Belmont Park Opens April 26 for Stakes-Packed Meet

Live Thoroughbred racing returns to Belmont Park April 26 for its 48-day spring/summer meet, featuring 59 stakes races worth $18.4 million, and runs through July 7.

Friday's nine-race program will be highlighted by the $100,000 Affirmed Success for New York-bred 4-year-olds and up going six furlongs. First post time is 1:30 p.m. EDT and admission gates open at 11:30 a.m. General admission is $5 and general parking is free. 

The $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) runs June 8 and will air live on NBC. The third and final leg of the Triple Crown is the centerpiece of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which beings June 6. The three-day event will feature 18 stakes, nine of which are graded.

The first day is highlighted by two turf events for fillies and mares—the $200,000 Intercontinental (G3T) going seven furlongs and the $200,000 Wonder Again (G3T) for sophomores at 1 1/8 miles. The $150,000 Astoria is also run for juvenile fillies.

Five more stakes follow June 7: the $600,000 New York (G2T) for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles, the $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational (G2T) for older horses going two miles, the $250,000 True North (G2) for older sprinters, the $250,000 Bed o' Roses Invitational (G3) for female sprinters, and the $150,000 Tremont for juveniles.

Eight stakes support the undercard for the 151st Belmont Stakes. Those races are the $1.2 million Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at a mile, the $1 million Woodford Reserve Manhattan (G1T) at 1 1/4 miles, the $700,000 Ogden Phipps (G1) for older fillies and mares, the $700,000 Longines Just a Game (G1T) for older fillies and mares, the $700,000 Acorn (G1) for 3-year-old fillies, the $400,000 Woody Stephens (G1) for sophomore sprinters, the $400,000 Jaipur Invitational (G1T) for turf sprinters, the $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational (G2) for older horses going 1 1/2 miles, and the $150,000 Easy Goer for 3-year-olds.

The Belmont Stakes draw is scheduled for June 4 at Citi Field in Queens.

General admission to Belmont Stakes Day is available through April 30 for $15. More information and tickets are available here.

The spring meet will feature the second year of the Man o' War Racing Festival May 11, offering five stakes, including four graded events, led by the $700,000 Man o' War (G1T) at 1 3/8-miles for older horses. Serving as a Belmont Stakes prep that day will be the $300,000 Peter Pan (G3) for sophomores at 1 1/8 miles. Other races include the $200,000 Beaugay (G3T) for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, $200,000 Vagrancy (G3) for female sprinters, and $150,000 Runhappy for older sprinters.

The 2019 spring/summer meet will also see the launch of the Turf Trinity and Turf Tiara as part of the inaugural Turf Triple Series, offering $5.25 million in purse money, for sophomores over three legs at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

The Turf Triple Series will showcase the best 3-year-old turf runners in the country. The first legs are slated for July 6 as part of the Stars & Stripes Festival. The Turf Trinity begins with the $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) at 1 1/4 miles, followed by the inaugural runnings of the $1 million Saratoga Derby Aug. 4 at Saratoga Race Course and $1 million Jockey Club Derby Sept. 7 back at Belmont.

The Turf Tiara for fillies features the $750,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1T) at 1 1/4 miles July 6 followed by two new races--the $750,000 Saratoga Oaks at 1 3/16 miles Aug. 2 and $750,000 jockey Club Oaks going 1 3/8 miles Sept. 7.

The Stars & Stripes Racing Festival will be contested July 4-6, with five graded stakes offered on the meet's penultimate day. The packed card will include the $250,000 Dwyer (G3) for 3-year-olds, the $700,000 Suburban (G2) for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/4 miles, and the renamed $300,000 John A. Nerud (G2), formerly the Belmont Sprint Championship.

New for 2019, the spring/summer twilight racing program will move to Thursdays beginning May 9 and continuing with each subsequent Thursday in May followed by twilight cards June 6, June 13, and June 27. Twilight Thursdays will feature nine-race cards with a first post of 3:05 p.m. 

In May, Belmont Park becomes New York's Triple Crown headquarters, hosting special events alongside live racing with the chance to watch and wager on the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1). 

Live Derby Day racing at Belmont Park is headlined by the $200,000 Sheepshead Bay (G2T), $200,000 Westchester (G3), and $150,000 Fort Marcy (G3T) for 4-year-olds and up. 

Preakness Day will offer fans a full simulcast of all the action from Pimlico Race Course alongside live racing highlighted by the $100,000 Soaring Softly (G3T). Admission will start at 10 a.m. and include family fun and the annual 'Boot Scoot' in the North Shore Terrace with a country BBQ, line dancing, and a host of special offers for those in attendance. 

With the exception of the twilight racing cards, Derby and Preakness Day, and the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the first race post time at Belmont Park will be 1:30 p.m. 

Opening weekend of the spring/summer meet will include the Spring Craft Beer Festival April 27. Located trackside at Belmont's final turn from 1:30-5 p.m., attendees can watch and bet on live racing from the top of the stretch. More than 100 beers from world-renowned breweries will be available for guests 21 and up. Admission is $50 and VIP admission is $75. Designated driver admission is $12. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.

In addition to a 12-race card with a special first post of 12:50 p.m., Kentucky Derby Day at Belmont includes the return of the Bourbon Festival, which will be held at the North Shore Terrace from 3-7 p.m. More than 30 bourbons, beers, and hard ciders will be available for tastings, with admission to the park starting at 10 a.m. and access to the exclusive tastings beginning at 3 p.m. Guests will also receive handicapping advice and betting strategies from the NYRA Bets Squad. Tickets are $65 per person and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster or by calling 844-NYRA-TIX. For more information, visit here.

Always a fan favorite, 'Breakfast at Belmont' will return Mother's Day weekend May 11-12. Racing fans can enjoy breakfast in the Belmont Café while watching horses train on the main track, beginning at 8 a.m. on select days throughout the spring/summer meet. Admission to the 'Breakfast at Belmont' buffet is $15 for adults and $7.50 for children under 6 years of age.

Live racing from Belmont Park will air nationally on FS2 and regionally on MSG+ nearly every day of the spring/summer meet. Opening day coverage will air on FS2 beginning at 4:30 p.m. with MSG+ picking up the action at 4 p.m. The complete television schedule can be viewed here.

During live racing, the Long Island Rail Road will offer daily service, with train service accessible from Penn Station, Woodside and Jamaica. Trains will depart Belmont Park twice, with the second train leaving approximately 30 minutes after the last race. For updated schedules, visit here.

Additional information, the complete racing calendar, and details on special events can be found here.