{"id":136346,"date":"2020-05-19T21:47:13","date_gmt":"2020-05-20T04:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=136346"},"modified":"2020-05-20T10:55:22","modified_gmt":"2020-05-20T17:55:22","slug":"belmont-stakes-set-for-june-20-will-be-first-triple-crown-race-in-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/belmont-stakes-set-for-june-20-will-be-first-triple-crown-race-in-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 Bumps Belmont from Last to First for the 2020 Triple Crown Races"},"content":{"rendered":"

COVID-19 has turned the sporting world upside down in 2020, and that includes horse racing\u2019s Triple Crown. On Tuesday, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced the Belmont Stakes, historically the anchor leg of the series of classic races for 3-year-old thoroughbreds, will run on June 20.<\/p>\n

\"Belmont
Sir Winston races to victory in the 2019 Belmont Stakes at New York’s Belmont Park. This year’s race will take place on June 20 and serve as the first Triple Crown race of 2020. (Image: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the Kentucky Derby set for Sept. 5 and the Preakness moved to Oct. 3<\/a> because of the coronavirus, that means the Belmont will run first this year. That\u2019s not the only change, either.<\/p>\n

In addition to being first, the NYRA also revealed that this year\u2019s Belmont will run at 1-1\/8 miles, compared to the traditional 1-1\/2-mile distance that\u2019s given it the \u201cTest of a Champion\u201d nickname. So, in addition to being first, the Belmont will also go from the longest Triple Crown race to the shortest<\/p>\n

In an interview with the Daily Racing Form<\/em>, NYRA President and CEO Dave O\u2019Rourke justified the change, noting that the race occurs before the Kentucky Derby. While the Derby is a 1-1\/4-mile race, most prep races for it are not run at that distance. The NYRA opted to shorten the race because it would have been too much to ask for horses, many of whom haven’t even raced at a 1-1\/4 miles, the Kentucky Derby’s distance.<\/p>\n

This will be the year everything goes out the window,\u201d O\u2019Rourke said. \u201cIf there is ever a time to do something different, it\u2019s this year.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Still, the changes did not go over well with many racing fans and even some horsemen.<\/p>\n

\u201cTriple Crown*,\u201d tweeted trainer Graham Motion, who won the 2011 Kentucky Derby with Animal Kingdom. The asterisk in the tweet signifies the feeling, by some, that winning the Triple Crown this year would not be considered the same historic achievement.<\/p>\n

Big Names Expected, Large Field Possible<\/h2>\n

Because the Belmont will take place before the Kentucky Derby, it will, technically, serve as a Derby prep, with 150 qualifying points going to the winner.<\/p>\n

However, because of its status as a Triple Crown race, it\u2019s still likely to attract several of the top 3-year-olds who have already sewn up spots in the Derby. Florida Derby winner Tiz the Law is likely headed to New York, and a pair of Bob Baffert\u2019s top prospects, Authentic and Nadal, may head there.<\/p>\n

NYRA will accept up to 16 horses for the field, and if it does draw that many, it would make it the largest field in the race\u2019s history. A large field would also likely spur more betting interest, as quality horses would be available at attractive odds in parimutuel betting.<\/p>\n

Casino Closure Leads to Purse Cuts<\/h2>\n

Belmont Park will officially start racing on June 3, the NYRA also announced. Just like other tracks where racing is currently taking place, the Long Island track will race without fans. That includes the Belmont Stakes.<\/p>\n

Even with the number of race days cut \u2013 Belmont was supposed to start racing on April 24 \u2013 NYRA has had to make adjustments to purses for the Belmont meet. That includes the namesake race, which had a $1.5 million purse last year. This year\u2019s running will be for a $1 million purse.<\/p>\n

\n

Besides being able to draw income from fans in the stands, the lack of casino gaming has also put a dent in the NYRA\u2019s coffers. Resorts World Casino<\/a> at NYRA\u2019s Aqueduct has been closed for two months because of the coronavirus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWithout the casino operating and without on-track attendance, we’ve had to make significant purse cuts,\u201d said NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Martin Panza in a release. \u201cThe purse cuts to the stakes schedule are much more dramatic than the overnight schedule, and we’ve tried to help the everyday horsemen as much as possible through these trying times by writing a rich and varied condition book, offering a daily opportunity for black type, that will support horsemen at all levels of the game.”<\/p>\n

The Belmont meet will end on July 12, as the NYRA will bring racing upstate to Saratoga for the traditional summer meet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

COVID-19 has turned the sporting world upside down in 2020, and that includes horse racing\u2019s Triple Crown. On Tuesday, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced the Belmont Stakes, historically the anchor leg of the series of classic races for 3-year-old thoroughbreds, will run on June 20. With the Kentucky Derby set for Sept. 5 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":136347,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14577,16],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBelmont Stakes Set for June 20, Will Be First Triple Crown Race in 2020<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Not only will the Belmont Stakes be the first Triple Crown horse race this season, the race at the New York track will be shorter, too.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Belmont Stakes Set for June 20, Will Be First Triple Crown Race in 2020\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Not only will the Belmont Stakes be the first Triple Crown horse race this season, the race at the New York track will be shorter, too.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/belmont-stakes-set-for-june-20-will-be-first-triple-crown-race-in-2020\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Casino.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Casino.OrgNews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-05-20T04:47:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-05-20T17:55:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/sirwinston-1154676770.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"577\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Steve Bittenbender\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Casino_Org\" 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