NYRA Announces Aqueduct Fall Meet Stakes Schedule

The 2021 fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack will include 26 total stakes, including 10 graded contests, across 18 days of racing from Nov. 5-Dec. 5, the New York Racing Association announced July 12.

Offering total stakes purses of $4.9 million, the fall meet will be highlighted by a four graded-stakes card on Dec. 4, headlined by the $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) for 3-year-olds and up. 

The stacked Cigar Mile undercard will also include the $250,000 Remsen Stakes (G2) for juveniles going 1 1/8 miles with 10-4-2-1 qualifying points to the 2022 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on the line. Its counterpart for 2-year-old fillies, the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes (G2), will offer 10-4-2-1 points towards the 2022 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). Also on tap for the Dec. 4 card is the $250,000 Go For Wand Handicap (G3) for fillies and mares 3 years old and up competing at one mile.

In 2020, during a season largely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cigar Mile purse was cut $500,000 to $250,000, while the fall meet's total stakes purses remained at about $3.4 million. The 2021 fall meet not only sees a restoration of the Cigar Mile purse, but an increase of about $1.5 million in total stakes purses.

The Big A fall meet stakes action begins on opening day, Nov. 5, with the $150,000 Tempted Stakes for juvenile fillies going one mile and the $100,000 Atlantic Beach  Stakes for 2-year-olds at six furlongs on the turf. Opening weekend at the Big A continues Nov. 6 with the $150,000 Turnback the Alarm Handicap (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and up at 1 1/8 miles and the $100,000 Stewart Manor for juvenile fillies at six furlongs on the grass. The $150,000 Nashua (G3) will bookend the opening weekend stakes offerings. 

Following the $150,000 Artie Schiller Stakes and $150,000 Winter Memories stakes Nov. 13-14, the $200,000 Red Smith Stakes (G2T) highlights a strong weekend on Nov. 20-21, which will include the $100,000 Key Cents and $100,000 Notebook stakes Nov. 21. 

Thanksgiving weekend will offer 10 stakes over three days beginning Nov. 26 with the $200,000 Comely Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, the $150,000 Gio Ponti Stakes for sophomores at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, and the $150,000 Forever Together Stakes for fillies and mares 3 and up at 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

Four stakes will be contested Nov. 21 including the $400,000 Long Island (G3T) for fillies and mares 3 and up in a marathon 1 1/2 miles on the turf, the $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs, the $150,000 Discovery Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, and the $100,000 Central Park Stakes for juveniles at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Thanksgiving weekend racing at the Big A will close with three stakes Nov. 28, including the $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) for 3-years-olds and up at six furlongs, the $150,000 Autumn Days Stakes for fillies and mares 3 and up at six furlongs on the turf, and the $100,000 Tepin for juvenile fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

The Big A fall meet will conclude Dec. 5 with a pair of $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series races going seven furlongs on the main track, with the Thunder Rumble for 3-year-olds and up and the Staten Island for fillies and mares 3 and up.

The Aqueduct winter meet will commence on Dec. 9, with seven stakes carded through the end of the calendar year. The first stakes of the winter meet will be the $100,000 Garland of Roses Stakes for fillies and mares 3 and up at six furlongs Dec. 11.

The following Saturday will again showcase a pair of NYSSS contests with half-million dollar purses for juveniles competing at seven furlongs, with the $500,000 Great White Way for males and the Fifth Avenue for fillies. 

The next day, Dec. 19, will offer the $125,000 Queens County Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles and the $100,000 Gravesend Stakes for 3-years-old and up sprinting six furlongs in the final stakes action before a 10-day holiday break. 

Live racing will resume Dec. 30 with the $100,000 Bay Ridge Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares 3 and up at 1 1/8 miles. New Year's Eve will feature the $100,000 Alex M. Robb Stakesfor state-bred 3-years-old and up at 1 1/8 miles.

2021 Aqueduct Fall Meet Stakes Schedule