Jockey Club Gold Cup Purse Lowered, Cigar Mile Hiked
Image:
Description:
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
The 38-day fall championship meet at Belmont Park will feature six Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifiers held over two weekends. In all, 42 stakes worth more than $10.1 million will be offered during the meet, which runs Sept. 8-Oct. 29.
The lead-up to the Breeders' Cup will feature the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) Oct. 7, which had its purse trimmed by $250,000. The 1 1/4-mile race offered a purse of $1 million from 2012-16. The Jockey Club Gold Cup card will include the $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1), the $500,000 Hill Prince Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-olds, and the $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational for 3-year-olds and older.
The $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) anchors the Sept. 30 card, along with the $350,000 Vosburgh Stakes and Beldame Stakes (both G1). The stakes action will continue Oct. 1 with the $200,000 Miss Grillo Stakes (G3T) for 2-year-old fillies, won last year by Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) winner New Money Honey.
The $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes (G1T) and the $400,000 Frizette Stakes (G1) take place Oct. 8, while Oct. 21 will see top New York-breds gather to complete in eight stakes races worth $1.75 million, highlighted by the $300,000 Empire Classic at 1 1/8 miles.
Fans can watch and wager on all the Breeders' Cup action at Aqueduct Racetrack and the simulcast center at the Belmont Café Nov. 3-4. Live racing action at Aqueduct is set to kick off Nov. 3 with the $150,000 Tempted Stakes (G3), and will continue through Breeders' Cup weekend with the $200,000 Long Island Stakes (G3) on tap for Saturday and the $200,000 Nashua Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds at a mile Nov. 5.
The fall meet at the Big A will be anchored by the $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) Dec. 2, which had its purse raised from $500,000. The day will also feature a pair of grade 2 events for juveniles—the $250,000 Remsen Stakes and the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes for fillies, both at 1 1/8 miles—as well as the $200,000 Go For Wand Handicap (G3) for fillies and mares at a mile.
2017 Belmont Fall Championship Meet stakes schedule:
|
DATE |
RACE |
GRADE |
'17 PURSE |
AGE |
DISTANCE |
|
Fri., Sept. 8 |
Christiecat |
$100,000 |
F3YO |
6 Furlongs (T) |
|
|
Sat., Sept. 9 |
Seattle Slew (NW of a SS in 2017) |
$100,000 |
4&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
|
Sun., Sept. 10 |
Allied Forces |
$100,000 |
3YO |
6 Furlongs (T) |
|
|
Sat., Sept. 16 |
Sands Point |
II |
$400,000 |
F3YO |
1 1/8 (Turf) |
|
Wed., Sept 20 |
Joseph A. Gimma (NYB) |
$150,000 |
F2YO |
7 Furlongs |
|
|
Fri., Sept. 22 |
Bertram F. Bongard (NYB) |
$150,000 |
2YO |
7 Furlongs |
|
|
Sat., Sept. 23 |
Kelso (Hdcp.) |
II |
$300,000 |
3&UP |
1 Mile |
|
Sat., Sept. 23 |
Noble Damsel |
III |
$200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
Sun., Sept. 24 |
Gallant Bloom (Hdcp.) |
II |
$300,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
Sun., Sept. 24 |
Ashley T. Cole (NYB) |
$125,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/8 (Turf) |
|
|
Sun., Sept. 24 |
John Hettinger (NYB) |
$125,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/8 (Turf) |
|
|
Sat., Sept. 30 |
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (BC) |
I |
$500,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/2 (Turf) |
|
Sat., Sept. 30 |
Beldame |
I |
$400,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Sept. 30 |
Vosburgh (BC) |
I |
$350,000 |
3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Sept. 30 |
Pilgrim |
III |
$200,000 |
2YO |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Sun., Oct. 1 |
Temperence Hill Invitational |
$200,000 |
3&UP |
1 5/8 |
|
|
Sun., Oct. 1 |
Miss Grillo |
III |
$200,000 |
F2YO |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Sat., Oct. 7 |
Jockey Club Gold Cup (BC) |
I |
$750,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/4 |
|
Sat., Oct. 7 |
Hill Prince |
III |
$500,000 |
3YO |
1 1/8 (Turf) |
|
Sat., Oct. 7 |
Champagne (BC) |
I |
$500,000 |
2YO |
1 Mile |
|
Sat., Oct. 7 |
Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational |
$150,000 |
3&UP |
6 Furlongs (T) |
|
|
Sun., Oct. 8 |
Flower Bowl (BC) |
I |
$500,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/4 (Turf) |
|
Sun., Oct. 8 |
Frizette (BC) |
I |
$400,000 |
F2YO |
1 Mile |
|
Mon., Oct. 9 |
Knickerbocker |
II |
$200,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/8 (Turf) |
|
Sat., Oct. 14 |
Pebbles |
$200,000 |
