Belmont boosts New York Stakes purse to $1 million

A purse hike to $1 million for the New York Stakes, and the first stakes for 2-year-olds mandated to be run Lasix-free are among the changes to the Belmont Park 2020 stakes schedule released Saturday by the New York Racing Association.

NYRA will offer 58 stakes worth $18.65 million during the 51-Belmont spring/summer meet, which runs April 24 through July 12.

The New York, a Grade 2, 1 1/4-mile turf race for fillies and mares to be run on June 5, had its purse bumped from $600,000. Martin Panza, senior director of racing operations for NYRA, said he hopes the New York becomes a major goal for female turf runners going a distance of ground, and that it attracts some European interest.

“A million dollars makes a pretty strong statement,” Panza said. “If you have the right type of filly, hey, that’s what we’ll point to mid-year with the Breeders’ Cup being the end of year goal.”

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Panza noted that the first Group 1 race for fillies and mares in Europe isn’t run until the end of June, so perhaps a European-based trainer may look at the New York.

The New York has averaged eight horses over the last four years. Trainer Chad Brown’s runners finished 1-2-3 in 2016 and 1-2 in both 2018 and 2019.

The New York gives the Belmont meet five races with a purse of seven-figures, topped by the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, the final leg of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. The Belmont Stakes is one of nine stakes - eight of which are Grade 1 - to be offered on the June 6 Belmont Stakes card. NYRA has dropped the listed Easy Goer Stakes for 3-year-olds, typically run on Belmont Day, from the schedule.

Other highlights on the June 6 card are the $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap and the $1 million Manhattan as well as the $700,000 Ogden Phipps and $700,000 Acorn. The Jaipur, a six-furlong turf stakes run that day, had its purse reduced from $700,000 to $500,000, while the Grade 2 Brooklyn had its purse increased by $100,000 to $500,000.

The other seven-figure race at the meet is the $1 million Belmont Derby, which tops the Stars & Stripes Racing Festival on July 11. That day’s card includes the $750,000 Belmont Oaks, the Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban (purse cut from $700,000), the Grade 2 John A. Nerud, and the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer.

Though it would seem logical that a card billed “Stars & Stripes” would be run July 4, Panza said that card has “never been tied to July 4.”

Other big days include May 9 when the Grade 1, $700,000 Man o’ War tops a five-stakes program, and the Belmont Park New York Breeders’ Showcase Day on Memorial Day, May 25, featuring six stakes for New York-breds.

Beginning in 2020, all 2-year-old races at NYRA tracks will be run Lasix-free. That includes the $150,000 Astoria for fillies on June 4 and the Tremont on June 5, both at Belmont.