Belmont Stakes to be held June 20 as first leg of Triple Crown

[SBR Tony]

For the first time in history, the Belmont Stakes will be the first leg of the Triple Crown.

The NYRA announced on Tuesday that the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes will be contested on June 20 at a shorter distance and without spectators in attendance at Belmont Park because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Belmont Stakes is a New York institution that will provide world-class entertainment for sports fans during these challenging times," NYRA President & CEO Dave O'Rourke said in a statement. "While this will certainly be a unique running of this historic race, we are grateful to be able to hold the Belmont Stakes in 2020. Thanks to our partners at NBC Sports, fans across the country can look forward to a day of exceptional thoroughbred racing at a time when entertainment and sports are so important to providing a sense of normalcy."


The Belmont Stakes, which originally was scheduled to be held on June 6, has long been the final leg of the Triple Crown, typically contested at 1½ miles.
But this year, it'll be run at a distance of 1⅛ because of the changes in the schedule of the Triple Crown series and the overall calendar for 3-year-olds in training, according to a release from the NYRA.


The Kentucky Derby, traditionally the first leg of the Triple Crown, has been rescheduled for Sept. 5. It was originally scheduled to take place on May 2.
The Preakness Stakes will be held on Oct. 3 and will now be the final leg of the Triple Crown.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday that horse racing tracks, along with Watkins Glen International Racetrack, would be allowed to open without fans on June 1.

https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/2...20/5220630002/

[pologq]

that will be an interesting trivia answer one day

[big joe 1212]

If someone wins the triple crown they should have a big fat * next to it

[KVB]

What are the distances through the years with Belmont Stakes?

How often has it varied?

I get the reasoning, dropping it from 1 1/2 to 1 1/8, but shouldn't it just be a different race?

big joe could be right here, asterisk indeed.

[jjgold]

Great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[13th Inning]

The other thing that makes this interesting is that a 1 1/8 mile race at Belmont only goes around one turn.

[Reload]

Feels very disappointing on the timing and adjusting the length. It’s just a watered down Derby prep at best now. Also cheapens the Preakness as an afterthought now. Just all wrong.

[KVB]

The other thing that makes this interesting is that a 1 1/8 mile race at Belmont only goes around one turn.

Right?

The asterisk never does tell just how big the asterisk should be.

Doesn't show show just how much of a different race we have here.

[littlekona]

dumbest move ever! Horse racing tradition down the toilet. Should of done on breeders cup preview day @ the 12 furlongs

[big joe 1212]

Right?

The asterisk never does tell just how big the asterisk should be.

Doesn't show show just how much of a different race we have here.

Not only the distance, but the weeks in between each race.

[KVB]

Not only the distance, but the weeks in between each race.

Yeah, you said triple crown and I was just thinking about this race.

The asterisk never tells the story.

[SBR Tony]

with churchill downs now open why couldn't they just make the Derby in June, Preakness in July and the Belmont in Aug

I know that NYRA shortened the Belmont meet to only 25 days, but what really screws this up is the Saratoga meet which opens mid July
anyone know what's happening with Pimlico?

the re-scheduling of the meets fuuked this up

[SBR Tony]

nobody wants to start their 3 year olds @ 1 1/2 miles, with churchill downs open they should have the derby first followed by the preakness and belmont.

back up the Toga meet and run the triple crown races every 2 weeks, starting June 20th

[JBEX]

makes no sense.. should have just not run it this year

[Brock Landers]

with churchill downs now open why couldn't they just make the Derby in June, Preakness in July and the Belmont in Aug

I know that NYRA shortened the Belmont meet to only 25 days, but what really screws this up is the Saratoga meet which opens mid July
anyone know what's happening with Pimlico?

the re-scheduling of the meets fuuked this up

Churchill is of the thought they'll be able to have fans by then

[littlekona]

nobody wants to start their 3 year olds @ 1 1/2 miles, with churchill downs open they should have the derby first followed by the preakness and belmont.

back up the Toga meet and run the triple crown races every 2 weeks, starting June 20th

dude read your own initial posting

[SBR Tony]

Churchill is of the thought they'll be able to have fans by then

there's nothing like being at a triple crown race, especially the kentucky derby or Belmont if there's a possible triple crown winner in the making.
but the Belmont stakes will have no fans in the stand when they run it on June 20th, so let's all deal with it and run those races as close as normal without fans. I rather see fans, but if you're not doing it for one ( so far ), then race them without fans.

[KVB]

makes no sense.. should have just not run it this year

Seems like this thread is in complete agreement here JBEX.

There must have been some voices of dissent when they were drawing up the plans.

Someone really wanted this race to go off.

Fans make the event for sure, Tony.

I would love to attend.

