Seven BC Qualifiers on Tap for Belmont Fall Meet

The 36-day fall meet at Belmont Park will be highlighted by seven Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifiers held over two weekends. The meet, which starts Sept. 7 and extends through Oct. 28, will feature 44 stakes worth more than $10 million, including 18 graded stakes.

Belmont's card Sept. 29 will showcase a pair of "Win and You're In" races for the Breeders' Cup to be held at Churchill Downs Nov. 2-3. Held a week earlier than in 2017, the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), contested at 1 1/4 miles, will offer an automatic entry and a fees-paid trip to the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Also slated for a packed day at Belmont is the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) and the $350,000 Vosburgh Stakes (G1) in the sprint division.

The following weekend will feature four "Win and You're In" qualifiers, starting with the $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1) Oct. 6, when the winner will secure a spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). The day's undercard will include the $400,000 Beldame Stakes (G1) for fillies and mares 3-years-old and older at 1 1/8 miles on the main track and the $500,000 Hill Prince Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on turf.

On Oct. 7 three Breeders' Cup spots will be on the line, with the $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes (G1T) and the $400,000 Frizette Stakes (G1) awarding the winners a berth into the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), respectively. For the first time, the $150,000 Futurity for 2-year-olds on the turf will award a spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint to the winner.

The Empire State will take the spotlight Oct. 20, when the top New York-breds gather at Belmont to complete in eight stakes races worth $1.75 million, topped by the $300,000 Empire Classic at 1 1/8 miles.

Closing weekend will feature six stakes combined October 27-28, led by the $200,000 Bold Ruler (G3) that Saturday and the inaugural running of the $125,000 Zagora on closing day.