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NYRA summer stakes schedules focus on big days at Belmont, Saratoga

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Saratoga Race Course (c) NYRA/Susie Raisher/Adam Coglianese Photography

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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