Westchester Headlines Opening Weekend At Belmont
Racing in the Empire State will shift to Belmont Park starting on Friday, for its 56-day spring/summer meeting. The stanza will play host to a slew of big races throughout this run, with the crown jewel coming on Saturday, June 8, in the form of the 145th running of the $1 million Belmont Stake(G1). The oldest and longest leg of racing’s elusive Triple Crown, the 1 ½-mile Belmont will be supported by four additional graded stakes. -- $500,000 Just A Game S. (G1); $500,000 Manhattan H. (G1); $400,000 True North H. (G2) and the $400,000 Woody Stephens S. (G2).
Other big events slated for the meeting includes Memorial Day, May 27, when the $750,000 Metropolitan H. (G1), $400,000 Ogden Phipps S. (G1) and $300,000 Acorn S. (G1) will lead the way. The other two Grade 1 events are the $300,000 Mother Goose S. (G1) on June 22 and the $600,000 Man o’ War S. (G1) on July 13.
Opening weekend will be highlighted by the Westchester S. (G3), for three-year-olds and up traveling the one-turn mile on this main oval. A strong and accomplished field is expected for this on, with two-time Grade 1 star Flat Out among the top notables heading for this event. Trained by Bill Mott, the son of Flatter was outrun in the Donn H. (G1) last time but has accomplished some fine things on this surface and surely gets respect in here.
2012 Donn H. (G1) star Hymn Book, Grade 2 victor Pants on Fire, the lightly raced but very talented Winslow Homer, huge allowance hero Big Screen, 2011 Travers S. (G1) runner-up Rattlesnake Bridge and the impressive but untested Cross Traffic, who has rolled home a fine winner in two straight at Gulfstream, add to the depth and quality of this field.
Belmont Park Spring/Summer 2013
Dates: Apr. 26-Jul. 14
Belmont Park horse racing schedule:First race post time is 12:50pm ET from April 26-28. Beginning May 1, post time moves to 1:05pm ET except for “Party at the Park” (3pm ET) and Belmont Stakes Day (11:35 am ET). Live racing is generally conducted Wednesday through Sunday. Belmont Park will be open on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, with no live racing on Tuesday and Wednesday that week. Belmont Park will also be closed for live racing on Sunday, June 9, and Wednesday, July 10.
Belmont Park Racetrack Information:
Main track (dirt): 1 1/2 mile oval
Length of stretch from last turn to finish line: 1,097 feet
Widener turf: 1 5/16 mile, 27 feet inside main track
Inner turf course: 1 3/16 miles
Bets available may include: Win, Place, Show, Quinella, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double, Pick 3, and Pick 4.
Belmont Park Spring/Summer 2013 Stakes Schedule:
| Date | Race | Grade | Purse | Age | Distance |
| Sat., Apr. 27 | Westchester | III | $150,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile (Dirt) |
| Sat., May 4 | Beaugay | III | $150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., May 4 | Fort Marcy | III | $150,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sun., May 5 | NYSS Park Avenue | $100,000 | F3YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Sun., May 5 | NYSS Times Square | $100,000 | 3YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Sat., May 11 | Peter Pan | II | $200,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 (Dirt) |
| Sat., May 18 | Vagrancy Handicap | II | $200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs (Dirt) |
| Sat., May 25 | Sheepshead Bay | II | $200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 3/8 (Turf) |
| Mon., May 27 | Ogden Phipps Handicap | I | $400,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Dirt) |
| Mon., May 27 | Sands Point | II | $200,000 | F3YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Mon., May 27 | Acorn | I | $300,000 | F3YO | 1 Mile (Dirt) |
| Mon., May 27 | Metropolitan Handicap | I | $750,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile (Dirt) |
| Sat., Jun. 1 | Mike Lee (NYB) | $125,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Sat., Jun. 1 | Kingston (NYB) | $125,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sat., Jun. 1 | Bouwerie (NYB) | $125,000 | F3YO | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Sat., Jun. 1 | Affirmed Success (NYB) | $100,000 | 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Sat., Jun. 1 | Commentator (NYB) | $150,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Dirt) | |
| Sat., Jun. 1 | Dancin Renee (NYB) | $100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) | |
| Sat., Jun. 1 | Mount Vernon (NYB) | $125,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Fri., Jun. 7 | Brooklyn Handicap | II | $200,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Dirt) |
| Fri., Jun. 7 | Jaipur | III | $150,000 | 3&UP | 7 Furlongs (Turf) |
| Sat., Jun. 8 | Just A Game | I | $500,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sat., Jun. 8 | Belmont Stakes | I | $1,000,000 | 3YO | 1 1/2 (Dirt) |
| Sat., Jun. 8 | Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap | I | $500,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/4 (Turf) |
| Sat., Jun. 8 | True North Handicap | II | $400,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs (Dirt) |
| Sat., Jun. 8 | Woody Stephens | II | $400,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) |
| Sat., Jun. 15 | Bed O' Roses Handicap | III | $150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs (Dirt) |
| Sat., Jun. 15 | Hill Prince | III | $150,000 | 3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sat., Jun. 22 | Mother Goose | I | $300,000 | F3YO | 1 1/16 (Dirt) |
| Sat., Jun. 29 | New York | II | $200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/4 (Turf) |
| Sat., Jun. 29 | Victory Ride | III | $150,000 | F3YO | 6 Furlongs (Dirt) |
| Sun., Jun. 30 | NYSS Spectacular Bid | $75,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sun., Jun. 30 | NYSS Cupecoy's Joy | $75,000 | F3YO | 7 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Thu., Jul. 4 | Poker Handicap | III | $150,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sat., Jul. 6 | Suburban Handicap | II | $350,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Dirt) |
| Sat., Jul. 6 | Dwyer | II | $200,000 | 3YO | 1 1/16 (Dirt) |
| Sat., Jul. 13 | Man O' War | I | $600,000 | 3&UP | 1 3/8 (Turf) |