F3YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 14 |
Futurity |
III |
$150,000 |
2YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sun., Oct. 15 |
Matron |
III |
$150,000 |
F 2YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Oct. 21 |
Empire Classic (NYB)* |
$300,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 21 |
Empire Distaff* (NYB) |
$250,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/16 |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 21 |
Sleepy Hollow (NYB)* |
$250,000 |
2YO |
1 Mile |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 21 |
Maid of the Mist (NYB)* |
$250,000 |
F2YO |
1 Mile |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 21 |
Mohawk (NYB) |
$200,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 21 |
Ticonderoga (NYB) |
$200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 21 |
Iroquois (NYB) |
$150,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 21 |
Hudson (NYB) |
$150,000 |
3&UP |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
|
Sun., Oct. 22 |
English Channel |
$100,000 |
3YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 28 |
Turnback the Alarm |
III |
$200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/16 |
|
Sat., Oct. 28 |
Bold Ruler |
III |
$200,000 |
3&UP |
7 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Oct. 28 |
Athenia |
III |
$200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
Sat., Oct. 28 |
Awad |
$100,000 |
2YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
|
Sun., Oct. 29 |
Chelsey Flower |
$100,000 |
F 2YO |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
|
Sun., Oct. 29 |
Pumpkin Pie |
$100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
|
*(Includes $50,000 from the NYSBOFOA) |
TOTAL: |
$10,150,000 |
2017 Aqueduct Fall Meet stakes schedule:
|
DATE |
RACE |
GRADE |
'17 PURSE |
AGE |
DISTANCE |
|
Fri., Nov. 3 |
Tempted |
III |
$150,000 |
F2YO |
1 Mile |
|
Sat., Nov. 4 |
Long Island |
III |
$200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/2 (Turf) |
|
Sun., Nov. 5 |
Nashua |
II |
$200,000 |
2YO |
1 Mile |
|
Sat., Nov. 11 |
Red Smith |
III |
$200,000 |
3&UP |
1 3/8 (Turf) |
|
Sun., Nov. 12 |
New York Stallion Series |
$125,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
7 Furlongs |
|
|
Staten Island Division |
|||||
|
Sat., Nov. 18 |
Artie Schiller |
$150,000 |
3&UP |
1 Mile (Turf) |
|
|
Sun., Nov. 19 |
New York Stallion Series |
$125,000 |
3&UP |
7 Furlongs |
|
|
Thunder Rumble Division |
|||||
|
Thurs., Nov. 23 |
Fall Highweight (Hdcp.) |
III |
$200,000 |
3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Thurs., Nov. 23 |
Winter Memories |
$150,000 |
F3YO |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
|
Fri., Nov. 24 |
Comely |
III |
$250,000 |
F3YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Fri., Nov. 24 |
Gio Ponti |
$150,000 |
3YO |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
|
Fri., Nov. 24 |
Key Cents (NYB) |
$100,000 |
F2YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
|
Sat., Nov. 25 |
Discovery |
III |
$200,000 |
3YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Nov. 25 |
Forever Together |
$150,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/16 (Turf) |
|
|
Sat., Nov. 25 |
Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship |
$125,000 |
3&UP |
6 F (Turf) |
|
|
Sun., Nov. 26 |
Autumn Days |
$125,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 F (Turf) |
|
|
Sun., Nov. 26 |
Notebook (NYB) |
$100,000 |
2YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
|
Sat., Dec. 2 |
Cigar Mile (Hdcp) |
I |
$750,000 |
3&UP |
1 Mile |
|
Sat., Dec. 2 |
Remsen |
II |
$250,000 |
2YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Dec. 2 |
Demoiselle |
II |
$250,000 |
F2YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Dec. 2 |
Go For Wand (Hdcp) |
III |
$200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 Mile |
|
Sat., Dec. 9 |
Garland of Roses |
$100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
|
Sat., Dec. 16 |
New York Stallion Series |
$150,000 |
F2YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
|
Fifth Avenue Division |
|||||
|
Sun., Dec. 17 |
New York Stallion Series |
$150,000 |
2YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
|
Great White Way Division |
|||||
|
Sat., Dec. 23 |
Queens County |
$125,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
|
Sat., Dec. 23 |
Gravesend |
$100,000 |
3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
|
Thurs., Dec. 28 |
East View (NYB) |
$100,000 |
F2YO |
1 Mile** |
|
|
Fri., Dec. 29 |
Bay Ridge (NYB) |
$100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/8** |
|
|
Sat., Dec. 30 |
Damon Runyon (NYB) |
$100,000 |
2YO |
1 Mile** |
|
|
Sun., Dec. 31 |
Alex M. Robb (NYB) |
$100,000 |
3&UP |
1 1/8** |
|
|
TOTAL: |
$5,175,000 |
**Distance tentative