[SBR Tony]

dude read your own initial posting

my mistake there

[JBEX]

they have a race called the peter pan 2 or 3 weeks before the belmont @ 1 1/8 miles.. it should just be that race this year.. but there's no money in that so call they it the belmont stakes.. ridiculous

[littlekona]

with churchill downs now open why couldn't they just make the Derby in June, Preakness in July and the Belmont in Aug

I know that NYRA shortened the Belmont meet to only 25 days, but what really screws this up is the Saratoga meet which opens mid July
anyone know what's happening with Pimlico?

the re-scheduling of the meets fuuked this up

Anyone that knows anything about Churchill Downs Inc ownership group knows its more about the stupid ass $2 bettors on track experience with his family then the serious horse player. The VIP program is a perfect example. No Spectators = No $18 mint juleps sales=Fu&K you serious horse players as we has historical racing slots LOL

this whole thing goes back to a point i made a while back that horse racing just does not care. They dont coordinate anything from graded race schedules to post times when only 2 tracks run. It's all selfish BS and it needs to stop and TVG is also a big enabler of this

[SBR Tony]

Seems like this thread is in complete agreement here JBEX.

There must have been some voices of dissent when they were drawing up the plans.

Someone really wanted this race to go off.

Fans make the event for sure, Tony.

I would love to attend.

and they want to run 40 Stake races at Belmont within a 25 day window
makes for a good card, but I feel some of the little guys will be left out ( alw and claiming races )

[KVB]

Anyone that knows anything about Churchill Downs Inc ownership group knows its more about the stupid ass $2 bettors on track experience with his family then the serious horse player. The VIP program is a perfect example. No Spectators = No $18 mint juleps sales=Fu&K you serious horse players as we has historical racing slots LOL

This is good thing to keep in mind as we consider the Turfway renovations that are coming, not just the track, but the whole bamboozle, casino and all.

[SBR Tony]

Anyone that knows anything about Churchill Downs Inc ownership group knows its more about the stupid ass $2 bettors on track experience with his family then the serious horse player. The VIP program is a perfect example. No Spectators = No $18 mint juleps sales=Fu&K you serious horse players as we has historical racing slots LOL

agree it's all about the benjamins$$$

[KVB]

they have a race called the peter pan 2 or 3 weeks before the belmont @ 1 1/8 miles.. it should just be that race this year.. but there's no money in that so call they it the belmont stakes.. ridiculous

Exactly, just admit it's a different race and make it a different race.

I do wonder just how many variations in length there have been for the Belmont Stakes over the years.

[SBR Tony]

they have a race called the peter pan 2 or 3 weeks before the belmont @ 1 1/8 miles.. it should just be that race this year.. but there's no money in that so call they it the belmont stakes.. ridiculous

correct, this race was also used as a prep to the Belmont

[littlekona]

and they want to run 40 Stake races at Belmont within a 25 day window
makes for a good card, but I feel some of the little guys will be left out ( alw and claiming races )

NYRA does big days better then any other circuit in the states. They know how to do it. Something happened here for them to make multiple horrible decisions

[JBEX]

correct, this race was also used as a prep to the Belmont

yup.. top one or two usually go

[chargers4222]

The Belmont Stakes is 1.5 miles. This race is not the Belmont Stakes. That's like if they played the Super Bowl with 10 minute quarters. The Falcons would have a ring right now.

[KVB]

The Belmont Stakes is 1.5 miles. This race is not the Belmont Stakes. That's like if they played the Super Bowl with 10 minute quarters. The Falcons would have a ring right now.

So would the Niners and the ensuing superbowl parade would have turned CA into NY cornovirus wise.

Whew, we got lucky...lol.

[SBR Tony]

just saw that the Breeders Cup Classic is currently set for November 7th
the 2 days event will be held on Nov. 6th & 7th

[stake1]

Churchill is of the thought they'll be able to have fans by then

Listen up guy. Stop bothering me to bet with you on credit. When I bet, its with reputable sportsbooks like 5 Dimes, Heritage, and Bookmaker So go post some more vids of you eating on paper plates in the car. But get this in your "negative IQ brain", I aint ever betting with you

[stake1]

dumbest move ever! Horse racing tradition down the toilet. Should of done on breeders cup preview day @ the 12 furlongs

Would be better to just cancel triple crown this year. They did not have any horses to run the Derby when it was supposed to go. Now doing this in reverse is a major catastrophe waiting to happen. Horses careers could come to an early end because of this crap

[KVB]

Great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Said no other poster in this thread.

[dark star]

NYRA does big days better then any other circuit in the states. They know how to do it. Something happened here for them to make multiple horrible decisions

For starters Baffert said none of his horses would run in a 1.5 mile Belmont....Fuk HIM