Aqueduct stakes schedule has a familiar look
The New York Racing Association will hold 49 stakes worth $7.48 million during the 2016 Aqueduct winter and spring meets, which run from Jan. 1 through April 24. The schedule is quite similar to last year, but a number of small adjustments have been made by Martin Panza, NYRA’s senior vice president of racing operations.
Last year, 47 stakes were held during the same period for purses of $7.06 million.
“We tweaked it a little,” Panza said. “We added a little money and a few more stakes. It’s a serviceable schedule; there’s something there for every division.”
The New York path to the Kentucky Derby remains unchanged, with the Grade 3, $200,000 Jerome on Jan. 2 leading to the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers on Jan. 30; the Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham on March 5; and the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial on April 9.
The Grade 3, $200,000 Excelsior, for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/4 miles, has been moved to the Wood Memorial card, bringing the number of stakes that day to five.
There is a four-race series for 3-year-old sprinters that begins with the newly created $125,000 Lost in the Fog at six furlongs on Jan. 1 and concludes with the Grade 3, $300,000 Bay Shore at seven furlongs on Wood Memorial Day. The two other races, the $100,000 Fred “Cappy” Capossela on Feb. 6 and the $125,000 Jimmy Winkfield on March 6, are both at six furlongs.
One of the bigger changes to the schedule is that the second running of New York Claiming Championship Day has been moved from the inner track to the main track on April 2. Some of the distances and purses of the starter-allowance stakes have changed. Purses for the 10 races will total $705,000.
“We moved the Claiming Championship back a week to put it on the main track, which gives us more flexibility with the distances,” Panza said. “We were happy with the first year. It’s good to do this for the people who stay with us all winter long.”
Two $100,000 stakes have been dropped from the winter meet schedule, and five races have been added.
The Affectionately and Cat Cay have not been brought back. Both races were for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. In their place, the $150,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational, at 1 1/16 miles, will be run March 5.
The other new races are the Lost in the Fog and three $100,000 New York-bred stakes, the Gander, the Biogio’s Rose, and the Maddie May. Eight statebred stakes will be held in 2016 compared with five this year. All eight will be run between Jan. 31 and Feb. 20. The only open stakes during that period is the Capossela. The Evening Attire for New York-breds has been renamed the Haynesfield.
Six stakes at the winter meet have had their purses increased from $100,000 to $125,000.
At the spring meet, the $100,000 Belle Harbor, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, has been dropped.
Two open stakes have had their distances changed. The $100,000 Ladies on Jan. 10 has been shortened from 1 1/8 miles to a mile and 70 yards, and the Grade 2, $200,000 Distaff on April 17 has been lengthened from six furlongs to seven furlongs.
Winter meet
| DATE | RACE | PURSE | AGE | DISTANCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Jan. 1 | Lost In The Fog | 125,000 | 3YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Jan. 2 | Jerome (Grade 3) | 200,000 | 3YO | 1 Mile 70 Yds |
| Sat., Jan. 9 | Interborough | 100,000 | F&M 4&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sun., Jan 10 | Ladies Hdcp | 100,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 Mile 70 Yds |
| Sat., Jan. 16 | Jazil | 125,000 | 4 & UP | 1 70 Yds |
| Sat., Jan. 16 | TRIPLE CROWN (Early Closing) | |||
| Sun., Jan 17 | Ruthless | 100,000 | F 3YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Mon., Jan. 18 | Toboggan (Grade 3) | 150,000 | 4 & UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Jan. 23 | Busanda | 100,000 | F 3YO | 1 Mile 70 Yds |
| Sat., Jan. 30 | Withers (Grade 3) | 250,000 | 3 YO | 1 1/16 |
| Sun., Jan. 31 | Maddie May (NYB) | 100,000 | F 3YO | 1 Mile 70 Yds |
| Sat., Feb. 6 | Fred "Cappy" Capossela | 100,000 | 3 YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Feb. 6 | Gander (NYB) | 100,000 | 3 YO | 1 Mile 70 Yds |
| Sun., Feb. 7 | Biogio's Rose (NYB) | 100,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/16 |
| Sat., Feb. 13 | Broadway (NYB) | 100,000 | F&M 4&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Feb. 13 | Haynesfield (NYB) | 100,000 | 4 & UP | 1 1/16 |
| Sun., Feb. 14 | Rego Park (NYB) | 125,000 | 3 YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Mon., Feb. 15 | Hollie Hughes (NYB) | 100,000 | 4 & UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Feb. 20 | Franklin Square (NYB) | 125,000 | F 3YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Feb. 27 | Busher | 125,000 | F 3YO | 1 1/16 |
| Sat., Mar. 5 | Gotham (Grade 3) | 400,000 | 3YO | 1 1/16 |
| Sat., Mar. 5 | Heavenly Prize Invitational | 150,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/16 |
| Sun., Mar. 6 | Jimmy Winkfield | 125,000 | 3 YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Mar. 12 | Tom Fool Hdcp. (Grade 3) | 200,000 | 4 & UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sun., Mar. 13 | Stymie | 125,000 | 4 & UP | 1 1/8 |
| Sat., Mar. 19 | Correction | 125,000 | F&M 4&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Mar. 26 | Cicada | 125,000 | F 3YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Mon., Mar. 21 | TRIPLE CROWN (Late Closing) |
Spring Meet
| DATE | RACE | PURSE | AGE | DISTANCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Apr. 2 | Mr. Sinatra (Open Starter in 2015-16 | 90,000 | 4 & UP | 1 1/8 Mile |
| Sat., Apr. 2 | Caixa Eletronica (Starter $40,000 in 15-16) | 80,000 | 4 & UP | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Apr. 2 | Karakorum Elektra (Starter $25 in 15-16) | 80,000 | F&M 4&UP | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Apr. 2 | Stud Muffin (Starter $25 in 15-16) | 75,000 | 4 & UP | 1 Mile |
| Sat., Apr. 2 | Xtra Heat (Starter $20 in 15-16) | 70,000 | F&M 4&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Apr. 2 | Peeping Tom (Starter $20 in 15-16) | 70,000 | 4 & UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Apr. 2 | Sis City (Starter $16 in 15-16) | 60,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 Mile |
| Sat., Apr. 2 | More To Tell (Starter $16 in 15-16) | 60,000 | 4 & UP | 1 Mile |
| Sat., Apr. 2 | Videogenic (Starter $12,500 in 15-16) | 60,000 | F&M 4&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Apr. 2 | Kelly Kip (Starter $12,500 in 15-16) | 60,000 | 4 & UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sun., Apr. 3 | Top Flight Invitational Hdcp. | 200,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/8 |
| Sat., Apr. 9 | Wood Memorial | 1,000,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 |
| Sat., Apr. 9 | Carter Hdcp. | 400,000 | 4&UP | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Apr. 9 | Bay Shore | 300,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Apr. 9 | Gazelle | 300,000 | F 3YO | 1 1/8 |
| Sat., Apr. 9 | Excelsior | 200,000 | 4 & UP | 1 1/4 |
| Sun., Apr. 10 | Danger's Hour | 100,000 | 4&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sat., Apr. 16 | Plenty of Grace | 100,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sun., Apr. 17 | Distaff (Hdcp) | 200,000 | F&M 4&UP | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Apr. 23 | Woodhaven | 100,000 | 3YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., Apr. 23 | New York Stallion Stakes | 100,000 | F 3YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs |
| Park Avenue Division | ||||
| Sun., Apr. 24 | Memories of Silver | 100,000 | F 3YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sun., Apr. 24 | New York Stallion Stakes | 100,000 | 3YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs |
| Times Square Division |