7 Furlongs
|
|
Thurs., Aug. 2
|
Birdstone
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
1 3/4
|
|
Fri., Aug. 3
|
Nat’l Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame
|
II
|
$200,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
Sat., Aug. 4
|
Whitney
|
I
|
$1,200,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
Longines Test
|
I
|
$500,000
|
F3YO
|
7 Furlongs
|
|
Waya
|
III
|
$200,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Lure
|
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
De La Rose
|
|
$100,000
|
F&M 4&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
Sun., Aug. 5
|
Troy
|
III
|
$200,000
|
3&UP
|
5 1/2 (T)
|
Alydar
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
1 1/8
|
||
Mon., Aug. 6
|
NYSS Cab Calloway
|
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
Week 4
|
|||||
Wed., Aug. 8
|
Quick Call
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Thurs., Aug. 9
|
NYSS Statue of Liberty
|
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
Fri., Aug. 10
|
Tale of the Cat
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
6 Furlongs
|
|
Sat., Aug. 11
|
Fourstardave Hdcp.
|
I
|
$500,000
|
3&UP
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
Adirondack
|
II
|
$200,000
|
F2YO
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
|
Sun., Aug. 12
|
Saratoga Special, presented by Miller Lite
|
II
|
$200,000
|
2YO
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
Mon., Aug. 13
|
Saratoga Dew (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
Week 5
|
|||||
Wed., Aug. 15
|
Bolton Landing
|
$100,000
|
F2YO
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Thurs., Aug. 16
|
Union Avenue (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
|
Fri., Aug. 17
|
Skidmore
|
$100,000
|
2YO
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Sat., Aug. 18
|
Alabama
|
I
|
$600,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/4
|
Lake Placid
|
II
|
$300,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
|
Sun., Aug. 19
|
Summer Colony
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
Mon., Aug. 20
|
Evan Shipman (NYB)
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
Week 6
|
|||||
Wed., Aug. 22
|
John’s Call
|
$100,000
|
3&UP
|
1 5/8 (Turf)
|
|
Thurs., Aug 23
|
Riskaverse
|
$100,000
|
F3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
New York Turf Writers Cup (S’chase)
|
I
|
$150,000
|
4&UP
|
2 3/8 (Turf)
|
|
Fri., Aug. 24
|
Albany (NYB)
|
$250,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8
|
|
Fleet Indian (NYB)
|
$200,000
|
F3YO
|
1 1/8
|
||
Funny Cide (NYB)
|
$200,000
|
2YO
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
||
Seeking the Ante (NYB)
|
$200,000
|
F2YO
|
6 1/2 Furlongs
|
||
West Point (NYB), presented by Trustco Bank
|
$150,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
||
Yaddo (NYB)
|
$150,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
||
Sat., Aug. 25
|
Travers
|
I
|
$1,250,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/4
|
Sword Dancer
|
I
|
$1,000,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Personal Ensign
|
I
|
$700,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
|
Forego
|
I
|
$600,000
|
3&UP
|
7 Furlongs
|
|
Ballerina
|
I
|
$500,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
7 Furlongs
|
|
H. Allen Jerkens Memorial
|
I
|
$500,000
|
3YO
|
7 Furlongs
|
|
Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa
|
II
|
$400,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
Sun., Aug. 26
|
Smart N Fancy
|
$100,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Mon., Aug. 27
|
Better Talk Now
|
$100,000
|
3YO
|
1 Mile (Turf)
|
|
Closing week
|
|||||
Wed., Aug. 29
|
With Anticipation
|
III
|
$150,000
|
2YO
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
Thurs., Aug. 30
|
P. G. Johnson
|
$100,000
|
F2YO
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
|
Fri., Aug. 31
|
Lucky Coin
|
$100,000
|
4&UP
|
5 1/2 (Turf)
|
|
Sat., Sept. 1
|
The Woodward
|
I
|
$750,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/8
|
Spinaway
|
I
|
$350,000
|
F2YO
|
7 Furlongs
|
|
Saranac
|
III
|
$300,000
|
3YO
|
1 1/8 (Turf)
|
|
Glens Falls
|
II
|
$250,000
|
F&M 3&UP
|
1 3/8 (Turf)
|
|
Sun., Sept. 2
|
Prioress
|
II
|
$250,000
|
F3YO
|
6 Furlongs
|
Mon., Sept. 3
|
Hopeful
|
I
|
$350,000
|
2YO
|
7 Furlongs
|
Bernard Baruch Hdcp.
|
II
|
$250,000
|
3&UP
|
1 1/16 (Turf)
|
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