Belmont fall meet back at Aqueduct with six Breeders' Cup qualifiers

The Belmont Park fall meet, to be run at Aqueduct this season, will feature six Breeders’ Cup qualifying races as part of the meet's 40 stakes worth a cumulative $8.7 million, the New York Racing Association announced Saturday.

The 28-date season starts Sept. 14 and runs through Oct. 29.

Belmont’s fall meet is being run at Aqueduct this year because of ongoing capital improvement projects at Belmont.

The first of the ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifiers for the Breeders’ Cup will be held on the Sept. 30 card that features a total of four graded stakes. The Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh at seven furlongs is a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. It will share a card with the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at 1 1/2 miles; the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodward at 1 1/8 miles; and the Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom for fillies and mares over 6 1/2 furlongs.

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The next round of qualifiers, for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf, will share a card Oct. 1. The Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim is a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and the Grade 2, $200,000 Miss Grillo is the same for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

A second offering of qualifiers for 2-year-olds will be held Oct. 7. The Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne is a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette is a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. The Champagne and Frizette, which will both be run at a mile, anchor a card of five stakes. It includes a trio of Grade 3 races: the $500,000 Jockey Club Derby at 1 3/8 miles on the grass; the $200,000 Waya at the same distance on turf for fillies and mares, and the $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint.

The meet’s final Breeders’ Cup qualifier, the Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity at six furlongs on the grass, is for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. It will share a card with the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles and the Grade 3, $150,000 Matron for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs on turf.

The Grade 2, $300,000 Forty Niner – previously known as the Kelso – is set for Oct. 28. The one-turn mile race for 3-year-olds and up will offer its first three finishers a “free nomination and starting fee” into the Grade 2 Cigar Mile to be run during Aqueduct’s fall meet. The Forty Niner will share a card with the Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles.

The final card of the meet Oct. 29 will be dedicated to New York-bred racing. Empire Showcase Day will feature eight New York-bred stakes worth a cumulative $1.6 million. The main events – both over 1 1/8 miles – are the $250,000 Empire Classic and $250,000 Empire Distaff.

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